Thank you to Explore Horizons for partnering with us on this post! #fearlesslearning #fearlesswriter #fearlesstesttaker #fearlessmath

Often when people hear ‘tutoring’, they think of help for those falling behind or struggling with certain aspects of their education. I’ll admit that I used to think that way, too! Since letting all of my kids try out the program available at Explore Horizons, it’s changed my perspective. I’ve learned that children of ANY level or ability can really benefit from Fearless Learning Support at Explore Horizons – whether it’s to catch up, stay strong or even get ahead!

With five kiddos, we have varying levels of learning – they each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and don’t all learn the exact same way. This can be hard to meet ALL their needs in a typical school setting, because they need more individualized help to really assist with their learning. That’s one reason I’ve loved the past few weeks at Explore Horizons, because their method is a ‘whole child’ approach. They provide tutoring for kids of all abilities in the Pre-K through 8th grades in math, reading and writing that’s engaging to the kids, making them actually EXCITED to learn.  Every child receives a plan customized to their own individual needs, really increasing their likelihood of success. And when a child truly feels confident that they can succeed, that’s when they can truly conquer anything. It’s an amazing compliment to a school education, and can really give them a stronger foundation for success.

So how does this work, you may be asking? First, Explore Horizons has several locations available around the Dallas-Fort Worth area – so go to their site and locate the one nearest you. Contact them to schedule your child’s evaluation, which helps them put together a plan that will best assist and support your child’s educational needs. Once the plan is in place, they’ll explain how the sessions and such work. Basically, with the monthly fee you receive:

• Up to two tutoring sessions per week, 75 minutes each
• Professional educators
• Individually tailored tutoring
• Regular one-on-one parent progress meetings
• Open homework clinic on Wednesday evenings
• Reserved one-on-one tutoring session per month

You’re able to drop in during their operating hours without having to pre-book (super convenient if you don’t know you’re exact schedule in advance – just decide the day of!). Their customized plans align to your school district’s curriculum, and they offer preparation for test taking. With the STARR tests coming up, I loved being able to take my 4th grader to those STARR prep sessions for a little extra confidence and support for her! Oh, and they offer ne thing that would’ve helped ME a ton in my youth – handwriting development help!

I was nervous at first that my kids would be annoyed when I told them they were going to be attending a tutoring session – and they were, until they got there. They absolutely LOVED the staff, who were so friendly and knowledgeable (and patient – a huge benefit when working on learning) and the learning program is actually fun for the kids, so they look forward to attending each week. Some of my kids need a bit of extra help to catch up to their current level, while a few are ready to advance more but don’t receive that time or attention in school. Explore Horizons was perfect for this, because they cater it to that child’s particular needs and levels. It’s NOT just for kids who need extra help – my more advanced kids loved being able to work on more challenging things above their ‘normal’ grade, and it helped them feel more motivated to learn.

A typical session for us – we arrive and are greeted by the awesome staff. They call my kiddos ‘the clan’ because it’s FIVE of them 🙂 My kids write their name and arrival time on the sign-in sheet, and I’m told what time about they’ll be done. It’s typically 75 minutes long. They get their books, are assigned a station, and get working on their goals for that day with the assistance of the staff. Each station has up to six kids with one tutor helping just those kids – I love the smaller sizes, so they can really get the help, support and attention they need! After working their time, they have a ‘recharge station’ where they can play some games and have a little bit of earned fun. At the end, they’re given up to 4 lizard cards (depending on how many they earned for how well they did their goals for the day), and told how many spaces to move their name on the lizard chart – more on those rewards later though! Then they’re released to me at pick-up, and I’m updated of how each child did that day. I love the great communication between their team and us as parents – it takes a village, that’s for sure!

When kids feel like they’re able to learn – and enjoy it – a whole new world opens up and they really up their effort. I love how excited they are when they understand something new, or overcome something that they were struggling with before! That’s one thing that Explore Horizons believes in – creating a generation of fearless learners.

You’ll be kept updated of their progress each session, since when you pick them up one of their awesome staff lets you know what they worked on, what they may have struggled with a bit, and what they did amazing on (whether it’s asking for help, learning a new concept, or figuring out a new way to work a problem). The kids’ goals are clear from the start of each session, so they know what to work on. During your monthly progress meetings, they’ll give you a DETAILED report of how they’re doing, including what level they’re working at and with what average score and mastery scores. For example, I knew Black Widow was reading at a higher level than her grade, but didn’t realize she was doing really well in reading AND math at a whole grade level above where she’s at!

Their engaging program helps keep track of where the kids are at, and adjusts as needed. One of my twins is a bit lower in reading than his ‘actual grade level’ is, so the program adjusted to fit that AND adjusted to ensure that his math was where HE needed it, not where the grade level said. It’s great knowing that not only is the staff customizing their tutoring session, but the program they’re working on will cater to their individual needs, as well.

They also have a reward system – because we know kids LOVE rewards – in which they earn ‘lizard cards’. The kids get a kick out of these fun cards, which they can collect. They also move up the lizard chart to earn certificates, and there’s a prize shop where they can earn enough cards to ‘buy’ a cool prize. They’re so excited for it, and it gives them even more encouragement and motivation to do their best!

So what are you waiting for? You can find Explore Horizons on their website or on their social accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This post is sponsored by the School Nutrition Associated for National School Breakfast Week. #NSBW18 #SchoolBreakfast #TrayTalk

I’m sure I’ve mentioned a time or two (or dozen) before how much I dislike mornings. It’s such a mad rush to get everyone up, ready and out the door – and we can just hope that nobody forgot something important! Unfortunately, for busy families it means not having time for a good breakfast, even though it’s one of the most important meals of the day. Luckily, mornings are saved with school breakfast – and this week we’re celebrating with National School Breakfast Week!

At our school, I know so many kids who rely on the school breakfast because it’s just not available at home – either due to time, finances or whatever reason. When I walk in the doors every morning with my kiddos in tow, we walk right past the lunchroom that’s bustling with kids enjoying a good start to the day. Plus, it’s a great time for them to chat with friends and prepare for the day ahead together! It’s also a relief to parents, knowing that if they just can’t make breakfast or lunch every day, their kids will still have a great option.

I’m thrilled that some important changes have been made to the school menus in the past decade – with more whole grains, fresh fruit and veggies, less sodium and sugar, and local ingredients or from scratch cooking when available. I know all you fellow busy moms understand the stress of making sure our kiddos eat more healthy – especially with so much junk around – so it means a lot to me as a parent to know that the offerings are better for them than when I was younger.

In fact, research shows that kids who participate in the school breakfast programs tend to eat more fruits, drink more milk and have a wider variety of foods than those who don’t eat breakfast. About 14 million kids eat school breakfast every school day – so that’s a lot of little ones getting better nutrition in their tummies!

I’ll fully admit that I HAVE to have breakfast every day – without it, I’m lethargic and honestly a total grump. I don’t mean to be, but I just can’t function well without starting my day with a good meal – and I know growing kids need it even more! It not only helps their mood and healthy weight, but students who eat breakfast are more likely to score higher on standardized tests, reach higher levels in math and reading, are able to concentrate and remember better, and be more alert throughout the day. YAY!

And did you know that some schools are adding Breakfast in the Classroom, Second Chance Breakfast, Grab and Go Breakfast and others? It’s their way to ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast before school begins – because it’s heartbreaking how many little kiddos wouldn’t have breakfast at all if their school didn’t offer one!

So to celebrate National School Breakfast Week March 5th-9th this year, there’s going to be daily activities, new healthy menu items and awesome breakfast programs being implemented in school – just check out the TrayTalk.org blog and the Tray Talk Facebook page to join in on the fun! There you’ll also find some handy resources for parents or guardians, with things such as interviews and stories from school cafeterias and nutrition experts.

Here’s some extra fun for your kiddos as well – some cool school breakfast themed coloring sheets! Just go here and print or download 🙂

You can even get really playful with some photo prop printables – get the kids, classmates, teachers and – heck, even the principal to join in on this clever fun. I call this one “my banana!” 😉

Just print them onto cardstock, cut them out and either hold them up just like that or attach them to a craft stick or something. These sure made for some awesome pictures to celebrate National School Breakfast Week!

What’s your kiddos’ favorite breakfast?