Study Skills - How Can You Help Your Kids?
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Some years ago when touring the Scottish Highlands, a man Imet said something that's stuck with me ever since.
He was elderly, yet was still working away on his smallfarm. He had no intention of retiring, and when asked if hefelt the pace of the years he said no, he really enjoyed hiswork but - and this is what stuck with me! - "It's a day'swork getting started."
In other words every day he had to gather up his strengthand resolve, get out there and get going.
And this doesn't apply only to farming, does it?
The same principle applies to our kids when they have to getdown to serious home study or 'homework': "It's a day'swork getting started!"
So how can we help our kids when their teachers aren't thereto 'motivate' them?
There are lots of ways, but here we'll consider only a fewof the practical details that are well within our control -and which can radically affect the quality of the studysessions.
First and foremost is a suitable place for studying.
So many kids attempt to do their study in the living room orat the dining table where there are all kinds ofdistractions: people coming and going, the TV blaring and soon.
Try to provide your kids with a quiet area which they learnto associate with study. This could be a corner of theirbedroom or an area of the house set aside for all your kidsto study together. Facilities for online study are an addedbonus.
It's important to have a desk or table where books andmaterials can be spread out and left open - ready andalways available.
Two of the biggest impediments to home study are:
A) having to find a place and
B) having to dig out books etc.
It's much, much easier when all you have to do is sit down andpick up from where you left off!
Another serious, but seemingly trivial, impediment is a lackof ready materials. How motivated do we think our kids willbe when they're always asking: 'Anyone got a spare pencil?'or bemoaning the fact that, 'My worksheets are all mixedup!'
It helps greatly and makes them feel organised andindustrious when they have all the 'nick-nacks' that go withan effective home study programme:
Pens, pencils, notepads, binders or folders, plastic wallets or 'envelopes' for keeping individual pages in order, rulers, Scotch tape, erasers, a calculator, and so on.
These items can make a dent in a student's allowance, so ascaring, interested parents willing to invest in our kids'future, it's usually appreciated when we make theseavailable.
It goes without saying the study room should be well-ventilated and maintained at an appropriate temperature.Nothing kills the study habit more than a lack of oxygen andan environment that's too hot or too cold!
But what if you have a large family and there's just no freespace for a study area?
In that case call on the relatives. Usually grandparentswill have a spare room, and they'd be delighted to see thekids calling in regularly for a study session.
Or maybe your kids could team up with friends over at theirhouse. But be careful! There could be a temptation to chatinstead of getting the heads down!
In that case, check whether the school runs a Homework Club.Many schools are now doing this and it's proving a highlypopular option. Sessions are held after school andsupervised by teachers - so the work gets done!
If your school doesn't have this, ask for it! You providethe materials, the school provides the location - and thekids supply the effort. Voila!
Doing all you can to provide homework help will pay hugedividends all round.
Happy parenting!
Why do some parents and children succeed, while othersfail?Frank McGinty is an internationally published author andteacher. If you want to develop your parentingskills and encourage your kids to be all they can be, visit his web pages, http://www.frank-mcginty.com/peace-formula.htmlAND http://www.frank-mcginty.com/for-parents.html
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