1. Parents’ Guide to Getting Through School
September 29, 2003
Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
Elementary School
Presented by
Dr. Kathleen Hoeker

2. Why is Homework Important?
Increases understanding
Helps students become self-disciplined
Improves independent work habits
Communicates with teachers
Connects home and school
Working at home allows students to learn and review at their own pace.
Studying well requires motivation, planning, and time management.
Practice, and your guidance helps studnets become more indpendent
Homework shows teachers whether students understand lessons (provide guidance, do not give the answers).
Homework gives children and parents the chance to discuss school

3. Tips for Completing Homework
Establish a routine including a time and place to complete homework
Create a homework tool kit
Encourage your child to work independently, providing guidance as needed and not answers
Stay positive- your reactions are important
Punctuality- make sure you understand the consequences for late assignments and reinforce them with your child
A quiet place free from distractions is best
Kit should include, sharpened pencils, erasers, pens, paper, crayons, glue, scissors, ruler, dictionary etc.

4. Encourage Helpful Habits
Putting things away
Getting along with others
Listening carefully
Sticking to a schedule
Doing simple chores
Packing and unpacking school materials
Have children repeat directions back to you

5. Organization Encourage your child to write down his assignments
Plan ahead for long-term assignments
Create a study space complete with supplies
Set a required study time, including a specific amount of time
Make daily- kid to do lists
Have them unpack and read their assignments to you
Have them pack their own bookbags and place them in the same areas every day
Hold them accountable and praise their successes
Required time: Keeps them from rushing through assignments. Even if they do not have assigned hw they should study- vocab cards, read, math facts, etc. MAKE IT a ROUTINE so that hw time is expected everyday

6. When Following Written Directions:
CIRCLE Circle the direction words
UNDERLINE Underline the directions that follow the direction words
COUNT Count up the number of directions
CHECK Check that you have followed all directions

7. Study Skills Use headings, bold type and pictures
Answer questions at the end of each reading selection
Writing down the answers always helps with remembering
Use abbreviations and symbols to make note taking faster
Review daily- rather than the night before a test
1. Page through the lesson and read all the headings, questions and summaries. Look at pictures, maps, graphs, and diagrams. This brief look will provide a general idea of the material

8. Note Taking
Use flashcards for definitions, dates, names, facts, formulas, and new words
Group the flashcards and learn one group at a time
Shuffle the cards in each group so they are not learned in any particular order
Practice often for short periods of time
Spend most of your time on the cards you haven’t mastered

9. Self-Assessment Encourage your child to look over their own work
Assist them by asking the following questions:
How do you think you did?
What can you do better next time?
What did you do best?

10. Math Word Problems Use the 5 step rule:
Step 1: Figure out the question(s) that need to be answered
Step 2: Write down the information needed to solve the problem (just the facts)
Step 3: Develop a plan to solve the problem (add, subtract, multiply or divide)
Step 4: Solve the problem
Step 5: Check your work

11. Remember, reading is an essential life skill.
Encourage your child to read daily
Get your child a library card
Read books, magazines, news articles, etc. aloud
Let your child see you read, tell them why you are reading
Keep a dictionary handy- encourage its use. Keep a log of new words and review them periodically.
Talk about what you read
Make a connection with the information and real life
Practice, Practice, Practice
Remember, reading is an essential life skill.
Keep a list of books read
Set goals / purposes for how many books you can read (make it a family event)
Write about (use the computer) what you read
Real life- creativity, make believe or news, facts
Vocabulary- studies show that extensive vocabulary imrpove studies in areas other than reading

12. SQ3R
SURVEY: Have your child quickly skim a reading assignment picking out key information (hint: use pictures, bold types, and headings).
QUESTION: Have your child think of questions about the material (hint: turn headings into who, what, where, when, why and how questions).
READ: Have your child read the assignment while trying to find the answers to his questions.
RESTATE: Your child should test himself by restating what he has learned in his own words.
REVIEW: Look over the assignment and make sure all of the directions were followed.

13. Vocabulary Challenge your child to learn and use synonyms and antonyms
Use index cards (flashcards) to learn new words
Keep a journal while watching TV
Check meaning by using context clues
The use of synonyms and antonyms expands an ordinary vocabulary
Write the word on one side and the definition on the other
TV - Have your child write down 5 unfamiliar words and add them to the index cards

14. When Should You Call The Teacher?
You feel your child does not understand the homework
You are unable to provide basic study supplies
Homework takes hours
A personal problem may be affecting your child’s ability to study
You are unsure about your child’s progress

15. No Parent Left Behind Focus on family involvement Stay informed
Ask questions
Encourage your child to tackle difficult challenges by doing their best, rather than making excuses
Follow through with established rules
Your attitude toward school and school assignments carries through to your child!

16. The Truth
Our goal is not just to get our students to achieve an “A” or to complete their homework . Our goal also includes motivating students to WANT TO LEARN and to WANT TO DO WELL and TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

17. Web Resources www.ajkids.com/ www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/index.html

18. Thank you for your participation in tonight's workshop
Thank you for your participation in tonight's workshop. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact me at