E – Emphasize Working Smarter, Not Harder
CH – CHallenge Your Child to Set Both Short- and Long-Term Goals
October 16, 2014
E – Emphasize Working Smarter, Not Harder, Part II
October 23, 2014
“I just don’t understand. My child spends hours on homework, and studying for tests, and still does poorly. It seems that every year the homework load increases. She’s starting to give up. How can I help her?”
This is a recurring theme, affecting many children who struggle with learning and/or attentional issues. There are several reasons children find limited success with homework and tests.
The breakdown may occur in getting the complete list of homework written down, and getting needed materials home. Once home, does your child have a step-wise approach to prioritizing and organizing all that needs to be accomplished in a given timeframe? Could it be that he has forgotten how to do what was assigned? In studying for tests, does your child study in the same way every time? Using the same methods over and over generally leads to the same outcome. It can be heartbreaking to watch the struggle day in and day out.
Using a step-wise approach for organization, and strategies to support understanding, can make homework less overwhelming, and test preparation and taking more fruitful. The catch phrase is true! The smarter you work, the easier and more effective your learning will be.
My next blog will discuss some of these organization and content study strategies. In the meantime, ask some questions if you don’t already know....
- What system is in place for capturing homework and materials that need to come home on a daily basis?
- Who is making sure the system is in place and working at school? What rewards are in place for compliance?
- How does your child manage the workload and determine what needs to be studied, and HOW does she approach studying for a test?
Let’s compare notes after the next blog. Happy Fact Finding!
