Certain key practices will make life easier for everyone in the
family when it comes to study time and study
organization. However, some of them may require an
adjustment for other members of the family.
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Turn off the TV set.
Make a house rule, depending on the location of the set,
that when it is study time, it is "no TV" time. A
television set that is on will draw youngsters like bees
to honey.
What about the radio?
Should it be on or off? Contrary to what many
specialists say, some youngsters do seem to function all
right with the radio turned on to a favorite music
station. (Depending on the layout of your house or
apartment, maybe an investment in earphones would be
worthy of consideration.)
Certain rules should be set
about the family phone during study hours.
The more people in the household, the more restrictions
on long and unnecessary phone calls are needed. A timer,
placed next to the phone, can help to control the length
of calls so that the telephone will be available if it
becomes necessary to call a schoolmate to confirm an
assignment or discuss particularly difficult homework.
Designate specific areas
for homework and studying. Possibilities
include the child's room or the kitchen or dining room
table. Eliminate as much distraction as possible.
Since many young people will study in
their own rooms, function becomes more important than
beauty. Most desks for young people really don't have
sufficient space to spread out materials. A table that
allows for all necessary supplies such as pencils, pens,
paper, books, and other essentials works extremely well.
Consider placing a bulletin board in your child's room.
Your local hardware store sells wallboard that might not
look too pretty and isn't framed, but a 4 x 3'section is
inexpensive and perfect on which to post pertinent
school items. You might want to paint or cover it with
burlap to improve its appearance or let your child take
on this project.
Encourage the use of a small book or pad for writing
down assignments so that there is no confusion about
when certain assignments must be turned in to the
teacher.
Keeping general supplies on hand is important. Check
with your child about his needs. In fact, make it his
responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils,
note pads, notebook paper, et cetera.
Regularity is a key
factor in academic success. Try to
organize the household so that supper is served at a
standard time, and once it and family discussions are
over, it's time to crack the books. If the student
doesn't have other commitments and gets home reasonably
early from school, some homework can be done before
supper.
Consider you child's
developmental level when setting the amount of time for
homework. While high school students can
focus for over an hour, first-graders are unlikely to
last more than 15 minutes on a single task. Allow your
child to take breaks, perhaps as a reward for finishing
a section of the work.
Organize study and homework
projects. Get a large calendar, one that
allows space for jotting down things in the daily boxes.
Rip it apart so that you (and the child) can
sequentially mount the school months for the current
semester. For example, you can tear off September,
October, November, December, and January and mount them
from left to right across one wall. Have the child use a
bold color writing instrument (felt tip pen) to mark
exam dates in one color, reports that are coming due in
a different color, et cetera. This will serve as a
reminder so that things aren't set aside until the last
dangerous moment.
Teach your child that
studying is more than just doing homework assignments.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of schoolwork is
the difference between studying and doing homework
assignments. Encourage your child to do things like:
- take notes as he's reading a chapter
- learn to skim material
- learn to study tables and charts
- learn to summarize what he has read in his own
words
- learn to make his own flashcards for quick
review of dates, formulas, spelling words, et cetera
Note-taking is a
critical skill and should be developed.
Many students don't know how to take notes in those
classes that require them. Some feel they have to write
down every word the teacher says. Others have wisely
realized the value of an outline form of note-taking.
Well prepared teachers present their material in a
format that lends itself to outline form note taking..
Should notes ever be
rewritten? In some cases, they should
be, particularly if a lot of material was covered, and
the youngster had to write quickly but lacks speed and
organization. Rewriting notes takes time, but it can be
an excellent review of the subject matter. However,
rewriting notes isn't worth the time unless they are
used for review and recall of important information.
A home dictionary is
essential, but if it is kept on a shelf
to gather dust, it won't do anyone any good. Keep it in
an accessible place and let your child see you refer to
it from time to time. If the family dictionary is kept
in the living room and the child studies in his room,
get him an inexpensive dictionary for his exclusive use.
Good dictionary, encyclopedia and organizational skills
depend on the ability to alphabetize. See if your
child's teacher practices alphabetizing in class. Try
alphabetizing spelling words, family members' names or a
few favorite toys at home as a way of practicing.
Help your child to feel
confident for tests. Taking tests can be
a traumatic experience for some students. Explain to
your child that burning the midnight oil (cramming) the
night before a test is not productive. Better to get a
good night's sleep. Students also need reminding that
when taking a test, they should thoroughly and carefully
read the directions before they haphazardly start to
mark their test papers. They should be advised to skip
over questions for which they don't know the answers.
They can always return to those if there's time. Good
advice for any student before taking a test: take a deep
breath, relax, and dive in. Always bring an extra pencil
just in case.
During a homework session,
watch for signs of frustration. No
learning can take place and little can be accomplished
if the child is angry or upset over an assignment that
is too long or too difficult. At such times the parent
may have to step in and simply halt the homework for
that night, offering to write a note to the teacher
explaining the situation and perhaps requesting a
conference to discuss the quality and length of homework
assignments.
Should parents help with
homework? Yes-if it is clearly
productive to do so, such as calling out spelling words
or checking a math problem that won't prove. No-if it is
something the child can clearly handle himself and learn
from the process. And help and support should always be
calmly and cheerfully given. Grudging help is worse than
no help at all!
Read directions, or check over math problems after your
child has completed the work. Remember to make positive
comments - you don't want your child to associate
homework with fights at home.
Model research skills by involving your child in
planning a family trip. Help your child locate your
destination on a map or atlas. Use traditional
encyclopedia or a CD-ROM to find information about the
place you will visit; try the Internet or books in the
library.
How best to handle report
cards? To save shocks and upsets, gently
discuss from time to time "how things are going at
school- with your child. Something casual, such as "How
did the math test go?" "How did you do on the history
report?" "How's your science project coming along? Need
any help?" are questions that aren't "third degree" but
indicate interest. Find out if it is a policy at your
child's school to send out "warning notices" when work
isn't going well. Generally, such notices require the
parent's signature to verify that the parent has,
indeed, been alerted. This is the time to contact the
teacher of the course, along with your child, to learn
what the difficulty may be. If such notices aren't sent,
then grades on projects and reports and from tests may
be the sole source of information short of what your
child wishes to share. Be tuned in to statements such as
"He's an awful teacher," "She goes too fast," etc. This
may be the child's way of indicating frustration in
understanding content or lack of study time with the
subject. However, be cautious in contacting teachers
without your child's approval or interest. It may
disrupt good feelings between you and make you seem to
be interfering and spying
