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Little Corner Study areas that make the family grade In a perfect world, children come home from school, grab a snack and jump right on their homework without any prodding from you. I'm lucky to have a 10-year-old daughter who does just that. I'd like to think it's because I've created a cozy, inviting study area in her bedroom. Her little corner of the world. While I'm not thrilled she studies with Britney Spears and Hillary Duff blaring from her boom box (or is that booming from her blare box?), the child brings home straight A's, so I'm not going to mess too much with her formula. It doesn't take much to create a homework corner that will encourage young scholars. I simply bought a desk with shelves, painted a wooden chair purple (my daughter's favorite color) and had a beaded lamp shade and seat cushion made in matching Hawaiian print. Hook, line and sinker. However simple or elaborate, setting up a homework corner will be well worth the effort if it will lure youngsters, like my daughter, to study more. When children spend more time on homework, they earn better grades, score higher on tests, including the SATs, which gets them into more prestigious colleges, leading to higher earning potential and therefore, a cushier nursing home for you. So homework corners benefit you in the long run, too. Take a good look at your child's room. The perfect spot for a study area is in there somewhere. If space is a problem, there's a way around that. Consider a corner desk. Not only does it provide an ample work area, but there is room for books and storage on either side, too. Whatever desk you choose - corner, modular, L-shaped, straight, ready-made or built-in - get one that cleans up easily. - By Lynn Armitage; excerpted from our sister publication, Southern California Home and Outdoor Magazine, December 2003. Tips provided by the U.S. Department of Education Here are 10 tips to good study habits: • Set a regular time. If outside activities interfere too much, consider dropping some of them. Homework should be the first priority. • Pick a place that's fairly quiet with lots of light. • Remove distractions and discourage telephone calls during homework time. • Provide supplies and keep them near the homework corner. • Set a good example by frequently reading or writing yourself. • Turn off the TV. • Monitor assignments and inquire about the school's homework policy. • Check completed homework. • Help your kids with time management to avoid last-minute cramming. • Give praise. It can go a long way toward motivating students to complete assignments. Saying Aaah Women make family health-care decisions In addition to acting as the primary caregiver for children and holding down that full-time job, women also tend to have control of decisions regarding their family's health care, a conclusion of the Kaiser Women's Health Survey. Not surprising, their own health often takes a back seat to the needs of family. In a survey of nearly 4,000 women between ages 18 and 64, almost 60 percent of women make decisions about children's health insurance compared to 15 percent whose spouses or partners make the choice. Some 22 percent claimed to make joint decisions. Among unmarried mothers, 85 percent are responsible for such decisions. The survey also noted that half of working mothers miss work when their child is sick with a common ailment such as an ear infection or cold, while just 30 percent of working fathers stay home with a sick child. Of those women who stay home, half do so at no pay. A or F Parents often 'unpleasantly surprised' by report card S ome 66 percent of North American teachers say they have been contacted by parents who were "unpleasantly surprised" by their child's report card, according to a recent survey by Sylvan Learning Center. And 41 percent of teachers also report that their students have sometimes been surprised by their own report cards. Half of polled teachers say that parents admit they are not involved enough in their child's school experience. Additionally, 14 percent say the surprise comes from lack of effective communication by parents with their child's teacher. The teachers agree that parents aren't happy with report card surprises. In fact, 47 percent say that the most common comment heard from parents after receiving a report card surprise was, "What can we do to improve my child's grades?" Also, 21 percent remember hearing parents complain they didn't know their child wasn't performing well in class. "Parents are important members of the education team, and their involvement is necessary for their child's learning success," says Richard E. Bavaria, vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center, which has locations in Orange County and the Inland Empire. "When parents form a collaborative partnership with their child's teachers, they become more aware of their child's progress and are better prepared to help him succeed in school. This helps parents and children avoid the report card surprise." For Sylvan Learning Center's tips on writing, reading, and math, go to; www.educate.com/tips. Here are communication tips for parents to children and teachers • Talk about school every day. Make it a regular part of the family's routine. • Don't wait until report cards are issued to talk about school and grades Frequently discuss with her how she is doing in each subject and what grade she anticipates receiving. • Encourage your child to tell you about his day. Find out what he learned and what are his favorite activities. • Teach your child that education is important to your family. • Develop a parent/teacher relationship with your child's teacher and talk with this teacher at least once a month throughout the year. Remember that your child's teacher has direct contact with your child every school day and can offer invaluable insight into your child's day. • Your child's teacher can benefit from background information about him - talk about activities he likes, special needs, close friends, motivation and things going on at home. • Find out what the teacher's expectations are for the year and what type of curriculum she has set for the students. Have this insight at the start of school and keep track of it throughout the year. Safe, Supervised Why after-school programs really matter to families Americans across all demographic lines consider after-school programs as vital. Voters see them as keeping students out of trouble once the final bell rings, and parents view them as value-added education. Those involved are willing to pay for the extra time on campus, according to a survey by the Afterschool Alliance, as conducted by Lake Snell Perry & Associates and The Tarrance Group. Just 29 percent of respondents believe there are sufficient after-school programs for children and teens. And 76 percent worry that a trend is toward no new programs and, in fact, more reductions. More than 77 percent favor federal grants for after-school use. "Quality after-school programs are a valuable community asset that working families cannot do without," Linda Etheridge, mayor of Waco, Texas, said in a statement. She is a member of the National League of Cities Human Development Steering Committee of its Council on Youth, Education and Families. "The economic reality for most Americans is that two incomes are required to support a family. Quality after-school programs are a necessity and not a luxury for communities." Findings were based on a telephone survey of 800 adults who are registered voters. Funding was provided by the C.S. Mott Foundation. The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization. On the Web: www.afterschoolalliance.org. Social Growth Recess is essential for healthy kids In a recent position paper, the Council on Physical Education for Children (COPEC) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education urged schools to view recess as "separate and distinct from physical education." Why? Discretionary time associated with recess allows children to not only engage in physical activity but also to develop socially. Life skills such as cooperation, sharing, taking turns, respecting rules and conflict resolution are all skills learned and practices during recess time. The paper notes that circumstances including parents working outside the home, neighborhood safety issues and lack of community services limit the time children have to participate in unstructured play. Not only is this compromising their physical health (obesity rates among children are increasing at an alarming rate) but their ability to effectively socialize. Based on this information the COPEC recommends: • Schools should not consider PE instruction as a replacement for recess. • Recess should not be considered a reward for deserving children, but a necessary educational component for all students. • Schools should provide the facilities, equipment and supervision to insure recess is productive, safe and enjoyable. |
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