Tips For

Knowing Your

Child’s Study

Habits

Turn off the TV set

Make it a house rule “TV OFF”

It is study time, it is “NOT TV" time.

A television set that is on will draw teenagers

like bees to honey.

What about the radio?

Should it be on or off?

Contrary to what some say, some teenagers do

seem to function all right with the radio turned

on to their favorite music station.

Designate specific areas for

homework and studying.

Possibilities include the child's room or the kitchen or dining room table. Eliminate as much distraction as possible.

Encourage the use of a small books or pads for writing down assignments so that there is no confusion about when certain assignments must be turned in to the teacher.

Designate specific areas for

homework and studying.

Keeping general supplies on hand is important. Check with your teenager about his/her needs. In fact, make it his/her responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils, note pads, notebook paper, etc.

Getting them organized will save them valuable time.

Regularity is a key factor in

academic success.

Try to organize the household so that dinner is

served at a standard time, and once dinner and

family discussions are over, it's time to crack

open the books.

If the student doesn't have other commitments

and gets home reasonably early from school,

some homework can be done before dinner.

You Study Too!

Set a good example for your teenager.

Start a project of personal study, complete with

writing projects and reading assignments, so

you can participate in study time along with

your student.

Let your kids see that you are serious about

learning new things. Show them what a

privilege it is to learn for the sake of learning.

Teach your child that studying is more

than just doing homework assignments.

Encourage your child to do things like:

Take notes as he/she is reading a chapter

Skim the material

Study tables and charts

Summarize what he/she has read in their own words

Make his/her own flashcards for quick review of

dates, formulas and spelling words.

Time is of the Essence

Show your child how to use a planner.

Teach them to write down assignments the moment they are given at school and to transfer them to a dry erase board as soon as they arrive home.

Don't assume your child will understand the importance of an assignment pad. Walk them through the process every day until they're doing it on their own and then check in a couple of times a week.

Time is of the Essence

If they have trouble, ask their teacher to help

by initialing the assignments in the pad. This

won't take more than thirty seconds.

Time management is a critical life skill that

should not be taken for granted!!

Help your child to feel confident for

tests

Taking tests can be a traumatic experience for some students. Explain to your child that burning the midnight oil (cramming) the night before a test is not productive.

Better to get a good night's sleep.

Students also need reminding that when taking a test, they should thoroughly and carefully read the directions.

Cont’d

They should be advised to skip over questions

for which they don't know the answers. They

can always return to those if there's time.

Good advice for any student before taking a

test: take a deep breath, relax, and dive in.

Always bring an extra pencil just in case.

Should parents help with

homework?

Yes-if it is clearly productive to do so, such as

calling out spelling words or checking a math

problem.

No-if it is something that he/she can clearly

handle himself and learn from the process.

Help and support should always be calmly and

cheerfully given.

How best to handle report cards?

To save shocks and upsets, gently discuss from time to time "how things are going at school- with your child. Something casual, such as

"How did the math test go?"

"How did you do on the history report?"

"How's your science project coming along?

Need any help?"

are questions that aren't "third degree" but indicate interest.

Recap

Maintaining direct involvement in your child's education is crucial to his/her academic success.

The ability to plan, organize and manage time will benefit your child in every area of his/her life.

The demands of the classroom are an opportunity to foster those abilities.

Create a home environment where good study habits are primary and appreciated.

Your child will develop vital skills and confidence they will need to face the challenges of life in the classroom and beyond.