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Help Your Children Hone Study Skills | |
 Try to remember. When you were a student, did you ever ask, "How will grammar (or geometry or social studies) benefit me later in life?" Be honest.
Now return to today. When was the last time you took notes at a meeting? Or prioritized your "to-do" list? Or organized a project from start to finish? The skills you use to do these tasks at work and at home are the same skills you learned in English class (and geometry and social studies). Now, your children are developing those skills that will enable them to speak expressively and think strategically. And when they ask, "What good is this going to do me?"- you know that it all starts with taking notes in history class, studying for that bio exam and juggling time to accommodate school, sports and social calendars!
Organization, time management, note taking, test taking and strategic reading are all essential study skills that are first introduced to young people in the classroom, but ultimately transfer far beyond school. To help your child develop these skills in a way that is meaningful to them- mainly applying them to their "job" which is school- here are tips that parents can follow:
Organization and Time Management
- Have students use a planning calendar to track daily, weekly and monthly assignments and responsibilities.
- Encourage children to break down large, complex tasks into manageable pieces.
- Have children prioritize homework and other tasks when they get home from school, then complete the tasks in that order.
Note Taking
- Don't panic if a child's notes look sloppy and disorganized. It's often just a sign of a student with an active mind who is organizing things in ways that work best for him or her.
- Encourage students to review their notes and even rewrite them, if necessary, to be sure they make sense.
- As they review their notes, have children identify the most important points and highlight them.
Test Taking
- Urge a student to study over a period of days or weeks instead of cramming the night before.
- Be sure students go into the test with the right equipment, whether that means a calculator, class notes, textbooks or simply a pencil.
- Encourage them to answer test questions they know first and then go on to the more challenging questions.
Strategic Reading
- Encourage young readers to use all the clues available to them while reading, such as headlines, pictures, captions, charts, tables and graphs.
- Urge them to read different types of writing, such as books of fiction and nonfiction, newspaper and magazine articles, letters and Web sites.
- Talk with kids after they read a book or article. Have them tell you what the story was about, why it did or didn't interest them and how it related to their life.
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A Parent's Guide to Mathematical Achievement | 
Are some students destined to succeed in mathematics because they're inherently "good at math?" The answer is no. Educators believe everyone can succeed in math. In celebration of Pi Day (March 14th) and the National Math Month in April, here are some strategies that families and students can use to succeed in math.
The Power of Parents
To support your child's math learning, parents must believe that everyone can learn mathematics, and that learning math is essential to lifelong success. Experts agree that parents can encourage a positive attitude towards mathematics by boosting a child's confidence and competence.
Parents can make math matter outside of school by creatively unlocking the math problems hidden within everyday situations. Keeping track of batting averages provides a natural introduction to statistics, but mathematics can also be explored in less obvious activities. Rearranging a teenager's room can turn into a geometry lesson by talking about the room's square footage versus the space taken up by the child's furniture or how the room's shape determines interior design- the placement of objects.
By "mathematizing" daily activities such as shopping, parents can inspire confidence in their children's math abilities. The key is to encourage young people to use math to manage the world around them.
The Road to Achievement
Many students admit that they are reluctant to ask for academic assistance because they feel alone in their struggles. Children need someone who is very patient to help them better understand math- a parent, teacher, friend or a tutor.
But, only parents can encourage their children to speak up and acknowledge, "I still do not understand that concept. Can you please explain it to me again?" Students who are unsure of their academic knowledge require assurance to ask for help. In order to ensure a student is secure in their abilities, parents must be nurturing and inspire confidence by helping the child develop self-confidence. By working together as a family and following the suggestions below, you can ensure math success.
- Model the process of making mistakes and calmly learning from them.
- Review previously learned math concepts before each new homework assignment.
- Start each new session with math concepts that are familiar, and gradually move into new and more difficult areas.
- Use hands-on objects from around the house to introduce new math concepts.
- Help your child focus on the reasoning behind procedures rather than rely on memorization alone.
- Take turns working on problems and explaining how you arrived at your solutions.
- Solve problems in a variety of ways and allow your child to use his or her imagination and favorite method.
- Encourage your child to skip difficult problems temporarily and return to them later in the session.
- Watch for signs that your child needs the assistance of a supplemental education provider. If your child is becoming rebellious and will not allow you to help, a professional educator who is a non-family member may be needed to engage the student.
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