Monday, September 18, 2023

Motivate your child with a puzzle

If your child likes puzzles, use them as motivators! When your child is not around, make a puzzle by pasting a picture from a magazine onto cardboard and cutting it into pieces. Then, every time your child reads a book, or does schoolwork or a chore without being nagged, offer a puzzle piece. Each day will bring your child closer to solving the puzzle and seeing the picture.

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Tuesday, September 19, 2023

When is it time to contact the teacher?

Your child is complaining about schoolwork again. Should you let the teacher know? Contact the teacher if your child regularly finds assignments too easy or too hard, or won't do them even when you've tried to provide motivation. Also let the teacher know if your child doesn't understand the instructions, even with your help. Discuss actions to take to help your child, and follow up to determine if they are working.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Reinforce rules that improve learning for all

Teachers can't teach if they are busy managing student misbehavior. Support your child's teacher by reinforcing school rules at home: Teach your child to show respect for people and property. Do not tolerate inappropriate language. Then, discuss the importance of following directions, and explain that your child should avoid behaviors that distract the class from learning.

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Thursday, September 21, 2023

When writing is fun, it doesn't seem like work

Strong writing takes practice. Here are some ways to get your child writing more without making it seem like work: Ask your child to write funny captions for family photos. You could also ask for a list of things your child would like as birthday gifts, or the school rules your student would make. Suggest that your child write to a friend or relative. Or stimulate creative thinking by asking your child to write a short story about spending 100 dollars.

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Friday, September 22, 2023

Men, be a reading role model

Reading tests often show that boys lag behind girls in reading. One reason may be that moms do more reading aloud and elementary school teachers are often women. So boys may associate reading with women and school. Fathers, uncles and grandfathers can encourage boys to read by showing them that books are for men, too. Give reading with your children as much time as you do sports or other activities.

Monday, August 28, 2023

Start routines to make school mornings smoother

Getting back into school mode after a long summer break can be a challenge for some children. To help your child make the transition, establish some daily routines. Explain the tasks you want your child to do and post a schedule so your child knows what to do when. To further boost independence, use silent signals sometimes, such as a gentle touch on your student's shoulder to indicate that it's time to calm down or pay attention.

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Name-calling is no joke

Children have called each other names for centuries. But it's wrong to think that there's nothing families or schools can or should do about it. Persistent name-calling, and name-calling with an intent to hurt, are forms of bullying. Teach your child that this behavior is hurtful. Don't accept "I was just joking," as an excuse. Voice your disapproval when you hear your child or anyone else putting another person down.

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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Develop your child's inner motivation

Students who are motivated only by the desire to get a good grade rarely do more than the minimum they need to earn it. But students who are motivated from within are more likely to stick with a task and retain what they've learned. At the start of project or reading assignment, discuss what your child wants to learn from it. Along the way, ask your child to share new knowledge and celebrate progress.

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Thursday, August 31, 2023

Help your child practice reading to learn

Reading nonfiction is an important way students learn. A strong ability to remember what they read is essential. To strengthen this ability, encourage your elementary schooler to preview the text by reading the main headings and scanning the pictures. Next, your child should read the introduction, summary and any questions that follow the passage. Finally, have your student read the chapter itself in short sections, making sure to understand each section before moving on.

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Friday, September 01, 2023

Learn how to contact key school personnel

Family-school communication is more important than ever. Families need to know who they can turn to with questions or concerns. Do you know the name of the school principal? Your child's counselor? The nurse? If not, call the office or look on the website to find out who they are and how to contact them. Introduce yourself when you are at school. Connecting with key people at school will make your child's education journey go more smoothly.

Monday, August 21, 2023

To support success, offer encouragement, not pressure

Learning is full of challenges and obstacles. Encouragement from families, rather than pressure, helps children face them. If your child feels stressed in the coming year, show that you care. Be available to listen. Respect your child's feelings, and explain that mistakes are just learning opportunities. Then help your child develop positive study habits. When studying is routine, it's easier to deal with the pressures of increasing workloads.

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Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Positive learning habits help kids prepare for success

Start the new school year off right by encouraging positive habits your elementary schooler can rely on all year long. Help your child set learning goals, for example. Then regularly ask, "What will you do today to help you reach your goal?" Learning to think ahead will also help your child. You might say, "I know you plan to write your report next weekend. But what if the weather is nice and you want to play outside? What do you think about writing some of it today?"

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Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Encourage a healthy body image

Were you critical of your looks when you were a child? Many kids feel uncomfortable about their physical appearance. To improve a poor body image, offer compliments. Even if you don't like an outfit or a haircut, there is probably something about your child's appearance you love. Say so.

And don't make jokes about appearance or weight. Your child won't find them funny, and these jokes can be harmful.

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Thursday, August 24, 2023

Here's an easy formula for helping with math

You can help your elementary schooler learn math even if you don't remember any of the math you took in school. Ask your child questions about math work, such as "How did you arrive at that answer?" or "Look at this page of problems. Do you see a pattern?" It's also helpful to involve your child in practical math at home, such as measuring. Then, encourage regular practice by establishing a daily routine that includes time for math.

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Friday, August 25, 2023

Provide opportunities to follow directions

Schoolwork and tests both require students to follow directions. To provide valuable practice, give your elementary schooler a detailed set of instructions for doing a task. (Baking a cake or making pizza from scratch is perfect.) Ask your child to read them out loud and circle the actions that are called for. Supervise as your child completes the task, then reread the directions together. Did your student follow them to the letter? If not, ask, "Can you figure out where you went wrong?"

Monday, August 07, 2023

Don't throw away those grocery store ads

Grocery store ads are great for helping your child practice math skills. Look through the ads together and have your child cut out pictures of foods along with their prices. Now challenge your elementary schooler to create and solve word problems using the pictures. "Joey bought one pound of bananas for 50 cents. How much would two pounds of bananas cost?"

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Tuesday, August 08, 2023

Share a performance secret with your child

Athletes know that talking to themselves can help them perform better. It's true for students, too. Saying things out loud can help the brain tune out distractions. So if your child is doing a worksheet, for example, suggest reading the instructions out loud to boost concentration. When facing a challenge, your child can build self-confidence by saying, "I am a hard worker, and I am going to get this task done."

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Wednesday, August 09, 2023

Teach the basic rules of self-protection

Parents can't always be with their children, so they must teach them to protect themselves. Make sure your child can provide a full name, address and phone number, and knows whom it is safe to share this information with. Teach your child how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency, and what an emergency is. Review the safest routes to and from school, the bus stop and other frequently visited places. And explain that it's important to tell you if something someone does or says makes your child feel uneasy.

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Thursday, August 10, 2023

Set expectations that motivate success

Children care how their families view them, and they usually live up to expectations. So set expectations that will motivate your child's best efforts. As you prepare for the coming school year, make a list of high (but realistic) expectations for your child, such as working hard, turning in schoolwork on time, etc. Discuss it together. Once school starts, be consistent. Help your child take pride in progress and express your belief that your child will be successful in school.

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Friday, August 11, 2023

Shine a light on time zones

Conduct a time-zone demonstration to help your child understand why people in other parts of the world may be eating dinner when your family is just waking up. Here's how: Get a globe (or a ball) and have your child put a sticky note on your location. Turn off the lights and shine a flashlight on the globe. Explain that the sun lights only part of the ball at one time. As the Earth turns, sunlight hits different parts of the surface.

Monday, March 27, 2023

Take a creative approach to problem-solving

Children learn creativity by watching others. And when kids learn that there are often many ways to solve a problem, they learn to think creatively and become better problem solvers. So let your child see you tackle problems in different ways. Regularly create new solutions for old problems. Your child will learn that fresh thinking can turn up new (and sometimes better) approaches.

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Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Chores help children learn to handle responsibility

To encourage responsibility with chores, make sure your child has the skills and supplies necessary for the tasks. Next, consider your child's energy level; schedule chore time for a time when your elementary schooler isn't tired or busy. Then, let your child choose a chore from your list. Expect a good effort and timely completion, but don't require perfection. Just thank your child for helping the family!

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Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Help your child avoid plagiarism problems

Plagiarism is copying information or original ideas directly from another source without giving credit. Explain to your child that copying word for word is cheating, and it often results in a failing grade. Tell your child to read the information in the sources and "Put it into your own words." If your student wants to use a sentence word for word, it must go in quotation marks and your child must give credit to the author.

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Thursday, March 30, 2023

Visit world-class museums without leaving home

Get your child excited about museums by taking an online tour of one of the world's great collections. Match your child's interests to the museum. A music lover can check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at www.rockhall.com. Or go to www.si.edu to explore history, science and culture galore at the many Smithsonian Institution museums. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is at www.metmuseum.org.

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Friday, March 31, 2023

Help your child feel capable of doing hard things

Some kids are willing to try hard, even if the work is tough. Others give up before they get started. What's the difference? It's the kids who believe in their ability to succeed who stick with it. Make it clear that your child has what it takes to do well in school. Then remind your student that ability without effort won't get the job done. The combination gives your child the power to achieve goals.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Strengthen writing skills and family ties with a newsletter

Are your relatives far away? Your child can keep everyone updated on family activities while building writing skills by putting together a family newsletter. Have your elementary schooler write letters or emails to ask relatives for news, family stories and photos. Then your child can use a computer at home or at the library to compile their replies. Your student will gain keyboarding, writing and layout skills, and the joy of keeping the family connected.

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Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Take steps before leaving your preteen at home alone

While young children should never be left at home alone, sometimes families leave preteens on their own for short periods of time. Preparation can help this go smoothly. Before you leave, make sure your child knows how to reach you. Review what to do in case of fire or other emergency.

Discuss how your child should handle phone calls and a knock at the door. It's also wise to talk about who, if anyone, is allowed in the house and whether your child is allowed to go out.

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Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Use report cards as conversation starters

Whether your child's report card is great or shows a need for improvement, use it to enhance your communication with your child and the school. First, talk to your child. Were any grades a surprise? Did any make your child proud? What does your student want to improve? Then, if you have questions, contact the teacher to discuss them. Two-way communication with the school strengthens teamwork…and that helps your child.

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Thursday, March 23, 2023

Family life makes a great bedtime story

Telling bedtime stories is a great way to connect with your child and promote responsible, caring behavior. For an endless source of new story ideas, try making the characters' names rhyme with family members' names. Then you can tell stories from your lives that teach the lessons you want. Characters could realize the effect their behavior has on others, or model sharing without fighting, for example.

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Friday, March 24, 2023

Sing songs about places…then find out more

Many great songs mention real places. When you sing a song like "This Land is Your Land" with your child, talk about the places in it. Look them up on a map. "London Bridge is Falling Down" is about a real bridge in London, England (one version of which is now in Arizona). Help your child find out more about it. The next time you take a long trip, pass time by singing as many "geography" songs as you can.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Conversations can help prevent violence at school

Schools go to great lengths to keep kids safe. Families also have an important role to play. Talking to your child about safety issues on a regular basis is essential. Start a dialogue by asking questions such as, "What scares or frightens you?" "What makes you feel safe?" "What makes you angry?" "What ways can you think of to solve a problem without hurting someone?" and "How could you promote saftey at school?"

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Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Invite a cast of characters to a family dinner

Have fun with history and reading at a special dinner. Ask each family member to come as a historical figure or fictional character. They can wear costumes, but they shouldn't say who they are. To discover who has come to dinner, everyone should ask one another questions. Each person should speak and answer in character. Imagine a conversation between Ponce de Leon, Paddington and Susan B. Anthony!

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Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Keep little problems from becoming big ones

If your child is upset about something at school, don't ignore it. Left alone, the problem might get worse. Instead, ask your child to explain the situation. If you hear something like "the teacher hates me," avoid taking sides. Hear your child out and then contact the teacher. Calmly listen to what the teacher has to say, and explain how your child feels. Open communication will help you all work together to solve this and future matters.

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Thursday, March 16, 2023

Play a game of 'reverse tic-tac-toe'

Daily math practice doesn't have to be all work. Playing "reverse tic-tac-toe" is a fun way to help your child build skills for math success. In this version of the game, instead of trying to get three X's or O's in a row, your child tries to force you to do it. In order to win, your elementary schooler will have to think and plan ahead (both important skills for solving math problems).

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Friday, March 17, 2023

Show your child how to interact respectfully

When teaching your child to treat others with respect, showing is as important as telling. Show your child that physical differences aren't the only way to identify people: "The man in the blue shirt" works just as well as "the man in the wheelchair." Speak of people as individuals, and avoid generalizations. Explain that everyone is worthy of respectful treatment, and that your child can always ask you questions and discuss differences with you privately.

Monday, February 06, 2023

Prioritize attendance to prevent missing out

Missing just one day a week of school adds up to more than two years of missed class time over a child's school career. Absent students also miss things they can't make up, like discussions and demonstrations. To keep your elementary schooler from missing out, review your child's absence record and recommit to making school attendance a priority.

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Tuesday, February 07, 2023

Keeping up with assignments adds up to math success

If your child has homework in only one subject, it's likely to be math. Math builds on itself, and students have an easier time if they stay up-to-date with assignments. Have your child read through any sample problems and explain them to you. If the sample is confusing, remind your child to ask the teacher for help the next day. On days when there is no math homework, review basic math facts together.

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Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Make talking and thinking part of reading aloud

As you read with your child, stop from time to time to discuss what you're reading. What does it mean? How does the story relate to things your child already knows? When new words appear, ask your child to think about what other words have similar meanings. Before you reach the end of a passage, see if your student can predict what will happen next. When children make these connections, they get more from their reading.

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Thursday, February 09, 2023

Choose age-appropriate news sources

Watching TV news can upset elementary schoolers, and the older they get the more vulnerable they are. Fifth graders are old enough to understand what they see, but too young to put it into perspective. To help explain, look for news sources produced for children, such as Scholastic News. News videos for kids are available online on sites such as NBC News Learn. Watch together, so you can answer questions and explain what your child is seeing.

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Friday, February 10, 2023

Inspire caring and creativity with valentines

Valentine's Day (February 14) is coming up. To teach your child about caring for others, make a list together of people who might like to receive a valentine, such as a lonely child, a single neighbor, a helpful store clerk or the school custodian. Ask your child to make cards for them. If possible, help your student deliver the valentines in person. Seeing the recipients' joy will encourage more kind gestures. https://tpitip.com/?13bJ18608

Monday, January 30, 2023

Rewarding persistence can help establish study habits

Many skills children need to learn take time to master. But practicing times tables, vocabulary words or music scales isn't always fun. One way to keep your child motivated is to reward solid efforts. Stock a jar with small treats. Then you and your child can agree on the number of diligent practice sessions needed to earn a treat. As your child's skills improve, adjust the number upward to maintain the challenge until you can phase them out completely.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Play the Try a New Vegetable game

To encourage your child to give a new healthy food a try, write the names of vegetables you have on hand on slips of paper. Repeat so you have two slips for each vegetable, and put the papers into a hat. Your child draws slips until getting the same vegetable twice. That's the one you'll serve tonight. Then refill the hat with slips numbered from 1 to 10 and let your child pick again. That number is how many bites of vegetable your child has to eat. https://tpitip.com/?13ae18608

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

Collecting is a fun way to practice school skills

Is your child's room crammed with collections of "treasures"? Use these collections to reinforce school skills. To encourage reading, visit the library or go online together to read about your child's collecting interests. Practice math skills by having your child count and sort and classify items. Promote organization by having your student think about ways to display and keep track of collectibles, such as creating a digital catalog.

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Thursday, February 02, 2023

Sneak some science into conversations

You'd probably be met with a groan if you said, "Let's talk about science" to your child. To bring the subject up more naturally, notice the moon and stars. Ask what your child can tell you about the current shape of the moon. Or talk about the food your family eats. Can your child tell you why it's important to eat vegetables, or what protein does? Talk about digital devices, too. How do you each think technology influences life?

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Friday, February 03, 2023

Participate in things that matter to your child

It's not always possible for families to attend every one of their children's events at school. So what's most important? It's simple, really. Ask which events mean the most to your child. Your elementary schooler may not care if you miss the perfect attendance award ceremony. But it may be important that you hear your child's 30-second solo in the spring concert. When you can't be there for everything, be there when it matters to your child.

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Saturday, February 04, 2023

Monday, January 23, 2023

Everyone benefits when you get involved at school

Volunteers work for free, but not for nothing. There are lots of benefits to getting involved at school. You'll learn what's going on and get another perspective on what your child tells you. You'll have things to talk about with your child. You'll have a chance to develop valuable workplace skills, such as project management or fundraising. And you'll be able to make a difference to every child in the school.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Make reading aloud an interactive activity

When you read together, try these tips to boost your child's reading comprehension. Pause from time to time to ask questions about the story, such as, "Why do you think the character did that?" Help your child make connections between things in the reading and familiar experiences or ideas. And when you finish reading, have your child act out the story.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Increase responsibilities and privileges at the same time

Children's responsibilities should grow and change as they get older. When giving your child responsibility for a new chore, emphasize the positive reasons for the change. Praise your child for being able to do the job "now that you're so grown up." And as you add responsibilities, consider adding privileges, too. A child who is old enough to do laundry is also old enough to decide what to wear in the morning.

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Thursday, January 26, 2023

Attitude turns a failure into a useful lesson

It took Thomas Edison hundreds of tries before he found the right materials for his light bulb. But each time he learned what wouldn't work, Edison got closer to finding out what would, and he kept going. Help your elementary schooler take that same attitude. When your child makes a mistake, ask "What do you know now that you didn't before?" Experience is a good teacher when children pay attention to the lesson.

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Friday, January 27, 2023

These student achievement tips are parent-approved

In a survey, parents of high achieving high school students were asked how to raise a child who is successful in school. Their top tips? Stay engaged and emphasize the importance of education. Take time to talk together and respect your child's opinions. Give your student an ethical foundation. Get involved with the things that interest your child. And let your child know your love is unconditional.