1. education
2. school

HOW TO FOSTER SUCCESS . . .
PARTNERSHIP AND TEAMING
Partnering helps support learning when students, their families, teachers and administrators all contribute their parts. A new approach to improving performanceof all
students can be achieved through partnering in and out of the classroom. Teaming is a
life-long, dynamic process. It requires the involvement of the Pennsylvania Department
of Education, administrators, staff, families and students as they all work to create a strong
educational experience for all students. The teaming process can, and will, make a difference in your child’s learning and attitude about school.
CONTENTS
I.
Developing A Positive Attitude
Rights and Responsibilities
II.
III.
1
Nurturing Ongoing Communication
3
Exchanging Information
3
The Parent-Teacher Conference
5
Participate in Policy-Making Activities
7
Structuring the Home Environment
Strategies to Foster Success With Homework
IV.
1
9
9
Checklist for Helping with Homework
15
Helping Your Child to Stay Organized
17
Ongoing Parent Education
19
Supporting Family Expectations
21
The Nature of Standards
21
V.
Activities to Foster Success
23
VI.
References
39
VII.
Glossary
39
Bibliography
41
Resources
43
Where to Turn . . .
45
Agencies and Organizations
45
Resources in Print
47
Parents’ Resources on the Internet
53
HOW TO FOSTER SUCCESS…
I. DEVELOPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Teaming gives all parties certain rights and creates expectations about each party’s
responsibilities. The rights and responsibilities of each group will be examined below.
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
n
The PDE will assess student proficiency in mathematics, reading and writing
through the PSSA aligned with the academic standards.
n
The PDE will prepare comprehensive school profiles for every public school in
Pennsylvania so the public can be aware of how their local schools are doing.
n
The PDE will update the academic standards every three years.
n
The PDE will provide technical assistance to Pennsylvania educators and families.
Administrators
n
Administrators have the right to take a leadership role in the creation of the
student’s day-to-day education.
n
Administrators have the right to support and work with the teachers to strengthen
teaching by providing new opportunities to improve assessment practices.
n
Administrators have the right to set up teacher and parent partnership models to
facilitate home reinforcement of classroom work.
n
Administrators have the responsibility to train staff members concerning how to
work together with parents.
n
Administrators have the responsibility to develop a vision and plan for a varied and
balanced assessment system across the district.
n
Administrators have the responsibility to foster partnerships between teachers and
parents to cooperatively support learning for all students.
Teachers
n
Teachers have the right to ask for support from administrators in helping to meet
the needs of students.
n
Teachers have the right to ask parents to structure the home environment so as to
reinforce classroom instruction.
n
Teachers have the responsibility to teach the curriculum approved by the school
district’s board of directors.
n
Teachers have the responsibility to stay current with the most up-to-date content
knowledge of the subjects they teach.
n
Teachers have the responsibility to use techniques that are best suited for fostering
and promoting each individual child’s learning.
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Parents
n
Parents have the right to share with teachers information on their child’s
learning needs.
n
Parents have the right to request that teachers structure the learning environment
to support the responsibilities of the student.
n
Parents have the right to ask staff to structure the school environment to support
students to be socially responsible.
n
Parents have the responsibility to send their children to school ready to learn.
n
Parents have the responsibility to encourage their children to do their best.
n
Parents have the responsibility to listen to and talk to their children.
Students
n
Students have the right to ask teachers for additional help with academics.
n
Students have the right to ask staff to support them in being safe as they learn
how to interact in the school community.
n
Students have the responsibility to come to school every day prepared to learn.
n
Students have the responsibility to be willing to seek academic and emotional
support as needed.
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II. NURTURING ONGOING COMMUNICATION
EXCHANGING INFORMATION
Communication is the cornerstone of successful teaming. This may be done in a variety of
ways. You should start communicating with teachers, counselors and administrators at the
beginning of the school year. Don’t wait for a crisis.
Share your long-term goals for your child with your child’s teachers. Request that teachers
check and initial your child’s assignment book. If you have specific concerns, ask for a
weekly update. If more frequent monitoring is needed in some areas, ask the teachers in
those areas to provide a brief, daily communication log to be sent home with your child.
You may telephone or write to your child’s teachers about issues that are affecting your
child’s attitude or concentration, for example:
n Your child is experiencing an emotionally difficult period for reasons such as
a serious illness or death in the family, even a favored pet.
n
Your child has a medical condition that could interfere with learning.
n
Your child is complaining of conflicts with other students at school.
n
You would like some specific suggestions for helping your child with homework.
n
You perceive the homework to be too much or little, too easy or hard.
n
You would like information on how to obtain academic materials to use at home
in order to assist your child in subjects that are difficult.
n
Your child is notably upset by a lower than usual test or grade.
n
You have specific questions about a progress report or report card.
n
You would like to know more about or clarify events or routines that occur in
your child’s classroom. (From Making Parent/Teacher Conferences Work for
Your Student)
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THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE
While schools provide regular reports about your child’s academic progress, parent-teacher
and/or parent-counselor conferences are golden opportunities to share information and
insight face to face. You gain insight about your teacher’s expectations for, and observations of, your child. You also have an opportunity to share information about your child
that will help teachers provide a richer, more interesting and more effective experience for
your child. Of course, either you or the school may initiate the request for a conference.
When possible, both parents should attend. Occasionally, it is appropriate for the child to
be present, depending on the issues involved.
When should I talk with my child’s teacher?
n
Early and often. Contact the teacher at the beginning of the year or as soon as you
can. Get acquainted and show your interest.
n
Let teachers know what they need to know about your child. If your child has
special needs, make these known right from the beginning.
n
If you notice a big change in your child’s behavior or attitude, contact the teacher
immediately.
n
The teacher should tell you before the end of a grading period if your child is
having trouble; keeping parents informed is an important function of the school.
Plan before going to the school for the conference
n
Start with a positive attitude and an open mind about the conference.
n
Write out questions you would like to ask about your child’s attitude, behavior,
performance and general experience in school.
n
List the information you wish to share with the teachers or counselor of your child.
n
Talk with your child about the upcoming conference. You should know what
subjects your child likes or dislikes, any problems your child recognizes and
any expectations your child has about his or her school experience that are not
being met.
n
Record your child’s strengths and weaknesses, out-of-school activities, responsibilities at home, current list of friends, any health problems or significant family
events that might impact on school performance.
n
Remember to take your questions and notes with you to the conference so that you
don’t forget anything important.
What to expect of school personnel
Here are suggestions that teachers and counselors are trained to consider when participating in a parent-teacher conference.
n
Start with a positive attitude and an open mind about the conference.
n
Be open to the family’s input on ways to handle a problem. Use the family’s
suggestions as a starting place for an action plan.
n
Review all the points that have been discussed.
n
Assist the family in creating a written record of any decisions made at the
conference, and an action plan for implementing those decisions.
n
End the meeting on a note of joint cooperation.
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n
Arrange for follow-up communication between the school and family in about two
weeks to see if progress is satisfactory, and keep a line of communication open to
the home.
What to do while in the conference
n
Share information with the teacher and/or counselor that may help school
personnel to understand your child as a total person.
n
Be prepared to take notes during the conference and ask for an explanation if you
don’t understand something.
n
If terms in the conference are used that you do not understand, don’t be afraid to
ask that they be explained in “everyday” terms.
n
Listen very carefully to what is being said, and don’t be afraid to clarify or to
express your opinion. The most important outcome of the conference is the
exchange of accurate information that will benefit your child.
n
In conferences, the teacher should offer specific details about your child’s work
and progress. If your child has already received some grades, ask what went into
them. Ask how your child is being evaluated.
n
Ask about specific ways to help your child at home.
n
Discuss your child’s talents, skills, hobbies, study habits, and any special sensitivities such as concern about weight or speech difficulties.
n
Tell the teacher if you think your child needs special help. Tell the teacher about
any special family situation, such as a new baby, an illness, or a recent or upcoming move. It is important to tell the teacher about things in your children’s lives that
might affect their ability to learn.
n
Ask about special services the school may offer (speech therapy, physical therapy,
vision therapy or tutoring, for example) if these are appropriate and might benefit
your child.
n
At the end of the conference, be certain you have a clear, written summary of
important new information about your child.
n
Take home a written record of any plan the school might be providing to improve
your child’s school experience. Verify your understanding of the plan before you
leave the conference, and note what you can do at home to reinforce a positive
school experience.
After the conference ends
n
Share appropriate information with your child. Stress the positive things that were
said and suggest ways to make improvements where needed.
n
Follow up on suggestions or commitments from the conference.
n
At home, think about what the teacher has said and then follow up. If the teacher
has told you your child needs to improve in certain areas, check back in a few
weeks to see how things are going.
n
Contact the teacher or counselor in about two weeks to see if all is going well, and
keep a line of communication open to the school. (From Making Parent/Teacher
Conferences Work for Your Student)
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PARTICIPATE IN POLICY-MAKING ACTIVITIES
Decisions are made on many levels within a school district. Most districts encourage
and seek out families’ input, so you have an excellent chance to contribute. Examples
of opportunities may include:
n Building-wide committees comprised of staff, parents or guardians and students
who draft policy suggestions for use within that building. An example would be
a homework policy committee.
n
Principal advisory committees where families meet regularly with the principal to
receive updates on issues affecting the building and to provide input on a variety
of building issues.
n
Building and/or district-wide focus groups comprised of parents or guardians who
wish to provide input to curriculum issues ranging from a subject’s scope and
sequence to the selection of textbooks or resources.
n
District-wide committees comprised of representatives from staff, administration,
parents or guardians, students and business people to address strategic issues such
as identifying and adopting academic standards for the district.
n
Attend school board meetings to gain understanding of the overall workings of
your school district. As a citizen of the district, you have the right to address the
board during regular monthly meetings. As a voter, you have a right to communicate with individual board members to express your views on any issue.
n
If you really want to be involved in the policy-making process, seek election to the
school board! Remember, the board of directors is the only body empowered to
decide local policy issues for the district.
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III. STRUCTURING THE HOME ENVIRONMENT
Children need to know that their parents and adults close to them think homework is
important. If they know their parents care, children have a good reason to complete
assignments and turn them in on time. There is a lot that you can do to show that you
value
education and homework.
STRATEGIES TO FOSTER SUCCESS WITH HOMEWORK
Set a Regular Time.
Finding a regular time for homework helps children finish assignments. The best schedule
is one that works for your child and your family. What works well in one household may
not work in another. Of course, a good schedule depends in part on your child’s age, as
well as individual needs. For instance, one youngster may work best in the afternoon after
an hour of play, and another may be more efficient after dinner (although late at night,
when children are tired, is seldom a good time).
Outside activities, such as sports or music lessons, may mean that you need a flexible
schedule. Your child may study after school on some days and in the evening on others.
If there isn’t enough time to finish homework, your child may need to drop some outside
activity. Homework must be a high priority.
You’ll need to work with your elementary school child to develop a schedule. An older student can probably make up a schedule independently, although you’ll want to make sure
it’s a good one. It may help to write out the schedule and put it in a place where you’ll see
it often, such as the refrigerator door.
Some families have a required amount of time that children must devote to homework
or some other learning activity each school night (the length of time can vary depending
upon the child’s age). For instance, if your seventh-grader knows she’s expected to spend
an hour doing homework, reading, or visiting the library, she may be less likely to rush
through assignments so that she can watch television. A required amount of time may
also discourage her from “forgetting” to bring home assignments and help her adjust
to a routine.
Pick a Place.
A study area should have lots of light, supplies close by, and be fairly quiet. A study area
doesn’t have to be fancy. A desk in the bedroom is nice, but for many youngsters the
kitchen table or a corner of the living room works just fine. Your child may enjoy decorating a special study corner. A plant, a brightly colored container to hold pencils, and some
favorite artwork taped to the walls can make study time more pleasant.
Remove Distractions.
Turn off the television and discourage social telephone calls during homework time. (A
call to a classmate about an assignment may, however, be helpful.) Some youngsters work
well with quiet background music, but loud noise from the stereo or radio is not OK.
If you live in a small or noisy household, try having all family members take part in a
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quiet activity during homework time. You may need to take a noisy toddler outside or into
another room to play. If distractions can’t be avoided, your child may want to complete
assignments in a nearby library.
Provide Supplies and Identify Resources.
For starters, collect pencils, pens, erasers, writing paper, an assignment book, and a
dictionary. Other things that might be helpful include glue, a stapler, paper clips, maps,
a calculator, a pencil sharpener, tape, scissors, a ruler, index cards, a thesaurus, and an
almanac. Keep these items together in one place if possible. If you can’t provide your child
with needed supplies, check with the teacher, school guidance counselor, or principal
about possible sources of assistance.
For books and other information resources, check with the school library or local public
library. Some libraries have homework centers designed especially to assist children with
school assignments (there may even be tutors and other kinds of individual assistance).
These days many schools have computers in classrooms, and many households have personal computers. However, you don’t have to have a computer in your home in order for
your child to complete homework assignments successfully.
You may want to ask the teacher to explain school policy about the use of computers—or
typewriters or any special equipment—for homework. Certainly, computers can be a great
learning tool and helpful for some assignments. They can be used for word processing and
on-line reference resources, as well as educational programs and games to sharpen skills.
Some schools may offer after-school programs where your child can use the school computers. And many public libraries make computers available to children.
Set a Good Example.
Children are more likely to study if they see you reading, writing, and doing things that
require thought and effort on your part. Talk with your child about what you’re reading and
writing even if it’s something as simple as making the grocery list. Tell them about what you
do at work. Encourage activities that support learning—for example, educational games,
library visits, walks in the neighborhood, trips to the zoo or museums, and chores that
teach a sense of responsibility.
Show an Interest.
Make time to take your child to the library to check out materials needed for homework
(and for fun too), and read with your child as often as you can. Talk about school and
learning activities in family conversations. Ask your child what was discussed in class that
day. If he doesn’t have much to say, try another approach. For example, ask your child to
read aloud a story he wrote or discuss the results of a science experiment.
Another good way to show your interest is to attend school activities, such as parentteacher meetings, shows, and sports events. If you can, volunteer to help in the classroom
or at special events. Getting to know some classmates and other parents not only shows
you’re interested but helps build a network of support for you and your child.
Monitor Assignments
Children are more likely to complete assignments successfully when parents monitor
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homework. How closely you need to monitor depends upon the age of your child, how
independent she is, and how well she does in school. Whatever the age of your child, if
assignments are not getting done satisfactorily, more supervision is needed.
Ask About the School’s Homework Policy.
At the start of the school year, ask the teacher:
n What kinds of assignments will be given?
n
How long are children expected to take to complete them?
n
How does the teacher want you to be involved?
Teachers’ expectations vary. Ask your child’s teacher what you should do. Should you just
check to make sure the assignment is done, or should you do something more? Some
teachers want parents to go over the homework and point out errors, while others ask
parents to simply check to make sure the assignment is completed. It’s also a good idea
to ask the teacher to call you if any problems with homework come up.
Be Available.
Elementary school students often like to have someone in the same room when working
on assignments in case they have questions. If your child will be cared for by someone
else, talk to that person about what you expect regarding homework. For an older child,
if no one will be around, let him know you want him to begin work before you get home
and call to remind him if necessary.
Look Over Completed Assignments.
It’s usually a good idea to check to see that your elementary school child has finished her
assignments. If your junior high school student is having trouble finishing assignments,
check his too. If you’re not there when an assignment is finished, look it over when you get
home. After the teacher returns completed homework, read the comments to see if your
child has done the assignments satisfactorily.
Monitor Television Viewing.
American children on average spend far more time watching television than they do completing homework. In many homes, more homework gets done when television time is
limited. Once you and your child have worked out a homework schedule, take time to discuss how much television and what programs she can watch. It’s worth noting that television can be a learning tool. Look for programs that relate to what your child is studying in
school, such as programs on history or science or dramatizations of children’s literature.
When you can, watch shows with your child, discuss them, and encourage follow-up
activities such as reading or a trip to the museum.
Provide Guidance
The basic rule is, “Don’t do the assignments yourself.” It’s not your homework—it’s your
child’s. “I’ve had kids hand in homework that’s in their parents’ handwriting,” one
Washington, DC-area eighth-grade teacher complains. Doing assignments for your child
won’t help him understand and use information. And it won’t help him become confident
in his own abilities.
It can be hard for parents to let children work through problems alone and learn from their
mistakes. It’s also hard to know where to draw the line between supporting and doing.
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Figure Out How Your Child Learns Best.
If you understand something about the style of learning that suits your child, it will be
easier for you to help. If you’ve never thought about this style, observe your child. See if he
works better alone or with someone else. If your child gets more done when working with
someone else, he may want to complete some assignments with a brother or sister or a
classmate. (Some homework, however, is meant to be done alone. Check with the teacher
if you aren’t sure.)
Other things to consider about learning style:
n Does your child learn things best when she can see them? If so, drawing a picture
or a chart may help with some assignments. For example, after reading her science
book, she may not remember the difference between the tibia and the fibula. But
by drawing a picture of the leg and labeling the bones, she can remember easily.
n
Does your child learn things best when he can hear them? He may need to listen
to a story or have directions read to him. Too much written material or too many
pictures or charts may confuse him.
n
Does your child understand some things best when she can handle or move them?
An apple cut four or six or eight ways can help children learn fractions.
Help Your Child Get Organized.
As mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to set a regular time for children to do homework.
Put up a calendar in a place where you’ll see it often and record assignments on it. If your
child’s not able to write yet, then do it for him until he can do it himself. Writing out assignments will get him used to the idea of keeping track of what’s due and when. You may
want to use an assignment book instead of a calendar.
A bag for books will make it easier to carry homework to and from school. Homework
folders in which youngsters can tuck their assignments for safekeeping help many students
stay organized.
Encourage Good Study Habits.
Teachers generally give students tips on how to study. But it takes time and practice to
develop good habits. You can reinforce these habits at home. For example:
n Help your child structure time in order to complete assignments. For example, if your eighth-grader has a biology report due in 3 weeks, discuss all the steps
needed to take to complete it on time, including:
1. selecting a topic;
2. doing the research by looking up books and other materials on the topic
and taking notes;
3. figuring out what questions to discuss;
4. drafting an outline;
5. writing a rough draft; and
6. revising and completing the final draft.
Encourage your child to write down how much time she expects to spend on each step.
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n
Help your child get started when he has to do research reports or other
big assignments. Encourage using the library. If he isn’t sure where to begin,
have him ask the librarian for suggestions. If he’s using a computer for on-line reference resources—whether the computer’s at home, school, or the library—make
sure he’s getting whatever help he needs to use it properly. As mentioned earlier,
many public libraries have homework centers where there are tutors or other kinds
of one-on-one assistance. After your child has done the research, listen while he
tells you the points he wants to make in the report.
n
Give practice tests. Help your third-grader prepare for a spelling test by saying
the words while she writes them down. Then have her correct her own test.
n
Help your child avoid last-minute cramming. Review with your fifth-grader
how to study for his social studies test well before it’s to be given. You can have him
work out a schedule of what he needs to do to, make up a practice test, and write
down answers to the questions he’s made up.
n
Talk with your child about how to take a test. Be sure she understands how
important it is to read the instructions carefully and to keep track of the time and
avoid spending too much time on any one question.
Talk About the Assignments.
Ask your child questions. Talking can help think through an assignment and break it down
into small, workable parts. Here are some sample questions:
n Do you understand what you’re supposed to do? After your child has read the
instructions, ask her to tell you in her own words what the assignment is about. (If
your child can’t read yet, the teacher may have sent home instructions that you can
read to her.) Some schools have homework hotlines you can call for assignments
in case your child misplaced a paper or was absent that day. If your child doesn’t
understand the instructions, read them with her and talk about the assignment.
Are there words she doesn’t understand? How can she find out what they mean?
If neither you nor your child understands an assignment, call a classmate or
contact the teacher.
n
What do you need to do to finish the assignment? Your child may want to talk
through the steps with you (or make a written list of them, if he’s able to), as
described in the section above on good study habits.
n
Do you need help in understanding how to do your work? See if your child
needs to learn more, for example, about subtracting fractions before she can do
her assignment. Or find out if the teacher needs to explain to her again when to
use capital and lowercase letters. If you understand the subject yourself, you may
want to work through some examples with your child. But let her do the assignment herself.
n
Have you ever done any problems like the ones you’re supposed to do
right now? See if your child has already done similar problems that can guide him
in completing these particular ones.
n
Do you have everything you need to do the assignment? Sometimes your
child needs special supplies, such as colored pencils, metric rulers, maps, or refer-
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ence books. As mentioned before, check with the teacher, school guidance counselor, or principal for possible sources of assistance if you can’t provide needed
supplies; and check with the local public library or school library for books and
other information resources.
n
Does your answer make sense to you? Sometimes the response to a math problem doesn’t seem logical, or the meaning of a paragraph your child has written is
unclear. If that’s the case, your child may need to check over the math problem or
revise the paragraph.
If your child is still confused, ask:
n
How far have you gotten on the assignment? Let’s try to figure out where
you’re having a problem.
n
Do you need to review your notes (or reread a chapter in your textbook)
before you do the assignment?
n
Are you still having problems? Maybe it would help to take a break or have
a snack.
Give Praise.
People of all ages respond to praise. And children need encouragement from the people
whose opinions they value most—their parents. “Good first draft of your book report!” or
“You’ve done a great job” can go a long way toward motivating your child to complete
assignments.
Children also need to know when they haven’t done their best work. Make criticism constructive. Instead of telling a third-grader, “You aren’t going to hand in that mess, are you?”
try, “The teacher will understand your ideas better if you use your best handwriting.” Then
give praise when a neat version is completed.
Adapted from Helping Your Child With Homework, 1995
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CHECKLIST FOR HELPING WITH HOMEWORK
Establish routines
Families encourage good study habits by establishing homework routines early.
Here are some tips:
n Agree together on a regular time and place for homework.
n
Try to schedule homework time for when you or your child’s caregiver can
supervise.
n
Make sure your son or daughter understands the assignment.
n
Sign and date your children’s homework. Teachers appreciate it when they know
that the parents are interested enough to check over their children’s homework and
see that it is finished.
n
Follow up on homework assignments by asking your child to show you the homework after it has been returned by the teacher. Look at the teacher’s comments to
see if your child has done each assignment correctly.
Provide a supportive climate
n Restrict your child’s television viewing to 2 hours or less each day. Monitor what
programs your child watches and discuss the content with him or her. Your child’s
school work, academic skills and attention span can be affected negatively.
n
Supervise your child’s bedtime to help ensure that your child is well rested upon
awakening. Make a variety of healthy foods available from the 5 food groups to
your child every day. (Adapted from Helping Your Child Learn)
n
Discuss teachers’ homework expectations during teacher-parent conferences.
n
Don’t do your children’s homework. Make sure they understand that homework is
their responsibility.
n
Be sure to praise your children for a job well done. Encourage the good work that
your children do, and comment about improvements each has made.
The value of long projects
Doing long projects teaches your child to break tasks into smaller parts and to stick to the
job no matter how long it takes. She or he will have an easier time with long school assignments later on.
n Count how many days you have to work on the project.
n
Divide the project into more easily managed sections.
n
Give a deadline for each section to be completed.
n
Help your child to determine how to pace himself or herself through each section
so that it can be finished on time.
Adapted from How Parents Can Help with Homework
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HELPING YOUR CHILD STAY ORGANIZED
Here is a series of tips you can share with your child about taking notes, improving reading
and studying skills and preparing for and taking tests that can help your child to be better
prepared and to feel more confident.
Taking notes
n Don’t try to write down everything the teacher says. Listen carefully until you
understand the key point, then write it down in your own words. Pay particular
attention to examples.
n
Ask questions when you don’t understand. If you don’t understand, the chances
are that other people don’t understand, either.
n
Go over your notes during your regular evening study session, while they are still
fresh in your mind. Add whatever you need to make your notes clear. Review them
while they’re fresh in your mind—and be sure to ask questions if you don’t
understand.
Reading skills
Before you start reading an assignment in a textbook, it helps to preview the material.
n Look at all of the illustrations and read the captions.
n
Read all of the boldface words in the chapter. Topic heading and key vocabulary
words are often printed in boldface.
n
Read the first and last paragraphs in the chapter.
n
Briefly read any questions, vocabulary lists, chapter summaries or chapter objectives if they are present.
n
Skim the entire chapter. This means that you just scan the material quickly, letting
your eyes pick up words and phrases more or less at random.
n
Previewing gives your mind an outline of the material you are about to read. The
outline will act as a framework for sorting out the details of the chapter. Previewing
helps you to remember what you read.
Studying
n Study a little bit every night. Don’t try to cram the night before a test. Don’t study
for too long at one time. Take a break occasionally.
n
Your study spot should be well lit, comfortable and distraction free. Most students
find that TVs and stereos make it difficult to concentrate.
Preparing for tests
n Keep up with your schoolwork. If you fall behind, it’s hard to catch up.
n
Pay attention to review sessions. Ask questions about what types of questions to
expect. If you don’t understand, ask your teacher.
n
Emphasize the major ideas and concepts of the test material. Learn the key vocabulary words. Make flash cards of vocabulary if they help you. Have someone test
you on them.
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Taking the test
Don’t panic! Everyone feels tension before a test. Tension helps you stay alert. Let it work
for you.
n Read the entire test before you do anything else. This allows you to:
n
Get rid of a few of the butterflies.
n
Start with the easiest question.
n
Budget your time.
n
Start your subconscious mind working on the tougher questions.
n
Pick up clues to some questions in other questions.
n
Save time in the long run.
n
Look for clues in the test questions themselves.
n
Use the process of elimination for matching or multiple-choice questions.
n
Look for words such as all, always, never and none in true/false tests. If you can
think of just one exception, the question is false.
n
Jot down a few key words or a simple outline, then write your answer to essay
questions. The key is to think first, then write.
n
If you have trouble interpreting a question, think about the concepts you studied.
One of them will probably be the key to the answer. (From Studying More
Productively)
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ONGOING PARENT EDUCATION
There are several sources that can enable you to be trained on topics such as homework
strategies, student attitude and motivation, education law and parenting strategies. By
choosing to become better informed, you can make a positive difference in educational
opportunities for both your own children and other children in your school district.
n As a first step, contact your own school district to find out what educational
programs and training opportunities it may have to offer.
n
Ask the school district and personal acquaintances what organizations and support
groups already exist within your own and neighboring communities.
n
Contact your local Intermediate Unit or Regional Support Center for a list of
training topics. Their telephone numbers can be found in your local telephone
directory. If you are not certain of the names, ask your building principal or
guidance counselor.
n
Log on to the Pennsylvania Department of Education web site at
<www.pde.psu.edu>. You can find out the latest information about academic
standards and many other issues as well. On some pages, you may share your
opinions via e-mail.
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IV. SUPPORTING FAMILY EXPECTATIONS
THE NATURE OF STANDARDS
As a parent or guardian, you should make the effort to inform yourself about
Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards. You want to know how your school is developing standards. You also should know how the standards can affect your child’s education and how
well your school is meeting the standards adopted by your school district. The following
questions are designed to assist you in the process of finding out what you want to know.
Standards in your district
n Has our school district developed a set of academic standards for my child’s
school? If not, when will this be accomplished?
n
What is the process for identifying academic standards for our district, and how is
our school involved?
n
What state standards is our district required to use?
n
Are any national academic standards identified for use in our district?
Monitoring academic standards
n Have all educators in our school district received training on academic standards?
n
Are standards being used in our school and how are my child’s teachers working to
help students achieve these standards?
n
What is the school as a whole doing to help students meet the standards?
n
Can I join the strategic planning committee that establishes and/or monitors the
district’s academic standards?
n
If I don’t have time to serve on the committee, can I study a copy of the standards
and give my comments to representatives on the committee?
n
Can I obtain and read our school profile to understand how well our school is meeting Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards?
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V. ACTIVITIES TO FOSTER SUCCESS
There is no one “right” way of doing these activities. Make changes, shorten or lengthen
them to suit your child’s attention span, or think up some activities of your own. Above all,
enjoy them. And don’t worry about what you might not have done in the past. Start where
you are now, with the resources you have now.
At the end of each activity is information on why that activity is important to your child’s
education.
The suggested activities all build skills, attitudes, and behaviors children need for good
study habits. They are designed to help develop personal maturity, enthusiasm for learning, and the ability to concentrate. But that does not mean the activities are hard to do
and won’t be any fun. They are easy to do, cost little or no money, use materials found at
home, and don’t take much time.
Work out your own schedule for the activities. Don’t forget to try them on vacation days or
in the summer, too. If you’ve only used one part of an activity, you can go back to it and
find the ideas you haven’t tried. Experience indicates that all of the activities, in whole or
in part, will be useful. Ability in schoolwork is like ability in sports: it takes practice to gain
confidence, to become motivated, and to win.
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CAN YOU TOP THIS?
Teamwork is important in school. In this activity, children practice taking turns and working with others. They also build language skills.
What you’ll need:
n
Imagination
What to do:
n
Make up a story, with parents and children taking turns,
one sentence at a time.
Decide on a topic. You might begin the first sentence with
“Once upon a time a pirate lived in ...”
Continue taking turns making up and telling parts of the
story until you decide to end it—maybe after 8 or 10
sentences.
Take turns beginning and finishing a story. Ask other
family members and friends to join in.
n
n
n
By making up stories, children can improve their language skills. They can also start to
understand how ideas flow from one to another, and that everyone’s ideas are important.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LISTEN UP
This activity helps teach how to listen carefully and follow directions, two things that are
important in school.
What you’ll need:
n
n
What to do:
Any small object you can hide
Objects that make noise
Hide a small object. Give directions to find it such as,
“Take five steps ahead. Turn right. Keep the lamp to your
left. Bend down and look to the right.” Take turns
doing this.
n
All but one person close their eyes. The person with his
or her eyes open makes a sound (such as keys jangling,
hands clapping, a bell ringing, a spoon tapping against
a glass). Everyone else tries to guess what is making
the sound.
n
Clap your hands to tap out a rhythm. Have another player
listen and then clap that same rhythm back to you. Do it
different ways: slow, fast, loud, soft. Make the rhythms
harder as it gets easier to repeat them.
n
When taking a walk, or any place where you can stop for
a few minutes, sit quietly for 30 seconds with your eyes
closed, then tell each other what you heard: a baby
crying, an airplane, a bird singing.
n
Take a walk. One of you tell the other person what to
do—cross the street, turn left, look down. Take turns
following each other’s directions.
Through practice, children can learn to listen carefully, see and hear details, and follow
directions.
n
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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TIME MARCHES ON
This activity will help your children see the difference between “a few seconds” and “a few
minutes,” and can help them be on time in school.
What you’ll need:
n
n
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
Paper
Pencil
A timer of some kind (alarm clock, kitchen timer)
Clock or watch with all 12 numerals and a second hand
Ask your children to watch the second hand tick five
seconds. Together, count off the seconds.
Count off 30 seconds. How many times can your child
clap hands during this time? Take turns timing and
watching each other.
Make guesses about how long ordinary things take:
n
How long is a traffic light red or green?
n
How long does it take to eat dinner?
n
How long does it take to get ready for school?
n
Test your guesses with the watch or timer. How close
did you each come to the right answer?
Read a book aloud with your child for 3 minutes. Time
yourselves. Then move up to 5 minutes, then to 10, and
so on.
Learning that some things take longer than others will help your child understand how
long it takes to do a task and how to plan for it. This activity will also help them increase
their attention span.
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NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T
This activity teaches children to pay close attention by seeing how long it takes different
kinds of liquids to freeze and melt.
What you’ll need:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
2 ice cube trays
A clock
Water
Small bowls
Paper
Pencil
Other liquids
Together, fill one ice cube tray to the top with water. Fill
the other tray only half full.
Put both trays in the freezer. Check the clock. In 2 hours,
look to see if the water has frozen (if not, wait until it has
frozen).
How long did it take the water in each tray to freeze?
Did the smaller amount of water freeze faster than the
larger amount?
Take an ice cube from each of the 2 trays. Put them in
separate bowls to melt. Which cube melts faster—the
larger one or the smaller one?
Put one ice cube in a window and another in the refrigerator (not freezer) and see how long they take to melt.
Try to freeze samples of liquids such as fruit juices.
Compare their freezing times to that of water.
This activity can help your child understand that things don’t happen immediately. It will
also introduce the concept of change—liquid to solid to liquid again—and the idea of having to wait to get the result you want.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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START TO FINISH
Organization has to be learned. This activity lets children practice planning, beginning,
and finishing a job—important parts of completing schoolwork.
What you’ll need:
n
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
Pencil
Paper
Items used to do a job around the house, such as watering plants or setting the table
Together, select one job your child usually does around
the house, such as watering plants.
Ask your child to write down or tell you the “Plan,”“Do,”
and “Finish” steps needed to do the job well.
Look over these steps together and talk about possible
changes.
Plan
Do
Finish
Get Supplies
1. watering can
2. paper towels
1. fill can
2. water plants
3. wipe up spills
4. pick off dead
leaves
1. throw away
towels and dead
leaves
2. put can away
n
n
n
See what happens if one plant isn’t watered when it is
supposed to be. How long does it take for the leaves to
start changing color?
List the “plan,”“do,” and “finish” steps of one or two jobs you
do around the house. Ask your child to help you think of
ways to improve these steps.
When your children have a new task, help them plan the
steps so they can do the job well and have a sense of
accomplishment.
Sometimes taking time to plan seems like “a waste of time,” but it has been shown that
those who plan a job are usually more successful and do it in a shorter amount of time.
Seeing the changes from not watering a plant can introduce the idea of “cause and effect.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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I’M OK, WE’RE OK
All of us have ways in which we are special. This activity helps children recognize and
appreciate how they, and others, are special.
What you’ll need:
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Pen or pencil
Paper
Together, think of and write down at least 2 things you
like about yourselves (for example, I have a good sense of
humor; I try to be fair).
Write down 2 things you like about the others playing this
game.
Now, take turns talking about what others say they like
about you.
Write down 2 things you would like to improve. When will
you start? How long do you think it will take?
Think of some jobs around the house that both of you
will feel proud of, like fixing special food for the family,
teaching the family a new game, or fixing something
that’s broken.
Try to set a time every day, even a few minutes, when you
can talk about things that happened that day.
Find times to listen to each other and to chat. A ride to
the grocery store or a wait at the dentist’s office can be
a good time.
Self-confidence can make a difference in how much success a person has, both at school
and later in life. Talking about what happened during the day lets children work out problems early instead of having them pile up and become overwhelming.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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WHERE DID I PUT THAT?
Children need help getting organized. A special place for school items helps make mornings smoother for parents and children.
What you’ll need:
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
Cardboard box
Crayons or markers
Find a sturdy cardboard box or carton large enough to
hold notebooks and other school things. Let your child
decorate it with pictures, words, or art work, and his or
her name. Each child in the family can have a separate box.
Together, find a place to put the box. A spot near the
front door or the place where your child does homework
would be good.
School things should go in the box as soon as your child
comes home from school. Later, all homework and
anything else needed for school the next day should
go into it.
In the winter, hats and mittens can also go in the box
when they are dry.
Let your child make a rainy day box and put it in a
different place (or make it a different color). Fill it with
“treasures”—games, books, a new pencil. Invite other
members of the family to put surprises in the box
(no snakes or frogs, please).
Keeping all school items in one place helps teach children how much easier life can be
when we are organized and plan ahead. Show your appreciation when your child keeps
things in order.
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MY PLACE
This activity gives each child a separate place to study or play.
What you’ll need:
n
n
n
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
Space—even a tiny area will do
A small but steady table
1 chair
1 lamp
Small floor covering
Together, find a quiet study area away from the TV and
radio for each child (even those not old enough to have
homework yet).
Cut down an old blanket, rug, or sheet to put on a small
area of the floor. Use this to mark off each child’s private
space. Put the table and chair on the floor covering. This
space does not have to be in the same place all the time.
If the table is light weight, the floor cover can be put
down any place it is out of the way (such as near the
kitchen if a child needs help while dinner is being fixed).
It can also be put away when it is not being used.
If the study space will always be in the same place, try
out different arrangements of the furniture to see what
works best. Arrange the lamp so the study area is well lit.
Together, label items with the child’s name.
Watch for improvement and show pleasure when quality of work improves. Children tend
to argue over the same space (even in a big room). By having an area of the floor marked
off, each child has a place that feels like his or her own. A special place also helps children focus on what they are studying.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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WELL DONE!
Children need the experience of doing chores. The following are ideas to help children be
more responsible and realize the importance of people doing what they say they will do.
What you’ll need:
n
Helping hands
What to do:
n
Talk about what happens when people do the things they
are responsible for (water the plants or feed pets, for
example).
Think about what would happen if people did not do
these things—if the bus driver stayed home, or the movie
projectionist didn’t show up for work. Together, think of
more examples.
Decide together on jobs for each family member to do.
Should people be able to do only the things they like?
Talk together about this.
Turn a household task into a game. Decide together how
long it will take to do the job. Time yourselves against the
clock.
Listening to the radio or a record while you do the job
makes it more fun. This helps the work get done faster,
too.
n
n
n
n
Children need to learn early how others are affected when chores are not done. Talk about
why it is necessary to do things we don’t want to do, and why we should not expect others
to do our work.
This activity also gives children an early lesson in how to make good decisions.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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HOW TIME FLIES
“I don’t have time to do all I need time to do.” Sound familiar? Planning our time is one of
the most useful things we can learn. Knowing how long something will take can save time
and tempers.
What you’ll need:
n
Paper
n
Pencil
Clock
Calendar
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
Together, write down your estimates of how long it takes
to do certain tasks (such as getting ready for school or
work in the morning; fixing a meal).
Use a clock to time at least one of these tasks. Then take
turns timing each other. (But be realistic—it’s not necessarily a race.)
See what part of a job can be done ahead of time, such
as deciding at bedtime what to wear the next day.
Talk about at least 2 places you and your children go
where you must be on time. What do you do to make sure
you are on time?
Put a monthly calendar with large spaces where everyone
can see it. Each member of the family can use a different
colored marker to list appointments and social activities.
Being on time, or not being on time, affects other people. It is important for children to
understand their responsibility for being on time—it’s not just for grown-ups.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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HOMEWORK MADE EASY(!)
Homework without nagging is much to be desired. Have your child try a homework chart.
What you’ll need:
n
Paper
n
Marker, pen, or pencil
Clock
n
What to do:
Subject
n
Mon.
Have (or help) your child do the following: Create a
homework chart out of a sturdy, large-sized piece of
paper.
Tues.
Wed.
Thur.
Fri.
Arts
English
History
Math
Science
n
n
n
n
Attach a colored marker or pen so that it is always handy.
Each day after school, put a check mark in each box in
which there is a homework assignment. Circle the check
when the homework is completed.
Make a new chart for each week. Depending on how
many subjects you have, you may be able to put 3 or 4
weeks on each piece of paper.
Try to figure out how long it will take to complete homework assignments so you know when you need to start
working.
A homework chart can show exactly what needs to be done when, and gives a feeling of
accomplishment when an assignment is crossed off. Talk to your child about homework.
Does your child need or want more time or help? Does your child want to devote more
time to learning about a certain subject?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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DIVIDE IT UP
Just about anything is easier to do if it’s divided into smaller pieces. As assignments get
longer and more complicated, more organizing and planning skills are needed.
What you’ll need:
n
Homework assignments
n
Jobs in and around the house
Paper
Pencil
n
n
What to do:
Choose a big assignment to talk about, such as a
geography project
n
Decide together, and have your child write down, what
he or she needs to complete the job. For example:
Reference materials (books, maps)
Can you complete the assignment just using your
textbook? If not, do you need to go to the library?
If so, can you check out books, or will you have
to allow time to stay there and use reference
books?
Notes
Do you have a notebook? Pencils? Will you need
note cards?
Illustrations
If you need pictures, where will you get them?
Finished project
Will it be a stapled report? A poster? A folded
brochure? What will you
need to complete the job?
n
Decide the order in which the parts of the job need to be
done. Number the steps.
n
Try to estimate how long each step will take. Work backwards from the date the paper is due in order to see when
each part needs to be started. Put start and finish dates
next to these steps, then put the assignment on a calendar or homework chart.
n
Together, think about a household job, such as gardening
or cleaning. Divide it up into smaller parts.
n
Talk about how adults divide work on their jobs or at
home.
This trick of dividing big jobs into small pieces helps make all jobs easier and can save a
lot of wear and tear on everyone when it’s time to hand in a school assignment.
n
n
n
n
n
n
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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HELP WANTED
Older students are interested in life beyond school. You can help them have a realistic
sense of what’s out there.
What you’ll need:
n
Pen or pencil
n
Paper
Newspaper “help wanted” ads
Friends and neighbors
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Talk with your child:“What job do you think you would
like to do when you get out of school? What training do
you think you will need to get this job?”
Suggest that your child pick two adults he or she knows,
such as neighbors or relatives, to interview briefly about
their jobs.
Help your child think of at least 3 questions to write
down, leaving space for the answers. Sample questions:
What is your job? How long have you held it? What kind
of special training did you need?
Have your child do the interviews. (You may want to help
him or her get started.)
After the interview, talk about what your child learned.
Now your child will be more comfortable doing the
next step.
Read a page of the newspaper help wanted ads together.
Have your child find ads for three jobs that he or she
might want in the future. Talk together about the training
needed for each job: Can some of it be learned on the
job? How much schooling is necessary?
Have your child find people who already have these jobs
and interview them.
Remember that there will be many new kinds of jobs in
the future. What children—and adults, too—need to do is
be flexible and keep on learning.
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HOW CAN I HELP?
We need to think about more than our own interests and ask “How can I help others?”
What you’ll need:
n
Newspaper and magazine articles
What to do:
n
Together, find newspaper articles about people who get
involved. Look for ways to help other people that involve
your child’s interests.
What are some everyday good deeds? Ask your children
to think back and remember a time when they helped
another person. Think big and think small.
Discuss community food drives and volunteer tutoring
programs. Suggest that your children check with a local
religious group, community or recreation center, school,
or library.
Explore the possibility of joining a young people’s group
that does community service.
Ask your children to name at least two things they could
do today or tomorrow to help others. What will it take?
Encourage your children to make a commitment.
n
n
n
n
Taking part in community activities can not only help others, but can also help your child
make new friends and learn new skills.
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TV TIME
Decide how you are going to use TV. Watching television can be educational or something
we do in our spare time.
What you’ll need:
n
n
n
What to do:
n
n
n
n
n
TV set
TV schedule
Pen or pencil
Decide together how much TV your family will watch.
Read the TV schedule. Have each family member decide
what he or she would like to watch. Put initials next to
everyone’s choices.
Decide what you will watch each day or week. Circle
your choices. If 2 people want to watch different programs at the same time, try to compromise; take turns.
Your child’s teacher may assign a TV program as homework; make allowance if this happens.
Try to find time to watch TV with your child. Be sure they
understand what’s real and what isn’t.
Have board games, books, or projects handy so children
can do other things when TV time is used up.
If your children watch too much TV, try cutting down a little at a time. Avoid leaving a TV
set on all day.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adapted from Helping Your Child Succeed in School, 1992
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VI. REFERENCES
GLOSSARY
The first time any term listed in this glossary appears in “How to foster success . . .,” it is
marked by placing it in italics, thus letting you know where you can find its definition
quickly.
Academic Standard
What a student should know and be
able to do at a specified grade level
Assessment
A valid and reliable measurement of
student performance on a set of academic standards in a subject area
Curriculum
A series of planned instruction that is
designed to result in the achievement
by all students of specific knowledge
and skills in the application of this
knowledge
Facilitate
To assist the progress of (a person);
help forward (an action or process)
Pennsylvania Department
of Education (PDE)
The department that \oversees all
education for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania
School Profile
A report developed by the Secretary
of Education for each school that
includes results of state and local
assessments, school performance
improvement goals, class size, information about the instructional program, percentages of students who
graduate or drop out and the status of
graduates one year later, student and
teacher attendance and information
about fiscal support of the school
and school district
Standard
What a student should know and be
able to do at a certain level; academic standard
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Channing L. Bete Co., Inc. At-Home Activities to Help Your Child Learn—A Guide for Parents.
South Deerfield, MA: Channing L. Bete Co., Inc., 1997.
——. Helping Your Child Learn. South Deerfield, MA: Channing L. Bete Co., Inc., 1998.
Dato, Judith Gardner. Bowdein Method—Parent Involvement Resource Manual. Brentwood,
TN: Webster’s International, Inc., 1995.
National Education Association. How Parents Can Help with Homework.Washington, D.C.:
National Education Association, 1996.
National Education Association and National PTA. Making Parent/Teacher Conferences
Work for Your Student.Washington, D.C.: National Education Association and National
PTA, 1996.
——. How Parents Can Help with Homework.Washington, D.C.: National Education
Association and National PTA, 1996.
Pennsylvania State Education Association. Homework: It Can Help. Harrisburg, PA:
Pennsylvania State Educational Association, n.d.
Rich, Dorothy. Helping Your Child Succeed in School. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 1992.
<www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Succeed.html>
——. Studying More Productively—Helping Your Teenager Get the Most Out of School.
Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania State Educational Association, n.d.
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RESOURCES
Family Resources
Airasian, P.W. Classroom Assessment. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991. An easy-to-read book
on basic assessment theory and practice. Includes information on performance-based
assessments that will be of special interest to teachers.
Calkins, Lucy, with Lydia Bellino. Raising Lifelong Learners: A Parent’s Guide. Reading, MA:
Perseus Books, 1988. Excellent ideas with first-person examples of how families can
develop work habits, use play to develop thinking, work to support today’s math.
From preschool through middle school, Lucy Calkins reflects on family involvement
in
student learning. Calkins explores all content areas and even family discussions
as crucial to developing successful learners (320 pages).
Canter, Lee and Lee Hausner. Homework Without Tears. New York: Harper & Row, 1987.
A readable book for parents of K-12 age students. The book offers guidance for structuring the home environment for homework. It covers motivation, responsibility,
consistency, common problems and partnering with the teacher (157 pages).
Kessel-Turkel, Judi and Franklynn Peterson. Study Smarts: How to Learn More in Less Time.
Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1981. A short book for secondary students examining tips for learning in the classroom and using your memory skills for necessary
assignments and tests (81 pages).
——. Test Taking Strategies. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1981. Another book for
secondary students focusing on strategies for taking tests. These strategies cover the
various forms of a test, for example multiple-choice and true/false, as well as the
content of a test, such as math, reading or vocabulary (120 pages).
National Education Association (NEA). Talking with Your Child. Washington, DC: NEA,
1987. A wordy pamphlet that discusses how to have meaningful discussions with
your child.
Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA). “Homework: It Can Help,”“Studying More
Productively,” and “How to Help Your Children Learn More.” From series: Quality
Education . . . Our Commitment . . . Our Challenge. Harrisburg, PA: PSEA, undated.
These three concise, colorful pamphlets offer generic suggestions to families about
ways to structure the home environment to help support academic learning at
home and school.
Perrone, V., ed. Expanding Student Assessment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development, 1991. Major emphasis is on better ways to assess
student learning (167 pages).
Radencich, Marguerite and Jeanne Schumm. How To Help Your Child With Homework.
Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 1988. This book is targeted for parents
of children ages 6-13. The first two chapters take a broad view of the process.
Subsequent chapters examine each subject area individually, with final chapters on
long-term projects, term papers and resources and tools for parents to use. (192 pages)
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Wittrock, M.C. and E.L. Baker. (Eds.). Testing and Cognition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1991. Series of articles from distinguished assessment researchers focusing on
current assessment issues.
Rief, Sandra. How to Help Your Child Succeed in School (Video). Available from A.D.D.
Warehouse, 1-800-233-9273, or online at <http://207.240.43.166>. While information
originally was designed to help students with ADD/ADHD and LD, the suggestions
would support all learners. Segments are brief and include outstanding models of
reading, writing and math strategies including touch math, organization and homework habits. Topics include how parents can help their child develop reading, writing
and math skills; build organization and study skills; survive the daily homework assignments; and cope with learning difficulties. Valuable for all educators, clinicians, practitioners and parents working with ADD and LD to help these children overcome the
obstacles to school achievement.
Student Resources
Ellis, David B. Becoming a Master Student. Rapid City, SD: College Survival, Inc., 1984. A
well-organized book for use by secondary students. Each chapter examines a different issue, ranging from time management and memory skills to note-taking and testtaking. “Exercises” are given in each chapter to support these tools. An added treat
at the end of each chapter is an inspirational story about famous people and how
pursuit of knowledge helped them (312 pages).
Fry, Ron. How to Study Program:Take Notes. Hawthorne, NJ: The Career Press, 1991.
A concise book for secondary students about the skills needed to take good notes.
Both lecture notes and outlining notes from textbooks are covered (92 pages).
Hayes, Jeri, ed. How to Get Better Test Scores on Elementary School Standardized Tests for
Grades 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8. New York: Random House, Inc., 1991. These workbooks are
a series of three books that are practice exercises for students in the areas of vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, study skills and math (152 pages).
Phipps, Rita. The Successful Student’s Handbook. Seattle: University of Washington Press,
1983. For secondary students. This detailed book examines skills for studying, reading and thinking. The topics range from motivation and scheduling through memory
skills and test-taking to outlining and note-taking (170 pages).
Romain, Trevor. How to Do Homework Without Throwing Up. New York: Scholastic, Inc.,
1997. For elementary students. A humorous but supportive book about the frustrations of doing homework and ways to make it better. A good book for families to
read together (67 pages).
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VII. WHERE TO TURN
This section is designed to point you to resources beyond those included in other sections
of the kit. You will find references to agencies, organizations, parent advocates, printed
materials and web sites that may be helpful as you strive to become a better-informed
parent.
AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
The websites listed for these organizations are among the best on the world wide web in
providing background information about academic standards.
Academic Standards Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Education <www.pde.psu.edu>
Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory <www.mcrel.org>
Education Trust <www.edtrust.org>
Putnam Valley Central Schools – “Developing Educational Standards” site
<www.putwest.boces.org/Standards.html>
National Center on Education and the Economy <www.ncee.org>
American Federation of Teachers <www.aft.org>
Information on Language Arts and Math
National Council of Teachers of English <www.ncte.org>
International Reading Association <www.readingonline.org>
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics <www.nctm.org>
National Center for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics
and Science <www.wcer.wisc.edu/ncisla>
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education
<www.enc.org>
There are many additional web sites available. Go to a search engine and type in some key
words related to standards, reading, writing and mathematics, and you will be surprised at
the number of resources you will be able to find!
Agencies as Near as Your Phone
Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are included in this listing of
advocacy, educational, informational and legal resources.
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Children with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD). Provides information and
advocacy on education issues to parents of children with attention deficit disorder.
National Office address is:
Suite 109, 499 Northwest 70th Avenue, Plantation, FL 33317.
Telephone 1-954-587-3700.
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CONNECT Information Line, 1-800-692-7288. This Pennsylvania-based agency provides information and referrals on educational issues, special education programs,
Early Intervention support and agencies that assist families.
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n
Education Law Center for Pennsylvania. Provides legal consultation involving issues
in public education, along with information and publications.
Philadelphia Office, 1-215-238-6970. Pittsburgh Office, 1-412-391-5225.
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Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of Pennsylvania. Provides education
advocates and a variety of training related to diagnosing and addressing learning
disabilities.
Pittsburgh Chapter, telephone 1-412-341-1515.
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National PTA supports and speaks on behalf of children and youth in the schools,
in the community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that
make decisions affecting children. It also assists parents in developing the skills
they need to raise and protect their children.
Telephone 1-312-670-6782. Web site: <www.pta.org>.
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Parent Education Network (PEN) is a coalition of parents providing information
on state and federal laws covering special education. PEN conducts workshops
and publishes a newsletter. PEN’s Parent Network is a statewide network of parents
who directly assist parents who need help with educational issues. Telephone
1-800-522-5827.
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Parent-to-Parent of Pennsylvania is a statewide support network for parents to
disseminate information on a variety of topics, mostly concerned with special
education. Telephone 1-800-986-4550.
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Parents Involved Network (PIN) is a self-help, advocacy, information and training
resource for parents of children and adolescents with emotional problems.
Telephone 1-800-688-4226.
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Pennsylvania Protection and Advocacy provides information, referral and technical
assistance on programs and services, alternative options and advocacy strategies.
Telephone 1-800-692-7443.
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Pennsylvania PTA was the second state PTA organization to be chartered in the
nation. It is the largest statewide organization working exclusively for children and
youth by promoting legislative involvement, leadership development and parent
involvement. The address is 4804 Derry Street, Harrisburg, PA 17111. Telephone is
1-717-564-8985. A lot of interesting material is on their web site at <www.papta.org>
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Pennsylvania Resources and Information Center for Special Education (PRISE) is a
statewide information service that conducts literature searches regarding children
with special needs. Telephone 1-800-441-3215.
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Special Education Consult Line is a service of the Pennsylvania Department of
Education, Bureau of Special Education, Division of Compliance that answers
questions about special education laws and policies. Telephone 1-800-879-2301.
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RESOURCES IN PRINT
Math for Parents
Kanter, Patsy F. with Linda B. Darby. ‘Helping Your Child Learn Math (1999)’ in Helping Your
Child Series. <www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/hyc.html>, (10-26-99). Many of the resources
listed in the next six pages likely originated from Kanter’s publication. There also are
many other useful resources at this web site.
Burns, Marilyn. Math for Smarty Pants. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1982.
——. The I Hate Mathematics Book. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1975.
Commission on Standards for School Mathematics of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. Reston,
VA. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989.
Help Your Child Learn Number Skills. Usborne Parents’ Guides, EDC Publishing, 10302 East
55th Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74146.
The Learning With Series. Cuisenaire Company, P.O. Box 5026, White Plains, New York
10602-5026, 1-800-237-3142.
Parker, Tom, (1984). In One Day. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1984.
Reys, Barbara. Elementary School Mathematics:What Parents Should Know about
Estimation. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (Pamphlet,
10 for $7.50).
——. Elementary School Mathematics:What Parents Should Know About Problem Solving.
Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (Pamphlet, 10 for $7.50).
Room, Adrian. The Guiness Book of Numbers. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 387 Park
Avenue South, New York, New York 10016- 8810.
Stenmark, Virginia Thompson and Ruth Cossey. Family Math. Lawrence Hall of Science,
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720.
Thomas, David A. The Math-Computer Connection. New York: Franklin Watts, 1986.
——. Math Projects for Young Scientists. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988. Math Matters.
National PTA and Exxon Foundation. Video tape and pamphlet useful for parent
meetings.
The following pamphlets are available from the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091-1593 (1-800-235-7566).
All are priced 20 for $5, 100 for $15.
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Family Math Awareness Activities
n
Help Your Child Learn Math
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Using Calculators to Improve Your Child’s Math Skills
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Books for Kindergarten Through Grade Two
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno’s Counting Book. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1986. Topic:
Number sense and counting.
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno’s Counting House. New York: Philomel Books, 1982.Topic: Number
sense and counting.
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York: Philomel Books, 1994. Topic: Addition
and subtraction.
Friedman, Aileen. The King’s Commissioners. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1994. Topic:
Counting, number sense and place value.
Friedman, Aileen. A Cloak for the Dreamer. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1994. Topic:
Relationships between geometric shapes.
Hoban, Lillian. Arthur’s Funny Money. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1981. Topic:
Money, addition, subtraction.
Myllar, Rolf. How Big Is a Foot? New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1991. Topic: Measurement
of length.
Pinczes, Elinor J. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1993. Topic:
Place value and division.
Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York: Crown Publishers, 1991. Topic: Place value and
division.
San Souci, Robert D. The Talking Eggs. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1989.
Topic: Number sense.
Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1986. Topic:
Money, counting, place value.
Tompert, Ann. Grandfather Tang’s Story. New York: Crown Publishers, 1990. Topic:
Geometric concepts using tangrams.
Viorst, Judith. Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. New York: Macmillan
Publishing Co., 1978. Topic: Money and budgeting.
Zimelman, Nathan. How the Second Grade Got $8,205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty.
Chicago: Albert Whitman and Co., 1992. Topic: Money and budgeting skills.
Zaslavsky, Claudia. Count on Your Fingers African Style. New York: HarperCollins Publishers,
1980. Topic: Counting and numeration.
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Books for Grade Three Through Grade Six
Anno, Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno. Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar. New York:
Philomel Books, 1983. Topic: Multiplication, especially factorials.
Coerr, Eleanor. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. New York: Putman Publishing
Group, 1977. Topic: Geometry using origami.
Emberley, Ed E. Ed Emberley’s Picture Pie: A Book of Circle Art. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.,
1984. Topic: Geometric reasoning, fractions and mixed numbers.
Giganti Jr., Paul. Each Orange Had 8 Slices. New York: William Morrow & Co., 1992. Topic:
Counting, addition and multiplication.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. New York: William Morrow & Co., 1986. Topic: Division.
Jonas, Ann. Round Trip. New York: William Morrow & Co., 1983. Topic: Shapes.
Mahy, Margaret. 17 Kings and 42 Elephants. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers,
1987. Topic: Multiplication, division and number sense.
Mathis, Sharon B. The Hundred-Penny Box. New York: Puffin Books, 1986. Topic: Graphing,
measurement of time.
Pittman, Helena C. A Grain of Rice. New York: Hastings House, 1986. Topic: Number
patterns, exponents, large numbers.
Schwartz, David M. How Much is a Million? New York: Scholastic Inc., 1985. Topic: Large
number concepts, multiplication and estimation.
Magazines and Periodicals
Dynamath. Scholastic, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3999, or telephone 1-800SCHOLASTIC. Filled with many different activities that involve all strands of math.
Children in grade 5 particularly like this. Nine publications are sent each school year.
$5.00 for the subscription.
Games Magazine, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347. The adult version of Games
Junior (see below). Older children may prefer this to Games Junior.
Games Junior, P.O. Box 10147, Des Moines, Iowa 50347. A challenging but fun magazine of
all different kinds of games that give children hours of “brain workouts.” Appropriate
for ages 7 and up.
Math Power. Scholastic, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3999, or call 1-800-SCHOLASTIC. Exciting and inviting, this magazine is filled with many activities that involve all
types of math. Good for grades 3 and 4. Nine publications are sent each school year
for $5.00.
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Puzzlemania. Highlights, P.O. Box 18201, Columbus, Ohio 43218-0201. Includes puzzles
involving words, logical thinking, hidden pictures, spatial reasoning et cetera. The
cost is about $7.50 per month.
Zillions. Consumer Reports, P.O. Box 54861, Boulder, Colorado 80322. Children’s version of
Consumer Reports. Shows math in the real world and offers children the opportunity
to see how gathering data and information can lead to good decision making. The
cost is approximately $2.75 per issue.
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PARENTS’ RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET
The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a huge collection of education
materials, services, articles, coursework, infoguides, databases and question and answer
services. If you are connected to the Internet, you can go to the AccessERIC site to review
any number of excellent overviews offered as a set of “Parent Brochures” using this address:
<www.accesseric.org/resources/parents>. Look at these two brochures in particular:
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“What Should Parents Know About Performance Assessment?”
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“What Should Parents Know About Standardized Testing In Schools?”
Another ERIC web site, known as ERIC Digest, offers a checklist of questions to ask your
child’s teacher before test administration, as well as a checklist of questions to guide your
proper responses to the test results. The address to this site is
<http://ericae.net/edo/ED315434.HTM>. The topic is :
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“Talking to Your Child’s Teacher About Standardized Tests”
A useful primer that presents balanced resources to help parents to distinguish between
desirable and undesirable policies and practices related to standardized testing is available
at <www.parentsoup.com/edcentral/testing>. The article is called:
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“Parent Soup Education Central: Standardized Testing”
If you need basic definitions and explanations of standards, fairness and appropriate
use of tests, visit the web site sponsored by the Association of Test Publishers at
<www.testpublishers.org>. The article is called:
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“Questions About Tests”
Parent-teacher conferences are a critical component of student evaluation. The Family
Education Network offers, in a checklist format, the questions that will help to generate
productive, informative parent-teacher conferences. The site is:
<www.familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,1-2499,00.htm>. The article is:
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“The Parent Teacher Conference—Five Must-Ask Questions”
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