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| These are the objectives to be taught in our local district's 6th grade math class. The teachers will have about 7 weeks to teach the 9 objectives before the quarterly benchmark test. Some of these are combinations of what were 2-3 separate objectives in past years. |
The reality is, school is a lot harder than it used to be, even just a few years ago. Less opportunity for physical activity, and more rigorous instruction, combine to frustrate the child whose body and mind are still developing.
Here are a few recommendations from parents and veteran teachers:
1. Emphasize learning over grades. Celebrate with your child when she has accomplished something difficult. But don't rely on graded papers or report cards to tell you that she is learning. Ask her to teach you how to do the math she learned today. Keep a list of books she has read, or words she can spell. Meanwhile, think of a test as simply a snapshot of what she knew at a certain point in time-- and what she still may need to work on-- not "how smart" she is. Students whose feelings of self-worth are tied to the almighty A are the ones who crash and burn when the work becomes more challenging. And if your child's grades are less than stellar, don't despair. No college ever asked about an elementary or middle school GPA. Just make sure she is learning.
2. Let your child do things he can do on his own. This means making sure he has meaningful chores, and takes care of personal responsibilities, so he can develop a feeling of personal competence. A kindergartner can set the table, pack his own lunch and choose his own clothes to wear. Sometimes children learn "I can't" when too much is done for them. After all, if Mom does everything for me, she must think I'm not capable. On the other hand, a child who has confidence in his own abilities is more likely to persist when the homework gets tough.
3. Make sure she has the right foundation. Any child who has not memorized her math facts by 5th or 6th grade will be struggling. Sadly, it is not uncommon to see students still counting on their fingers in middle school. If your child still struggles with reading grade-level material in 4th or 5th grade, or handwriting, or spelling, or other basic skills, she may need extra help. One cannot assume that every child will build a good academic foundation in today's schools. The schools, not to mention the teachers, have little control over the content they are required to teach-- they often feel as if they must present the lessons with all the grace and delicacy of a firehose. Even when some children don't master an objective, the entire class is forced to go on to the next one. So if the parents notice that their child still needs to memorize the times tables, it is up to the parents to ensure that this happens. Whether this is addressed through school-based remediation, parent-guided drills, private tutors, or even online apps, will depend on what best fits the situation.
4. Break it down. Find out how much your child already knows, and what he's stuck on. Your child may feel overwhelmed by having to spell "centrifuge," but have him try to spell it a syllable at a time and it gets easier. Cen -tri -fuge. Butterfly? Two words. Caught? Three sounds: c augh t. Does he know that "augh" represents the /a/ sound? Same with math. If he's dividing decimals, what does he already know about division? Maybe he just needs to know how to place the decimal. Maybe he needs to review division itself.
5. Make it fun. Change the names in her word problems to her favorite pets or superheroes. Use Legos or snacks to model the math. Can you make a game out of his homework? Perhaps you can repurpose an old gameboard for a new game where your child advances for each word spelled correctly, and throughout the game will land on spaces that have a small treat. If she is working on learning multiplication facts, she can use a set of flash cards as the game's question cards in order to move around the board. If she needs to work on skills, there are online math drills such as TimezAttack, and reading help at Starfall and other sites.
6. Know when enough is enough. If the homework session has gone on too long, your child is less able to concentrate. He may need a play break-- jumping on the trampoline, running to the mailbox, walking the dog, or even a couple of quick chores can clear his brain to think better. Sometimes switching subjects or homework assignments for a few minutes is all it takes. Breaking a long assignment into smaller chunks can be very helpful. If your child is on the verge of a meltdown at the prospect of 15 math problems he must complete, have him pick three to do before he gets a two-minute break to talk to you about his favorite topic. Or do half of the math problems before doing half of the spelling, then math, then spelling again. And just as important, if you see that the assignment is truly too long or too difficult, work with the teacher to make adjustments. For example, if your child struggles with reading and must do a major book report, ask if the child may have extra time, or if you may use an audiobook, or alternate reading one page with your child reading the next one, or if the child may type or dictate the report or simply write fewer sentences. A child who has a 504 or IEP may already be getting these accommodations, but even without these, you may choose to have your child earn a lower grade rather than lose his sanity.
7. Communicate with his teacher. Please, don't be the parent who calls or emails the teacher multiple times per week. But do let her know when there is a problem. You will likely know before the teacher will! A simple, "Sorry, Johnny worked for two hours on his homework last night before I made him go to bed," can be helpful. Get to know how the teacher communicates best: some respond more quickly to emails than phone calls, or vice versa; most keep class websites, or send newsletters, to let parents know of upcoming assignments and learning objectives. If you can possibly make it to parent conferences, be there. Keep an eye on any assignments handed back, and if you have an online grade reporting system (Powerschool), use any information available there. Also find out if any after-school tutoring or homework help may be offered at your school. When you do talk to the teacher, you can ask her about what her preferred communication options are. Find out when her conference period is, or if there is a good time to call before or after school (sometimes before and after school are the teacher's busiest times).
8. Eliminate distractions. Make sure your child has a designated place to do homework that allows him to be in top form. Some children do best in a quiet room by themselves; a desk in a bedroom is ideal for this. Others need supervision, perhaps at the kitchen table. If other people in the house create too much noise, foam earplugs might be helpful. A protein-based snack before starting, or while working, can help your child stay focused. Keeping supplies on hand in a specific spot-- paper, pencils, eraser, sharpener, glue, scissors, crayons, etc.-- will ensure that your student doesn't waste valuable time looking for them.
8 1/2. Eliminate more distractions. The use of recreational electronics-- computers, video games, tablets, etc-- may seem like great stress relievers and even rewards, but on school nights may do more harm than good. I've seen more than one child whose ADHD symptoms were made much worse after playing video games-- whether because of game apnea (two boys I observed would unconsciously hold their breath while playing, and the oxygen deprivation would cause visible behavioral changes) or the buildup of adrenaline with no physical outlet. Instead, it may work better for the child to earn tokens or tickets for (calm) completion of homework and chores which can be redeemed on the weekends for screen time.
9. Reduce extracurricular stress. Many students these days are overextended in sports and after-school activities. A music lesson, sport, club, or another pursuit that a child has actually expressed an interest in can build a child's confidence and even boost her brain function, but there can be too much of a good thing. Many families find that limiting each child to a single activity, or one to two school nights per week, is a workable limit. Too many activities can result in a lack of adequate sleep, which may hinder your child's performance at school.
10. Use your resources. As mentioned before, your child's school may offer after-school help. Many local libraries do, too. There are sites such as khanacademy.org, learnzillion.com, or even Youtube where you can search for topics such as "dividing fractions" or "direct and indirect objects" and find a video lesson. (Be careful on Youtube. Some of it is inappropriate for children.) Your child's teacher may even list specific helpful resources on his website.
8 1/2. Eliminate more distractions. The use of recreational electronics-- computers, video games, tablets, etc-- may seem like great stress relievers and even rewards, but on school nights may do more harm than good. I've seen more than one child whose ADHD symptoms were made much worse after playing video games-- whether because of game apnea (two boys I observed would unconsciously hold their breath while playing, and the oxygen deprivation would cause visible behavioral changes) or the buildup of adrenaline with no physical outlet. Instead, it may work better for the child to earn tokens or tickets for (calm) completion of homework and chores which can be redeemed on the weekends for screen time.
9. Reduce extracurricular stress. Many students these days are overextended in sports and after-school activities. A music lesson, sport, club, or another pursuit that a child has actually expressed an interest in can build a child's confidence and even boost her brain function, but there can be too much of a good thing. Many families find that limiting each child to a single activity, or one to two school nights per week, is a workable limit. Too many activities can result in a lack of adequate sleep, which may hinder your child's performance at school.
10. Use your resources. As mentioned before, your child's school may offer after-school help. Many local libraries do, too. There are sites such as khanacademy.org, learnzillion.com, or even Youtube where you can search for topics such as "dividing fractions" or "direct and indirect objects" and find a video lesson. (Be careful on Youtube. Some of it is inappropriate for children.) Your child's teacher may even list specific helpful resources on his website.
These are a few of the most common suggestions from parents and teachers I have known. I hope they help you, or at least spark some ideas of your own! May you and your child be blessed.
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