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FAQs by Teachers - FAQs
by Students - FAQs by Parents
| What,
exactly, is the Grade-Maker system…. a book, seminar,
software, tutoring? |
| The Grade-Maker system is a time
management and productivity system designed especially
for students to use with support from their parents
or a caretaker. A small 8.5 X 5.5 3-ring binder,
preformatted repeat task slips and tabbed/labeled
section dividers make it a “SNAP!” for students
to manage all of their responsibilities at school,
at home and in life proactively using checklists.
Used properly from the convenience of home, the
patent-pending Grade-Maker system can transform
your student’s world and minimize the chaos their
family may be experiencing as they attempt to get
important things done on time ~ especially school
assignments. |
| What
part do I play in the student, parent, teacher partnership
that leads to stress-free success for students? |
Great question! Because parents look
up to you as an educator and someone who cares for
their children throughout each school year, you
can familiarize yourself with our simple, yet highly
effective, system (see “Our System” tab) and play
a key role in recommending it to your school or
to parents (or grandparents) who contact you about
their student’s struggles.
You can also assist parents and students who are
using the system by pointing out assignments in
your class that repeat on a daily, weekly or special
project basis. Students can then create an appropriate
task slip for each assignment and monitor the assignments
proactively from home on a daily basis under their
parent’s supervision. The more students who use
the Grade-Maker system to stay on top of all their
responsibilities, the easier everyone’s life will
be ~ yours included! |
| I’m
excited about the difference this system can make
for my students. How is the Grade-Maker going to
impact my life as a teacher? |
Our training CD prompts parents to
take specific steps to help their students manage
their life using our system. Since homework is a
major responsibility that children must handle,
you may notice an influx of parental inquiries as
parents attempt to figure out what assignments their
students must handle on a daily or weekly basis.
Although it may take a few moments of your time
to respond by phone or email, it’s a small price
to pay for fewer phone calls home to confused, uninformed
parents or attending meetings with disgruntled parents
once a situation has spiraled completely out of
control with one of your students.
When students begin to get the support they need
from mom and dad at home using the Grade-Maker system,
strange and wonderful things begin to happen. Things
actually start getting done on time because everyone
is clear about what must be accomplished daily,
or every week on the same day, or on an occasional
basis. It is completely realistic for a disorganized
child with a C-average to bump up one or two grades
within one semester of getting organized using our
system and getting regular support from a parent.
Parents can record important contact information
about teachers on our Key Contact sheet, including
your name, the subject you teach, your email address
and phone extension to assist them in staying connected.
The ability for parents to track absences using
our Attendance Roster helps them visualize exactly
where a student stands with regard to attendance
and participation throughout each school year. Our
handy four-year calendar provides students with
short and long-term dates at a glance and our reversible
Door Hangers minimize unwanted interruptions at
home that often keep students from being productive
and getting your assignments done quickly and accurately.
When flash action is required, but a task slip isn’t,
students and parents can use our Flash Action (Book)
Marker and Flash Action Notes to jot down notes
about things that must be handled immediately, like
returning that past due library book or make-up
work. No stone was left unturned. Students and parents
will have everything they need for their student
to succeed ~ and more ~ which makes YOU look great.
Our innovative system was designed with teamwork,
flexibility and due dates in mind.
When students, parents and teachers work together
using our system, the potential for success is huge.
Should you agree and decide to purchase the system
for someone you love or as a recommended resource
sample, you will also personally benefit from the
training. Actually, you can use the repeat task
slips to manage all of your responsibilities in
the classroom, or in life, just as a student would! |
| What
suggestions do you have for bridging the gap that
often exists between school and home? |
Chris Sfassie, the creator of the
Grade-Maker system, is a strong advocate for parents
to step up to the plate and get involved with their
kids ~ at school, at home and in life. She feels
passionately about this topic and teachers can rest
assured that a team perspective is reinforced throughout
the entire Grade-Maker system training CD. In Chris’s
opinion, it is virtually impossible for students
to be successful at school if parents and teachers
are not communicating on a regular basis.
Having sounded the parental involvement battle cry,
it is equally important that teachers do their part
in helping parents stay “in the know.” Over the
years, Chris has experienced resistance from teachers
who seemed irritated or threatened by her desire
to stay in the academic loop. Unfortunately, they
seemed to translate Chris’s efforts as hindering
her sons from being responsible for their school
work. Nothing could be further from the truth! The
reality is students are going to drop the ball every
now and again. If they are in middle school or are
wrestling with Attention Deficit Disorder, they
will drop it now and again and again and again.
If a parent is not getting the information that
he or she needs from the child, that parent must
get it from the teacher in person, by email or phone.
Withholding information from a parent in hopes that
a child is going to transform into a responsible
human being without assistance is a misuse of valuable
time; time that could be spent arming a parent with
the information needed to hold the child accountable
when he forgets or attempts to dodge an assignment.
It has been Chris’s experience that the first shift
that must take place for powerful communications
to occur between home and school is for students,
parents and teachers to acknowledge that they really
need one another for things to work out well. Together
Everyone Accomplishes More. |
| What
services does Systems-Driven, Inc. offer students,
parents and schools? |
As a highly trained time management
and productivity coach and a passionate speaker,
Chris would love the opportunity to speak to those
in authority at your school regarding making the
Grade-Maker system available to middle school and
high school students and their families. There are
two distinct possibilities for forwarding this powerful
system into the world. Our all-time favorite method
for growth is happy moms and dads, students, teachers
and school administrators sharing the great Grade-Maker
news because of their own personal success stories.
The other exciting option is various forms of live
group training using our system.
The system is packaged in such a way that a student
and parent(s) will have everything they need to
succeed as a team when their system arrives at their
doorstep, but Chris would also love the opportunity
to train teachers, parents and students live using
the Grade-Maker system as the curriculum. Since
the sky is the limit when it comes to developing
training opportunities that accomplish the expected
results for families and schools, sessions could
look a number of different ways; a short-term time
management and productivity course using our system;
a Grade-Maker seminar for students, parents, teachers,
educators; an invitation for Chris to speak at a
private school function, etc. We will do whatever
it takes to earn your school’s endorsement upon
our patent-pending system. Any suggestions? |
|
Tell me a little bit more about the training CD…..
who or what is on it that might be of interest to
my students or their family? |
Basically, Chris Sfassie, four middle-school
and high-school aged students, two moms, and Dustin
Cole (a time management and productivity coach for
attorneys) train your student ~ so you don’t have
to. Each short success story is different, but all
offer encouragement, wisdom and motivation. A few
of the stories you can expect to hear are mentioned
below.
- Chris and her youngest son, Dustin (12), worked
together to create the Grade-Maker system. They
share secrets for overcoming bad habits associated
with ADHD which resulted in Dustin being placed
in advanced classes three years in a row.
- Cindy’s 11-year old daughter, Malaysia, transformed
her frustrating relationship to homework from
tears to exhilaration as she took charge of
her responsibilities and was promoted from general
math to advanced math.
- Matthew (15) was able to avoid non-stop nagging
once his mom, Judy, sat down with him and captured
daily and weekly chores using our preformatted
repeat task slips. According to Matthew, they
are now able to have “tea time instead of grill
time!”
- Monira (14) experienced the ultimate boost
in self-esteem after leaping from failing grades
to honor roll within one semester of using her
Grade-Maker system faithfully.
You will find these amazing stories and much
more on our informal, high-energy training CD,
including basic assembly. Students will learn
how to score their potential for success using
our Student Success Diagnostic, as well as how
to implement tips and techniques for personal
points of weakness. They can listen to a brief
pep talk just for students as often as they need
to for encouragement as they develop new habits
for getting things done using the Grade-Maker.
Teachers, if you’re a parent, we think you will
especially enjoy the “Word to Parents” track and
the heart-felt saga of how the Grade-Maker system
first began. You’re sure to find something of
value to share with your students and their families
as you listen at your convenience prior to using
or recommending our system. |
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