Jordanfiorillo's Blog

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Link to Rhetorical Devices – AP English

Learning Modalities

College Preparation Timeline

Free Algebra Homework Help

Coursework

Hello world!

jordanfiorillo — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:46:25 +0000

The following (FREE!) page is loaded with helpful info for students struggling with homework or needing extra practice, especially in math. There are also literary resources for students wanting a help with reading comprehension or literary analysis. I have used the math practice numerous times to help students assess their preparedness for tests, and it is great because each problem comes with step-by-step solutions.

http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help/;_ylt=AupEN3zY.4MyLlQ.3PEM3njak7MF

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

jordanfiorillo — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Check out this site with a list of rhetorical devices commonly tested on the English AP:

http://www.studystack.com/studytable-5072

There are even online flashcards you can use to quiz yourself (though I recommend making your own to ensure comprehension:)

jordanfiorillo — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:27:30 +0000

Ever heard of learning modalities? Learning modalities are learning preferences, usually grouped into three main categories: auditory, visual, and motor/kinesthetic. Basically, the theory behind learning modalities is that each person has a preferred learning method, based on his or her preferred sensory input. For a long time, it was thought that the best way to teach children was to teach to their preferred modality – show information to visual learners, speak information to auditory learners, and give manipulative learning tools to motor/kinesthetic learners, etc.

Well, guess what? Apparently there is no empirical evidence to support the practice of teaching to student learning preferences. The practice has what is called “face validity,” meaning that it appeals to intuition and makes sense to us logically, but it doesn’t hold water empirically (when tested.)

I have used learning preference to help direct my tutoring for years with considerable success. Perhaps it was simply the additional intervention, not the method, that worked? Perhaps learning modalities are a factor in learning, but shouldn’t direct classroom instruction? Maybe they are better used for consideration when working one-on-one with a student?

Which bring me to No Child Left Behind, a groundbreaking federal law with both very good and very bad implications for schools. NCLB requires that public schools utilize data-driven, empirically-proven methods of teaching. The thinking is that the lack of data-driven teaching methods utilized up until now shoulders some of the blame for our failing public school system. Like learning modalities, many of the teaching methods being used in schools hold appealing face validity, but are shown ineffective when put to the test.

I am not usually someone who needs scientific validation to utilize a particular technique; I am willing to try different things with different students and see what works. Overall, however, I think the movement toward scientifically-validated teaching methods is a very good thing. I would love to hear from any teachers on this.

jordanfiorillo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:50:01 +0000

I found this college preparation timeline today. It doesn’t address SAT/ACT test preparation (my specialty and often a critical part of college admissions success,) but it covers many other important college admissions realities, like internships, scholarships, etc. Check it out:

http://www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pageID=1176

Let me know what you think!

jordanfiorillo — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:37:16 +0000

The following site charges a subscription fee, but offers some Algebra lessons and practice problems for free. Click the link below and read the Chapter Introductions for brief lessons on Algebra topics. Then, try the practice problems for each chapter’s sections and check your answers for free!

http://hotmath.com/help/gt/genericalg1/index.html

jordanfiorillo — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:24:01 +0000

I am officially registered for classes now and I am so excited to begin! Of course the first year’s coursework will be a bit introductory, but I know how important a solid foundation is. My fall semester classes include:

Introduction to Special Education Law & Policy

Trends in Psychological Research

Advanced Psychological Statistics I

Tests & Measurement

Psychological Evaluation I

Professional School Psychology

jordanfiorillo — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:58:32 +0000

Thanks for visiting my blog! I am entering a graduate program for school psychology in about a month and I hope this site will be a resource for parents and students seeking guidance on all topics related to school and education.

My plan is to update this page with interesting and helpful facts/methods that I have learned, so that parents and students can benefit from applying this information at home. Over time, I plan to compile a comprehensive list of links to sites that provide homework help, study skills tips, and other related topics.

Stay tuned and please visit my current website for more information on me and what I do: