A new school year begins soon.
Some parents are eager for kids to get back into the academic swing. Others may dread the homework, paperwork and activities that will pile up on the kitchen counter and the family calendar.
To keep stress at bay, it pays to discuss good study habits and sanity-saving routines now.
We asked local experts for tips to foster school success and harmony at home.
For the first story in a two-part series, our sources were Denise Ensign, director of the Kumon Learning Center at 8133 161st Ave. NE in downtown Redmond; and Vanessa Walsh, director of Kumon at 22320 NE Marketplace Drive, Suite 101 in the Redmond Ridge neighborhood.
Kumon offers reading and math programs to help children and teens master fundamental skills.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
“Routine is critical,” said Ensign. “There should be a set time and set place to study every day.”
Families should agree upon a consistent time period and location where students’ work can be completed in an environment free of clutter, TV, radio, video games or phone chatter.
Although many kids want “down time” when they get home from school, Ensign believes it’s best to keep the break short — just long enough to enjoy a snack — before buckling down with the books.
Putting Kumon assignments or regular schoolwork off until after dinner increases the chance that your child will get tired, lose focus or maybe even fall asleep before the work gets done.
“For a big project, strive for 15 minutes a day, rather than six hours the night before it’s due,” Ensign recommended.
Walsh acknowledged that for high school students, the academic day can be very long, but their early wake-up call is all the more reason why they should try to tackle homework sooner rather than later in the day. For elementary students, whose school day doesn’t start so early, a brief study period can take place after breakfast and before they leave the house.
MASTER THE BASICS
“Without proficiency in the basic skills of math and reading, more complex study is not possible,” Ensign stated.
“When a child’s education process starts, it is important for parents to understand that their child has to develop strong math calculation and reading skills. Children who do not master basic math calculation skills will always struggle in math. Children who struggle with reading from an early age will always struggle to complete their homework, let alone be able to score strongly on tests.”
Walsh explained that Kumon started with the founder’s son who was struggling in math.
“The founder made worksheets for him and it grew from there. Some students use this to catch up (to grade level) and some parents just want kids to be in a good place, the top third of their class or better.”
As early as preschool, it helps that kids know what to expect and to have some basic mastery of letters and numbers.
“The range going into kindergarten is enormous,” said Walsh. “Some don’t recognize their own name, some are reading chapter books.”
Kumon’s curriculum covers basics from letter and number recognition and learning to count, all the way up to calculus, she said. The trick is to “give them work exactly right for them,” starting with something easy, then giving them something a little harder.
“Self-learning is very important … give them self-sufficiency,” Walsh said.
TEACH PERSEVERANCE
Students need to be told that “winners never quit and quitters never win,” Ensign noted. “A child’s past experiences of success and failure help them form their attitude toward achievement.”
By the time children are 8-12 years old, they have already developed their self-perception as an achiever or non-achiever, she added.
“Children who are motivated to succeed usually set moderately difficult goals, which are reachable. Those who strive to avoid failure set goals that are either trivial or impossible to reach. The child who is fearful of failure sets no goals. In order for a child to be successful, it is often necessary to try, fail and try again before success is met.”
HELP, DON’T HOVER
Until students prove that they are responsible and accountable, parents should check to make sure assignments are written down in their agenda books and that the assigned work is completed.
“Additional support parents can give to children is to review their homework for errors and return it to them to correct to 100 percent. By reviewing a child’s work every day, parents will see how they are progressing and catch areas of weakness before they are compounded,” said Ensign. “When parents take time to review their child’s homework, it sends a message to children that parents value what they are doing.”
However, don’t do their work for them and use thoughtful language when you notice mistakes.
“When you do review your child’s work, a positive attitude toward errors is important,” said Ensign. “Look at errors as a learning tool. Have children look at their work, figure out where they made their mistake and correct only from that point on. Don’t let them erase an entire problem and start over, as they are more likely to repeat the same kind of error in the future if they are not allowed to figure out the why, how and where of their errors.”
SET AN EXAMPLE
Parents also need to stay organized — and to reserve a few minutes each day to read notes from teachers or sign permission slips so that paperwork doesn’t fall through the cracks.
“Set an example, not ‘Do as I say, not as I do,'” Ensign urged.
And don’t be afraid to check your child’s backpack for notes or homework that should have been turned in.
“Some kids do the work but then forget to turn it in,” Ensign pointed out. “Consistency and follow-through are the strongest tools parents can use. You have to be their parent, not their friend.”
For more information, contact Denise Ensign at (425) 869-3939 or Vanessa Walsh at (425) 495-4968 or visit www.kumon.com.
