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Spot #1

Announcer: Here’s a “help your student succeed” tip from the experts at the Illinois Education Association.

Talent: Students learn so much from homework assignments, not just about the subject matter, but about personal responsibility and the importance of time management.

You can help your student with homework by establishing a routine.

Designate a regular place and time to do homework.

It’s a good idea if your student has a break and something to eat before getting started on homework.

Turn off the TV at homework time. Music is helpful for some, so consider your student’s learning style and whether music is appropriate.

Finally, be interested and available to talk to your student about what’s been learned so far. Your interest shows the student that school matters.

More tips on how parents and guardians can help their students succeed are on the IEA website at I-E-A-N-E-A-DOT ORG. That’s I-E-A-N-E-A-DOT ORG.

When teachers and families work together, kids learn.

Announcer: A MESSAGE FROM THE ILLINOIS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

Helping with homework

Homework should not be a chore. Make it a special time for both you and your student. Here are some tips for helping at homework time:

• Familiar routines help homework go smoothly. Designate a place and time for homework. It’s a good idea if your child has a break and something to eat before starting on homework. For example, come home, have a snack, and start homework. Once homework is complete, have your child put it in their bag.
• Eliminate distractions at homework time. No texting, no TV. However, consider allowing background music if it is appropriate to your child’s learning style.
• Be part of the homework routine. Parents can read and their students can work quietly at the same time to stress the importance of life-long learning.
• Before starting homework, ask your child to explain the task and how it relates to what he/she is studying at school.
• Be interested and available to talk to your child about what he/she has learned so far (school/homework).
• When your student has a large writing assignment, encourage him/her to work on a rough draft early. Encourage your student to put it away for a day, then go back and proofread the assignment.
• Discourage your child from copying from a text when he/she is asked to do investigate, explore or research tasks. Discuss the information together, note the key facts, important information or interesting details and help your child to write these down as brief notes.

Successful students sleep

Students who don’t sleep well at night can have problems with focus and behavior at school. Conversely, a well-rested child is more likely to have energy and enthusiasm in the classroom.

Studies indicate that children between ages 6 and 9 need about 10 hours of sleep a night, while preteens need a little more than 9 hours. Your child may require more sleep if he or she:

• Has a short attention span, or is irritable or restless.
• Has unusually low energy and activity levels.
• Is more tearful, anxious, defensive or impatient than usual.
• Help your student get the sleep he/she needs:
• Set a regular time for “lights out” and stick to it.
• No big meals near bedtime.
• Eliminate caffeine within six hours of bedtime.
• Make sure the after-dinner period is relaxing as opposed to physically active.
• Establish a calming bedtime routine.

General Tips

• Encourage students to practice concepts for each subject daily (whether homework is assigned or not). Practicing vocabulary words, math problems, etc. helps avoid cramming the night before a quiz or test and helps retention of those concepts.
• Encourage your student to look up words he/she doesn’t know. Talk to your student about what he/she is currently reading.
• Talk to your student’s teachers. When you show interest in your student’s progress, you send a message to your student that school is important and that assignments should be completed properly and on time.
• Keep a journal that includes interesting vocabulary words, burning questions etc. Share the information during meals, car rides, or bedtime reading etc., to stimulate discussion.
• Create a rich environment for learning during family activities. Look for opportunities for stimulating conversation during dinner, trips,games, reading time, family sports, and home organization.
• Instead of trying to teach your child methods you used at school (math, reading etc.),make an appointment with your child’s teacher and find out the methods that work best today.
• Stay in the loop by reading school newsletters and visiting the school website. If your child’s teacher has an active website, be sure to check it regularly to monitor grades and homework assignments.
• Communication is crucial. Talk to your student’s teachers. If your student knows you are interested in their progress, he/she will take a bigger interest in completing assignments properly.

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Spot #2

Announcer: Here’s a “help your student succeed” tip from the experts at the Illinois Education Association.

Talent: Classroom success doesn’t happen by accident. Students achieve when they apply themselves. Adults who show interest in their student’s education reinforce the teacher’s message that success is worth the effort.

Here are three easy ways you can help your student succeed.

One, put yourself in the school “loop.” Watch for school newsletters and visit the school website so you’re informed about events and special announcements.

Two, limit the time your student can spend playing computer games, watching TV, or talking or texting on the phone. And enforce those limits.

Three, at homework time, help your student focus on the task. Have them explain the assignment and how it relates to what’s being studied.

More tips on how parents and guardians can help their students are on the IEA website at I-E-A-N-E-A-DOT ORG. That’s I-E-A-N-E-A-DOT ORG.

When teachers and families work together, kids learn.

Announcer: A MESSAGE FROM THE ILLINOIS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

Images of children and adults injured in the Haiti earthquake are plentiful in the news right now.

Even if parents are keeping the television off, as is recommended by many experts, children are bound to be exposed to the events in Haiti through TVs elsewhere, newspapers or even reports on the radio.

So, how do you talk to children about this tragedy, or others? What questions do you answer and with what degree of specificity?

PBS has developed an age-specific guide on discussing tragic situations with children.

In addition to giving tips on how you might discuss tragic events, the guide also provides “stress signs” that you can look for in kids that indicate they may be suffering as a result of the situation.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network also provides tips on dealing with children and natural disasters whether you are school personnel or parents.

The National Geographic Channel is offering an alternative.

Starting Nov. 16, and running for the six weeks thereafter — the period that health officials believe will be the peak flu season — the channel will partner with National Geographic School Publishing to provide educational television from 10 a.m. to noon each day, accompanying web content  and some programs that will be available on the web any time of day.

All of the programming will be G-rated and culled from the National Geographic network’s award-winning specials and ongoing series, including Explorer, Naked Science and Wild Spaces. The programs will apply to science, social studies and other disciplines. The web content will be organized by grade level — elementary, middle school and high school.

The purpose of the never-before-done project is to provide students who have to be out of school for health reasons a chance to engage in learning despite being absent from class.

“This effort underscores the commitment of National Geographic to partner with educators and parents, and is totally consistent with our mission of inspiring people to care about the planet,” said John Fahey, president and CEO of National Geographic.

Check your local listings to find out where the National Geographic channel is on the dial in your area.

It’s fall. It’s inevitable. Parent-teacher conference season is here. So, how can you make the best of that meeting with your child’s teacher or teachers and ensure your student’s success in school? Here’s a quick video with some tips from IEA member and veteran teacher Rainy Kaplan. (Spanish language version here)

Included in it are:

–Writing down some notes on what you’d like to discuss.

–Personality points about your child.

–Stay positive and focus on how to improve your students’ scholastic career.

–Find out what you can be doing at home to reinforce what’s being done at school.

For more useful tips for parents and guardians, see the special section dedicated to them on the IEA website.