Motivating Children

• Provide a caring and supportive environment for children to learn. Believe in your child!
• Emphasize your child’s strengths and do not dwell on weaknesses.
• Help your child understand that it takes time and effort to become proficient in a subject. Teach persistence and allow sufficient time for exploration and discovery.
• Ask your child to evaluate his/her own work. Encourage him/her to learn from mistakes and concentrate on doing one’s best.
• Offer praise and encouragement for work well done. Try not to use excessive rewards as this takes away from intrinsic motivation.

Helping with Homework and Projects – Establish a daily family routine with a set time for homework – regularity can be a key factor in academic success! It is okay to be involved and provide assistance with homework and projects but encourage your child to take responsibility for his/her work and complete assignments independently. When your child asks for help, be careful that you are providing guidance, not the answers.

• Some students work best at a desk or in a quiet place. Establish rules regarding the television, music, phone, or other distracters.
• Notice how long it takes your child to complete assignments and watch for signs of frustration. Check to see that your child has done all of the work assigned. Accuracy will be addressed in school.
• Show an interest in what your child is learning. Talk with your child about assignments to see that he/she understands them. Read books along with you child so you can check comprehension.
• Be aware of testing dates and project timelines. Start projects early and use a calendar to keep track of assignments and due dates.
• Ask your child to show you his/her school work. Note grades and read teacher comments. Use email to communicate with your child’s teachers. Ask about progress and specific things you can do to help your child.

Reading Strategies – Reading involves thinking and should be an active process to achieve deeper understanding. When reading, encourage your child to try some of the following strategies to improve comprehension.

• Make connections between what you know and new information in the text.
• Ask questions before, during, and after reading to help make sense of the content, characters, events, issues, and/or ideas in the text.
• Use visualization to create mental images. Make predictions. Draw inferences.
• Distinguish important from less important ideas and details.
• Summarize and synthesize information within and across texts.

Internet Use – The internet can be a great resource, but children need to learn how to use it effectively and responsibly.

• Refer to known, recommended, or expert web sites. In most cases, try to stay away from resources that do not list an author. If a website URL ends with a .edu or .gov, they are most likely reliable organizations. Some organizations are biased and have an agenda for the information they present.
• Research using several search engines. Don’t just use Google for everything!
• Look for evidence, such as data and statistics, to support claims made by the author. Be aware of the dates of the publication.
• Narrow your topic and its description by pulling out key words. Try advanced searches.
• Use parental controls and/or blocking software to manage internet access, accessible websites, or amount of time online. Monitor websites that your child visits. Keep the computer in a common room so you can see what they are doing.

Time Management – Time management can be difficult, so encourage your child to be aware of how he/she uses his/her time and to use time wisely.

• Prioritize assignments – begin with the most difficult task. Finish one assignment before you move onto another.
• Create a “to-do” list. Use a planner or calendar to sketch out your schedule.
• Establish routines and stick to them as best you can.
• Set time limits for activities.
• Postpone tasks and activities that can be put off until after school work is finished.

Responsibility & Organization – Accepting and taking responsibility is an important part of being a student. Giving a child responsibilities around the house can teach them this value.

• Establish a place at home to work on school work. Make sure that your child has the all of the supplies and materials that may be needed to complete assignments. A home dictionary is also a great resource.
• Stick to a schedule for homework completion as best as possible. Even if your child does not have homework, he/she should use that time to review class materials.
• Use post-it notes for reminders.
• Help your child divide the workload and assignments into manageable chunks/steps.
• Have your child make sure that all papers are in the appropriate places in his/her binder each night.
• Do not throw away any class papers until directed to do so by a teacher. Keep a folder in your locker or at home for papers you want to save.

Studying – Children must understand that studying is more than just doing one’s homework assignments and/or reading class materials. The key to learning something is repetition – the more times you go over the material, the more likely you are to remember it.

• Encourage your child to actively study. Have him/her take notes when reviewing class materials or use outlines and webs to show the relationships among important ideas and concepts – focus on the main ideas before learning the details. Ask your child to summarize important readings.
• Create a practice test and then use it to simulate a real testing situation.
• Make flashcards with definitions, formulas, or lists.
• Encourage you child to study a little each night – cramming the night before a test is not productive.
• Find a good study place for your child – a quite and comfortable place with few distractions is best. Don’t allow your child to get too comfortable when studying because when relaxed, the mind may start to wander.

Taking Tests – Taking tests can cause a lot of anxiety for students.

• Make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and has a good breakfast before a test.
• Share some of the following tips with your child:
o When you first receive a test, do a quick survey of the test so that you know how to budget your time.
o Write down important notes, formulas, or ideas on the test before you begin so you are not worried about forgetting them.
o Always read the whole question and do not make assumptions about what is being asked.
o Skip questions for which you don’t know the answer and come back to them later. Be sure to mark the questions in some way so that you remember to go back to them.
o Try to take a deep breath and relax before you begin. Keep a positive attitude.

Healthy Eating Habits – With everyone’s busy schedules and convenience food so easily available, smart eating habits are often forgotten.

• Have regular family meals with good food and conversation.
• Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks (fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grain breads and cereals).
• Be a role model by demonstrating healthy eating.
• Don’t battle over foods.
• Involve children in the process of food shopping and cooking.

Incorporating Daily Physical Exercise – Experts recommend that children get an hour of physical activity every day as it helps them feel less stressed and sleep better at night, as well as improving self confidence and overall body health.

• Join a recreational sports team.
• Walk a pet, go for a hike, or take a bike ride.
• Try new activities, such as dancing, bowling, tennis, golf, or yoga. Exercise videos can also be fun.
• Do yard work (raking, weeding) or household chores (vacuum, cleaning rooms/windows).
• Visit the zoo, a museum, or an amusement park.
• Exercise together as a family. Have every family member wear a pedometer, and have a daily competition to see who can take the most steps.