Holiday Lessons In and Out of the Classroom

'Tis the season! Children all across the country are celebrating special holidays now or during the next few weeks. Catalogues, commercials, and stores show our children all of the things they MUST have during this holiday season. While many of us want our kids to be happy and receive some of those special gifts they have been yearning for, how do we make sure we teach them the true lessons of the holiday season?


In many schools, parents will volunteer and go into classrooms to help with holiday parties. While many teachers ask parents to help plan fun activities, crafts, and snacks, very few ask for an activity to help teach kids the importance of giving. If you are a parent volunteer, maybe you could suggest having children each bring in a toy or can of food to donate. One activity during the party could be wrapping donations or making holiday cards to accompany the donations.


In addition, you can ask your local librarian or school librarian for a good book that would highlight the importance of giving to others in need. It would be a great way to start or end a class holiday party. As a follow up activity, students could write or draw a picture about ways they could help others in need.


At home, it is imperative that we, as parents, take responsibility for teaching our children about the importance of charity and acts of kindness. Although we hope to teach children the importance of doing this throughout the year, the holiday season is a good place to start. Before the holidays I always tell my children that nothing can come into the house until items leave the house. First, we go through all toys and sort them into three piles: trash, donations and keepers. We talk openly about the thousands of children that do not have toys to play with and what we can do to help. All items that my children no longer play with or feel they can do without are donated. In addition, we go shopping for new toys and supplies that we can donate as well.


For those that have older children, taking your family to a shelter to deliver gifts or serve food is an excellent way to show your kids how fortunate they are and how they can really make a difference in a life of someone in need.


Day in and day out we worry about homework, test scores and grades. Sometimes we forget about the most important lessons our children should be learning: life lessons, the lessons that teach about compassion and helping others.


Happy Holidays!!!

Conference Commotion!

It is that time of year. Parent teacher conferences are taking place all over the country. While conference time should not be a time when "bombs" are dropped on parents, sometimes that can be the case. Below are tips for going into conferences prepared and what to do with the information you receive during the conferences.


#1 - BE PREPARED
Before walking into a conference, it is important that you go in with any questions you may have. Let the teacher share information with you first (they may in turn answer some of those questions) and then ask whatever questions you still have.


#2 - TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE
During the conference, let the teacher know that you are willing to help your child at home in any way you can. If the teacher identifies your child's strengths, ask how you can challenge your child at home in those areas. (If they don't point out strengths, they should! Everyone is good at something. Make sure you ask what your child does well!)


If the teacher identifies areas of weakness, ask what they are doing in the classroom to support those weaknesses and ask what you can do at home to help. (All students can improve, so if the teacher doesn't mention anything, make sure you ask what areas can use some work!)


Make sure as you leave the conference that you let the teacher know you appreciate communication and that they should feel free to email you if there is anything that comes up that they want you to work on with your child.


#3 - THE BOMB WAS DROPPED
You have walked out of your conference and are shocked to find out that you child is now struggling in a certain area. What now? First, like I mentioned above, make sure you ask what support is being offered in the classroom and ask what you can do at home.


Once you know an area of weakness, try to find resources (computer games, games on the web, skill building workbooks) to begin strengthening the area of weakness. If you find that this is not working, your child is becoming frustrated, or they are falling further behind, it may be time to talk to the teacher about getting outside support. A teacher can help recommend a tutor or at least tell you about the type of tutor you should be looking for. If you or the teacher feel that it is a difficulty that spans many areas and not just a specific subject area, it may be time to look into educational testing that could give you more information about your child's academic profile.


How did your conferences go?  If you want to share your experience or have any questions please feel free to post a comment here or email me directly at lisathelearninglady@gmail.com.

10-4-10 Segment of "Ask The Teacher" on Star 94

Another great segment on Star 94. Thanks to the callers who phoned in their questions!


Question #1
My son is in Kindergarden and is having trouble blending the sounds in words when trying to read. What can I do to help him?


Getting children to use their bodies to be hands on learners greatly helps the learning process. There are many fun activities that can help with blending. As children learn to read, they typically begin by sounding out the letters in words. It is often difficult for children to then blend the sounds together. You can put letters on cards and place them on the floor. As the child sounds out each letter, have them walk alongside side of it to show the importance of "moving" through the word. You can also use letter tiles/magnets. Put them on a table with some space in between each one. After the child says the sound of each letter, move the tiles/magnets closer together and get them to use their hand and "move" through the word (they can move their hand under the letters as they say the sounds faster when you push the letters together.)
Just remember that Kindergarten is a year when children will begin to be taught the blending skills.


Question #2
My daughter is in 6th grade and it takes her at least two hours to do her homework each day. After such a long day and so much homework, I don't want her grades to start slipping and for her to become anxious. What can I do?


It is a big jump in workload from elementary school to middle school. There are different teachers for different subjects and they may not all be aware of how much homework their colleagues are assigning. First, if there is any homework that comes home that is not due the next day, try to make a schedule that would make the workload more manageable. Next, talk to other parents and see if it is taking their child as long . (If your child seems to be working twice as long as others, talk to their teachers because they may be struggling in that class.) Finally, talk to one of your child's teacher and see what they recommend. Your child is not the first one to have this problem and the teachers may have some good advice or help that they can offer.


Question #3
My daughter is in Pre-K. I heard that one of her classmates is reading already. Is that possible?


It is possible although it is not typical. Children develop at different rates and most children at that age are not ready to read. Pre-K children are NOT expected to read at that age. There is usually a big discrepancy in reading abilities in Pre-K through first grade students due to the rate their reading skills develop. By second grade, the playing field has usually leveled out.

"Ask the Teacher" Airs on Star94!

Standing in front of hundreds of children and speaking - no problem. Parent Teacher Conferences and Back to School Night - a breeze. So why was walking into a studio at the radio station for the first time so nerve racking? I guess it was primarily because this was the beginning of a new direction in my career. I have always loved working with and educating children. Now it is the parents' turn!

If you missed today's segment on Star94 called "Ask the Teacher," you can click on the following link to listen.
http://www.star94.com/podcasts/index.aspx 
(Once the page opens, scroll down to the second cluster of blue links. Click on the one that says "Have no fear parents, Lisa the Learning Lady is here to help!")

After each show I will post a recap and go into a bit more detail in answering the questions. 

"Ask The Teacher" 9/27/10

Question #1
How much help do I offer my child when they have to do projects and homework?

• Most teachers use homework and projects as review or extensions of what is being learned in the class and are aware that parents are around to offer help.
• Helping your child is a great way to spend quality time with them and get a glimpse of what is being taught in the classroom.
• If you find yourself "doing" the work because your child is struggling and having great difficulty, send the teacher an email and let them know that you had to offer a lot of help and that your child really struggled.

Question #2
You see that your child can be distracted while doing homework (texting, music, etc.) How can they get their work done in a more timely manner?

• At the beginning of the school year, talk to your child about how they want to approach homework each day. Do they feel that they need to come home and unwind for a few minutes first (eat a snack, call a friend, watch tv, run around outside, etc.)? Are they the type that wants to sit down, do it and get it over with? Where is a good place to do your homework? Particularly with younger children, establishing a routine can be helpful for them (and for you).
• Set up expectations. We (and our kids) are the generation of multi-taskers. There are many children, especially older ones, that feel that they can complete their work with the radio on or answering intermittent texts/calls here and there. Talk to your children and tell them that you trust they will get their work done and that it will be done well. They need to agree though that if they are not producing quality work or getting their work done in a timely manner, then until the work is done you will remove the distractions! (Hello quiet room with no cell, tv, ipod, etc....)
• Good rule of thumb - Involve your children in the process and give them a voice!

Question #3
My child has tried to test into the advanced placement/challenge classes and has not been accepted. She is being encouraged to test again, but it is hurting her self confidence because she continually does not make the grade. Should I continue to have her test?

• The first thing you need to do is compliment your daughter for not giving up. The fact that she keeps trying her best should be commended.
• Unfortunately, not everyone tests well. While some schools strictly use the grades from the test, others will take into consideration teacher recommendations. If her teachers feel that she performs well enough in class and that she would do well in the challenge classes, then at this point I think you need to talk to them personally. You may be able to point out that she has been asked to test numerous times and that the only thing standing in the way is her test score.
• If the school will go solely on the test score, talk to the teacher that is recommending it and see if she has any tips/tricks/strategies that she can go over with your child that may better prepare her for the test.

Knowledge is Power!

So your child started school and seems to be happy. He comes home each day with positive things to say about his teacher, classmates and school. Still, you worry. Is he doing well academically? Does he follow directions and behave appropriately in class? Has he made new friends? It seems like forever until parent teacher conferences but you also don't want to be a nuisance to the teacher.


You are the parent. You are allowed to be concerned. You need to open the lines of communication.


The best thing that you can do is email your child's teacher. First, thank them for their help during your child's transition into a new school year. Next, mention that you are looking forward to partnering with them throughout the year to best support your child. Finally, let them know that if your child ever struggles with anything or if there is anything that you can do at home, to let you know and you will be on top of it.


As they say, knowledge is power. The more you know about what is going on with your child in class, the more you can support them at home!

A Teacher's Tips and Tricks

Backpacks, pencils, notebooks, crayons. Back to School season is here. Whether your child has started school already or will be starting soon, all parents can use some insider tips and tricks. Using my experience as a classroom teacher, I am here to help! Below are the top 5 tips and tricks for getting back to school.

#1 Anxiety travels through osmosis! If you are nervous about your child beginning school, your child will pick up on that and it can add to their anxiety. It is important to verbalize that new situations can be scary but that they can be exciting as well. Tell them about a time that you had a new experience (maybe you started a new job and didn’t  know anyone) and about the positive outcome. Chances are as you tell the stories, you’ll begin to feel better and have less anxiety too!

#2 Support the sleepy heads! It is always difficult after a fun summer break to get back on a school routine. It is helpful to try getting your child to bed a bit earlier in preparation for early mornings to come. Once school begins, it is also important to try to keep to a similar schedule for the first few weekends so that your child can begin adjusting to their new sleep schedule.

#3 Role out the routine! Figure out a routine that works for your child. While some parents think it is more convenient to have a child do their homework immediately after school, some children need a break to unwind, refuel or even exert some built up energy. You can try a few different routines (all of which include getting their homework finished!) and ask your child which they like best and why. Trust your child! They usually can tell what works best for them.

#4 Careful Questioning! Are you sick of asking your child what they did in school that day and hearing, “Nothing.” It is time to change your style of questioning. When your child steps off the bus or into the car, don’t question them right away. Sometimes they already have things they need to tell you and sometimes they need a few minutes to unwind. You can prep them a little and say, “Think about what you liked best about school today” or “think about something you did in math today.” Give them a little time to think and then ask them to tell you. If your family eats dinner together, you can each take a minute to go around and answer the questions about your day. It is important for all family members to contribute to the conversation.

#5 A is for Appreciation! During the first few weeks of school, teachers work hard to help students transition smoothly. Send your child’s teacher a quick note and let them know how happy your child is at school and how much you appreciate their hard work in getting the year off to a great start. A little appreciation goes a LONG way. It is going to be a long school year. You might as well show the teacher that you are going to partner with them and support them throughout the year!