Dear teachers,
How do you get a child to want to do homework independently?
Dear parents,
Getting a child to want to do homework independently is much like getting a child to want to set the table or clean his room without a parent helping. Like these other tasks, homework cannot be classified as something that is genuinely fun to do most of the time. However, a child can gain a lot of satisfaction from handling a task by himself, and build pride in his efforts.
The sooner homework becomes the child’s responsibility rather than the parent’s, you are on the right track. At the fourth-grade level, you certainly should not be hovering over a child doing homework. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to use a homework contract like the one on our “Dear Teacher” website. It can spell out the times and places where homework will be done. You also might want to include a reward clause in the contract as your child learns to do most of his homework independently.
At the fourth-grade level, parents can look over the homework assignments at the start of the homework time with a child, and help the child decide which work will be done first. During this time, directions for doing the homework should be discussed. It is also helpful to show children how to use their textbooks to answer questions about homework assignments. For example, in math, children can rework problems that are similar to those in the assignment. Following these steps gradually teaches children how to handle homework by themselves.
Homework is easier for children to do if they have an assignment notebook to write down all assignments and a calendar to write down long-term assignments so that study time can be planned.
Auditory-processing
Dear teachers,
My child’s teacher says my daughter may have an auditory-processing problem. Who is the professional who could help her?
Dear parents,
An auditory-processing problem occurs when sounds traveling through the ear get adversely processed or interpreted by the brain. Children with this problem do not recognize the slight differences between sounds in words. Most speech and language therapists or pathologists are able to properly diagnose and provide appropriate therapy for this problem.
Check kid’s progress
Dear parents,
It is the middle of the school year. This is a good time to take a very close look at how your children are doing in school. Their report cards should answer these questions:
• Is my child working up to her academic potential?
• Is my child working on grade level (elementary school)?
• Does my child have any behavioral problems in school?
If their report cards don’t give you a good picture of your children’s progress or you know that there are problems, schedule conferences with their teachers now. It is better to deal with a problem as soon as you know of its existence. Plus, the school year is only half over — giving you and teachers plenty of time to turn things around. When there are problems, always ask your children’s teachers how you can help eliminate or improve them.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program or 504 plan, be sure to check her progress and to make sure that the child is receiving all the accommodations that the special education team suggested. Often, children with either an Individualized Education Program or 504 plan are still failing a class, and it turns out they are not getting the required accommodations, such as having the questions read to them or getting a formula sheet for math tests.
E-books vs. books
Dear teachers,
Are e-books better for my child than books?
Dear parents,
The more children read, the better they will read and the better they will do in school.
There is no conclusive evidence that shows that e-books are better than books. Some studies are being done, but it is likely to be awhile before there is a definite answer. Nevertheless, more and more schools are turning to e-books for textbooks. And some teachers now consider books a thing of the past. Parents often endorse their children using e-books, claiming the e-books motivate their children to read and are fun for them to use.
Not all teachers are sold on e-books. Some are concerned that all the animations distract from the story line. And children do move away from reading to playing games on electronic devices.
Whether children are reading e-books or books, they still need interaction with adults to make sure that they are actively reading. They must be able to answer questions about what they have read and be able to do some predicting about what will happen next. One major concern is that parents are backing away from reading to their children and expecting e-books to do most of the work in helping children learn to read.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com or ask them on the columnists’ website at www.dearteacher.com.
© Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2013.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate.
