Trusted Saskatoon Blog | All posts by shelby

Trusted Saskatoon Tutors discuss IQ tests

26. Jul 2016 shelby Saskatoon Legal & Professional, Trusted Tips

Using an IQ test for kids is an attractive tool for those looking to benchmark a child’s educational progress. With clear-cut standardized scores, IQ tests make it obvious that a child with a low score would need different instruction than one with a high score. Seems helpful, right? Unfortunately it’s not quite that easy.

While these tests have been the intelligence testing standard for the past 100 years, there has been controversy in the education world as to how effective they truly are – especially for children.

Let’s get to the bottom of the debate around IQ tests for children: what’s the problem and what’s the best alternative?

DEFINING IQ TESTS

IQ tests aim to measure mental capacity using a variety of categories – including verbal skills, visual-spatial reasoning, memory and processing speed. Children who take IQ tests are provided with a number based on how they score against their age group, which signifies whether they are considered gifted, average, or at risk of learning and behavioural issues.

THE PROBLEM WITH LABELS

Research shows that labels of all types are harmful for children – and can influence future behaviour in drastic ways. Instead of focusing on learning style, IQ tests provide children with a fixed score that teachers and parents use to determine the course of their education.

MISSING THE WHOLE PICTURE

IQ tests can be a great way to analyze specific aspects of a child’s intelligence, but they ultimately fail to look at the entire picture. Examinations of intelligence should not be fixed to a one-size-fits-all mentality. They need to consider a child’s overall pattern of strengths, weaknesses, environment, and culture.

To overcome the number of issues that come with IQ testing for children, parents and teachers should consider using programs that focus on qualitative learning and overall potential, not just quantitative scores. Instead of determining what their intelligence level is based on a few fixed categories, assessments should focus on how a child learns, and what educational tools they respond best to.

A DYNAMIC ALTERNATIVE

Dynamic tests and assessments are an effective alternative to the standard IQ test for kids. They provide children with the opportunity to work in a comfortable, open environment — one that leaves room for mistakes, exploration and creativity. This gives the administrator of the evaluation the opportunity to assess the child’s needs using a more holistic approach.

Parents and teachers should also look for tests and assessments that provide more than just a final score.

All educators and parents just want to give students what they need to thrive and succeed throughout their school years. And with different personalities, experiences, and learning styles comes a need for personalized testing.

By avoiding standardized IQ tests, and instead opting for dynamic styles of assessment, each student will be given the care and attention required for them to achieve their best throughout their educational journey.

Trusted Saskatoon window, professionals Sunview Windows tip on energy loss

21. Jul 2016 shelby Saskatoon Windows & Doors, Trusted Tips

Sunview Windows and Doors provide new and replacement windows and doors. Featuring the worlds most energy efficient glass. We manufacture products that extend the comfort zone. The company primarily makes windows but we also offer solariums (also called sunrooms), screen rooms, conservatories and patio covers through Sunview Solariums Ltd.

Sunview Windows are Trusted Window, Door & Sunroom Experts

Energy Loss through windows explained by Sunview team

Windows and doors are often a major factor in energy loss in your home. Single paned windows that have metal frames are not well insulated and do not keep the heat in or out very well. The edges of doors and windows account for a large amount of air leakage. Energy loss through windows is the largest and most variable loss in buildings and has major implications on energy consumption and peak heating and cooling loads.

Types of Windows

Windows only take up between 5-10% of a homes total surface area that is exposed to outside temperatures but account for as much as 53% of the heat lost in a home. Older homes are more susceptible to heat loss because of the structure of the windows. Your options to fix these heat losses are to either purchase new windows or to try some low cost efforts to repair the window. The idea is to purchase the most energy efficient windows possible given your budget and your specific needs. Double and Triple Paned Windows are designed with a trapped air space about a half an inch thick, which functions as an insulator. It works by restricting the amount of air movement, slowing down the heat loss through windows. Low Emissivity Windows have a clear coating on the window to reduce the heat loss or gain. This is an almost invisible coat of semi-conductor or metal oxide film that is applied directly to the glass or on a plastic film that is placed between the two windowpanes.

There are two different types of Low-E coatings, hard coats and soft coats. Soft coats are the most effective at reflecting heat and are better insulators of heat. The hard coat is incorporated directly into the surface of the glass and is less likely to be mechanically damaged, so in most cases they are used in single pane storm windows. Windows that are made with low-E films are usually approximately 15-25% more costly than regular double glazed windows. They will also reduce energy loss by around 30-50%. The energy savings will pay for the higher cost of the windows in around 10 years. Argon Gas is a motionless gas that manufacturers use to fill the space between the panes of glass to reduce the heat loss. Argon gas is often used because it is a better insulator than air and has a relatively low cost compared to the alternatives. Low-conductivity spacers separate two pieces of glass when making an insulated glass unit.

Window frame

The way that the window frame is put together has a great impact on the required maintenance and life span of the window. Aluminium frames require little to no maintenance and generally have a long life span. Fibreglass frames are not very available but are high in energy efficiency. Some of these models are filled with a foam insulator to better insulate heat. Vinyl frames require no maintenance and perform well thermally. Wood frames insulate well and have a long life span but they need to be protected from the weather. U-values let you know how much heat is getting through your window. Low U-values mean that there is very little heat getting through the window. Solar heat gain coefficients (SHGC) let you know how much of the sun’s energy is being transferred through the window frame. Ensure that your window is installed properly by getting a professional to install it; a poorly installed window will not work as efficiently.

How to stop energy loss through windows you already have

If you are unable to replace your current windows, there are other ways to improve efficiency and reduce energy loss. You should install storm windows. You can install these windows on the inside or the outside. Your insulation will improve by the dead air that is trapped between the windows. There are a few different types of storm windows such as rigid plastic storm windows, which are attached to the window with a mounting strip. There are the single pane storm windows, which are to be installed each fall and removed each spring. There are the permanent storm windows, which are more convenient than the removable type and have both screening and glass in the same unit. Temporary storm windows are plastic and are attached to the frame with tightly shrunken two-sided tape. Lastly there are window coverings such as blinds and curtains that can help lower the possibility of heat loss especially at night. Make sure that your window covering does not restrict the movement of air because it can cause the window to sweat.

We Design them * We Make then * We Install them *We stand behind them

Contact us today and we can book you in for your window renovation

Sunview Windows and Doors are Trusted Saskatoon Window, Door & Sunroom Experts

Saskatoon Storage company tip on storage mistakes

30. Jun 2016 shelby Saskatoon Movers & Storage, Saskatoon storage, Trusted Tips

Storage Mistakes:

Overstuffing Shelves

There’s no storage rule that says every square inch of a shelf must be crammed full of stuff. In fact, that’s a quick way to lose track of items and to create unwanted visual clutter. Instead, try alternating vertical and horizontal elements. If one section of a shelf has several books or containers, give the other side some visual breathing space with a photo or other collectible.

Relying on One Type or Size of Storage

Not everything you own is the same size, and not every type of storage you need should be either. A mix of sizes and types can help you quickly solve storage dilemmas and find more visually pleasing solutions for odd-shape items.

Ignoring Narrow Spaces

There’s a lot of storage usefulness that can be eked out of tight spaces. In this small living room, for example, a full-size side table would have overwhelmed the adjacent door and the traffic pattern. A storage-smart solution: a narrow table with a surface for a lamp and drink, plus a bottom shelf perfect for stacked boxes.

Not Tending to Visual Clutter

There are lots of items that contribute to visual clutter in our home, and that can lead to storage problems. Electronics are a good example: Cords and plenty of devices may lead to tangled plug-ins and a jumble of items. Solve those visual storage problems with vertical containers in pretty patterns or colors; when it’s pleasing to look at, you’re more likely to regularly tend to your storage.

Cluttering Up Your Drawers

There’s a reason a junk drawer is called a junk drawer: It’s usually the repository of all those things we don’t want, or don’t know how, to deal with. And if you’re not careful, all your drawers can quickly become clutter magnets. Instead, give yourself (and your junk drawers) a break, with organized spaces that rely on smaller trays, dividers, or other containers or bins.

Trusted Saskatoon Tutors tip on activities for your summer learner

22. Jun 2016 shelby Saskatoon Legal & Professional, Trusted Tips

WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE BEST FOR YOUR SUMMER LEARNER?

Whether your child loves to read, play outside, or get techy, there are many fun but effective ways to promote learning over the break. Since the summer will be here before you know it, it’s a great idea to start planning now what activities you’ll use to avoid summer learning loss. Our quick tips can help!

Ways to incorporate reading into your summer plans:

Take a trip to your local library
Bring a book with you to the park or the beach
Read a chapter in the morning, when your child is used to learning and before other plans cause distraction

Use these ideas to make reading an enjoyable pastime for both you and your child.

Ways to incorporate physical activity into your summer plans:

Sign your child up for a team sport
Encourage learning a new skill such as swimming
Go on walks and explore your city

Be sure to take advantage of all the different opportunities to get outside and get active.

Ways to incorporate educational technology into your summer plans:

Challenge your child to a new high score on an educational app
Start a tech project together – like a toy robotics kit

Teach kids through your own tasks – ie. baking a cake, or fixing a bicycle

Between 65,200 educational apps, various tech-based toys, and even just household activities, there are an endless supply of tech projects to use to encourage summer learning for your child.

Trusted Saskatoon Tutors tip on Tech-Savvy Kids

22. Jun 2016 shelby Saskatoon Legal & Professional, Trusted Tips

Kids today are born Tech-Savvy - They'll never have to be taught to use a keyboard or how to operate a tablet

Which is great news, because education increasingly incorporates technology into the classroom. Technology has become essential to how we access information and how we organize our lives. But just because something is new and useful, doesn’t mean that the old way is no longer relevant.

This is especially true when it comes to writing. Even in the age of technology, there are still plenty of times when putting pen to paper is needed—such as when writing an essay portion of an exam. However, as it turns out, writing isn’t just required for school: writing is an activity that has been shown to have numerous benefits to the brain and the body.

Whether journaling thoughts, chronicling the day, attempting poetry or starting a novel, old-fashioned pen and paper has an immense impact on emotional well being, helping students organize their thoughts and even improve their moods.

Despite being viewed as an old-fashion activity, writing by hand is still considered a valuable skill that has many cognitive benefits both in and out of the classroom.