Articles by: Matthew Rottmann

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Deciding Which Schools to Apply To: Applying to College Series Part 1

Applying to Colleges, College June 12, 2015 at 7:30 am

Nearly 2/3rds of high school graduates continue on to higher education. They know that there are many benefits of a college education, and even students who did poorly in high school are likely to do well in college. But when they consider the transition from high school to higher education,Read More

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Technology in the Classroom: Does it Help or Hurt?

Policy, Research, & Analysis, Technology June 8, 2015 at 7:30 am

A recent study by scholars at the London School of Economics has revived the argument over using mobile technology in schools, and whether students should be allowed to use their own devices. The study found that schools that banned cell phones had a 6% stronger test score improvement than schoolsRead More

Houston Students Perform Well at 2015 UIL State Academic Meet

Houston Students Perform Well at 2015 UIL State Academic Meet

Community Events, Houston Schools June 3, 2015 at 7:30 am

May 27th – High school students from all over the state converged in Austin, TX for the 2015 University Interscholastic League Texas Academic meet. The meet, which was held on campus at the University of Austin, lasted for three days and held over a dozen competitions in subjects such asRead More

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Why Do Teens Always Seem So Angry?

Health & Science, Resources for Parents May 28, 2015 at 7:30 am

Apart from anecdotal evidence and a cornucopia of movies, books, and songs written on the subject of teenage angst, we can learn from scientific research that negative emotions become more common as people age from age 10 to age 15. Then, from age 15 to age 18, the ratio ofRead More

How Your C Student Will Still Succeed in College

How Your C Student Will Still Succeed in College

College May 26, 2015 at 4:51 pm

A recent article in the New York Times relates the story of a C+ high school student who went to college out of a lack of other ideas, and flourished because of it. The benefits of a college education are oft quoted in our education system. Between the higher earningsRead More

Why Do Some Students Hate Their Teachers?

Why Do Some Students Hate Their Teachers?

Opinion May 20, 2015 at 4:00 pm

I come from a family of teachers, I have many friends that are teachers, and I work in the fields of education and psychology. Playful ribbing of the struggles and strife that educators have to put up with has always been a popular topic in my life. I have noticedRead More

Understanding What Your Kids are Going Through: Psychological Development

Understanding What Your Kids are Going Through: Psychological Development

Health & Science, Resources for Parents May 13, 2015 at 9:35 am

Maintaining effective communication with their child is a common struggle for parents. The way adults tend to talk about their daily lives and the problems they’re dealing with doesn’t seem to translate well to a conversation with a 3rd grader. Parents naturally want to help their child handle problems, andRead More

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How to Overcome Test Anxiety

Health & Science, Standardized Tests April 30, 2015 at 7:30 am

From classroom tests to final exams to large assessments like the SAT and next week’s AP exams, students have a lot of tests to take. Our school system starts testing students at a young age, and everyone knows the connection that test scores have to magnet and private school admission,Read More

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Reducing the Negative Impact of Divorce on Children

Health & Science, Resources for Parents April 22, 2015 at 7:30 am

Divorce is common in America; many experts agree that roughly 50% of marriages end in divorce. While parents tend to claim that they are happier after the divorce than they were during their marriage, divorce can still have a negative impact on the children involved. Dr. Patrick F. Fagan hasRead More

Improving School Performance through the Psychology of Motivation

Improving School Performance through the Psychology of Motivation

Health & Science, Resources for Parents March 30, 2015 at 8:30 am

“He’s such a smart kid! I don’t know why he isn’t getting better grades. I know that he could do great in school if he worked at it.” It’s a common sentiment among parents: children and teenagers who are otherwise very bright and talented, yet are consistently getting a BRead More

Why Cramming Doesn’t Work

Why Cramming Doesn’t Work

Recommendations, Study Skills March 23, 2015 at 8:30 am

Thursday night, 9pm. A high school student finishes up dinner and sits down at the computer to check social media before going to bed. They notice a few status updates by friends complaining about the test that they have to take tomorrow. “Hmm, Alex and I have almost every classRead More

The Benefits of Multiple Practice Tests on Standardized Test Performance

The Benefits of Multiple Practice Tests on Standardized Test Performance

SAT & ACT, Study Skills February 26, 2015 at 8:30 am

Retesting and How It Can Help You Achieve the Score You Want Standardized tests are usually stressful for students. This is understandable, as everyone knows that a strong (or weak) score can have a huge impact on college or private school admissions. To help improve test-taking performance, students and theirRead More