Study Tips for Parents The Basics Nothing helps small children more than reading aloud to them everyday. It helps improve their literacy skills and provides meaningful quality time with your children. Encourage children, no matter what their age, to be curious about the world around them. Frequently, teachers know in advance what books or topics will be covered in the fall. For example, try to find out what novels are commonly covered in English at your child's grade level. Have your child read them over the summer to get a head start on the rest of the class. Let your children know how much you value a good work ethic. Offer words of pride and encouragement when you see your kids studying. Stress how important it is to achieve the goals they set for themselves. Offer applause for small steps, and encourage your kids to do their best. No matter how tempted, do not compare your children's performance with siblings, or other children their age. There are a million variables in every child's life. What works for one, may not work for another. Parents and kids both have busy schedules. Help each other by talking about when a good regular study time might be, and sticking to it. Try to choose a time when your kids are most alert. Include your children in setting the time; kids are more likely to follow a plan they have helped to create. Make sure your kids get enough to eat, and plenty of rest, no matter how old they may think they are. Fast food is just that; it is not necessarily nutritious. Poor nutrition affects the ability to learn. Sugar crashes result in limited concentration and reduced energy levels. Lack of sleep adversely affects concentration, memorization, and the ability to stay alert and awake in class. Encourage your children to exercise. Exercise helps to relieve the tension and stress that come naturally with study and school life. The following are probably familiar excuses: "I left it at school; I can do it tomorrow; the teacher didn't explain how to do it; I forgot it on the bus; it fell in a puddle; a dog did something to it; the teacher doesn't give homework; I don't have time right now; I'm too tired; it's boring" or "but my favourite show is on." These and other similar excuses may sound familiar. Did some may have originate with you? Be careful of the example you set. Kids can smell a double standard faster than a dog smells fear. Be alert to hazards of new technology. Spell-checking an assignment is not a replacement for a thorough read-through and edit. Many mistakes such as misused synonyms (it's, its; to, too; see, sea) are not caught by the spell-checker. The Internet is a valuable tool for information gathering, but it's not always trustworthy. Anybody can post information and claim that it's factual. Teach your children to be critical of ideas and opinions they gather from the Web. Also be sure to monitor what your children are looking at on the Net. Many adult sites merely require that you claim to be 18 years old to enter. Encourage your kids to get involved in extra-curricular activities at school, and in the community. These help build solid citizenship skills, and teach your children the value of contributing to the community. It can also help provide older kids with valuable experience, which they can list on their résumés when they begin a job-search. Top During The School Year Help your kids with their homework. Be careful that you don't end up actually doing their work for them (they're craftier than they are given credit for sometimes), and don't ever be afraid to admit that you don't know. Show your child that "not knowing" is an opportunity to learn, and try to find the answer together. Be realistic about how much time your kids should devote to study. If they've made it to Friday, and haven't seen a minute of TV or spoken to a single friend all week, then their schedule might just be enough to give even you a breakdown. Students should study for a minimum amount of time after each school day. Although special projects may require more time, the following is a rough guideline: Grades K-8: 1/2 hour; Grade 9: I hour; Grade 10-12: 1 1/2 hours. Kids will often race through homework to get to "the fun stuff." If you and your children have agreed on a time allotment for homework, try to stick to it. If homework is finished, have your children spend the remainder of the time reviewing, reading ahead, or preparing for upcoming assignments. Help your kids find a good place to study at home. Many generations of schoolchildren have claimed they can easily do homework despite distractions ranging from radio shows, in the old days, through music videos. Provide somewhere that's quiet, well lit, not too hot or cold with enough room to spread out books and notes, and a chair with good back support. Encourage siblings to respect personal space, and to help and encourage each other in their studies. Get involved in the school community. Join the parent-teacher association or parent advisory council (it is called different things in different areas). Don't be afraid to contact the teacher to find out how your child is doing. In many ways, teachers operate in a vacuum about your child's life outside their classroom. It's good for them to hear if they have helped pull Suzy's math grade up, and it's helpful to them to learn that Billy's grades have spiraled downward since they began to teach him. It also helps them to know if there has been some trauma that may be affecting your child's performance (i.e. divorce, or a death in the family). These things help give teachers a better picture of what is going on with your child. Building a Strong Parent/School Relationship Family Education.com (American, but some very helpful articles) The Learning Planet: Parent/Teacher Activities Parent/School Partnership Project Top