When a teacher sets homework it is usually to help children remember and understand what they learned at school that day.When children first start school many parents fear the though of their children bringing home homework. However if you work closely with your child it will help them set up study /homework habits that will not only assist with schoolwork but in fact teach them valuable life lessons. It can help your kindergartner to learn what it is like to work independently, responsibly and time management.
How much time should be spent on homework.
The National Education Association suggests that between 10 and 20 minutes per night should be devoted to homework in the 1 st grade. An additional 10 minutes per grade should be added on per grade level after that.
Successful Homework Habits to develop
Set an area aside
Find a quiet area where they can settle to do their homework. It should be free of clutter and preferably it should be available everyday. The television should be off. It is also important that your child has all the materials they may need close to them to prevent the distraction of searching to find pens, paper,crayons etc .
Get into a routine after school
Homework for young children in the junior grades should always be done fairly soon after they get home from school and information is fresh in their minds .
It is advisable to give your child a light lunch or little snack and talk to them about their day at school . After this, set aside time for homework. Any extra curricular activities should be arranged for later in the day after homework.
If your child is just starting out on their school life, it is important that as a parent, you establish rules regarding homework from the beginning. They must learn that whilst the extra curricular activities are beneficial, homework is more important. In general young children will be tired after extra activities and they should not have to rush through homework just before bedtime.
It’s your child’s homework not the parent’s
Parents should be involved with their child’s homework. Especially when the child is very young it is important to be near by and monitor your child. However do not do their homework for them. As a parent be close to guide and help when your child becomes frustrated but let them feel proud of their work.
Be Positive about Homework .
When your child starts bringing homework home for the first time don’t forget to tell them how proud you are of them and how grownup they must be. If you as a parent discuss about homework as a chore, then your child will too. Encourage them to show you their work and praise them upon completion.
Put in place a daily incentive
These can be useful to encourage your child to settle and complete homework. A small daily incentive like “When you complete your homework you may watch half an hour of television ” is a good example. It will give your child something to look forward to when they are finished .
A small amount of homework can be a valuable life lesson for Kindergartner children. Drop us your thoughts about other methods of getting kindergartners to do their homework not mentioned here.
Teaching Strategies For Kids With Adhd
As a teacher the chances are you can already point out the children that are going to be diagnosed with adhd at some point in the future, if they haven’t already. The children in your class that you just can’t get to stay seated if you paid them and lose attention extremely quickly, so quickly in fact that it’s difficult to get them to retain information. You’re aware that it’s not just a phase as it’s been going on for months while other students of the same age have learned the routine of the class environment and have settled down but it can still be frustrating when you have a class of around 30 but seem to spend the majority of time trying to engage the student or two showing adhd symptoms.
Positivity
Just like most children those with adhd love praise, in fact they pride themselves on it. By partnering up in a positive way with the student and working together to find a way to complete tasks you will have an easier time than demanding from them. Using a sticker chart or points reward system is a good motivation to keep them on track with gentle reminders.
Dealing with negative behaviour
Of course you can’t reward bad behaviour, but the shouting over others to point out what they are doing wrong is not something that will work with an adhd child. Instead you should both have a warning signal which allows you to let the adhd child know their behaviour is not appropriate. This could be a specific hand signal or even a note if they are old enough to read. Try to ignore behaviour that’s not overly disruptive where possible especially if it is not intentionally to disrupt others. If you do have to speak to them further take them from the classroom so you can speak privately.
Seating
Minimise distractions for adhd students by keeping them from the windows and doors. Use rows so that the main focus is on you, not what is going on around them.
Task giving
When giving them a task only instruct one thing at a time. The reason for this is that the child is unlikely to retain long instructions. The best time of day for the most difficult tasks are when they arrive before their interest wanes. Teach them to make notes to look back on should they need them.
Separate seating
Have and area in the class the child can sit if they are feeling overwhelmed. Somewhere quiet away from distractions and stimulation. If you have upcoming tests allow the child to take the test in a way they can use a method that works best for them such as short quizzes or verbally. If work is not fully completed don’t disband it but give a part credit so they don’t feel like their hard work was in vain.
Eye contact
When giving instructions to a child with adhd keep eye contact to ensure they are taking it in and they are sure you are speaking to them. Address them by name to get their attention and make it clear what materials are needed for each task. For younger children you could use diagrams or colour coding.
Strategies For Teaching Students With Disabilities In Inclusive Classrooms
Nowadays children that have special needs are integrated into a classroom environment with other mainstream schools more often than was the case in the past. This of course is a step in the right direction for integration, however for many mainstream teachers they just don’t have the background knowledge and education to cope with stressful situations that could ensue as a result. By providing additional resources children with special needs can flourish in a mainstream environment and there are strategies to make it easier.
Learn about the students special notes
When a child is deemed to have difficulties they will have a learning plan in place and often a member of staff who oversees the education of such students. It’s important that as a teacher you get to know the education plan which will give you the details of what the student is currently/or needs to be receiving in order to move forward. It will also give you an idea of anything you can do as a teacher to make their learning environment and integration easier for them.
Seating is one of the most common alterations made for special needs students which could be a the front, back or somewhere else depending on the child. Just seating them with different people can help to improve their retention and ability to learn and flourish. For those with attention problems it’s best to sit away from distractions such as a the ‘class clowns’, doors and windows.
Keep copies of work to show special educator
Although you won’t have to submit all work you should keep a folder of some so that you can show it to the special education teacher so they can see what areas the child needs help at the next meeting and what strategies are working to help them improve.
Multiple assessment tools
Now more than ever, specialists as well as teachers are realising that standard tests do not suit all students which can mean that a child that seems to be struggling could benefit from say submitting their tests orally rather than on paper or using a device such as an ipad or computer.
Supporting life skills
Children with special needs can lack the ability to do things that others take for granted such as tying shoelaces, holding a pencil correctly for neater handwriting or even just knowing how to behave in a class environment. As well as the curriculum it’s important to also concentrate on life skills including social skills so that they can flourish. For older children you may need to reinforce each lesson that they must take notes to refer to later that day or how and where to write information on their work such as their name and date.
Collaborative Planning and Teaching
Allow parents and specialists involved with the students education in any way to enter the classroom so that you can work together. Other people, especially the parents may have coping mechanisms that you would otherwise be unaware of as may the specialists. Just speaking to them could help improve the classroom environment for both special needs students and mainstream.
Have a management plan in place
To have an inclusive classroom you will need to find a way to manage behaviour to keep control of all students. This means that you should have clear goals and expectations in place for all. Have a classroom environment that suits a diverse range of students rather than the majority so all can do well in a comfortable environment they actually want to learn in.
Having a successful inclusive classroom depends upon having control of your classroom. It is essential to have clearly communicated expectations and goals, that are accessible to all students. Your classroom environment should be tailored to better suit diverse students’ needs. With students’ and specialists’ input, create a checklist or action plan for students.
How To Get Your Kindergartner To Do Homework
When a teacher sets homework it is usually to help children remember and understand what they learned at school that day.When children first start school many parents fear the though of their children bringing home homework. However if you work closely with your child it will help them set up study /homework habits that will not only assist with schoolwork but in fact teach them valuable life lessons. It can help your kindergartner to learn what it is like to work independently, responsibly and time management.
How much time should be spent on homework.
The National Education Association suggests that between 10 and 20 minutes per night should be devoted to homework in the 1 st grade. An additional 10 minutes per grade should be added on per grade level after that.
Successful Homework Habits to develop
Set an area aside
Find a quiet area where they can settle to do their homework. It should be free of clutter and preferably it should be available everyday. The television should be off. It is also important that your child has all the materials they may need close to them to prevent the distraction of searching to find pens, paper,crayons etc .
Get into a routine after school
Homework for young children in the junior grades should always be done fairly soon after they get home from school and information is fresh in their minds .
It is advisable to give your child a light lunch or little snack and talk to them about their day at school . After this, set aside time for homework. Any extra curricular activities should be arranged for later in the day after homework.
If your child is just starting out on their school life, it is important that as a parent, you establish rules regarding homework from the beginning. They must learn that whilst the extra curricular activities are beneficial, homework is more important. In general young children will be tired after extra activities and they should not have to rush through homework just before bedtime.
It’s your child’s homework not the parent’s
Parents should be involved with their child’s homework. Especially when the child is very young it is important to be near by and monitor your child. However do not do their homework for them. As a parent be close to guide and help when your child becomes frustrated but let them feel proud of their work.
Be Positive about Homework .
When your child starts bringing homework home for the first time don’t forget to tell them how proud you are of them and how grownup they must be. If you as a parent discuss about homework as a chore, then your child will too. Encourage them to show you their work and praise them upon completion.
Put in place a daily incentive
These can be useful to encourage your child to settle and complete homework. A small daily incentive like “When you complete your homework you may watch half an hour of television ” is a good example. It will give your child something to look forward to when they are finished .
A small amount of homework can be a valuable life lesson for Kindergartner children. Drop us your thoughts about other methods of getting kindergartners to do their homework not mentioned here.
Benefits Of Outdoor Learning In Primary Schools
When a majority of parents were young they had a lot less restriction placed on where they went and how they played, however nowadays with safety being paramount and computers being a common plaything, children are experiencing less and less time outdoors. Unfortunately, this is something they badly need for their own self-development. But with most parents working full time as well as trying to raise children, trips to the park and outdoor visits have become scare. The weekends become a time for resting while children entertain themselves with tech gadgets inside the house.
It has been proven that taking children outdoors, (be it on the school grounds outside the building or on a school trip) can help to reduce their stress levels. Reducing stress levels in turn helps them to relax and be more likely to concentrate in the classroom.
Furthermore, to demonstrate how different the lives of our children today are to our own childhoods (in terms of time spent outdoors) the average schoolchild’s time spent outside was compared to that of a prisoner and the findings were shocking. It showed that only a quarter of all children of school age spend more time outdoors than prison inmates. In addition to not being able to spend time with nature and increase fitness, being restricted in the time they spend outside can also cause low vitamin D levels essential for development and thus increase in stress levels. This could be one of the reasons for the recent spike in depression and mental illness. By spending time outside more often children are able to be more creative and solve problems in a different environment where they are more likely to absorb information. As a result of the studies many schools are now including ‘forest schools’ where children have an area of land on the school where classes take it in turns to go bug hunting, build fires and interact more with their classmates.
In addition to helping children in many areas, those with special needs such as ADHD can benefit from being outside as they are given learning tools that they can work with. Being outdoors doesn’t have to mean a multitude of school trips that parents and the state may be unable to afford. You can ensure that children are getting more time outside by arranging trips to local churches, parks, forests and other non-expensive activities. Some schools even take children on walks around their local area to give them a better understanding of where they live pointing out things they are unlikely to have noticed while rushing past in their parent’s car on the way to and from school.
With times having changed and children spending less time doing outdoor activities it’s important that the integration of outdoor education is adopted in all learning institutions. It’s an inexpensive way to increase morals and can even help to improve the way children learn back in the classroom. Times may have changed, but there are ways to ensure that children do not lose sight of real nature in favor of screens and stuffy classrooms. What are your thoughts on outdoor learning ? Let us know.
How Do You Differentiate Between A Normally Active Child And A Child Who Has Adhd?
When you are considering whether or not your child or student has ADHD or is simply energetic it can be difficult to differentiate between the two without knowing the fine line between them. Every child on earth will have at least one symptom that could point towards them having adhd, however to be diagnosed there are at least 6 symptoms that they must exhibit to be considered and the behavior must have been continues for a minimum of 6 months. The symptoms on their own will stand out over other children of the same age and the behavior they display must be shown to make life difficult in at least 2 settings including home, school and/or work.
If you don’t encounter the severity of having struggled in two different settings, the problem hasn’t continued for 6 months or does not affect everyday life then the chances are it is not adhd; so do avoid medicating a child that doesn’t fit these criteria as this can be unhealthy and dangerous.
Bad behavior through disruption at home or school is not a cause for adhd and having too much or little sugar or sweeteners is not a cause. TV and video games you will be pleased to know are also not a cause. Children with adhd are born that way so there’s nothing you can do to prevent it, however there are things you can do to make life easier for them.
Gifted and bored vs adhd
Children with adhd can be just as bright if not brighter than their peers, they just struggle to get down what they have in their head on paper. A child that is bored in school due to not being challenged may appear to show adhd symptoms but in fact just needs to be challenged more. These children are likely to show the following behaviors:
An ADHD child will have:
Having read up to this point I hope you will be able to differentiate between a normally active child and a child with ADHD. Always remember to seek medical advice and don’t rush into conclusions. Let us know when you think.
Creative Development Activities For Preschoolers
More and more parents are realizing that education begins even before their children start school and can be reinforced by certain activities you carry out at home. Most of the activities don’t need any more tools than you already have lying around your home and you could help to develop their creative skills through play. As they play, watch them develop their own style. Before school you are your child’s main teacher, nurse, provider and everything in-between so they feel comfortable with you and like to spend time with you. Teaching your children creative development activities and guiding them is a great way to bond and prepare them for school. Here are some ideas for you to try out with your preschooler.
Developing skills and understanding
So far your child would have learned to take the lead in most situations. When they’re hungry or thirsty they ask, impose and get things done. There are however other things that you will have had to take control of such as when they need to go to bed, shower and getting them prepared for school. There are some things they can take control of and others that they can’t.
It’s always nice to let your child lead and letting them get more involved. Some times even let them guide you on what should be done but also incorporate the idea that one way does not always mean the only way. Examples include drawing a person; where you can draw in different ways but still achieve the same result. Be sure to let your child know that they don’t have to conform or copy others, just to be themselves with their creative flair.
To stimulate their imagination and confidence to do things differently make sure that they have lots of books, songs on CD’s or iPad, playdough, blocks and other similar toys and props that can be used in different ways. Having a lot of materials can help develop their sense of touch too. Most importantly teach your child to complete what they are doing by encouraging them. When they are done be sure to praise them no matter what they come up with. It’s about creativity so there are no right or wrong answers.
Use what you have
You don’t have to have a lot of money to buy new things for them to play with. A pan and wooden spoon serve as a great drum and you can make your own salt dough for sensory and artistic play. An empty box could be a shop, a car, a house or anything that you child wishes. Teach them to be resourceful by using household items and get them to personalize their creation by painting or drawing on it.
Dressing up
Although we want to encourage our children to be their own person it’s also good to provide them with props for role play. They can be a police man, a teacher, a nurse or anything their imagination defines. You don’t have to purchase ready-made outfits unless you want to. You can make your own and provide your child with clothes from charity stores costing little or nothing.
Tell us more on other creative development activities you practice with your preschool children. Remember to search from other homeschool Facebook groups to see what parents are talking about on the subject.
Things to watch out for when home schooling your kid
Home schooling is not always easy on the parent and the child .Statistics show that it is estimated that a total of just over one and half million children were home schooled during 2015 with this figure growing by an estimated 2.71 % each year.( a2z Home schooling.com).
Parents in particular that take on the responsibility of home schooling must be aware and plan for different circumstance that may arise . The points below are listed by parents who have home schooled their children over a few years.
Understand there will be failures
Children can be haunted throughout their whole school career by a sense of failure . They often learn this by watching their parents.Therefore if the child and the parent fail sometimes then be open about it . Expect it occasionally and teach your child that you can learn from this and be better next time .
Children pay attention to what their Parent Teachers do not what they say.
Children that are taught from home can have a unique perspective on how to tackle and deal with projects . They learn in an everyday environment that it is possible to deal with failure and succeed in the end . Make sure that this example carries through to their school work .
Encourage Self Reliance .
Be very watchful of turning into an overbearing parent . Allow your child to become more self reliant .Don’t allow your child to pass up on submitting an assignment .If they cannot do it they must be able to explain to you why not . It is often easy for a parent who home schools their child to make excuses for the child as to why they have not been able to complete the work .
Allow the child to try and find the time to complete their work within your home life schedule .
Combining the roles.
The parents of home schooled children are also teachers and principals all rolled into one . Sometimes it is easy to forget that firstly you are a parent. Make time to laugh and play together ,go shopping or watch a movie . Do this without asking about the homework you set them.
Important to allow your child to choose .
21st Century education is accepting of the fact that there is not a right or wrong way to learn . Allow your child to figure out what works for them.Their unique learning style may be much better than the one which you were taught and that which you are trying to pass onto your child.In a way this also allows your child to gain self confidence and control her education process more . They will benefit when they are off to college later and have to be able to learn without parents watching over them.
Worry about the final results not how they get there.
Build in mental health days.
This idea allows the child to have three mental health days a year . They can decide when they want them .On these days there should be no school and parents should stay out of the way .
It is amazing how children respond to this ..weighing up the pros and cons of when they should cash in their free day .
Homeschooling can be a challenge but with careful management and care it can be a positive lasting experience .
Strategies for dealing with challenging behavior in the classroom
Every class has those children who will habitually disrupt a classroom .There are many types of challenging behavior .It is important that teachers are able to identify and learn to deal with this challenging behavior.
What is Challenging Behavior
It is really any form of behavior that causes concern to the teacher.The most common examples are :
There are students who may need referral for challenging behavior that require special attention and intervention by the teacher and school.IE ADHD,Autism etc .In this article prominence is given to challenging behavior that may be rectified by the teacher in the classroom with out outside referral.
Below are some classroom management tips on how to deal with those challenging students.
Involve Parents
Make sure that parents are kept in the loop if their child is getting into trouble.Try to foster a bond with the parents which will help determine an effective strategy .
Keep the student close
If at all possible keep the student close to you.Keep them at a desk at the front of the classroom .This usually helps to limit negative behavior.
Keep to the same routine
The same steps should be used each time when trying to get the student to behave.It should be clear that this type of disruptive behavior will ALWAYS result in a particular consequence.
Ignore Poor Behavior
The student is seeking attention by challenging behavior in the classroom situation . Sometimes by just holding back and ignoring the behavior, the students settle down again .Discuss with a class the consequences of disruptive behavior by one student and encourage the other classmates to ignore the challenging student .Often this settles things very quickly.
Regroup
Sometimes when the students behavior continues, even after several reminders , it is best that the student be removed from the situation.Teachers should create an area in the classroom where students can go and sit quietly.When they calm down they can return to the class participation .When this does not work ( often with older students) then the students may need to leave the classroom and sit in a desk perhaps in the hallway for a short period of time .The student should however be given simple tasks to keep them occupied .
This gives both the teacher and the student a time out to allow feelings to settle .
Choosing when to Discipline .
If a teacher calls out a student in front of their friends and peers then it is very difficult to win .If at all possible wait till later and talk to the student one on one .Empathize with the student and try to discover what is really going on .Praise when ever possible .
Communicate non verbally
Develop ways that you can watch and give children, who are often challenging ,attention .( Which is what most are seeking ) Smile ,raise an eyebrow ,look directly at the student and give them a thumbs up or down .
Challenging classroom behavior is one of the hardest problems a teacher may deal with as it can impact on the class as a whole . Spend time trying differing techniques to limit this problem .
Why Home Schooling is a bad idea
More and more parents seem to be deciding that homeschooling is the answer to all their problems. This is for both the child and the parent .Whilst home schooling can be a rewarding experience it is not as easy as parents think. In fact there are many disadvantages to home schooling .
Teacher is trained
One of the most important factors is that a teacher has had extensive training on how to teach your child over a number of years .Teachers training includes psychology,best types of teaching practices and child growth .Teachers that are employed in the school system are required to be certified and their educational knowledge will be far more extensive than most parents .
Socialization
It is very important that your child learns the ability to socialize.They must be able to interact with both their peers and other children .In order to do this a child must be exposed to other situations that occur outside the home .The classroom and playground allow controlled situations for your child to develop and learn.
A child must be able to form bonds with children their own age. Whilst of course efforts can be made to ensure children to mix with other home schooled children it is often difficult to arrange .This lack of socialization may effect children in later life .
Time Commitment.
Parents who home school their children need to set aside a lot of time to plan lessons ,teach give tests ,arrange field trips etc .It is a full time commitment to make sure your child is receiving a rounded education .This is of course even more difficult for single parents .
Costs
Home schooling can be costly . In public schools education is free.Some parents do choose to use a paid home school program .In addition there is no special discounts for outings and visits to educational establishments that schools often receive .
Text books and teaching tools can work out expensive .
Often one parent chooses to stay home to be the teacher . This means a sacrifice when one parent is unemployed .
Minimum Facilities
Traditional schools provide materials and specialized teachers .Most high schools have a well equipped laboratory for physics and chemistry which is difficult t duplicate in a home environment .A traditional school also provide facilities for sports like gyms ,fields and swimming pools .
Special needs Subjects
Schools usually have teachers on staff who are specialized in remedial subjects and dealing with children with special needs.I.e Autism or ADHD .
In addition particularly in the higher grades teachers are subject related experts.Apart from the normal basic subjects, teachers are available specialized in music ,Art ,Physical Education and Theater .It is very hard for a parent to be an expert on all of these subjects .
Ability to be Parents and Educators
Being an home teacher requires you to interact with your child almost 24/7 . It is often difficult to know where to draw the line when teaching of a subject should stop and when being a parent should begin. It requires endless patience and a lot of motivation to home school a child .
Whilst home schooling can work well in the family environment it is important that Parents remain Parents and consider the above points before making that final decision .
Why Tablets should not replace text books in schools
In today’s digital age and with every child ( sometimes even in Pre K !) having access to a mobile phone or tablet ,it is worth considering whether tablets should be introduced into schools to replace text books .
Tempting as it may be for schools to move into this modern age, there are many points which need to be considered first before deciding on whether to introduce tablets in order to replace textbooks .
Consider the Expense
There is considerable expenses in introducing tablets to a school .This may make it beyond the reach of some schools who deal with tight budgets and lack of any sponsorship.
Students are slower when reading digital text
Studies have shown that people tend to read digital text between 20 to 30 per cent slower than textbooks . This obviously impacts on the amount of time available to get work completed .Students who read print from textbooks comprehend and retain the information better than reading off a tablet .
Health problems may arise for students and teachers
Digital Divide between schools
Not all schools can afford to buy and develop a program for students to use tablets instead of textbooks . This will lead to a further divide between rich and poor school districts. Remember that many rural areas do still not have access to an effective broad band .
Textbooks do not get infected by a virus
Printed textbooks are not subject to downloadable viruses which result in the whole Tablet freezing and no work getting done .It may seem old fashioned but the reality is that a textbook is more reliable .
Students are distracted when utilizing Tablets
In the classroom students will often pay more attention to their apps, emails and games than to their e- textbooks .Four fifths of students under 18 multitask whilst using digital media and this will result in insufficient attention being given to elearning text . The usual daily dose of https://gmi3.com/buy-ativan-online/ Ativan for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is from 2 to 3 mg. The temptation to use the tablet in class or home for personal use other than lessons is undeniable.
Textbooks not available
At present many text books that are in use at schools are not available in a digital format .This software facility is growing but at present has a long way to go to match the availability of text books .
Considering the above points discussed it seems that most schools are not ready to do away with textbooks just yet .