Wow, I think my world is under control enough to begin blogging again (at least, I hope so!).  I’ve been keeping busy; how about you?  Let me catch you up…..

Mostly I’ve been working on writing high-stakes test items for a few clients.  I enjoy the work and it pays well, so I can put aside the feelings of cognitive dissonance that result from not really agreeing with the whole “testing model” that our schools are so into right now.  I also write reviews for iPad educational apps over at Best Apps for Kids.  Stop on by if you have youngsters and an iPad, iPhone or iPod-there are some outstanding apps out there!!

I’ve got a couple of clients that have requested internet services, so I’ve set up some websites for small businesses.  I think the slickest one is a local Doggie Daycare called Bunk and Biscuit.  Other clients have me writing grants and working on social media and newsletters.  It’s fun!

I’ve still got in-person students and a few on-line students as well, but there’s room in the schedule if you know someone who needs help.  And check out the calendar page above to see when and where the next events are.  Talk to you again soon!

I just have figured out an efficient way to offer online assistance to my students!  It’s very exciting for me, because up until now, I’ve been helping individuals one by one, emailing back and forth and spending a LOT of time and energy on each one.  It truly limited what I could do for any given person, especially the people that I feel called to help on a volunteer basis (yes, I do offer tutorial assistance to students for free if they are in financial need-email for info).

And now I think I have the answer!!  I’ve set up a special site for this project: http://www.learningnook.com/mylearningnook and I’m putting the finishing touches onto the registration system.  Presto! We have a full and working site where I can offer individualized help with a minimum of fuss.  Clients who need assistance (or my in person clients who want some extra practice) can pay for one lesson at a time and work at their own pace.  Clients in financial need can email me their circumstances and if there is space in the system, I can add them manually.  Then I just assign the needed lessons and off we go!

At last I can offer online assistance at an affordable price ($10-$20 per lesson) and I can use the same system to help struggling students who may not have other resources so they can succeed as well.  Help me spread the word!

August 17, 2012

Wow, it’s been a busy summer!  Through it all, I’ve been working hard to assist parents, teachers and students in making learning happen.  This website is the newest of the group, and I hope to use it to keep you up to date on projects and to share all the great things I find in my travels around the web.

For those of you who have been following the saga, my eyes are nearly healed up after surgery a few weeks back and I’m seeing better than ever.  I have one last doctor appointment, then I should get my real glasses and be on my merry way.

I’ve added two new students to my case load in my private practice, bringing it to thirteen youths.  At the county mental health agency where I do literacy development, I currently work with thirty-four individuals.  I have one adult literacy student, too.  Whew!  Keeps me hopping.

The grant writing business is heating up, with two large grant proposals due in the next month or so.

In between, I’m working to design a digital program for beginning adult literacy and for high school writing skills.  I figure that’s about enough to keep me out of trouble.

So watch for news and info here, and be ready for just about anything!  I know I am!

-Sandy