Ozarks Literacy Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting literacy by providing free resources and services to adults and children in Southwest Missouri since 1968.
A person’s literacy level is correlated with several important outcomes such as personal income, employment levels, health, and overall economic growth.
75% of state incarcerated individuals did not complete high school and/or can be classified as low literate. Incarcerated individuals who participate in education programs are 43% less likely to recidivate than inmates who do not.
The reading skill of a child’s main caregiver – usually their mother – is the greatest determinant of that child’s future academic success, more significant than other factors like neighborhood or family income. (National Institutes of Health)
Test score data from 2019-2020 shows over 51% of students in Missouri’s public and charter schools are not proficient in English/Language Arts. – The Missouri Department of Elementary And Secondary Education
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We can all agree upon the fact that every child learns at their own pace. However, the traditional methods of education do not cater to student’s needs individually that is why you will see many of the students lagging in their classes, and parents are compelled to opt for homeschooling children or finding them a tutor. One to one learning system, however, is beneficial for all categories of students. As the name suggests, one to one learning involves teacher’s interaction with every single student individually and is found to be more effective as it gives the students the liberty to learn at their own pace as per their abilities. Here is how one to one instruction is beneficial for your children and can polish their learning skills:
Comfortable Learning Environment:
In one to one learning classrooms, students are able to communicate their ambiguities and difficulties to the instructors without fear of being mocked. Getting personal attention from the instructor makes them feel more confidant and they feel heard. Likewise, the instructor is bound to help students individually which creates a comfortable learning environment for the students. One to one learning method is highly beneficial to boost up your child’s confidence and enables them to learn more effectively.
Closely Monitored Progress:
In one to one learning classrooms, it is easy for the instructors to keep a close check on student’s progress in every subject individually. Even if the student does not volunteer to answer or participate in class, the teacher can evaluate a student’s progress and level of understanding by interacting with them individually. This is beneficial for the child as well, even though he might not be able to communicate his difficulties, the instructor can make sure to take care of it and make the changes in teaching methods or will adjust lessons plans as per student’s learning pace.
Boosting Up Self Confidence:
We find several students in each class who are reluctant to speak up or participate in class because they are shy or are afraid of being bullied by the students who often overshadow them. Such students often lose their confidence in the traditional learning method and end up dropping out of the schools. One to one learning is highly recommended for such students. Other than making them ace in their studies, it helps them to become self-sufficient and they become more confident by learning to interact with the instructor directly. They become more self-reliant and learn to speak up and vocalize their difficulties, thus, make one to one learning beneficial for self-grooming of children.
Fewer Distractions:
In traditional classrooms, there are so many children and it often hard for the instructor to keep the decorum of the classroom intact. Such an environment is distracting for students. In one to one learning classrooms, the number of students is either less or there aren’t any other than the student and instructor, thus, it creates a peaceful learning environment where there are absolutely no distractions. Students are able to pay more attention to their studies and are more likely to perform well in their exams and assignments.
Better Mental Health:
One to one learning creates a healthy and stress-free environment for the students. Some children often feel it hard to ask questions or participate in class discussions due to fear of embarrassment. However, in one to one learning, there is no such pressure, and students are free to speak and communicate with the instructor. Having a stress-free environment lets the children focus more on their studies thus, lessening the burden on their mind that ultimately results in better mental health.
No Fear of Missing Out:
Unlike traditional classrooms, one to one learning classrooms cannot go on until the student is present. You won’t have of missing out on the lecture or won’t have to worry about the fact that you have to get the notes or ask someone for help to get along with the lesson. One to one learning is all about the students and cannot be continued if the student does not show up.
One to one learning setting is highly beneficial for the students and cater to all of their needs. From making them improve in their studies to enabling them to communicate with their instructors, students learn to be their best without any peer pressure. One to one learning is surely the best option for a kid who is facing difficulty to cope with traditional learning methods.
By Annika Wells
Reading is a habit that we all can agree upon to be a healthy and positive activity that is suitable for everyone, irrespective of the age groups. The word reading has more implications than merely understanding what is inscribed on a piece of paper. It takes you to places that you haven’t been to before or do not exist in reality. It introduces us to a new world, new people, and increases our knowledge. The following are the top six benefits of developing a reading habit to change yourself and your life for good:
Destress Yourself:
It is a scientifically proven fact that reading is a healthy activity that can help you to destress. If you ever feel burdened or the monotony of life is tiresome, pick up a book from your favorite genre, prepare a coffee, and sit in a quiet corner of your room and read. You are guaranteed to feel lighter than air. Once you master the art of reading, bookstores like Builders Book will feel like heaven. A book lets you enter into a fictional world and detach from your surroundings, thus, aiding in your healing process.
Improve Your Knowledge and Language Skills:
Books, mainly written by native writers, are the best source of gaining knowledge. If you want to learn about the real history of any land, you must start reading its literature. An unapologetically accurate depiction of significant historical events can only be presented by the native novelists or writers rather than the foreign historians. Moreover, reading improves your language skills. Every day you learn new words. The better you are at reading, the broader your vocabulary will be; the more comprehensive your dictionary is, the better you will be at reading. In both situations, it will benefit you.
Better Cognition:
When you read, you come across many new concepts, beliefs, schools of thoughts, or original pieces of information that compel you to think and stimulate your cognition. You learn to think in multiple dimensions and look at situations from diverse perspectives. If you read fiction frequently, you will learn to boost your imaginative power. Therefore, reading regularly, either fiction or nonfiction, makes you smarter.
Freedom to Think:
We live in an age where it has become difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction. It is quite natural for people to spread fake news and make people believe in it. Likewise, media, either social or mainstream, is conditioning people to think in a specific direction and stunting their ability to make decisions or draw conclusions based on their opinions. The entire system is contributing to produce human robots. However, when you read, you get to a quite clear picture of the reality and the fabricated narratives. You learn to form unbiased observations and look beyond the horizon. It gives you the freedom to think!
It is Entertaining:
Reading takes you to a whole new level of entertainment. It is known to be the best activity for leisure time and that too for all the right reasons. When you read different fiction stories, you live with the different types of characters. You enjoy the emotional roller-coaster ride. It can make you laugh, cry, or awaken all kinds of emotions in you. Enjoy being disconnected from the real world for some time and cherish living in an imaginary world created by a fiction narrative.
Be a Better You!
Reading makes you a better person to top all of these benefits. You become knowledgeable that in turn, enhances your writing and communication skills. When you read fiction, you enter into another life that you wouldn’t have known otherwise. Even if it is fictional, getting into the shoes of another person makes you a more empathetic and open person. It broadens your vision, and you develop an acceptance for the diversity of the world. You can relate to the sufferings of those around you. Reading makes you a less judgmental and more positive person.
The Bottom-line:
From broadening your vision to helping you morph into a better and knowledgeable person, reading can change you for good. Becoming an avid reason is the best thing that can happen to anyone; it is food for your soul. Put aside your delaying strategy, get some good reads, and started adding up to your growth process, a growth towards being a better person!
