by Walter A Coole & Valya Coole Franks
Overview
by Walter A Coole & Valya Coole Franks
Overview
Tiger Learning Skills is an online resource for gifted/talented people -- 9th grade through graduate school.
There is no charge for using this facility and no registration is required. Scaramouche welcomes comments and suggestions from participants, their parents, and mentors.
We leave the record-keeping to you, after showing you how to do it.
TLS is a Windows-based application using 
Alpha
Five relational database manager..
The general goals of Tiger Learning Skills:
click
on any of the links below for details
a) to help you develop the skills to maintain A+ average grades.
b) to show you
how to make sense of your learning in terms of its value to you; i.e. make
your
school-
and home-learning relevant to you
c) to increase the fun you derive from learning; and to cope with the discomfort of school
d) to give you the way to consistently surpass school requirements
e) to show you
how to use your computer to solve problems, carry out increasingly
demanding
school assignments, and enjoy using your computer and the Internet.
Content
Tiger Learning Skills consists of a collection of independent-study modules from which you can select units of most interest to you. The first three units are:
1) Giving and following directions
2) Alpha Five database
3) Adobe Acrobat
Others include:
* time management
* note-taking
* self motivation
* keyboarding
* learning contracts
* test tactics
* data structure
* life planning
Most TLS units contain information not usually given in school to students or lacking in the form and substance that apply to gifted/talented people.
Want a free sample? Click here to learn about giving and receiving directions.
With funding being tight and teacher/student ratios increasing, gifted/talented students and their parents must provide "enrichment" appropriate to the unusually able. We present Tiger Learning Skills as an aid to providing enrichment.
One common problem faced by the gifted: is that their teachers may not be as smart as they are. This can become a serious issue that can only be addressed by you and your parents.
In many teachers' academic training, they were taught that their subjects were "intrinsically valuable" and that real-world applications were unimportant; thus, they are not equipped to show their students the relevance of their disciplines. This transfers the responsibility for motivating subject matter from the teacher to the student and his/her mentors.
Many TLS units provided can be used as learning contracts and internships in cooperation with local schools, colleges, and universities. Learning contracts are the normal form of education in some colleges; they become a major part of graduate studies. We know of no institution that shows students how to develop a learning contract.
Each unit contains work designed to exercise both traditional academic skills and intellectual areas not directly addressed by schools.
Should you undertake to pursue the Tiger Learning Skills, you will undoubtedly discover other skills, attitudes, or knowledge that you think we should present as part of this growing resource. If you do make a suggestion of new material, we will -- at your option -- include a credit line to the person who first submits the idea. This may be of value in developing a resume when you first enter the job market.
Teachers and parents
Mentor
Parents who home school their children are only one manifestation of mentoring. Here are some other instances:
Or in some cases if you, the student, want to go it alone, you can furnish the function served by a mentor.
The extent of mentoring will be variable.
Mentors should download free software for viewing the student's progress. Click here to do that.
"Angels"
[American Heritage Dictionary: ...Informal. A financial backer of an
enterprise, especially a dramatic production or a political campaign]
While Tiger Learning Skills is a free resource and some online materials are provided free, many units will require purchasing books, software, and other items. Some of these will be pricey! The person who offers financial backing to a TLS student may want to serve as a mentor. The mentoring process we provide will allow that "angel" to evaluate the cost of each unit of study in terms of the benefits that come from mastering that unit.
While a student's mentor can be someone the student sees frequently, mentors can also be in touch by e-mail and the Internet. Mentors using other operating systems will be able to participate with suitable software -- including Apple.
There are free software applications available for this purpose. Click this link to download them.
Tiger Learning Skills' software is based on Windows 98+. To work in
TLS, you'll need to know how to use ordinary Windows commands and navigation.
Materials
Some of the books and software you buy for you Tiger Learning Skills work may be available from your local library. Of course, you can't write in the books, and return rules may be too restricted for your purposes.
We encourage you to donate unmarked materials you have used to your local library if you don't feel the need to keep it for reference.
As we said before: use of TLS is free insofar as it is provided on this website. Scaramouche does receive referral fees from Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, and several other online sellers of books, software and other items. Each time you see this graphic..
.. you'll know that a small percentage of your purchase price will be sent by the vendor to us. This referral fee doesn't cost you anything. Click on the icon above to learn more about this arrangement.
Cost
The cost of books, software, etc. for each unit will vary. Unit 1's
materials are online and are free. A few, such as Units 2 and 3 above,
are quite expensive. Other units' materials will range from $10-$50.
Time
Each unit of study has been rated for the number of hours required
for a motivated, gifted student to complete. These estimates are NOT based
on any statistical evidence. They are not infallible. However, they may
be used as the basis of negotiating credit for learning contracts.
The time you will use will vary with which units you select and how you manage your time. For a first guess, think of 30 minutes to an hour daily for an indefinite period. During vacations and holidays, you might wish to invest several hours' concentrated study. At other times, you'll want to leave your TLS work for a break.
Progress and completion
It will be important for you, your mentor, and your angel to be able
to account for your time, effort, and accomplishment. You need to set definite
goals and allocate time. That being said, you will also need to account
of problems, contingencies, and unexpected directions you studies may evolve.
We'll show you how to invest your time in projects that really count.
As a graduate student and later as a skilled employee, you will have to manage your time and work. Dawdle-and-crash is a very unhappy way to live. Some people claim that they work better "under time pressure". That's hooey.
Residuals
As you complete each unit of study, you will have books, software,
and other materials that you used. As we suggested above, some of these
can be donated to your public library for others to use.
You may retain some of this material for yourself. You'll want to keep some for reference. Software may be used in later studies in and out of school. Some will be useful in doing volunteer, internship, and contract work.
Are you gifted?
A truncated answer to that question is "If you think you're gifted,
then you probably are."
Conversely, if you don't think you are gifted, you will probably not perform like a gifted/talented person does in school.
Will Tiger Learning Skills make you a genius. Maybe not, but it will help.
From now on...
This web page is the front door to Tiger Learning Skills. In future,
you can dispense with the front door. From our home page,
www.chez-schf.com
scroll down to the bottom and look for this icon...
...where TLS adepts go. Click on it. It will let you into a room with a bulletin board that takes you to units of study and announcements.
We're glad to have you!
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©2003
Walter A Coole dba Scaramouche: Hacker/Factotum