Hop On My Soap Box For A Moment...

I have spent most of my adult life teaching middle school and high school kids. I now work, very part time, at a place helping students in areas such as writing, study skills, SAT/ACT prep, homework support, or just basic reading. Last night I had a particularly challenging group and a few thoughts came to me that I wanted to share. I love the kids that I work with. I love my little job. However, I can't help but thinking that some of their parents could have saved HUNDREDS of dollars by knowing a few secrets.

1. Successful students have good study skills. This means that kids who get A's are able to sit down for longer than 10 minutes and really read or study. Kids need to learn this as soon as they hit kindergarten, if not sooner.

2. Information is given at school, what to do with it should be taught at home. I watch many, many people who think that school is going to teach their kid study skills, values, etc. I have yet to see any school, public, private, or charter that does this very well. If you want your child to be an "A" student or be a good person, it truly starts and ends at home. Think about it. Your teachers have classrooms of 20-30 kids each day. It is not logistically possible for them to spend much one on one time implementing these skills. We have that responsibility at home.

3. Communicate with teachers, and teach your child to do the same. Successful students have parents who communicate with school teachers and administrators. Even in jr. high and high school, most of the a.p. or honors kids have parents who are on top of what is going on at school. I'll never forget the first "Meet the Teacher" night I did as a teacher. My regular classes of 30 had about 2-3 parents there. My soph. honors classes had full rooms of parents asking questions. Also, kids who are not affraid to communicate with teachers do better in school. Sometimes this is a fear that they have to overcome, but it is well worth the effort. Don't do all of the talking for your child. Let them do it. This is a skill that will help them through college.

4. Education does not begin in high school. I have seen parent after parent who does not take education seriously until they are ready to begin high school. At this time they might start implementing study time, or reading time. Or, they might wondering why their child doesn't value grades. A parent might also begin noticing procrastination and other habits. These habits all started back in kindergarten for most kids. Catch them early, and teach them as you move along.

K, i'm going to step off of my soap box now.:0) I often think these things in my head, but have never put them down on paper. These ideas are usually only shared with those who ask. It's difficult being a mom....overwhelming at best. But, I promise the four steps above will change your life, and the life of your child.

Learning is intriguing to me. Why do some kids end up in honors with straight A's and scholarships, while others, who are just as intelligent, end up not caring about school at all? I am convinced that, for most, it is because of habits learned early on at home.