Should I Go to Old Dominion University

Should I Go to Old Dominion University Tracey earned her bachelors degree in communications and is currently pursuing her masters degree in communications from Old Dominion University. She specializes in public speaking tutoring, study skills tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Old Dominion University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Tracey: Old Dominion University is a great school in Norfolk, Virginia. Its an urban campus connected to local towns by bus transportation, and students commute to class by walking or riding bikes. Bike fix-it stations are all over campus, and bikes can be rented from the school as well. I lived off campus and I didnt have an issue finding parking to attend class on time. In my experience, I felt safe walking to the parking garage at night after classes ended. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Tracey:At ODU, meeting with my professors and academic advisors truly fit the definition of an open door policy. They made themselves available to meet in person or through email and they provided constructive feedback in a timely manner. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Tracey:We have recently built a stunning dining hall named Broderick Dining Commons. I love that the school offers unique food options on campus in addition to the classics like Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Einstein Bros. Bagels at ODUs 24-hour library. Our Webb Center is a great place to switch up your work environment or to meet with friends and relax in the campus game lounge. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Tracey:At ODU, our motto and core principle is idea fusion. We learn and work in the classroom, but fusing this knowledge with the real world is a priority across all disciplines. Working outside the classroom provided me tangible experiences as a student and professional. These hands-on takeaways from my courses have been especially helpful when explaining to prospective employers the relevant experience I have. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Tracey:I met some of my best friends in my classes at ODU and, for me, its a priceless takeaway I will treasure forever. Although I didnt join a sorority, many ODU students are proud members of the Greek life on campus. How helpful are the Career Centerand other student support services? Tracey:Our career center is an awesome place with many resources and a great staff ready to help current students and alumni. ODU collaborates with the local community throughout the year. The most recent ODU sponsored job fair I attended featured about 100 local and international employers. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Tracey:At the reading center in the library, students can book an appointment with an onsite editor to help edit their papers. This is one of my favorite services on campus. The library has multiple floors with different study areas available for both individual students and groups. The first floor has couches, ottomans, a computer lab, and private study rooms that can be reserved online. Most of the time when I needed a quiet place to study at the library, I could find a place to sit without an issue. The librarians are really helpful, too. Describe the surrounding town. Tracey:There are all sorts of places in Norfolk to enjoy and explore. The Waterside District has gorgeous views of the city on the water and has been rebuilt with delicious restaurants. It offers concerts and festivals, too. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Tracey:Although its a university with over 24,000 students, I didnt feel like I was just a number in a lecture hall. The class size typically hovered around 18 students per class. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Tracey:Participating in poetry night as a student in Dr. Baeslers listening course was one of my most memorable experiences as an undergraduate student. Not only did my listening skills significantly improve, I love how an informal off-campus event was brought into the classroom with fantastic results. I loved the experience so much that I incorporate the same teaching technique when I teach public speaking students, too! Check out Traceys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How Parents Can Help with Elementary Homework Challenges

How Parents Can Help with Elementary Homework Challenges Elementary homework can quickly become a challenging task for your student to complete. No matter the age, balancing several classes at a time can become taxing for many elementary students. It can become easy for them to question the importance of these assignments, but it is vital for parents to remember the purpose of elementary homework: to assist their students in fine-tuning skills learned in the classroom. While dealing with common elementary homework challenges, a lot of different complaints can arise in a studentall of which are totally normal. Parents can help with elementary homework challenges by utilizing certain techniques, such as establishing a homework schedule or reviewing sections of the textbook with their students. Here is how you, as a parent, can help resolve homework challenges your student might be facing: When elementary students feel they have too much homework On the surface, this can appear to be a simple excuse of not wanting to complete the assignments. It can, however, be a sign of something else: that the homework is feeling too hard for your student. Every student learns differently, and sometimes, an assignment may take different amounts of time for different students to complete. Also, it could be due to the student not having enough time to fully understand the concepts prior to the homework being assigned. This could simply mean your student needs to take some extra time before beginning the assignment to reread over the concept to get a better grasp of it. It could be helpful to have a designated, distraction-free, homework area in the house for your student to concentrate better. Remember, when your student says there is too much homework, there could be underlying issues that you can work together to solve. If your student feels a concept or class is consistently too hard, there are a few things you can do: Read through the textbook or handouts with your student Clarify things that might not be clicking Talk to the teacher to see if there are any extra materials he or she can provide [RELATED: How to Help Your Elementary School Student Cope with Test Anxiety] Make an elementary homework schedule with your student If your student feeling too tired to complete homework is a common occurrence, it may be time to reevaluate his or her scheduling. While extracurriculars are important to your child's growth and development, homework does come first. Examine your students agenda to see if there are better ways in which homework can be scheduled to help with this challenge. Perhaps completing assignments earlier in the evening can help prevent exhaustion from extracurriculars before homework. If your student has a lot of activities going on, working homework into that weekly schedule ahead of time can help your student learn to prioritize and balance tasks. Encourage your student to ask teachers about homework challenges Your elementary student not knowing what the teacher wants is oftentimes a large complaint. It can become frustrating to have your student come home with a lot of assignments and have no idea what to do for them. If this is a common occurrence, have your student begin to have conversations with teachers in an effort to better understand assignments and concepts. This is also a good habit to instill in your student at a young age; the earlier he or she knows how to approach teachers to ask for clarification, the better luck your student will have with assignments throughout his or her education. [RELATED: 5 Questions to Ask Your Student's New Teacher] Also, if a child doesnt seem to like a specific teacher, it can definitely become another factor that contributes to a lack of desire to complete the homework. Ask your student to explain further where the dislike is stemming from. It could be a case of not liking the amount of work assigned or certain classroom rules, for instance. Encourage your student to have an open, honest conversation with you about these concerns; they may end up being minor issues that you can help him or her work past. If, however, you find there is a deeper issue of disrespect or negative behaviors in the classroom, it is important to speak with the teacher personally. Request a meeting with him or her to find out if it is simply a misunderstanding or if higher action needs to be taken. [RELATED: Elementary School Parent-Teacher Conferences: What to Ask] At the end of the day, homework is a necessity in your student's life. It exists for many reasons, but primarily to help strengthen skills learned in the classroom. There may be challenges or long nights, but the important thing is to stay focused on encouraging your childs ability to complete the tasks at hand. Staying motivated and focused will help both you and your child progress toward a positive educational future. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.