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Tips, insights, and stories about helping kids succeed in school.
ROLE OF A PARENT
Parents play an integral role in the child’s success at school. The first place that a child starts learning is at home and that gives them the foundation to succeed in school. Majority of the study habits, homework habits and educational goals are created at home and then worked upon in school. Studies have shown that if parents pay attention to their children, they make more scholastic achievements than those who are ignored. The points below should be carefully considered at home to achieve maximum results.Schedule 1 Hour DailyTake out time from your busy routine for your kids. If you ignore your children, it will make them feel irresponsible and they will lose interest in their studies. Spend time with your children as much as possible and discuss their studies daily. Ask them what they read in school, what was easy and what was a challenge. Help them in their studies, if possible, through a variety of resources such as the A+ Students program, textbook and workbooks and other material. Talk to them about the how they can improve and make them aware of the importance of school in their lives. Showing genuine interest in your kids will make your children start taking more interest in their studies, which results in them doing well in their overall academic performanceSupportive Home EnvironmentHome environment affects a student’s life a lot and has a significant impact on how they are doing in school. Create a stress-free environment and reward kids when they do well. If they are struggling, then acquire tutoring or any sort of assistance to help the kids catch up and get ahead. Support all types of supplementary help and ensure you take out one hour a day as mentioned above to study together. Provide them a quiet place where they can study with more concentration and interest. Put charts, tables, their report cards and other positive achievements in the area to show them that this is their study area.Teacher MeetingsGet involved with all the parent teacher meetings and have regular scheduled communication with the teachers to pinpoint any weak areas or hurdles the kids are facing, so they can be addressed at home. Kids will spend more time at home than in school, so their actual teachers are the parents.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR KIDS DO THEIR HOMEWORK? PART 1
Parents fear the dreaded statement where their child comes up to them and says, “I do not want to do my homework!” This leaves the parents confused, frustrated, desperate, and helpless. It results in constant arguments, chasing the kids to do their homework, and a lot of tension in the household. There are a lot of things parents can do at home to ensure their kids are doing their homework in a timely and efficient manner. Below are some tips to ensure your kids are prompt and punctual when it comes to during their homework: Turn Off the TVMake a house rule, depending on the location of the television, that when it is study time, it is “NO TV” time. A television set that is on will draw youngsters like bees to honey. It creates a lot of distractions both auditory and visually and prevents the kids from focusing and concentrating on their homework. As a reward, you can tell the kids that they will be allowed to watch their favorite show right after they complete their homework.Radio & Audio DevicesShould 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). The music soothes the kids, makes them comfortable; thus, allowing them to stay in their study area for a longer time without being distracted. Symphony and orchestra have actually been proven to release neurons in the brain that helps the kids study better.Designated Study AreaCreate a study area where the child is free of distractions and knows that it is strictly for studying. Some options include the child’s room, kitchen or dining room table. Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Since many young students will study in their own rooms, function becomes more important than beauty. Most desks for students really don’t have sufficient space to spread out the material. 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. 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 completed and handed to the teacher. Keeping general supplies on hand is important. Check with your child about their needs. In fact, make it their responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils, note pads, notebook paper, and other supplies. Place all certificates, awards and accomplishments in the area to create a feeling of achievement and inner motivation to increase performance.