A how-to on helping your kids establish great study habits
This reminder will elicit groans from the youngsters in your household as they gather around the television, playing video games, or in the yard, throwing snowballs -winter break is quickly coming to an end. It's time to make a fresh start for the second half of the school year and an excellent opportunity to help your children establish better study habits that will help them get off on the right foot and set them up for greater academic success.
Organization is especially important if your late-autumn parent-teacher conferences revealed some new (or not so new) information about your child's learning habits. Does he have missing homework assignments on a regular basis? Is she experiencing difficulty knowing how to study for tests? One of the best ways parents can help their children become less "organizationally challenged" at school is to establish a daily check-in, according to Bonnie Hauck, a reading specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education in the Division of Academic Standards and Professional Development. " A check-in helps kids realize the value of planning their day," says Houck, "and can be just as simple as a brief conversation about what's going on that day in school, assignments that are due, or upcoming tests."
Houck says parents can be good role models by talking to children about their own planning habits. " For many of us, while we're drinking our coffee in the morning or driving to work, we're mentally going through our day," she says. "By encouraging our kids to think about their day in advance, too, we're helping them prepare to do well in school."
Now, if one of your own New Year's resolutions is to be a little more organized, this might be a great opportunity for you and your child to work together on developing better habits. "There's nothing wrong with saying to your child, 'Look, I know we're both disorganized sometimes, so let's set some goals this month and see if we can do better'," says Houck, who recommends setting three goals each and holding one another accountable for reaching them. Perhaps your child can record her school assignments in a little notebook, and you can sort through your mail at work and at home every day. " At the end of the month, if you know you have made progress, you can see a movie together or some other fun activity as a reward, " she says.
To help your child manage her schoolwork more efficiently, Houck recommends an academic organizational tool called a graphic organizer. Also commonly known as a "mind map," this is a resource used by many teachers that helps students organize notes into a succinct page. Several techniques are readily available on education websites (see sidebar). One type of graphic organizer is called KWL: the student divides a sheet of paper into three columns and after reading the assigned material, makes a list of what he Knows, what the teacher Wants him to know from the passage, and what he's Learned after reading the material. " This type of study aid really gives a student power as they prepare for tests," says Houck.
Since it's been estimated that it takes about 30 days to create a new habit, helping your child (or yourself) become better organized might take time, so parents are advised to be patient and be willing to help the child find the method of study and preparation that best suits them.
