Writing to a Target Audience

Monday, January 30, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | Scholarship Essays

What does your student know about their target audience when they are writing scholarship essays? Writers must always keep their readers in mind when designing their written work. Doing so will attract the attention of their target audience–the scholarship committee–and boost the likelihood that their essay will be noticed.

Did you know that a scholarship committee:

• Potentially reads hundreds of essay entries (Yours must be particularly memorable.)

• Is seeking one candidate who stands out (For the right reasons!)

• Desires to easily become knowledgeable about you (Share an experience that reveals your inner greatness.)

• Looks for a clearly understood story free from typos and other mistakes (Demonstrate your writing ability.)

• Already is acquainted with your academic achievements (Leave those details out.) 

• Wants to hear how their scholarship will benefit YOU (They want a return on their investment.)

• May not read your entire essay (Make every word count.)

For more details regarding how to write award-winning scholarship essays, consider securing my self-paced, affordable, online course for your student. I am also available to work one on one with students as they navigate this exciting, but often challenging process.

Topics of Writing Scholarship EssaysOnline Course include:

• Getting your Past Together (compiling past experiences for future essays)

• Searching High and Low (for scholarship opportunities)

• Keeping Your Act Together (organization)

• Yikes, I Have to Write the Essay (strategies for writing essays)

• Managing Word Count

• The Power of Gratitude (effective follow-up)

Check out my blogs on these topics for more free information!

Understanding the Scholarship Essay

When to Apply for Scholarships

Know Your Scholarship Committee

What is Dyslexia?

Monday, January 30, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | Dyslexia Support

 Simply put, dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty learning to read. 

The International Dyslexia Association has developed a comprehensive definition of dyslexia. Nancy Mather, Ph. D explains the condition for laymen as "a neurobiological disorder that affects the development of basic reading skills, spelling, and automaticity with sound-symbol connections." She goes on to explain, "It is often accompanied by specific weaknesses in cognitive factors that predict poor reading and spelling" ("Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment").

Will children ever "grow out" of dyslexia? In short, the answer is no. It is a lifelong condition. There are, however, at least two pieces of great news! Very effective dyslexia interventions exist that reduce dyslexia's impact on the whole person, plus, "Research indicates that dyslexia has no relationship to intelligence. Individuals with dyslexia are neither more nor less intelligent than the general population. But some say the way individuals with dyslexia think can actually be an asset in achieving success" (International Dyslexia Association). You probably are very familiar with the names of these truly successful Americans: Thomas Edison, Stephen Spielberg, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Charles Schwab. Each of these men has dyslexia, yet still pursued their dreams and made great contributions to mankind.

The universal recommendation is for early intervention. When dyslexia is diagnosed early in a child's education (K-2), effective, science of reading interventions can begin and less time is lost for remediation. Grades K-3 are spent teaching the skills of reading, whereas in grades 4-12 and beyond the skill of reading is used for the purpose of learning. It is crucial that students receive interventions early to prevent falling behind because of reading deficits as their school career progresses.

The science of reading is "a comprehensive body of research that encompasses years of scientific knowledge, … and shares the contributions of experts from relevant disciplines such as education, special education, literacy, psychology, neurology, and more [and has enabled researchers to] identify an evidence-based best practice approach for teaching foundational literacy skills called Structured Literacy" (IMSE Journal).

Dyslexia may seem like a death sentence of sorts, but it is not! Dyslexia's  typical deficits manifest differently in each individual it touches. With intervention, individuals with dyslexia are able to learn to read, spell, and comprehend. Their reading fluency may never reach that of their peers,yet with advocacy, assistance, and as needed, accommodations, dyslexics are able to maximize their intelligence and develop into successful members of society, making impressive contributions to humankind.

Sources:

"Dyslexia At a Glance" - International Dyslexia Association (dyslexiaida.org)

Mather,Nancy, Ph.D.,  "Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment", Virtual Dyslexia Conference, Dyslexia Training Institute, Spring 2020.

"What is the Science of Reading?" | Structured Literacy | IMSE Journal | IMSE - Journal

"Out the Classroom" Learning Opportunities

Monday, January 30, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | Unique Learning Opportunities

Learning opportunities that take place "out the classroom" are some of the most memorable experiences for students. When children are seeking after a topic that motivates their learning, their thinking skills naturally grow stronger, void of resistance.

How could you design a personalized learning adventure about a topic that sparks delight for your child?  When children are led into these types of learning experiences, what first began as parent-led learning quickly passes into student-led learning. This style of learning works well for children of all ages and for multiple aged children in one family if a family decided upon a learning project together.

Any parent can create a unique unit of study for their child. First, determine a topic that interests your child. As a parent, complete investigative learning about this topic yourself to determine which aspects of the topic could be tangible learning experiences for a learner that is your child's age. You may want to begin at the library checking out and reading books on the subject to help your child become more familiar with his or her area of interest. Ask your child if they would like to visit the topic, make a model of their subject, or design another hands-on experience. Determine associated information that the child could learn to widen their general understanding. How can this be accomplished? Let the delight-driven learning begin! Be intentional and and scheduled, refraining from stringing the learning on for too long a period of time. 

A possible learning experience about the Oregon Trail could include reading literature about the topic, handcrafting a model of a prairie schooner, creating a relief map of the trail itself, designing a diorama of what a typical Oregon Trail camp may have looked like, studying about buffalo, calculating the mileage travelers covered between camps and in total, learning how to build a campfire and cooking a meal outdoors, drawing the box size of a covered wagon with sidewalk chalk and trying to fit belongings into the space, visiting an Oregon Trail museum, and taking an all day walk along a trail. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

What do members of your family want to learn? I hope that you enjoy delightful memories with your family that will not only foster topic learning but draw your hearts closer as you complete the learning experience together.

Tired or Discouraged

Tuesday, January 3, 2023 by Catherine Gilliland | Support Through Rough Patches

When we are tired or frustrated and big emotions swell inside of us, we often forget some pretty important things. Our perspective becomes skewed. Our core values grow dim. Our responses shift from proactive to reactive. Living in the chaos of our own weariness and discouragement requires that we take stock of where we are and make a plan to return to a place where we regain balance and feel good about ourselves once more. From a position of personal balance and strength we can communicate understanding into our children's moments of upheaval and overwhelm, then share our calm with them, eventually empowering them for their future.

Define Personal Worth

To begin with, our worth is never measured by our visible productivity. Being visibly productive is just one measure of how well we are meeting our responsibilities. Consider, instead, your contributions and the value you have brought to those you interact with or care for. 

Observe and Evaluate

Healthy balance requires that we regularly carry out self-evaluations. To find a healthy balance it is helpful to ask yourself two questions: "What do I want?", and "What am I doing?"  When answering the question,"What do I want?", be realistic. You are not Superwoman. You have physical, mental, and emotional limits within which you must function.  When answering the question, "What am I doing?", be objective. Make sure to note what you are doing that leads to realizing your wants and matching your core values, not simply noting what seems to be missing.

Core Values

Our core values act as a compass, enabling us to re-orient ourselves when we become lopsided. What are your core values about the work that you do? When working with children as a parent or an educator, what do you believe about the value of the work that you are doing? Your values enable you to focus on the joy of your work and less on the rewards. As parents and teachers, it may be months or years before you witness the growth and learning outcomes in your children's lives for which you pour yourselves out daily. 

Reorient Your Perspective

Frustration or disappointment is natural when we have experienced outcomes or encounters we do not like or with which we do not agree.  When your situation seems out of control, refocus your perspective on what you can control. Do you have latitude to change a schedule, to change responsibilities, to change your attitude about that which seems difficult or unfair? The possibilities may surprise you!

Be Anticipatory

Instead of being reactive when faced with challenges or disappointments, be on the lookout for possible troubling situations and head them off at the pass. To prevent, forestall, or intercept will leave you feeling empowered. 

It is our job to share our calm with overwhelmed children. They are counting on us to be their guides in life. Growing into better versions of ourselves helps us to feel satisfied and impart to our children the skills necessary for full and joyful participation in their everyday lives.