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Study Skills: How To Help Your Kids |
By:
Frank McGinty |
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You pick up nuggets of wisdom in the most unexpected places. One was given to me by a man I met in the Scottish Highlands.
He was quite old, but had no intention of retiring from his small croft. Although he felt the occasional twinge, he had this to say - and it has stayed with me! : "It's a day's work getting started."
Although he was slow to rouse himself, once he got going he was fine.
This advice is not just for farmers, is it?
The same principle applies to our kids when they have to get down to serious home study or 'homework': "It's a day's work getting started!"
Can we as parents do anything to help in this situation?
We CAN help. In many ways. Let's look at just a few, but even these can make a huge difference to the outcome of homework sessions.
Top of the list comes an appropriate location for home study.
It's not uncommon for students these days to do homework in the living room or the dining room. But think of the distractions: music blaring, lively conversations going on, the TV...
Much better, then, to give the kids an area they see as their study space, even if it means making some sacrifices. It could be a new use for a spare room or just a quiet corner out of the way. If your kids can get online in their study area, so much the better.
It's important to have a desk or table where books and materials can be spread out and left open - ready and always available.
It's so much easier when all you have to do is sit down and pick up from where you left off!
Another serious, but seemingly trivial, impediment is a lack of ready materials. How motivated do we think our kids will be when they're always asking: 'Anyone got a spare pencil?' or bemoaning the fact that, 'My worksheets are all mixed up!'
It's much easier for kids to feel organized and 'on top' when they've got all the required items for their study session:
Pens, pencils, notepads, binders or folders, plastic wallets or 'envelopes' for keeping individual pages in order, rulers, Scotch tape, erasers, a calculator, and so on.
These items can make a dent in a student's allowance, so as caring, interested parents willing to invest in our kids' future, it's usually appreciated when we make these available.
It goes without saying the study room should be well-ventilated and maintained at an appropriate temperature. Nothing kills the study habit more than a lack of oxygen and an environment that's too hot or too cold!
But in some homes it's just not possible to set aside a study area. What then?
Cue the relatives, especially the grandparents! Most often they have room to spare, and think how pleased they'd be to see junior drop in to do his homework.
Or maybe your kids could team up with friends over at their house. But be careful! There could be a temptation to chat instead of getting the heads down!
If that worries you, you could inquire whether the school runs a Homework Club or Supported Study classes after lessons. These are becoming more and more popular and teachers oversee them, so the homework gets completed.
You provide the materials, the school provides the location - and the kids supply the effort. Voila!
Facilitating your children's home study experience will make a huge difference to their success - and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you played your part ...
Happy parenting!
Keen to develop your parenting skills? Check out Frank McGinty's ParentingBookGold for a free six-step report and access to essential parenting articles, plus the ultimate parenting book products. Click here for other unique 'parenting' articles.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article55663.html |
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