Success at School #1
Home Connection
School has to be important to us parents, in order for our kids to have success. We must support the teacher and his or her
policies. Positive comments
help. Good routines at home are
invaluable.
Ideas Families Have Tried:
1.Set up a good schedule. A schedule of early to bed, healthy habits, and a good breakfast help so much. A system for getting homework done at a good time is a big boost. A place for doing homework is important too. A balance of extra-curricular activities—not too many—also helps. Let your child have some down time, to be outside for awhile or to just be at home and unwind, and talk with you. Then she can tackle school work with more interest and energy.
1.Set up a good schedule. A schedule of early to bed, healthy habits, and a good breakfast help so much. A system for getting homework done at a good time is a big boost. A place for doing homework is important too. A balance of extra-curricular activities—not too many—also helps. Let your child have some down time, to be outside for awhile or to just be at home and unwind, and talk with you. Then she can tackle school work with more interest and energy.
Ruth was
wondering why her son had become so negative about school without an apparent
reason, and had been prayerful about it.
Then one day, it hit her over the head.
Her little boy, Jack, was simply not getting enough sleep at night! He had invented or found one reason after
another to stay up late. And it had
become night after night that he stayed up with older brothers and sister, high
school age, who had concerts or homework to keep them up. Ruth set up a study room in her home, away
from her little boys’ bedroom, so that she could read his bedtime story to Jack
and his brother earlier, with the older ones out of the way. She began reading while they brushed teeth,
thus expediting an earlier bedtime. Ruth
tightened the reins on his bedtime, appointing Daddy to be Bedtime Police, who
would check to see if he was in bed by his 8:30 bedtime. Happier student! Problem solved!
Trevor had
quite a bit of homework assigned each day, even in kindergarten. Joanie tried
to set up a regular homework session each afternoon, before he could
play. But little Trevor needed to get
out and play, she found. He had used up
all his patience sitting still and conscientiously making that pencil do what
he needed it to do, and now he was done!!
She found that when she let him eat a good snack, then play all
afternoon, he was happier and more ready to take on school again the next
day. So, she let him move homework time
to mornings. The family got up early, so
there was enough time to sit at the table or bar right after breakfast, and get
it all done. Joanie and Trevor both had a
lot less struggle.
Julieann knew
that her kids had to do homework directly after school. She found that if she was firm in her
expectations at the start of the year, and required homework immediately after
a short snack time, the kids would quit fighting it, and the struggle would
peter out. The gradually became faster at just getting it done, in order to get
out and play.
After seeing
several students go completely through the school system, Becky felt like she should let the
child take the lead on homework. As
early as reasonable, Becky’s goal was to have children that were
self-directed. She coaxed her children
into taking charge of their own schedule—by not doing it for them. She even let them pay the penalty of missed
recess or Friday fun if they didn’t get it done. The natural consequences faced now, while
they were young, helped them internalize and determine to do better. Later on, she found, when her kid’s grades
mattered much more (ie for getting into college), the lessons had been learned.
A
good breakfast is a big deal. Sugary
breakfasts bring an immediate high of nervous energy, then an abrupt downhill
plunge of no energy when the sugar is used up, and the body needs to draw from
other nutrients to digest it. The sugar
high and the sudden low that follows are both detriment to sitting still and
concentrating in class. A breakfast of
grains and fruit is much better at keeping the energy at an even keel
throughout the morning until lunch.
My Favorite Idea:
2. Pray for your teacher. Teachers are extra pressured at our
neighborhood school and all over. There
is new curriculum to implement, stressful standards to reach, and way too many
kids in each class! Besides all that,
teachers have their families at home to worry about, and their own health
issues. Teach your children to empathize
with the teacher. Pray for her, to be
able to have a good day, or to be able to enjoy her job. Pray for her family. Pray for the students to be good, to make her
load lighter.
My
2nd Favorite Idea:
3. Find Donuts!
When one of
our kids struggled with liking school, I inquired about friends. No, there was not a problem there. I already
knew that this son had a good teacher who really liked him. Recess was okay and he loved PE and library
day and music. Finally, I challenged him
to start finding “donuts.” I explained
that when someone gave you a donut, you could either look at the yummy donut
and thank them for it, or you could look at the hole and complain that this
donut has a hole in it! That would be
silly! Of course you would only notice
the yummy donut!! It’s the same way with
life, I explained. You can look for
donuts or you can notice only the
holes. If he could find ten donuts all
week and write them down—different ones each day—I told him I would take him out of school for lunch
together on Friday. Deal? You bet!
It was a fun challenge—and tasty too!
The challenge ended, but the concept stuck. Often that year and since, I have encouraged
him to find “donuts” that coming day, or to tell me in the afternoon about some
“donuts” that day. He might remember
someone who was nice to him, or a fun assembly.
His outlook is tweaked to be more positive.
4. Talk about school. Look over what your child brings home, the
notices and announcements and especially, her papers. Find good things to praise, in her work, thus
reinforcing the positive. I like the way
you made this “T”, or colored the sky or remembered to write your name at the
top. Or, this is an especially good part
of your story. Talk about the day right
after school, and at the dinner table.
Parental
involvement helps a child find success at school. If parents take time to look at and praise
papers brought home, a child is told his schoolwork is important. If a parent is in the classroom volunteering
a little time, a child is told that he is important. Being in the classroom lets parents visualize
better the child’s classroom and friends and understand better whatever comes
up. When parents talk to teachers,
solutions can be found early when things are not going quite right.
5. Thank the teacher. Most teachers are overworked and
underpaid. Their class sizes are way too
large and the pressures to produce excellent test scores are way
too heavy. Help your child develop
empathy for her teacher. She could make
cookies for her teacher. Pick a flower
to bring her. Write a thank you
note. One in which you can spell out the
good things you have noticed this year.
But the one your child writes in her own handwriting will mean the
most.
Sheri
would sit down beside her young child and brainstorm with him the specifics
that he liked about school. She would
jot them down on a piece of paper, in large easy to read letters. Then he could use these to write a nice
note. Sheri had a nice thank you note
ready, and ideas thought up. She
brainstormed with him the things he liked best at school, and specific lessons
and activities he had enjoyed. When her
child was too young to write a whole card, Sheri had him dictate one, which she
wrote down, in his words. She found that
the students’ own words, as well as specifics about their class were extra
meaningful to the teacher. Don’t wait
until the end of the year to thank the teacher.
It will help your child have a better attitude about the school year if
you help him find gratitude along the way.
Ideas that worked well for you?
I would love to hear your good idea or experience with this topic.
Or your question.
Ideasformypocketcomments@gmail.com