Secrets to School Success
Today’s academic world is competitive, but any student with the right habits can run the race well. With involved parents as positive mentors, children of all intelligences and abilities can be successful scholars.
Healthy Habits
There are a few basics many take for granted which are essential for successful performance in school. Discuss the following with your child and, together, decide what strategies work best for him or her.
Organization.
With your child, choose an agenda in which to write down assignments and responsibilities. Decide on a place to study with noise and lighting level specific to your learner’s needs. Find a paperwork system that works with your child’s habits, whether that means a folder for every class, one binder to hold it all or an accordion file to keep everything together. The key is to carefully select what works for your individual child.
Time Management.
As children get older or more involved, time can come at a premium. With your child’s agenda at hand, model effective time management as you work together to set aside time for family, study, activities and play. Part of effective management is choosing classes wisely. Be wary of allowing your highly involved child to take all the challenging courses. The key is to model balance between academics and activities.
Reading.
Every student can be a good reader; it’s just that not every child has found what he or she likes to read. Students who read often and on grade level perform better academically and on standardized tests. Just like with sports, the only way to get better is to practice. The key is to find the right reading material, whether that is fiction, non-fiction or periodicals. Talk to your local librarian or your child’s teacher for recommendations.
Helpers, not Helicopters
Successful students have involved parents. Studies have long shown that children thrive when their parents take an active, interested role in their education and activities. The key to being appropriately involved is twofold:
- Teach your child self-advocacy. When your child faces a challenge or a decision needs to be made, talk with your child about options available and help him learn to problem solve.
- Discuss which professionals at school are appropriate for him to talk to about the situation. The highest performers are students who are able to go to teachers and appropriate school professionals to discuss and advocate for their own needs. Ask your child, “Who should you talk to?” and “What should you say?” Then problem solve and role play the best option.
Focus on learning, not grades.
Grades should be representative of what a child knows and can do, and your child should be aware of the criteria on which she is assessed. When talking to your child and her teacher, ask about the target learning goals and find out, with your child, what she needs to do to move to the next level. True education is about helping the child, respective of her present level of skill and performance, move to a higher level of skill and performance for her. Ask the teacher, “How can I help?” She’ll tell you!
- Free homework help is a click away. MidContinent, KC and KCK public libraries all provide access to free homework help. With a library card, any student can access 24/7 real-time, online tutoring with experts in core subject areas. Find the link to www.Tutor.com through your library’s website and log in with your library card.
- Monitor grades in real time. Almost all secondary schools in the region utilize secured, web-based gradebooks, allowing parents to see children’s grades as soon as they are posted. Contact your school secretary for access information.
- Raise ACT scores by reading. For every 500 pages a student reads, he can raise his ACT reading score 1 point. While that doesn’t sound like much, it could make a difference when it comes to scholarships and college admissions. Have your child talk to his English teacher or librarian for recommendations or search online for the Advanced Placement Reading List.
Kimberly Brownlee has three very active boys who bear the burden of having an English teacher for a mother, and yes, she does correct their grammar. Kimberly teaches in Liberty.