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Dr. Perrino is highly knowledgeable about kids and educational issues. He is attentive and communicates regularly with us and our children's tutors. Our tutors have always been highly knowledgeable, very capable, caring, and well matched to our children's needs. Dr. Perrino's tutoring services have made a positive difference for our children.
Higher education in America is experiencing an enormous economic, sociological, and demographic transformation. The traditional model associated with the pursuit of a college degree as we know it may no longer exist as this generation of elementary school students enters college. A combination of fiscal, technological, sociological and demographic factors is changing the way Americans will pursue higher education in the future. This compelling essay examines the way in which future generations will “go to college.”
With college costs increasing at nearly 9 percent per year, while scholarships and grants comprise a mere 3 percent of available funding for students, and sources of loans are drying up, “Maneuvering the College Funding Maze” addresses the many options still available to parents as they look for affordable ways to send their children to college. This essay provides a framework within which parents can maneuver the college funding process.
In an increasingly competitive global economy, the need to find creative ways to engage students to think critically and outside the traditional parameters of learning has become ever more important. This article demonstrates the importance and the effectiveness of "bringing drama to the core" in the classroom as a means of enhancing the learning process while at the same time encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration among and between educators. Dr. Perrino and J. Denise Perrino have explored this fascinating approach to teaching while at the same time offering compelling evidence that new teaching methodologies are important parts of a broader need to engage both sides of the brain when addressing the issues we face in the 21st century.
In a troubled world, intercultural communication at all levels is critical. This is also true in business where failure to recognize this important dynamic can result in misunderstanding, anger, unfortunate stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and lost profits.
This article explores this important issue by examining three critical aspects of business communication in our global environment – small group dynamics and culture; ethnocentrism and business, and respect for cultural values.
Dr. Perrino explores this important topic through the prism of two books, one from the past, the other a current best-seller – The Ugly American, written in 1958 by Lederer and Burdick, and A Whole New Mind, written in 2005 by Daniel Pink.
The process of deciding whether and how to hire a tutor to work with one’s child to improve his or her academic performance is an often daunting task. This article provides some practical considerations that should be considered and addressed before making this critical decision. Issues such as transferring responsibility to a third party as a solution to family tensions are addressed. Other issues discussed in this article are: Does your child need an academic coach / mentor or a subject-based tutor? Where does one find a qualified tutor? What is the cost of hiring a tutor? What are the qualities of a good tutor? Should your child be tested? If so, where, when, how, and at what cost? These and other issues are clearly examined in this insightful article.
Students and parents are often confused about the differences between the SAT and ACT examinations. Although both are used by colleges and universities as an assessment tool, there are philosophical and content differences between these two examinations. This essay examines the differences and some similarities between the SAT and ACT. It also addresses the vexing issue of the writing sections associated with each exam. Finally, this essay offers a word of advice to parents and students that places the importance of these examinations in some much needed perspective.
Although often thought of as a reward for high achieving students who seek the most prestigious universities, Early Admission has come under increasing scrutiny and criticism in recent years. With the move toward equal access for all in higher education regardless of socioeconomic position, Early Admission is viewed by many as a vestige of an elitist college admissions system that excluded less affluent students in the past. Schools such as Harvard University have dispensed with the practice in an effort to address this perception. Many schools continue to use this practice because it guarantees a committed pool of qualified students. Students must, however, be aware that acceptance of a school through the early admission process commits them to that school. The article also delves into the world of college rankings and the role that Early Admission plays in boosting a college's selectivity. Dr. Perrino and Dr. Siegmund conclude with a word of advice regarding the role of the university in educating students.
The cost of a traditional four-year college education has, for the past decade, outpaced the rate of inflation and has become less attainable by an increasing segment of the population. An option often disregarded or discounted by parents and students is the community college. Community colleges have historically been the gateway to higher education for many who, for a myriad of reasons, cannot attend or do not need to attend a four-year institution. This article offers some compelling financial and professional reasons why students should consider the community college option. The article also provides some responses to several long-held myths regarding the quality and scope of programs and services offered by community colleges. The author concludes by challenging students and parents to consider the community college as a prudent financial management and career-planning tool.
Parents and educators are often not fully aware of the extent to which the elements of a child’s socialization – family, school, peers, mass media, public opinion, and religion – play a role in the education of their children. This essay points out the importance of the socialization process in assessing and predicting the likelihood of academic success. It also examines the positive and negative influences of the agents of socialization and the ways in which parents can attempt to monitor and control these forces that seem, at times, to be out of their control.
Being an entrepreneur is not, in the words of the author, "for the faint of heart!". Although such a venture can be rewarding, it can also be a daunting process. Entrepreneurship is not, as this essay notes, for everyone. The challenges are many, including legal, financial and administrative issues that must be addressed. In addition, much of what it takes to be successful in business is not learned in college and graduate school. In fact, many of the skills required for successful business ownership include basic interpersonal and public speaking skills, writing skills, organizational skills, and the ability to know when and how to delegate responsibilities. Some of the more intangible characteristics associated with business ownership such as honesty and trustworthiness, hard work, "drive" and perseverance, and a sense of community are often derived through life experience. This thought-provoking essay delves into each of these elements of small business ownership.
