Hacker Valley Elementary School

Guide your child to better decision-making Making good decisions is key to becoming an independent learner. When there is a decision to make, guide your child's thinking by asking questions. For example, you might ask what could happen if your child chooses one toy over another at the store. Which toy would your child play with more? It is also important to let your child learn from choices. Living with the results of a poor choice helps kids make a better one next time. https://tpitip.com/?12ad18889

Movies offer great chances to talk about real life Part of managing screen time is making it count. Use movie nights to jump-start the conversations that build parent-child connections. Watching families on the screen offers you an opportunity to discuss how they interact and how you would like your family to interact. Let the way a movie character deals with a problem, such as drugs or divorce, prompt a conversation with your child about your family's values. https://tpitip.com/?12ac18889

Simple habits keep students organized for success Students who lack organizational skills lose school papers and materials, forget what they are supposed to do and don't turn in schoolwork on time. Encourage your child to track assignments and due dates in a notebook or planner. Then, have your student create a list each day of everything that needs to be done that day, and check completed items off the list. Establishing these habits will keep your child on track for school success. https://tpitip.com/?12ab18889

Use positive ways to promote better writing When your child shows you a piece of writing, your response can be discouraging or motivating. Instead of pointing out mistakes, begin by praising something specific. "This phrase is very lively!" Next, comment on the point your child is making. Is it clear? Ask questions to help your student clarify or add details, such as "Can you give some reasons why you think that?" Then leave the revisions up to your child. https://tpitip.com/?12aa18889

Ask questions to help your child think about the process of learning When students think about how they learn, they stay more motivated to learn more. When discussing assignments with your child, ask questions like: What do you already know about this work? What questions could you ask to learn more? Which parts do you think you do really well? Which are hard? Does it get easier as you go along? https://tpitip.com/?12aZ18889

Point out strengths when your child struggles Even the most capable students sometimes complain, "I'll never get this! I'm stupid!" If parents let this go on, children often think they can't do well and may not even try. To address self-criticism, remind your child of past successes. Talk about ways your student's hard work has paid off. Put setbacks into perspective by saying things like, "You got a bad grade, but you gave it a good try. Let's talk about things that will help you do better next time." https://tpitip.com/?12aX18889

Keeping up with assignments adds up to math success If your child has homework in only one subject, it's likely to be math. Math builds on itself, and students have an easier time if they stay up-to-date with assignments. Have your child read through any sample problems and explain them to you. If the sample is confusing, remind your child to ask the teacher for help the next day. On days when there is no math homework, review basic math facts together. https://tpitip.com/?12aW18889

Turn a walk into a fun way to learn Sometimes the best way for a child to learn about the world is to get out in it. Try taking a "Stop, Look and Listen Walk" together. Walk for 100 steps, then stop for 30 seconds and make a record of everything you see and hear. Or take a "Question Walk," and think of questions about what you see (Why don't pine trees lose their needles?). Help your child find the answers when you get home. https://tpitip.com/?12aV18889

Care for the environment together All living things depend on the environment. To teach your child the importance of caring for the environment, talk about how some resources are becoming scarce. Together, search online for a list of endangered species and learn more about them and their habitats. Explain that your family can help the Earth by reusing and recycling products to cut down on waste. You might also plant a tree together in the spring and show your child how to care for it. https://tpitip.com/?12aU18889

Let boredom teach time management skills Time management is an important school skill. Learning to manage free time to avoid boredom is good practice for students. Build your child's skills by limiting recreational screen time and encouraging self-entertainment. Express confidence in your child's abilities: "I know you can think of something to do." To avoid trouble, be sure to stay aware of what your child is up to. https://tpitip.com/?12aS18889

Make it easy for your child to tell the truth Honesty is a habit. To help your child develop it, point out honesty when you see it. If your child hasn't done something you've asked, but honestly admits it, praise the honesty. "You do need to go make your bed now, but I'm glad you told the truth." And if your child isn't honest? Ask why not. "Were you afraid of getting in trouble?" Then ask, "What might you have done instead of lying?" Praise your child for coming to the right conclusion. https://tpitip.com/?12aR18889

Help your child learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Celebrate by helping your child do some research into King's life and work. What causes did he support? What did he believe in? Talk with your child about the concept of injustice. You may also want to read King's "I Have a Dream" speech together. Then talk about King's dreams and your child's dreams for a better future for society. https://tpitip.com/?12aQ18889

Inspire your child's inner motivation to learn Students who are motivated only by rewards rarely do more than the minimum needed to get by. But children who are motivated by their own desire to learn are more likely to stick with a task, retain what they learn and earn higher grades. To inspire inner motivation, ask what your child wants to learn from a project. Point out progress, and ask your child to share new knowledge with you. https://tpitip.com/?12aP18889

Turn history facts and figures into a game When your child has to memorize historical names, dates and events, make it fun by playing a round or two of History Concentration. On one index card, write a date or a person's name. On another, write the event or thing the person is famous for. Make several pairs of cards and lay them face down. Take turns with your child turning over cards to see who can find more matches. https://tpitip.com/?12aO18889

Strive for balance in your child's schedule Children need a balanced mix of schoolwork, outside activities, family time and free time. Don't worry about trying to cram everything your child has missed during the pandemic into this year. Instead, let your student explore one or two activities in depth. Children also need free time to play, read and explore ideas on their own, and family time to build supportive relationships. https://tpitip.com/?12aM18889

Provide practice in personal choices Your child wants to wear a certain type of shirt because "everyone" else is. That's peer influence at work. Later on, peer pressure can make children try riskier behaviors. To build resistance to negative peer pressure, let your student practice making choices, such as what to wear, or what extracurricular activity to participate in. Just make sure all the options you offer are acceptable. Experience boosts children's confidence in their ability to make good decisions for themselves. https://tpitip.com/?12aL18889

Boost thinking skills by reading with your child When families read together, students become better readers and thinkers. Choose books you and your child will enjoy (they can be a little harder than your student could read alone). Then take turns reading sentences or paragraphs. To encourage deeper thinking about the text, pause often to ask about the story, the setting and the pictures, and whether the book reminds your child of anything. https://tpitip.com/?12aK18889

Compliment actions and effort more than intelligence The way you use praise can affect the way your child will face challenges in school and in life. Look for reasons to compliment your student often, but make sure that the praise is deserved. You can lose your child's trust by over-praising. When offering praise, be specific about what your child did right. "I'm proud that you stuck with that tough math problem," is better than "You're so smart." https://tpitip.com/?12aJ18889

Pull the plug on power struggles By the time children are in the upper elementary grades, they have learned to reason. So when you set rules, it's appropriate for you to explain the reasons for them. To avoid power struggles, respond to any argument from your child by repeating your reasoning. Then look for ways to say "yes." For example, replace "No, you can't watch TV" with "Yes, you may watch for half an hour when you have finished your assignments." https://tpitip.com/?12aI18889

Ask your child to teach you technology skills Young people are great at picking up the latest technology. And it reinforces their skills when they teach them to others. So when you are working on the computer or using a new app, ask your child to help you (even if you know what you're doing). Watch closely. If your child does something clever, ask, "Can you show me how you do that?" Your child will gain confidence and you may learn some useful skills. https://tpitip.com/?12aH18889