Hacker Valley Elementary School

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

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

Increase sleep hours to improve learning Studies show that even one more hour of sleep per night can help children be more alert in school and remember material with greater accuracy. To make sure that your child gets at least nine to 12 hours of sleep, provide plenty of exercise, and avoid serving caffeinated beverages. Then create a soothing bedtime routine that includes reading together and talking about something positive from the day. https://tpitip.com/?12aF18889

Spreading kindness empowers your child Children aren't always kind to one another. They pick on others or say mean things behind people's backs. But your child doesn't have to accept unkindness as the norm. Talk together about ways to respond if a classmate is being treated unkindly. Then challenge your child to do at least one nice thing for a classmate each week. Explain that your child has the power to make a difference. https://tpitip.com/?12aE18889

Challenge your child to solve a letter puzzle A good puzzle is "brain food." To feed your child's thinking and writing skills, play a letter puzzle game. Give your child these seven letters: A, C, I, L, O, P and V. The goal is to make as many words as possible from them. Award one point for each one-letter word, two for a two-letter word, and so on. Give a younger child easier letters and two of one letter, such as S, S, A, I, T, O and N. https://tpitip.com/?12aD18889

Set goals now for success in the new year The start of a new year is a great time to help your child set new school goals. Talk together about successes in the fall and what your child would like to improve in the rest of the year. Then write down some realistic goals. They might include things like: keeping class notes more organized, saying hi to new people, mastering math facts and reading for 20 minutes each day. https://tpitip.com/?12aA18889

Help your child get organized for a great new year As you and your child make plans for 2022, resolve to help him get organized. Do activities together that involve sorting or classifying. Help him figure out the time it takes to do things and show him how to break big projects into smaller steps. Encourage him to organize his things by providing bins, baskets and boxes to put them in. And develop consistent routines for completing recurring tasks. https://tpitip.com/?11le18889