When you're in the middle of a marathon homework session, encourage your child to continue focusing by giving frequent concentration breaks. Say, "You'll need to focus really well for the next 10 minutes, then you'll get a break." (Why does this remind me of Lamaze class?!)
Highlight processing signs (plus, minus, divide, etc.) on your child's math homework so he'll remember to do the correct operation.
In your quest toward homework independence, your child might just need a jump start. When she begins a subject, do the first problem or two with her, or help write that first sentence, or have her read the first paragraph aloud. It's like riding a bike - sometimes you just need a push-off.
If your son has a habit of scribbling down homework assignments onto a piece of paper and losing them, follow the example of the mom who placed a large container right where her son came into the house. As he comes in from school, she has him deposit everything on his body - bookbag, books, pens, pencils, sports equipment. She also makes him empty his pockets, so that the assignments can be located when it's time to begin homework.
Make a study zone for homework - with a file tote which contains assorted supplies (looseleaf paper, pencils, pens, scissors, rulers, markers, etc), as recommended in Homework Without Tears, a great resource.
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Visit our website at http://www.goaskmom.com.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
From the Archives...A Homework Nightmare
Welcome to this week's Ounce of Ketchup! I'll be blunt. I hope your week has been better than ours. Without going into the gory details, well…let's just do Thursday night.
After we discovered that two of the boys had projects due Friday involving poster board, my husband volunteered to go buy extra. He came home with three science boards. Thankfully, we had just enough poster board in our supply closet. Somebody remind me to buy more before the next crisis occurs.
Ron had two projects due that he hadn't started (she types with clenched teeth). One was a collage. My husband and I were up after midnight helping him find and print pictures. Ron was still doing the other project on the way to school Friday morning.
For once, thankfully, Joe had a very light night. Although he had a major test Friday, we had already studied because he thought the test was Thursday! So we reviewed a bit, and read a chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Then there was Mike, who rarely asks for help. He was stuck on the principles of electricity. Voltage and amperes and ohms. (Oh my!) After an hour of chapter review, he felt confident enough to do his homework, and I felt confident enough to plug in an appliance.
Finally there was Ash. (The one without ADHD!) He had to reach his Accelerated Reader goal by Friday, which meant had to completely read one book and type a book report on another. PLUS he had not completed a project correctly and the teacher sent it home for him to redo. He got the reading and the report done, but spent three hours in class to next day finishing the project. His teacher has more patience with him than I do - I think I would have given him a zero!
And that was just one night…Weeks like this that made me start "Who Put the Ketchup in the Medicine Cabinet?" Weeks like this make me wonder what business I have giving hints about how to keep kids focused, organized, encouraged, and successful! Nonetheless, below you will find your weekly dose.
Until next week, remember: You're not the only one!
PS If you're looking for ways to Wake Up from the Homework Nightmare - read how we figured it out at http://www.goaskmom.com/homework.
----------------------------------------------
Visit our website at http://www.goaskmom.com.
After we discovered that two of the boys had projects due Friday involving poster board, my husband volunteered to go buy extra. He came home with three science boards. Thankfully, we had just enough poster board in our supply closet. Somebody remind me to buy more before the next crisis occurs.
Ron had two projects due that he hadn't started (she types with clenched teeth). One was a collage. My husband and I were up after midnight helping him find and print pictures. Ron was still doing the other project on the way to school Friday morning.
For once, thankfully, Joe had a very light night. Although he had a major test Friday, we had already studied because he thought the test was Thursday! So we reviewed a bit, and read a chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Then there was Mike, who rarely asks for help. He was stuck on the principles of electricity. Voltage and amperes and ohms. (Oh my!) After an hour of chapter review, he felt confident enough to do his homework, and I felt confident enough to plug in an appliance.
Finally there was Ash. (The one without ADHD!) He had to reach his Accelerated Reader goal by Friday, which meant had to completely read one book and type a book report on another. PLUS he had not completed a project correctly and the teacher sent it home for him to redo. He got the reading and the report done, but spent three hours in class to next day finishing the project. His teacher has more patience with him than I do - I think I would have given him a zero!
And that was just one night…Weeks like this that made me start "Who Put the Ketchup in the Medicine Cabinet?" Weeks like this make me wonder what business I have giving hints about how to keep kids focused, organized, encouraged, and successful! Nonetheless, below you will find your weekly dose.
Until next week, remember: You're not the only one!
PS If you're looking for ways to Wake Up from the Homework Nightmare - read how we figured it out at http://www.goaskmom.com/homework.
----------------------------------------------
Visit our website at http://www.goaskmom.com.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A Bubble of Confidence - Standardized Testing Tips
John is in the fourth grade, and his school has announced the dates for the end of the year standardized testing. Given that John struggles academically, how should his parents approach this event?
A. Hope for the best.
B. Pressure John to pay attention and study.
C. Tell John just to do his best.
D. Ensure John is prepared emotionally and academically.
Most parents have a lot to say about the validity and necessity of standardized tests. Your viewpoint on the subject will not change the fact that your child will soon face the rigors of the dreaded end of year exam. Like it or not, the scores and percentiles are quite important to your child's future. Children are given a vast amount of knowledge throughout the school year, and are expected to be able to recall enough to answer the questions on a seemingly endless battery of tests. Teachers have been preparing their classes all year. Parents can also ready a child for testing by offering emotional encouragement and academic support.
Take responsibility. I visited a classroom of third graders recently, and one of the children shared that she was afraid to take the end of grade test. The teacher was out of the room, so the assistant answered the child. "You don't have to worry one bit. Your teacher will teach you everything you need to know." Tell your child that you and her teacher are going to work together to ensure test readiness. Take the burden of responsibility off the child, and listen for the sigh of relief.
Practice the format. The first time I did my taxes myself, I was overwhelmed. In the following years, the process seemed easier. The procedure was just as difficult, but I was familiar with the form. Make sure your child has a chance to practice the test in the exact format he will see it on testing day. The text formatting, page layout, and wording of instructions should be exactly the same, so that on testing day, your child will be familiar with everything but the actual questions. Your school probably already gives these practice tests. If not, Amazon.com offers a wide range of test prep materials.
Make a plan. Find out if your child has any questions or concerns about testing. What if his pencil breaks? What if the calculator doesn't work? What if she has to go to the restroom? What if a question is just too hard? Get answers from the child's teacher, and while you're at it, find out all the test taking strategies taught in the classroom. Help get rid of a few more anxieties by teaching your child how to skip a question or signal for a new pencil.
Teach relaxation. Remember Lamaze class? Share your favorite relaxation techniques with your child. Teach her to tackle only one question at a time. Help him to tighten and relax muscles to relieve tension. Teach self-encouragement phrases: "You can do this. That one was hard, but this is a new question."
Clear the calendar. The night before a test, clear the calendar. Skip athletic games, scout meetings, dance lessons and piano. Your child probably won't have any homework, but resist the temptation to review academics. Lay out clothes and lunches for the next day, and use the rest of the time for the family, with a nutritious meal, a family movie, and an early and stress free bedtime.
Express unconditional love. Whether your child bubbles in correctly or not, expressing your love will create a bubble of confidence that will be hard to break. Even if scores never reach the 99th percentile, make it clear that your love will be there 100% of the time. To your child, this is the percentile that counts.
Read Multiplying Success and Comprehending Comprehension, for specific test taking strategies for the math and reading portions of standardized tests.
A. Hope for the best.
B. Pressure John to pay attention and study.
C. Tell John just to do his best.
D. Ensure John is prepared emotionally and academically.
Most parents have a lot to say about the validity and necessity of standardized tests. Your viewpoint on the subject will not change the fact that your child will soon face the rigors of the dreaded end of year exam. Like it or not, the scores and percentiles are quite important to your child's future. Children are given a vast amount of knowledge throughout the school year, and are expected to be able to recall enough to answer the questions on a seemingly endless battery of tests. Teachers have been preparing their classes all year. Parents can also ready a child for testing by offering emotional encouragement and academic support.
Take responsibility. I visited a classroom of third graders recently, and one of the children shared that she was afraid to take the end of grade test. The teacher was out of the room, so the assistant answered the child. "You don't have to worry one bit. Your teacher will teach you everything you need to know." Tell your child that you and her teacher are going to work together to ensure test readiness. Take the burden of responsibility off the child, and listen for the sigh of relief.
Practice the format. The first time I did my taxes myself, I was overwhelmed. In the following years, the process seemed easier. The procedure was just as difficult, but I was familiar with the form. Make sure your child has a chance to practice the test in the exact format he will see it on testing day. The text formatting, page layout, and wording of instructions should be exactly the same, so that on testing day, your child will be familiar with everything but the actual questions. Your school probably already gives these practice tests. If not, Amazon.com offers a wide range of test prep materials.
Make a plan. Find out if your child has any questions or concerns about testing. What if his pencil breaks? What if the calculator doesn't work? What if she has to go to the restroom? What if a question is just too hard? Get answers from the child's teacher, and while you're at it, find out all the test taking strategies taught in the classroom. Help get rid of a few more anxieties by teaching your child how to skip a question or signal for a new pencil.
Teach relaxation. Remember Lamaze class? Share your favorite relaxation techniques with your child. Teach her to tackle only one question at a time. Help him to tighten and relax muscles to relieve tension. Teach self-encouragement phrases: "You can do this. That one was hard, but this is a new question."
Clear the calendar. The night before a test, clear the calendar. Skip athletic games, scout meetings, dance lessons and piano. Your child probably won't have any homework, but resist the temptation to review academics. Lay out clothes and lunches for the next day, and use the rest of the time for the family, with a nutritious meal, a family movie, and an early and stress free bedtime.
Express unconditional love. Whether your child bubbles in correctly or not, expressing your love will create a bubble of confidence that will be hard to break. Even if scores never reach the 99th percentile, make it clear that your love will be there 100% of the time. To your child, this is the percentile that counts.
Read Multiplying Success and Comprehending Comprehension, for specific test taking strategies for the math and reading portions of standardized tests.
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