AT THE LIBRARY: No matter what the school year holds, the library can help
Public libraries help provide support for education. Whichever way your child is going to school this year, the public library is happy to help provide resources for your family.
Pioneerland Library System has recently begun offering Brainfuse, an online resource that can be used anywhere. It includes a range of resources for all ages.
Brainfuse HelpNow offers personalized homework help in core subjects: math, reading, writing, science, and social studies. Live tutoring is available through the Brainfuse site every day from 2-11 p.m. Because students communicate with online tutors in real time using an interactive virtual whiteboard to chat, write, draw and graph, the tutors can provide individualized help to students of diverse needs and backgrounds.
HelpNow also offers skills building and test prep resources a student can work on alone, then take a quiz before connecting with a live tutor to review the quiz results. All live tutoring sessions are saved and can be replayed as well as shared with friends and teachers.
Students learning French or Spanish can use the Language Lab to either get live help from a tutor or use a variety of games and flashcards to practice skills.
The Writing Lab feature provides assistance at any time of day. Students can submit papers for detailed feedback. The Send Question Center is similar but for help with non-writing assignments such as math or science.
Students who want to form an online study group with friends can do so through BrainFuse’s Meet feature, using the interactive whiteboard.
Is your student getting ready for college? Brainfuse offers SAT test prep and assistance with filling out the FAFSA for financial aid. I have wished for help with the FAFSA so many times!
The eParachute feature helps people of any age discover college majors and careers that match their skills and interests.
If kids are a little rusty as the summer draws to a close, direct them to the Summer Camp feature, intended to sharpen math, science and writing skills to avoid the summer slide.
All of these online resources are available now, and will be through the school year. Students can use them in conjunction with their in-person, hybrid, or distance learning, or parents can use them for assistance with homeschooling.
Speaking of homeschooling, libraries always offer a wide range of books and other materials that are useful for that. Some books are available for parents who are figuring out how to homeschool, such as the newer books “The Brave Learner” and “The Call of the Wild and Free.”
But most of the resources homeschooling parents use from the library are the vast numbers of books for children and teens that are available on every subject and in every literary genre. If we don’t have it at our local library, we can usually order it from somewhere. Don’t forget documentary films as an educational resource; the library has those, too!
Whatever your school year holds, our library will be glad to help you find books and other resources to help. Remember that you can check out a device to get internet at your house for up to four weeks, and that you can pick up the library’s wifi outside the building 24/7.
