Changes to the 2012 Prairie State ACT

Every April, students in Illinois public schools take the Prairie State ACT and submit the scores to their colleges of choice.  We at Nurturing Wisdom love the Prairie State ACT – since students take it at school during the day, they traditionally do very well! However, due to recent changes, submitting these scores to colleges just became a lot harder. How will this affect your child?

What is the Prairie State ACT?

The Prairie State ACT is a real ACT taken by all Illinois public school students in late April. It is funded by the state of Illinois and taken as part of the state’s achievement testing. Students at private schools do not take this ACT.

How is it changing?

Due to funding cuts, the state of Illinois has eliminated the writing portion of the Prairie State ACT.

Why does this matter? Isn’t the writing section of the ACT optional?

Although the writing portion of the test is considered optional by the ACT, many colleges require this section for admissions. These colleges will not accept a student’s ACT scores unless the student took that particular ACT with the writing portion.

Other colleges don’t require the writing portion, but will accept it in lieu of SAT subject tests.

So does this mean my child can’t use their Prairie State ACT scores for university admissions?

Possibly. Check with the individual colleges your child is applying to, to see if they will accept the ACT without writing.

Can I opt to pay for the writing portion of the Prairie State ACT myself?

No, currently individual students and schools are not allowed to pay for the writing portion on their own. This means that no high school in Illinois will be offering the writing portion of the Prairie State ACT.

This is frustrating! What can I do?

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do to change the state’s decision. However, we’d recommend that you register your son or daughter for the national ACT test date on April 14^th, which is taken a few weeks before the Prairie State ACT.

That sounds like a lot of testing. Isn’t that overwhelming for students?

It can be, but many of our students have found the repetition of taking two tests so close together to be helpful. Also, keep in mind that the Prairie State ACT is taken during the school day, and doesn’t require any additional time commitment.

Is there any possibility that the state will reinstate funding for the writing portion?

There is a remote possibility that the state will decide to reinstate funding, but given the state’s financial situation, it is unlikely. We recommend that parents assume that the writing section will not be included on the test unless you hear otherwise.

Do you have any additional questions?

Feel free to contact us at 312.260.7945. We’d be happy to help!

-Alyssa DeCesari

Cultivating Homework Attitudes

Your child may have one of the following attitudes about homework:

          Homework is work: It's challenging, frustrating, and time consuming. Children with this attitude often have to be forced to do homework, which can lead to tears or even yelling.

          Homework is a learning experience: It's an opportunity to showcase hard work, to refine skills, and to learn new things.Children with this attitude realize that homework may be hard, but they see value in the work.


These are two distinctly different attitudes with very different consequences. The first focuses on difficulty. The second focuses on opportunity and growth. Which of these do you want to be the "tone" of homework in your household? And why is it important to consciously cultivate a productive and positive attitude?

Choosing your attitudes.

Children develop attitudes about homework that play over and over in their heads like tapes. If we, as parents, don't make a conscious effort to convey productive and positive attitudes, children will absorb the negative beliefs of those around them.

So how do you counteract negative ideas about homework? Decide on two to four "homework mantras" to consistently convey to your kids. Every household can have their own set of mantras. Here are some examples:

• Homework is your opportunity to learn.
• Mistakes are good!
• Effort matters most.

Be a Broken Record.

Once you've chosen your homework attitudes, you need to say them out loud. Over and over. It's easy to feel like you're just a walking cliché, but kids need to hear these messages loud and clear. They need to trust that you believe them, and they need time to internalize them.

It's just as important to engage your kids in conversations about these messages. When something goes wrong on a math assignment, try to remember to ask, "Is it okay that you made a mistake? Tell me why." Encouraging children to say the mantras for themselves is much more powerful than simply listening to you say them.

Modeling Matters.

Actions really do speak louder than words. It's so important for us to model the attitudes we want our children to adopt. When our children earn a poor grade, getting upset or disappointed doesn't show them that mistakes are learning opportunities. Similarly, when dinner is overcooked or you get lost driving to a new destination, getting angry and berating yourself or your spouse won't communicate the positive sides of mistakes.

Homework time can be stressful for children, but it doesn't have to be. Reinforcing positive attitudes about homework early on can set the tone for a successful school year ahead!

Motivation, Action, Reflection

How do you help an unmotivated student?

First, it can help to unpack the label of "unmotivated." Most of us feel unmotivated or reluctant toward a task at one time or another. Instead of overt labeling, it's usually helpful to talk with students directly about the specific times they feel least motivated.  When given the chance, most students can articulate reasons why they don't want to do a particular task, which can help them address a roadblock to performance.

Second, my personal understanding of motivation is stolen directly from Nike: Just Do It.  Many of us believe that motivation comes from thinking or feeling a certain way toward a task ("I'll do it just as soon as I feel eager to do it"), but that's not how motivation works. Motivation is fueled by action. In the context of tutoring, getting a student working on something right away and then reflecting on that action can help him or her understand this concept.  That self-reflection after action is key to reinforcing both the student's behavior and his/her confidence in the task.


-Kristi Harreld

"The Trouble with Homework" by Anne M. Paul

There was a fascinating article this week in the New York Times, exploring the functions and pitfalls of homework.

"WHEN you think of America’s students, do you picture overworked, stressed-out children bent under backpacks stuffed with textbooks and worksheets? Or do you call to mind glassy-eyed, empty-headed teenagers sitting before computer screens, consumed by video games and social networking sites, even as their counterparts in China prepare to ace yet another round of academic exams? The first view dominates a series of recent books and movies, including the much-discussed film 'Race to Nowhere.' The second image has been put forth by other books, with titles like 'The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future.'

Divergent though they are, these characterizations share a common emphasis: homework."

Check out the rest of the article here!

How do you engage a shy student?

We encounter all kinds of students at Nurturing Wisdom, and we do our very best to fulfill the needs of each one. As tutors, we love to see our students engaged, having fun and learning. Sometimes, when a student is very shy, we have to work a bit harder to break them out of their shell. We need to know that they're comfortable enough with us to ask questions, and that they're having fun too! I asked a few of our experienced tutors the following question:

How to you engage a very shy student?

"With a shy student, making a personal connection is key. In the first session, I probably spend more time getting to know a shy student than I would for an outgoing student, because they are less likely to offer information on their own. Usually, after chatting for a few minutes, they will tell you something personal about their lives - their favorite hobby, what they do after school, what they like to read, etc. Then I can respond to that ("I also love those books!" or "I didn't play that sport, but I played...") and we can go on from there. It is worth spending the extra few minutes to make that connection, because forming a bond with a shy student is key to their ultimate ability to open up and work with you."
-Laura Kurtycz


"Working with a shy student can be challenging at first. I am a very bubbly, outgoing person, so I have to make sure my personality isn't overwhelming. What I do is find out what they are interested in. Talk to them about sports, shopping, vacations, etc. I also like to make myself look like a fool. I tell stupid jokes to try to make them laugh, and really just show them that I am a person too. I have also talked about how I was shy in grade school and the beginning of high school. Then, I decided that I should just be myself and I wasn't trying to impress anyone. This is a very difficult task, but hearing it from someone who went through it seems to help."
-Lauren Feldmann


"I try to find out what the student is passionate about or knowledgeable on, and I ask him/her questions about that. (I also try to avoid yes/no questions!) It's usually easier for people to open up and talk about things that they love, and these little conversations are part of how the all-important rapport is built between me and my students.

This is why I really value the initial meetings that directors have with students and families before they start tutoring. Not only is the information helpful for the directors to match students, but it's also wonderful as a tutor to have an idea of how to connect with a student and how to teach them effectively, all before I walk into the first session."

-Sara McGuinn

"Changing Education Paradigms," by Sir Ken Robinson

If you haven't yet seen Ken Robinson's enlightening talk, "Changing Education Paradigms," I'd highly recommend it - it's fascinating!

On Pressure

I like a bit of pressure, even when it comes from myself, to help me do my best work! I always find it helpful to analyze when I get nervous or feel the need to perform. It helps me keep things in perspective and really evaluate what my goals are.  I like the right amount of nervous anticipation, when my desire to do a good job makes me hyper-focused on the task at hand. We've all had experiences where our nerves got the better of us, but if we treat those awful, anxiety-ridden moments as learning experiences, they can be a useful tool for growth!

-Sarah Bracken


Check out Seth Godin's blog post on pressure.