www.redmond-reporter.com[6] June 3, 2011

MILES ULRICH

Mathnasium

Kids always look for-ward to a summer break

away from the structure of the classroom.

It’s a time for vaca-tions, outdoor activities,

and time with friends and family. However, kids can regress in their math competency during this period. The flexibility of summer and lack of school deadlines makes it a great time to get ahead on math skills. Kids who practice summer math will have an easier time transitioning back to school in the fall.

This might just mean a simple activity just a few times each week.

These can be simple parent-and-child activities with the goal of reinforc-ing what the child already knows. Don’t be afraid of pushing the envelope a little bit. However, don’t make it an inquisition; instead focus on building confidence.

Here are some ideas to help kids from sliding backwards:

• Traveling: Encourage kids to calculate costs, average speeds, gas mile-age, expected arrival times. Show them how to read a map and help you navigate.

• Games and puzzles: Set aside times each week to play card and dice games or strategy games requiring calculation and deduction. Intro-duce your child to

KenKen.com and challenge them to do one puzzle each day. KenKen is similar to Sudoku but with math operations.

• Math facts: For kids still learning their math facts, think about pur-chasing a Flash Master (flashmaster.com) as a way to do flash cards. Kids seem to prefer the electronic format. You can also provide worksheets for practice a few times each week. A good source for free worksheets is mathfactcafe.com. Talk about some simple goals and maybe add some in-centives if appropriate.

Regardless of the age, it’s a good idea to talk with the teacher at the end of the school year to find out what areas might need reinforcement. Also, take a look at the school require-ments for next year on the Lake Washington School District website (lwsd.org). One goal might be to build your child’s competency by just focusing on a single math topic throughout the summer.

Finally, always provide encouraging feedback when helping your child with math. Avoid negative comments and don’t as-sume they have completely mastered a topic.

Kids can quickly become defensive. Use positive comments and adjust your approach with a simpler exercise if appropriate. The goal is to always build confidence without put downs.

If you find you are often frustrating your child, then think about a summer math camp where math experts combine fun and encouragement to gently move the child ahead in their conceptual under-standing.Miles Ulrich is the owner of Mathnasium of Redmond. Mathnasium offers summer programs to teach kids “num-ber sense” while mastering math concepts at all grade levels. For more information visit www.mathnasium.com/redmond or call (425) 885-MATH.

Sales Appraisals Repairs Rentals

Third Generation Violin Maker

www.hkbviolins.com425.822.0717

494830

“Voted Evening Magazine’s Best of Western WAMusical Instrument Store!”

Sale on Now!

495399

494606

Summer ProgramsEarly registration discounts

www.mathnasium.com425 885.MATH (6284) • 16564 Cleveland Street, Redmond

• Catch Up & Jump Ahead• Unlimited Memberships• Drop-in Scheduling

• Personalized Power Workouts• Algebra / Geometry• Flexible and Affordable

suzukistringsofredmond.com

492570

Cello, Violin or ViolaGuiding you and your childon your musical path.Contact us for a FREE trial lesson

8250 165th Ave. NESte. #100Redmond, WA

of Redmondsuzuki strings

4 Lessons for the price

of three.

New students only.

• H O R S E B A C K •

R I D I N G L E S S O N S★ WESTERN and ENGLISH★ Show program consistently produces world champions★ National and world level training★ Monthly events for young riders★ Indoor & outdoor arenas/heated viewing room

www.capstonetrainingstables.com

(425) 891-1560FARM

494587

• Jazz • Tap • Hip Hop• Lyrical • Ballet

Summer Camps Ages 3 - 12Camp Enchanted II June 27- July 1Dance Camp Rocks! July 22 - July 15On Broadway July 25 - July 29Catch the Dance Wave! Aug. 23 - Aug. 25

Dance Camp Intensives Ages 9 - 15Tap, Musical Theatre, Modern, Hip Hop

July 18 - July 22

Summer Camps 2011

Call Today • (425) 861-545417945 NE 65th • Suite 100 • Redmond, WA 98052

494556

...TODAY’S pArenTredmond-reporter.com Keep your child’s math skills sharp during summer

16650 NE 79th St., #100, Redmond, WA 98052(425) 558-4562

www.redmondkidsdentistry.com

494581

Dr. Stephanie’s children.Dr. Stephanie’s children.

D r. S t e p h a n i e S u & D r. Pu r va M e r c h a n t

D e n t i s t r y F o r C h i l d r e n A n d T e e n s

• Preferred provider for MICROSOFT PREMERA

• State-of-the-art equipment and a caring dental team

• Members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

MATHN

ASIUM

Mile

s U

lric

h

www.redmond-reporter.com [7]June 3, 2011

Assistance League of the Eastside has donated 60 backpacks of food for the Pantry Packs program at a Redmond school to help feed students in need.

The program was started by school librarian Shauna Yusko when she learned students were coming to school hungry, stating they did not have enough food at home.

Every Thursday, volun-teers fill rolling backpacks with healthy food for the weekend (taking into ac-count that there may not be items like milk or bread in the house). Students, who are selected by school counselors, take the packs home at the end of the week and return them Monday to be refilled again the following week.

Assistance League provided the Pantry Pack support through its Outreach program, which collaborates with other organizations and groups

to help people in need on the Eastside.

Assistance League of the Eastside, one of more than 126 chapters of the National Assistance

League, is a volunteer, nonprofit organization that impacts the lives of Eastside families and in-dividuals in need through community-based philan-

thropic programs includ-ing Operation School Bell, Assault Survivor Kits, Starting Over Support and Outreach. Since its start in 1989, the Eastside

chapter has helped more than 29,000 people and returned more $2.7 mil-lion to the community.

For additional infor-mation about Assistance

League of the Eastside, call (425) 556-5106, visit www.eastside.assistanceleague.org or send an e-mail to eastsideinfo@asssistance league.org.

Get in the Game

9931 Willows Road NE, Redmond, WA 98052 Phone: (425) 558-0299 • Toll-Free (866) 478-5236

This summer, DigiPen Institute of Technology will offer a series of intensive, hands-on Summer Workshops for students in Grade 5 and above. These two-week courses are designed to improve students’ knowledge of core subjects like math and physics by introducing them to the fundamentals of: n Video Game Programmingn 3D Computer Animationn Game Designn Robotics Courses are taught on-site at DigiPen’s Redmond campus, and space is limited.

Reserve your spot today at:http://workshops.digipen.edu

493886

READER SURVEYWhat You � ink Matters!

Your Opinion Could Win You A $1000 Gas Card, $1000 CASH or A $500 Gift Certi� cate to

Your Opinion Could Win You A Your Opinion Could Win You A

Let Us Know HowWe’re Doing!

and Fill Out our Survey to be automatically entered in the drawing just for participating in the survey! Ends June 30th, 2011.

Simply go to...

and Fill Out our Survey to be automatically entered in the and Fill Out our Survey to be automatically entered in the and Fill Out our Survey to be automatically entered in the and Fill Out our Survey to be automatically entered in the

Simply go to...Simply go to...

www.pulseresearch.com/redmondrep/

*The Survey information you provide us will be compiled by an independent survey � rm to help us understand, and better serve the needs of our readers. YOUR IDENTITY AND PERSONALINFORMATION WILL BE KEPT 100% CONFIDENTIAL!

*

$500$500$500$Gift Certificate500500

$10001000$10001000Cash

INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT 100% CONFIDENTIAL!INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT 100% CONFIDENTIAL!

$$1000CashCash$Cash$1000Cash1000

$1000

$10001000Gas

ToTem Lake CLiniC12710 Totem Lake Blvd NE Kirkland, WA 98034 425-821-4040 Hours: M-Th: 8AM – 7PM F: 8AM – 5PM

Kurt R. Billett, M.D. Swapna J. Bobba, M.D.Paul E. Buehrens, M.D. Debra M. Chaput, M.D. Alexis R. David, M.D. Peter J. Lallas, D.P.M. Paul K. Mayeda, M.D. Larry E. Nacht, M.D. Paul E. Sandstrom, M.D. Roohi H. Wani, M.D. Chao-Ching Wu, M.D.

BoTheLL CLiniC10025 NE 186th St Bothell, WA 98011 425-486-9131 Hours: M-F: 8AM – 6PM S: 9AM – 4PM

Buckley A. Eckert, M.D. Sally R. Esser, M.D. David A. Higginbotham, D.O. Lilaine C. Leonardo, M.D. Ann S. Lu, M.D.Theresa A. Platz, M.D. Peter V. Sefton, M.D. Thomas A. Wilson, M.D.

• Accepting new patients• Same day & Saturday appointments• On-site lab and x-ray• Two locations for your convenience

www.LakeshoreCLiniC.Com

Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics & Podiatry

saTurdayappoinTmenTs

9am – 4pm

493379

...TODAY’S pArenTEastside Assistance League donates food to help feed students in need

491362

A week-long wildernesshorse camp for

boys & girlsages 9-16 years.

For more information call 888-235-0111Or visit us at:

campwahoo.com

Camp Wahoo!

489252