|
Here is a strategy for engaging with your children when you're reading together, or when you've already read the book your child is reading:
Parent or adult initiates a conversation about a book/ what was just read (e.g. "Who went in the house?" "Where is the main character?" "Why do you think this happened?") Evaluate the child's response (Do they understand what was just read? Should you re-read that page or section?) Extend or Expand the child's response (e.g. "Yes, and..." Add more information to deepen the child's understanding) Repeat (the next time you read this book together, or later on, ask a similar question and gauge whether or not your child has incorporated some of your "extended" response into their understanding) Leave a comment below if you have any questions or feedback about how it went when you tried this strategy!
0 Comments
A frustration I hear from a lot of parents is that the way kids are trying to learn or study is different from how they would act if they were trying to learn something. Despite individual preferences and generational differences, there are some universal truths about learning.
Multi-modal teaching and learning is most effective: If you see it, you may learn it. If you hear it, you may learn it. If you engage in or practice it, you may learn it. If you do all three of these things- see, hear, and do- you're more likely to learn it. Spaced repetition is preferable over "cramming": People are more likely to learn- and retain!- information when they work on learning it multiple times, and over multiple days. You're more likely to learn something if you're interested in it and believe you can learn it: Find a hook into the topic that keeps your attention, and figure out how the content applies to everyday life. Make it relatable in some way. If you think you will never "get it," you may be right. If you attempt to learn something and have the mindset that you'll "get it" with hard work and time, you're so much more likely to be successful.  I love podcasts- mostly ones that scare and/or inspire me, but no matter what you want to learn about or listen to, there's a podcast out there for you too! "Uh, what's a podcast?" you might ask. If you are thinking that, you're not alone. Podcasts are basically pre-recorded radio shows that run as a series (where you get part of a story every week) or as stand-alone episodes. Some podcasts are fiction, but most are non-fiction, and topics can range from cats to crime to calculus. Podcasts are a relatively new medium for entertainment and communication, but they're easy to find, free to download, and super accessible on a smart phone or tablet. Depending on your type of device, you probably have an icon that looks like this:  or, like this:  Click on that app to get started, then start to browse through all the options for entertainment and learning, right there at your fingertips! Below are some recommendations from my middle school students:
And here are a few recommendations for kids, teens, and adults: (click on the icon to visit the podcast's webpage) What podcasts do you like to listen to?
Post a suggestion or question below for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card!
Questions? Comments? Please share below!
 A strategy notebook can take many forms and have lots of different content, but the purpose will always be the same: to remind the user of how to approach a specific type of problem, or implement a strategy to complete a task.
I encourage my students to make strategy notebooks at the start of the school year, then add to them over time as they learn new content and skills in their classes. For some of my organizationally-challenged students, I have them use one notebook for all their classes. Other kids make a section in each class binder to use as their "strategy section." No matter where the strategy sheets are, these notebooks should be accessible in classes, while doing homework, and (with teacher permission) during assessments too! Below are some ideas of what might fill a middle school student's strategy notebook: Math strategies: *Include a written explanation for each step of the process, and a completed example* How to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions How to change a mixed number into a fraction and vice-versa How to find a percent of a total How to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents Writing strategies: Proofreading and self-editing checklists Lists of brainstormed topics for "free writing" opportunities Strategies for getting started on a writing assignment Graphic organizers for different types of writing assignments A list of steps in the writing process Reading strategies: Pre-reading routines like skimming, asking questions, and making predictions Common prefixes, suffixes, and roots to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words Prompts to visualize while reading Annotation symbols for taking margin notes Comprehension strategies including using context clues, making connections, and inferencing Mindfulness strategies: Deep breathing prompts A guided visualization Body scan directions Positive affirmations Ways to deal with feeling distracted in class Other ideas? Questions? Please share in the comments section! I know that the start of a new school year can be met with varying levels of enthusiasm from students and from parents. It's hard to get back into a routine that necessitates you waking up early, following a more structured schedule for 7-8 hours, and really working that brain!
It's also a great time to "try on" some new things: a growth mindset about your abilities, an openness to trying out new strategies to help you learn and perform, and new ways of interacting with teachers and other students. Below are 3 things students and parents can try in the first few weeks of school, to help them get off on the right foot. Leave a comment below to share how it goes! 1. Introduce yourself to someone you have never met before. This could be a new student, your new teacher, or another parent. Ask him or her questions (related to school or not). See what you have in common, and how you might be able to connect! Even if it doesn't lead to a new friendship, you'll be more comfortable when you cross paths with that person in the future, and it never hurts to familiarize yourself with people who will surround you for the rest of the school year! 2. Write out and post a plan for getting and staying organized throughout the school year. Where will backpacks, lunch boxes, and sports equipment be dumped when you get home? Who is responsible for making sure you leave with everything you need for the day? When will this be packed up, and when and where will homework be completed? Writing this out and posting it somewhere visible gets everyone on the same page, and provides some accountability for who is responsible for what. 3. Practice presence and bring joy to the mundane parts of the day. Do some slow, deep stretching as you brush your teeth in the morning. On the ride to school, visualize an upcoming part of your day, and picture everything going just as you want it to. Take the time to notice how people react when you smile and say hi to them in the hallway. If you feel awkward or overwhelmed at any point, take 5 deep, slow breaths and feel where in your body the breath travels to. At the start of each class period for a whole day, make a list of three things or people you're grateful for. Do one kind thing for someone else every day for one week. Try out some of these suggestions and let us know how things go! The people on this list have all made significant contributions in their respective fields, and also reportedly have or had learning differences!
Oftentimes, kids are asked to summarize fiction text, but summarizing is a difficult skill to learn. Some kids have trouble picking out the most important parts of the text, while others can pick out the key ideas but don't yet know how to frame or structure their thoughts. In this method, students think about making one or two statements that include the information of who the story was about (Somebody); his or her goal (what he or she Wants); the conflict (But- what gets in the way?); and what ends up happening (So...).
|
Categories
All
Archives
April 2020
|
RSS Feed