Hacker Valley Elementary School

Use your child’s report card to plan for the future A poor report card means your child might not be gaining important skills needed for future learning. Instead of getting upset, take steps to turn things around. Ask your child, "Why do you think you got this grade? What do you think you could do to improve?" Explain that you expect your student to work hard, and that includes asking for help if things are confusing. Talk to the teacher, too. Ask what you, your child and the teacher can do to overcome challenges. Together, make a plan for improvement. https://tpitip.com/?12bW18889

When you love learning, your child will, too Nagging kids to study doesn't usually inspire a love of learning. But one of the best ways to motivate your child is to be a learner yourself. Show your child that you enjoy reading. Check out new books for yourself as well as your child at the library. Watch educational TV programs. Attend school functions. Tackle new projects. Demonstrate curiosity, then talk about your new ideas or discoveries with your child. https://tpitip.com/?12bV18889

Protect and teach by setting limits You'd never let your child play with fire or jump off a bridge. Setting limits is one of a parent's most important jobs. Limits also help children develop the self-discipline needed to focus and follow directions in school. When setting a rule or limit, talk to your child about it. Explain why it is important. Ask for your child's cooperation. Together, set consequences for breaking it. Once you've established the limit, enforce it every time. https://tpitip.com/?12bU18889

Build your child's reading skills five ways Children need to build several skills to master reading. Here are five to practice with your child: 1. Sound recognition: Help your child separate words into their sound parts. 2. Understanding that letters represent sounds: Point to letters and say their sounds. 3. Vocabulary building: Use and repeat new words often. 4. Using comprehension strategies: Ask your child to retell the story. 5. Reading quickly and correctly: Read together often! https://tpitip.com/?12bT18889

An organized workspace helps keep study time productive A study space doesn't have to be spotless, but your child should keep it organized. That way, study time can be spent on schoolwork instead of looking for things. Encourage your student to use colored folders to keep returned schoolwork (a different color for each subject makes finding things easy before a test). Once a week, add some organizing time to your child's schedule to tidy up and put things where they go. https://tpitip.com/?12bS18889

Practice thinking skills your child can use for problem-solving "It's not that I'm so smart," said Albert Einstein. "It's just that I stay with problems longer." To develop thinking skills your child can use to solve problems, provide practice sorting objects or events into categories. Encourage your student to make lists and charts of things, such as reasons for doing one thing rather than another. Promote observation by playing "What's Wrong Here?" (Set the table using clothespins instead of forks, for example.) https://tpitip.com/?12bR18889

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Make learning math vocabulary into a game Product. Quotient. When children learn math, they also need to learn a whole new vocabulary. To make learning math words fun, play Math Concentration. Here's how: Write each term on an index card. Write its definition on another index card. Deal out five or six pairs of index cards face down, then have your child turn over two cards at a time. The goal is to make a match by turning over a term and its definition. https://tpitip.com/?12bP18889

Put your child in charge of some regular self-care tasks Sometimes, all it takes to help children become more capable is a change in attitude. Each month, think about all the tasks you do for your student. Choose one you can hand over, such as packing lunch. Then, help your child learn the necessary skills to do the task. Provide a chance to practice, then put your child in charge. Make it clear how proud you are of all the things your child can do! https://tpitip.com/?12bO18889

Play a picture game to encourage caring for others Children are naturally self-centered. But to become good students, they must learn to see and think about people beyond themselves. One way to help your child become more aware is to play a picture game. Gather photographs of people in a variety of situations. Take turns looking at a picture and describing how the people in it might feel. Start at the physical level. Imagine what people in the picture see and hear. Are they cold or warm? Then imagine how they feel emotionally. https://tpitip.com/?12bN18889

Break writing tasks down into easy steps Many students struggle with putting their thoughts on paper. To help your child with a writing assignment, break the process into steps. The first step is to list everything your child knows about the topic. Next, ask what your child would like to say about the things on the list. Talking ideas through can make writing easier. After writing a draft, have your child put it aside for a day, then reread it and brainstorm about what would make it better. https://tpitip.com/?12bM18889

Plan to spend some time outside together Spending time outdoors as a family can build muscles and strengthen relationships. And nature offers many opportunities to build your child's observation skills. Even in cold weather you and your child may be able to bundle up for a hike in a nearby park. Notice all the things that you can't see when the leaves are on the trees. You can even set up a birdfeeder together and chart the different kinds of birds you see. https://tpitip.com/?12bK18889

A lot of learning can happen in just a few minutes In as little as five minutes a day, you can help your child learn. You can ask a question to stimulate creative thinking (What if the sun came up at night?). Or ask your child to express an opinion and back it up with reasons (What is your favorite book? Why?). You can tell a story full of information about the real world, or simply say "I love you." Children need to feel loved to take the risks necessary to learn. https://tpitip.com/?12bJ18889

Chores at home strengthen school skills Doing chores at home teaches children responsibility and self-confidence, skills that benefit them in school. If your child isn't used to helping around the house, start with a few easy-to-accomplish tasks. Instead of saying "clean your room," for example, you might say, "You pick up the things on the floor. I'll hang up the clothes." Make it clear that what your child is doing makes a valuable contribution to your family. https://tpitip.com/?12bG18889

Respond to the 'gimmes' with values and expectations When product marketing has your child saying "gimme," remember that experts say kids who have been given too much don't learn to deal with disappointment. They are also more prone to anxiety and depression. Instead of buying more stuff for your child, explain your values and reasons for setting limits. Offer fewer things and more of your time. Then use expectations, not bribes, to motivate your child to work hard in school. https://tpitip.com/?12bF18889

Help your child avoid disruptive tantrums Elementary school students aren't too young to feel stress. And when they don't have the skills to cope with that stress, they often resort to toddler-style outbursts. Try to figure out what triggers your child's tantrums and where possible, avoid those situations. To help your child manage stress, practice calming techniques, like deep breathing while counting to 10, or saying, "I can work through this." https://tpitip.com/?12bE18889

Practice scientific thinking at home Scientists know that asking the right questions leads to learning. To practice the "scientific method" at home, have your child think of a question (What happens to plants if it stops raining?). Next, read about the topic together and have your child make a guess about the answer. Then help your child figure out how to test if the guess is right (grow two plants, but water only one). Your student should write down what happens and report to you on the results. https://tpitip.com/?12bD18889

Instead of providing answers, show your child how to find them Children learn by asking questions. But sometimes, they can learn more by finding answers for themselves than if parents supply them. The next time your child asks a question, demonstrate how to conduct research online or at the library to find the answer. If it's practical and safe, you might even help your child set up an experiment in your home to discover the answer. https://tpitip.com/?12bB18889

Take turns reading aloud to build fluency Reading aloud together is a great way to help your child build reading fluency. Choose a short passage from a book at your child's reading level. Read a short passage aloud. (Be sure to use lots of expression in your voice.) Then have your child read the passage back to you. If a word causes struggles, say what it is, then let your child continue reading. Repeat a few times until your student can read the text easily. https://tpitip.com/?12bA18889

Encourage the qualities that make your child a good friend Having friends at school contributes to students' positive feelings about education. To help your child be a good friend, explain that friends are respectful, polite and listen to what others have to say. Talk together about good sportsmanship and the importance of standing up for what's right without being rude. Encourage your child to be friendly, smile at classmates and say "hi." https://tpitip.com/?12aeX18889