Cures for the Common Homework Headache

Now that September is reaching it’s end, your young adults are probably getting a sense of their homework load and difficulty. Did you know that the Fraser Valley Regional Library offers all kinds of help to students? Not only can they provide study help, space for study groups, etc. but they offer links to online tutors! The process is slightly different between the Grade 6-9 section and the Grade 10-12 section but they are fairly simple to navigate. Find out more about homework help through the FVRL.

I also searched the internet for all kinds of tips to help parents in supporting their children with homework and tried to scoop out the ones I thought were most helpful. We would love to hear all of your suggestions or ways that you help your kids with homework assignments/ studying, etc.

Here is my top 10 list:

1) Meet your child’s teacher.

Although not all instructors are as welcoming to parents as others, most teachers welcome input from the parents about their children, such as information about what the child likes to do or what they are good at. Teachers also understand that each student is different and learns differently, and that no one knows your child better than you do. You may provide some insight that will help the teacher work more effectively with your child at school. If you are comfortable, give your child’s teacher a “heads-up” if something has come up at home. You don’t have to provide details, but keeping the lines of communication open will only help if your child is struggling. In addition, many schools have now implemented programs such as “Check My Mark” which allows parents to keep an eye on current marks, outstanding projects, etc.

2) Schedule a regular study time.

As with most things kid-related, sticking to a routine is the best way to ensure success. Finding a time you can both agree on will have the best outcome; some kids work best in the afternoon, following a snack and play period where others may prefer to wait until after dinner. Of course the age of your children and the project workload will play a part in this.

3) Create a study area

Choose an area that is relatively clutter-free and stocked with pens, pencils, highlighters, calculators, scrap paper, etc. This area should be well-lit and as far away from distractions as possible (see below).

4 ) Keep distractions to a minimum.

This means no TV, loud music, or phone calls. (Occasionally, though, a phone call to a classmate about an assignment can be helpful.) However, some kids do work better with some background noise or music as opposed to complete silence. Preferences such as this should be adapted to within reason. Also make sure your young student is using his/ her laptop for task-related material.

5) Be a Resource

Whenever possible, be available to answer homework questions. Try doing a problem or two together, then watch as your child tries the next one. I know what this can look like: laundry in one arm, an infant in the other, dinner boiling over on the stove, etc. but remind your chil(ren) (and yourself) that school work is a top priority, and you’re always around to help. But…

6) Make sure they do their own work.

They won’t learn if they don’t think for themselves and make their own mistakes. Parents can make suggestions and help with directions. But it’s a kid’s job to do the learning.

7) Set a good example.

Do your kids ever see you diligently balancing your budget, reading a book or even listening to CBC? Kids are more likely to follow their parents’ examples than their advice.

8) Keep up healthy habits.

Many kids are sleep-deprived, falling short of the 8.5+ hours of sleep that their growing bodies need. If your child is nodding off over her assignment, try moving bedtime up by an hour for one week to see if that helps. If your child’s schedule is booked every afternoon and evening — with everything from clubs to sports to volunteering or a part-time job — it might be time to rethink all those extra activities. Children need some time to unwind at the end of the day.Nutrition is extremely important as well. Obviously this applies to every aspect of their lives, but as far as concentration goes, it can make or break the situation. Be sure that your family eats a balanced diet, including snacks to keep everyone feeling their best. Information on nutrition is available on the Health Canada website.

9) Praise their work and efforts.

Post an aced test or art project on the refrigerator. Mention academic achievements to relatives. Create a binder that you can track assignment grades together.

10)  Know when to ask for extra help.

If your kid is truly stuck on a homework assignment, don’t make the common mistake of trying to reteach the information. Your goal is not to become your child’s study buddy.

Instead, send an e-mail or note to the teacher asking her to please explain the material to your child again. If your child is a fourth-grader or older, have him write the note or talk to the teacher. It’s important that he learns how to speak up for himself. The teacher will likely have office hours earmarked for those who need help. Also ask her about specific websites (many school textbooks now have practice sites kids can use in conjunction with the material in the book).

To my Daughter on Father’s Day: Sorry I Used to be a Sexist

 

I was the guy who didn’t even notice all of society’s subtle sexist behaviors — until I had a girl

By Mo Elleithee

Dear Daughter:

This weekend is Father’s Day.  On Sunday morning, you’re going to crawl into my bed and curl up next to me.  We’ll turn on the TV and I’ll feign excitement when Dora comes on, more just to watch your eyes light up.  At some point we’ll get into a tickle fight (which I will undoubtedly start).  We’ll get into a raging debate over which of us loves the other one more.

I’m going to love every minute of it.  Watching you grow up has been the purest pleasure in my life to date.

Which makes it even more jarring to admit that I was once a sexist.

Oh, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not talking about your run-of-the-mill, woman-hating misogynist who believes God made him superior to the fairer sex.  I’ve always hated that guy.

Instead, I was the guy who didn’t even notice all of society’s subtle sexist behaviors.  Sometimes I participated without realizing.  It wasn’t until I spent months traveling around the country with Hillary Clinton, and then later becoming your father, that I began to see all of this.

The constant stories about Hillary’s hairstyle or pantsuit color, but never about Obama or Biden’s tie color or haircuts.

The questions Sarah Palin endured about whether she could do the job with small children at home, when not one male candidate ever had to answer similar questions. (And it is not easy for me to defend Sarah Palin!)

The sophomoric giggles from late-night talk show hosts about a woman soccer player ripping off her shirt in celebration that got almost more attention than the championship she had just won.

The cable news host who commented on how good women politicians look “for their age.”  The beauty pageant that asks us to judge which young woman looks best in a bathing suit.

It was everywhere.  And it made me mad.

So I pledged to do my part to make sure you always knew that you were an equal to the boys you saw every day.  (Personally, I think you’re superior, but that could just be the dad in me talking.)  I wanted you to never feel discouraged, to know you could do whatever you wanted, and to live a life without this subtle sexism.

The problem is, society is sending you mixed messages.

We tell girls they can be whatever they want when they grow up.  So why are so many people still telling women that they can’t balance career and family?

We tell girls that they can succeed if they work hard and be themselves.  So why is it that a woman in business or politics is seen as cold and harsh if she doesn’t show emotion — but seen as “emotional” or manipulative if she does?

We talk about creating economic opportunities for women.  So why are we still debating whether they should receive equal pay?  Even worse, why are we having a national conversation over whether women in the workforce hurts our “social fabric”?

We tell girls that they can grow up to be soldiers and serve our country.  So why have we allowed a military culture where some of the greatest threats women soldiers face are from their male colleagues?

We tell young girls that they shouldn’t ever rely on a man for their happiness or success.  So why are we telling them that they need to rely on a bunch of men they’ve never met to tell them when they need an ultrasound, where to put it, and what other healthcare decisions are best for them?

As a father, I’m horrified by all of this.  You deserve better from all of us.

A few years ago, Hillary Clinton talked about putting 18 million cracks in the ultimate glass ceiling, so that someone might soon finally break through.   I look forward to witnessing that with you.

But what I really want is for it to seem completely unremarkable to you.

In the past few weeks you have told me you wanted to be a doctor, a pilot, a face-painter, a pizza maker and a princess.  Some days you want to be all of them.

And the most awesome thing is that right now you believe you can be.

That list will only grow in the coming years.  I can’t wait to watch it grow, and see where it leads you.

I only have a few things I want to add to the list.

I want you to be happy.

I want you to truly do and be whatever you want.

I want respect and equality to be the status quo.

I don’t want there to be any more glass ceilings for you to have to break through.

I hope that someday, when both you and your younger brother get older, you’ll read this and neither of you will have any idea what I’m talking about. That would be the best Father’s Day gift ever.

Love,

Daddy

 

Mo Elleithee is a Democratic political consultant in Washington, DC, and was traveling press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. More importantly, he is the father of a three-year-old daughter and three-month-old son.

Article courtesy of Salon.com

Keep Yourself Busy With This Question-Courtesy of John Scalzi

Fellow Blogger (John Scalzi) is always posting things that I enjoy, and I wondered why I wasn’t sharing these. This is a small tidbit from his Blog entitled “Whatever” :  Busy With a Deadline Today, So Keep Yourself Busy With This Question.

It asks readers:

What is your favorite relentlessly popular song?

By which I mean: The song that everyone knows (or did know, at the time), that took over the world in its day, which may or may not be good, depending on your definition of these things, but which you still listen to all the way through every time you hear it.

It took me a little while to think of mine, as I worked in music stores for many years and have a head full of terrible songs, especially those used for the stereo and TV salesman to move their product (Think “The 40 Year Old Virgin). The thought of voluntarily listening to this song the whole way through narrowed down the finalists, however. I have to settle on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. Hopelessly overplayed, used inappropriately in commercials and covered by artists who were zygotes when this song was popular,  I still feel the way I did when I first saw the video for this song. I would never be able to turn it off, but it is far from my goal when listening to them, which I do to this day.

Please share yours!