Parents of Elementary and Middle School students and Homework: What Is Your Role?

Check out this Challenge Success Webinar

Start the second half of the school year off right! Each week we hear from parents around the country that homework is hazardous to their family life. We're here to help. This Friday, January 30th, Dr. Denise Pope will host our first webinar on homework. 

Many parents struggle at least occasionally, and sometimes regularly, with their child over homework. Learn why the dynamics of homework have changed in recent years, what you can do to minimize homework stress, and how to help make homework time more positive for you and your child.

This presentation will provide you with:

• Information on the latest trends and research on homework
• Ideas for how best to support your child’s homework efforts
• Tips for how to communicate and collaborate effectively with teachers about homework

Target Audience: Parents of elementary and middle school students

This is our most requested presentation topic each year. Friday's webinar allows us to share this important content with parents and communities that we can't always reach in person. Get in on our introductory rate of $19/person. Please Note: there is a limit of 100 participants for this webinar. Reserve your ticket now. 
 

Sign-up for the Webinar!
Friday, January 30, 2015
12:30-2:00 pm PST
Introductory Price: $19/person

Fires in the Mind

Fires in the Mind: What Kids Can Tell Us About Motivation and Mastery by Kathleen Cushman

For teachers…

I recommend this book because it shows myriad examples from students on what motivates them. For example, here’s a student talking about what makes a teacher good:

“A lot of teachers here treat their class as more of a conversation, rather than a lecture, and I think that really helps to create dialogue. There’s not someone standing up and telling you a right or wrong answer.” – Kristian

Teachers can also check out the website link for ongoing ideas about how to apply these concepts into their classrooms.

For Parents…

If you are a parent, perhaps you could buy a copy of this book for a teacher as a holiday or end of year gift? And, if you are a parent you can check out the website link of this book geared toward parents.

Some great suggestions for parents from this link:

1. Love your children as an end, not a means.

2. View life as resistance training.

3. Stop looking at the scoreboard at the game and start paying attention to practice field.

4. Form in your children an ethical conscience and a conscience of craft.

5. Develop the whole person

Concentrate on seven life skills:

• Communication


• Courtesy


• Taking other perspectives


• Self-control


• Organization


• Time management


• Self-care

I hope Fires in the Mind will help bring teachers and parents together. As a parent I have often found the dialogue between a teacher and parent to be one way, with a teacher telling a parent something (usually rehearsed) instead of really listening to a parent’s concerns. Parents and teachers have to learn how to listen to each other. That’s what we try to teach our children and students, so why not model that as adults?