Educational Real Estate
Are you maximizing your child’s study space?
As this school year begins to get in high gear, it is important to ensure our students’ learning spaces are the best they can be. From school to home, your child needs a place they can study and not be distracted. With the new school year beginning, it is a great time to ensure your home is maximized to support the learning your child is receiving every day. Here are some ideas for you to consider.
1. Does your child have a dedicated place at home where they can study without being distracted? Does the TV bother them? Do they consistently look outside to see what their friends are doing? Consider finding a spot for them to do their work that is free from noise and activities that could pull their focus from their homework.
2. Do you have a place for your child to keep their electronics at night? Allowing your child to keep their tablet, smartphone, or computer in their room at night may be hindering them from getting as much sleep as they need. Children in middle school need 9-11 hours of sleep each night. Most children in middle school do not have the maturing level needed to know when to shut down their devices so they can be rested for the next day. Be sure to check your home for a dedicated docking station location so that you can monitor your child’s usage at night to ensure they get plenty of rest.
3. Do you have a calendar at home that can be used for you and your child to monitor upcoming assignments and tests? Finding a location in your home that a calendar can be placed and monitored is important to help students learn how to pace themselves for upcoming activities. It’s hard for adults to pace themselves much less 10-14 year olds. Work with your child to make a plan to accomplish their assignment ahead of time by breaking it into smaller chunks.
4. Do you have a place that you can discuss with your child what they are learning in their classes? Perhaps this is the car on the way home from a game or practice. Or, perhaps this is your dinner table. Regardless of where this occurs, make sure it happens. Every teacher at PMMS writes two important questions on their board each day: what am I learning today and how will I show that I learned it. Talk to your students about these two questions. If they can’t tell you what they are, have them start writing them down each day in their agenda. Review your student’s agenda and read their teachers’ blogs. Don’t assume that just because you have a good student that they are mature and responsible enough to pace their learning or keep you in the loop with important activities at school.
Making sure our kids are successful at school takes the help of both teachers and the family. Working together this year we can help ensure they will be more prepared for high school success
Are you maximizing your child’s study space?
As this school year begins to get in high gear, it is important to ensure our students’ learning spaces are the best they can be. From school to home, your child needs a place they can study and not be distracted. With the new school year beginning, it is a great time to ensure your home is maximized to support the learning your child is receiving every day. Here are some ideas for you to consider.
1. Does your child have a dedicated place at home where they can study without being distracted? Does the TV bother them? Do they consistently look outside to see what their friends are doing? Consider finding a spot for them to do their work that is free from noise and activities that could pull their focus from their homework.
2. Do you have a place for your child to keep their electronics at night? Allowing your child to keep their tablet, smartphone, or computer in their room at night may be hindering them from getting as much sleep as they need. Children in middle school need 9-11 hours of sleep each night. Most children in middle school do not have the maturing level needed to know when to shut down their devices so they can be rested for the next day. Be sure to check your home for a dedicated docking station location so that you can monitor your child’s usage at night to ensure they get plenty of rest.
3. Do you have a calendar at home that can be used for you and your child to monitor upcoming assignments and tests? Finding a location in your home that a calendar can be placed and monitored is important to help students learn how to pace themselves for upcoming activities. It’s hard for adults to pace themselves much less 10-14 year olds. Work with your child to make a plan to accomplish their assignment ahead of time by breaking it into smaller chunks.
4. Do you have a place that you can discuss with your child what they are learning in their classes? Perhaps this is the car on the way home from a game or practice. Or, perhaps this is your dinner table. Regardless of where this occurs, make sure it happens. Every teacher at PMMS writes two important questions on their board each day: what am I learning today and how will I show that I learned it. Talk to your students about these two questions. If they can’t tell you what they are, have them start writing them down each day in their agenda. Review your student’s agenda and read their teachers’ blogs. Don’t assume that just because you have a good student that they are mature and responsible enough to pace their learning or keep you in the loop with important activities at school.
Making sure our kids are successful at school takes the help of both teachers and the family. Working together this year we can help ensure they will be more prepared for high school success
