Study Skills: How To Help Your Kids

You pick up nuggets of wisdom in the most unexpected places. One was given to me by a man I met in the Scottish Highlands.

Although quite advanced in years, he still enjoyed the routine of working his small croft. But didn't he feel the pace these days? Yes, he said, it's a day's work getting started.

No matter how he felt, he had to make the effort to get up and get on!

This advice is not just for farmers, is it?

The same principle applies to our kids when they have to get down to serious home study or 'homework': "It's a day's work getting started!"

So how can we help our kids when their teachers aren't there to 'motivate' them?

There are lots of ways, but here we'll consider only a few of the practical details that are well within our control - and which can radically affect the quality of study sessions.

First and foremost is a suitable place for studying.

Many kids are happy to do their homework in the living area of the home, but that brings its own problems: visitors coming and going, the TV and music are just a few...

Why not go out of your way to organize the home so that the kids have a designated study area, even if it's one they have to share? You may have to give up something like your 'parlor' or 'best room', but if the kids make good use of it, it will be worth it. An online computer would help.

A huge drawback to study is having to set-up an area and unpack books and materials. You'll make it much easier if your kids can leave everything set up for next time.

It's so much easier when all you have to do is sit down and pick up from where you left off!

It's also important to have all the necessary tools and materials for the job close at hand. It's hard to keep up your motivation when you have to stop every second minute to ask: "Anyone got a pencil?" or "What's happened to my calculator?"

It makes life so much easier when all the tools and materials for effective study are in front of you. You feel well-organized and this helps motivation:

Ring binders, notepaper, blank and/or lined sheets, items for geometry and science, a calculator, pencils, erasers, pens and so forth.

These items can make a dent in a student's allowance, so as caring, interested parents willing to invest in our kids' future, it's usually appreciated when we make these available.

The study room, of course, needs to be kept at a comfortable temperature and should be well-aired. There are no bigger barriers to the study habit than a lack of fresh air and an atmosphere that's either too stuffy or too chilly!

In some homes, especially if there's a big family, there's simply no room to set up a study space. Is there a way round this?

Why not see if relatives can help out? Often there's room in the grandparents' house, and they'd be pleased to see the kids pop in for some study sessions.

Or maybe your kids could team up with friends over at their house. But be careful! There could be a temptation to chat instead of getting the heads down!

If that worries you, you could inquire whether the school runs a Homework Club or Supported Study classes after lessons. These are becoming more and more popular and teachers oversee them, so the homework gets completed.

This could be a 'Win - Win - Win' situation: Parents supply the study materials, the school supplies the place and the right atmosphere, and the students make the effort.

Facilitating your children's home study experience will make a huge difference to their success - and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you played your part ...

Enjoy your parenting!

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

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