Wednesday, November 28, 2012 —
Children have a natural desire to learn and to do well. However, to say that distractions often get in the way of a student’s success is an understatement. In this world of texting, tweeting, Facebook, websurfing, multiple personal electronic devices and hundreds of cable channels, it’s amazing schoolwork ever gets done. I can’t count the number of times a parent has expressed frustration over guiding their children toward good choices: “If my child would only concentrate on his homework as well as he does on his video games.”
This column is a follow-up to the one published in The Stanly News & Press on Nov. 6, offering tips to help you encourage your child to cut through the distractions and motivate him to demonstrate a positive attitude about schoolwork and learning.
Below is a checklist of ideas regarding what you and your child can do together:
Develop a study routine and utilize a “Daily Achievement Sheet.” This can be set up like a spreadsheet, with each day of the week in the far left column and various academic activities listed in a row across the top. For instance, you can track specific things like “Daily Homework Assignments,” “Longer-Term Projects,” “Tests” and “Quizzes.” You might also include a column for “Behavior/Attitude.”
Each day, your child should fill out a row and get the teacher’s signature. Charting daily successes will help your child feel a sense of accomplishment, and short-term academic goals will seem more manageable. The daily assignment sheet also will make you aware of missed assignments, poor grades and unsatisfactory behavior so that you can address them immediately.
Encourage your child to write down short-term academic goals and check them off as they are reached. Together, assign an award for each group of small achievements (such as completing homework every day for a week) or for each big achievement (such as a satisfactory grade on a test).
Do “homework” from your job while your child does schoolwork. Share the personal satisfaction you get from having your work complete.
Take advantage of down time (during meals, riding in the car) to talk to your child about school. Congratulate perseverance and accomplishments both large and small.
Ask your child about peer pressure. Are friends discouraging academic success? If so, remember that you are your child’s greatest influence and discuss ways to resist that peer pressure.
Determine whether conditions at home or school are distracting your child from schoolwork. Family conflicts such as sibling competition can interfere with classroom concentration and progress. Again, communication is key to helping your child recognize and deal with these conflicts.
By getting involved in your child’s academic growth, you are showing that you care. And that may be the best motivation you can provide.
For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, visit www.Sylvan Learning.com or call (704) 982-2288 in Albemarle. To share your personal academic experiences and comment on academic trends, visit www.DrRickBlog.com.
Opinion & Letters to the Editor
Related Photos
Discussion
Spark your child’s desire to succeed
- Opinion & Letters to the Editor
-
-
We are Uniquely Made
Earlier this week the seniors at our school had one final hurdle to jump before graduation. They had to present their senior projects before panels of community members. Each room had four adults: the moderator and the three judges. You can be sure the students were quite nervous, but they usually do a great job. If they have practiced and prepared then they should experience success.
-
Ronald McDonald House of benefit to us all
On Tuesday, Stanly County Managers Association members heard a presentation concerning the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte.
-
Celebrating small businesses and continuing new ways of communicating
Some stories are worth mentioning again.
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
-
Google shuts down SMS search, angers people who had forgotten it existed
Instead of texting back search results, Google responds with a short message noting that the service "has been shutdown" (sic) and that you can continue to search the Web by visiting google.com (duh).
-
Walking by Faith
Last week I wrote about waiting on the Lord. I really needed to hear from the Lord, but all I was receiving was “wait.” I really don’t like to wait, but it is important to give God the opportunity to work things out before we proceed. After we wait on God, the next thing we are going to be asked to do is to walk by faith. That means that God is only going to reveal one step at a time, which is almost as much fun as “wait.”
-
Jettie Parker
Jettie Frick Parker, 89, of Albemarle died at 2 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2013, in Trinity Place, Albemarle.
-
Always Learning
I am teaching a class this semester that I haven’t taught in over a dozen years. Although I have taught it before, it still has a feeling of being new. The curriculum has been updated, and I must spend a good bit of time reviewing and preparing for the lesson each day. It doesn’t surprise me that often that I will come across something I didn’t know. The other day I made a big fuss about learning something new. The kids had a good time with that; their teacher learned something new.
-
West of Memphis: My Favorite Documentary Gets a New Partner
I saw “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills” when it played in theaters in 1996. At some point during the viewing, it became my favorite documentary. A position it has held for nearly 20 years. I own a copy of it, along with the two sequels “(Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory).” Many know part of the story told in the films; it is a story that everyone should witness.
-
Childhood bullying linked to adult psychological disorders
A significant study from Duke provides the best evidence we’ve had thus far that bullying in childhood is linked to a higher risk of psychological disorders in adulthood. The results came as a surprise to the research team.
- More Opinion & Letters to the Editor Headlines
-
