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<title>Hassle-Free Homework&#xae; RSS</title><link>http://www.hfhw.net/index.html</link><description>Latest HFHW&#xae; Article</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><dc:rights>&#xa9; 1989-2009 Yvonne Fournier &#x7c; All rights reserved.</dc:rights><dc:date>2010-12-14T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 08:05:55 -0500</lastBuildDate><item><title>Student&#x27;s mission changes with different grades </title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-12-28T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/81d501ffc14c48051820b634d9c84372-213.html#unique-entry-id-213</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/81d501ffc14c48051820b634d9c84372-213.html#unique-entry-id-213</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I feel that since this is the first time she has really had to work hard for good grades, she is at a loss for how to handle the pressure.  

...Basic skills is a catchall group that includes reading, writing and arithmetic, but also include decoding words and meanings, understanding the differences between facts and opinions, identifying the main ideas and supporting information, grammar, punctuation, and language formulation with logic and sequences, just to name a few. 


...Here, the premium shifts from the ability to memorize through repetition in a convergent way to a more divergent, abstract understanding of information that will ultimately lead the student to the creation of new knowledge. 


...In middle school the above is given, but the students are now also to compare and contrast the motivations for the Confederacy and the Union stances, and use them to explain why we had a Civil War. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Children cannot grow two feet taller overnight</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-12-21T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/80b9b140ab6a3ac2212fb5521c04f785-212.html#unique-entry-id-212</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/80b9b140ab6a3ac2212fb5521c04f785-212.html#unique-entry-id-212</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Debbie: It is natural for a parent to shriek with delight when they are told that their child is performing above the level of his or her peers.  

...The bait is to fall for the erroneous belief that your child can grow two feet taller by tomorrow; the idea that teaching our children enough quantity is better than ensuring that the quality of learning is acceptable, or that the material is being taught with the depth that goes beyond passing tests.  


...	&bull;	The opportunity for a 5-year-old to be treated like a 5-year-old &ndash; because, for the rest of the child&rsquo;s life, he or she will be expected to learn, behave and demonstrate competency at the level of children one to two years older.


...Decisions about school based solely on a child&rsquo;s cognitive ability are what I call &ldquo;off with their head&rdquo; decisions &ndash; as if we guillotined them from the rest of their being.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safe school environment means bullying must end</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-12-07T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/cd0c3b2b11e10ed7758d7febf679b858-210.html#unique-entry-id-210</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/cd0c3b2b11e10ed7758d7febf679b858-210.html#unique-entry-id-210</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is an easy thing for the wolf (the bully) to try and single out the member of the herd that he perceives as weak and or alone, so encourage your son to play or sit with a friend or two in the lunchrooms and on the playground.  

...With most bullies, we are dealing with people who have a deep sense of guilt that has led to fear; that fear has led to anger, and that anger has led to the desire to expel the negativity via a scapegoat: either him or her self (self-inflicted harm) or another person (bullying, physical or verbal abuse.)  

...I give this advice because I cannot advise a course of action in good conscience that may put your child in a more dangerous situation, or one that will jeopardize his standing with the school and with his academics by risking a suspension.


...So, if self-defense courses are ever one of the options you are considering, please take the above points into advisement, and be sure that your son understands that he will not become a superhero after one class, nor will it give him permission to use this training without just cause lest he become that which he seeks to protect himself from.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Acceptable home behavior may not fit school rules</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-11-30T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1e7401b9799e14d29156cb57bf80a353-209.html#unique-entry-id-209</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1e7401b9799e14d29156cb57bf80a353-209.html#unique-entry-id-209</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Robin: While you admit that your child's reputation as "class clown" at the beginning of the year was not entirely undeserved, it is important to see why this reputation followed him throughout the academic year, despite good grades and an attempt to improve his conduct.


...But there is another issue: Many parents equate good behavior at home with good behavior at school and they are surprised when bad conduct grades come home. 

...For example, if you ask your child to take out the garbage, you may accept the answer, "I'll do it as soon as my favorite show is over." ...  But in school, when a teacher asks a student to perform a task, the proper response is to do it immediately, not to negotiate or do it at the child's convenience. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Save Pharmaceutical Solutions for Last</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-11-22T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1d00aab32be5c0ad9abdee2baaad367b-208.html#unique-entry-id-208</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1d00aab32be5c0ad9abdee2baaad367b-208.html#unique-entry-id-208</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I want to be clear that I also include all of the other pharmaceuticals that are used to treat the same problems, like Aderall&reg;, Concerta&reg;, Focalin&reg;, Vyvanse&reg; and the rest, and that when they are used appropriately and in those cases where they are legitimate solutions, they are helpful.


...However, the lure of instant gratification sometimes proves to be too strong, and pharmaceutical remedies are pushed at the expense of a child&rsquo;s ingenuity, creativity, sense of exploration, initiative and other psychological attributes that may not fit the cookie cutter mold where a child sits like a statue in his or her chair in a trancelike &ldquo;focus.&rdquo;   


...Sometimes, when parents give in to the perceived quick solution, it may not prove be what their child wants or needs, and can cause a lot of heartache and family strife along the way.


The question I ask a parent when I find that they have their child on one of these medications is simple:  &ldquo;If your child were not in school, would he/she still be taking the medication?&rdquo;  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Educator&#x27;s job is to assess strengths&#x2c; not weaknesses </title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-11-16T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/afc3da533548192faf7c731d7806e6d8-207.html#unique-entry-id-207</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/afc3da533548192faf7c731d7806e6d8-207.html#unique-entry-id-207</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A parent who is determined to hold onto the former idea can only keep the fallacy of this illusion alive until their child begins their scholastic career, when slowly the idea of perfection begins to fade when the child&rsquo;s unique quirks and interests begin to manifest.


...Too often, we assume these skills are already in place (instead of teaching them), and then we blame the child's attitude, his performance or both when he fails to measure up to our assumptions. 


...Once this is determined, the next questions should logically be &ldquo;How do I use the strengths that this child already has to make up for his weaknesses?  

...This is to be avoided, lest this language become a self fulfilling prophecy, as your son will ultimately agree with others&rsquo; reviews of him and comes to the conclusion:  &ldquo;Okay, I&rsquo;ll be unmotivated, lazy, and careless.&rdquo; 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What does it mean to be a Strategizer&#xae;?</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-11-09T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1c127490f254e6cdfac0d567f7cd61a6-206.html#unique-entry-id-206</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1c127490f254e6cdfac0d567f7cd61a6-206.html#unique-entry-id-206</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Assessment: The Strategizer&reg; is best thought of as a collection of instructions that I have found work to help children of all ages to address all the intangibles that they are expected to apply daily at school, yet were either partially taught, or not taught at all.  

...There is no anticipation of how to prepare for assignments, prioritize work so that a student will manage his daily work list effectively, break long-term work into manageable (and doable) chunks, or provide instruction in a way that forces the students to answer questions about the way they approach their work. 


...This gave me the liberty to give older students the pre-college skills they need, while leaving the elementary and middle school versions to ensure that the appropriate foundation is laid so that transitions in the levels of classroom work will be manageable for students by developing the habits required to be responsible and self-reliant.


...I feel that it is a truly unique approach to common problems that will ease parent/child conflicts in the home, decrease stress, teach the intangibles, and lay the foundation for success in both school and in life.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Learning each day eliminates necessity to cram</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-11-02T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/261a1743442b5b29e3189b66c2ae4165-205.html#unique-entry-id-205</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/261a1743442b5b29e3189b66c2ae4165-205.html#unique-entry-id-205</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[You are both correct, but &ldquo;studying is not allowed&rdquo; is only effective as a policy if the learning has already taken place each day, and there are no major chunks (like missed learning from previous tests) that have not since been mastered. 

...While it may get them through tomorrow&rsquo;s quiz, the information hastily memorized through rote repetition will not be retained for the long-term, and will be evident when their final exam grade is poor. 


...Students may be able to get by as a "robot," but that does not prepare them to make independent choices later in life or emerge as an independent adult who is able to succeed in a collaborative workforce. 


...If you are not familiar with the Strategizer, it is an all-in-one planning, organizing, and anticipating tool that I developed to help children deal with questions such as the one you have, and to help them develop the responsibility, self-reliance, entrepreneurship and visioning skills to take full control of their lives. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Thinking; expression enhanced by the power of words</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-10-26T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/39783f211f3ab979b9f4317f7a1e126c-204.html#unique-entry-id-204</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/39783f211f3ab979b9f4317f7a1e126c-204.html#unique-entry-id-204</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Below I have collected a few translations of a classic haiku by the Japanese poet Basho to show how dramatically different the moods conveyed are by the word choices that were made by the translators:


...When your son writes papers, he is probably not expected to translate Japanese poetry, but what he can take from this example is an awareness of how words have subtly different meanings.  

...Although a dictionary can tell you a lot about a word&rsquo;s meaning, it does not stimulate you to reflect immediately on the nuance that makes that word different from all the rest. 

...Mastery of this skill will allow your child, through his own choices of words, to show the world the unique person that he is.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Time management must be learned</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-10-19T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7defea81c409241da9138891a105f98c-203.html#unique-entry-id-203</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7defea81c409241da9138891a105f98c-203.html#unique-entry-id-203</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ask if your child can be graded only on the homework he or she completes until you have made progress in teaching how to judge and use time wisely.


...Begin each task by having your child estimate to you how much time he or she believes it will take.   Write this time estimate in two places - at the top of the page your child is working on, and on a separate tally sheet with four headings: 


...Make sure your child is the one to set the timer not you - because as you teach your child to take control of time, it is important for him or her to take physical control as well. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Slow down overstressed student 1-2-3</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-10-12T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/73c127b103146677066f1aa0a5db1441-202.html#unique-entry-id-202</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/73c127b103146677066f1aa0a5db1441-202.html#unique-entry-id-202</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I've told him that I am pleased that he wants to do his work but he doesn't understand that even if he does it and gets it wrong, it doesn't help him. 

...If I spend quality time understanding the instructions and working a little slower, I won't have to come back to the work and re-do it later. 

...Help your child understand that &ldquo;hurry up&rdquo; in school does not always mean, &ldquo;Get it done quickly,&rdquo; but means &ldquo;Get it done as quickly as you can with quality so you won't have to come back to it later.&rdquo; 


Additional problems may also affect a child who hurries his school assignments and homework, like understanding working capacity and test taking skills, but these are much easier to isolate after the &ldquo;1-2-3-Check&rdquo; has become a reflexive action for your child. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Turn high schooler&#x2019;s desire for a job into a lesson in real life</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-09-14T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/9a4679e5460fb16cc72980948ce535ad-201.html#unique-entry-id-201</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/9a4679e5460fb16cc72980948ce535ad-201.html#unique-entry-id-201</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Assessment: Though this arrangement looks good on paper and is developing responsibility, you and your family need to stop for a moment and consider what message your child is getting about the world of work.  ...  They learn that the paycheck is for pleasure first, simply disposable income and entertainment dollars, and to &ldquo;help out&rdquo; with what's left over, like for his car insurance.


...The first step is for your child to take a long look at the family expenses and all the basic necessities you pay for him - mortgage payments, insurance, telephone bills, utility bills, groceries, laundry, car, car maintenance, etc.  

...No matter what your economic situation, your child should be encouraged to contribute something &ndash; even if it is only a few dollars- to cover basic living expenses first before leaping to the pleasure purchases. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Success and work may not always go together</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-09-28T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/86a80760610669ea037a31f8deddf8a0-200.html#unique-entry-id-200</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/86a80760610669ea037a31f8deddf8a0-200.html#unique-entry-id-200</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Jennifer: Your letter brings up many points for discussion, but I would like to focus on just one statement that I often hear from both parents and teachers: &ldquo;When she really puts in the effort, she can do it.&rdquo; 


...Though effort and success are not synonymous, they can be complementary, By helping your child define the effort she needs to succeed, you can help her learn a very important life-lesson: The effort needed depends on the task at hand. 


What To Do: Jennifer, if you are concerned with your child's effort, then realize that you are concerned with your child&rsquo;s need to develop the means through which she will reach the desired goal: success in school. 

...Rather than reading each word in the chapter, he or she may simply scan to see if the existing knowledge is correct and sufficient At the end of the study session. this child may just go over the new information rather than trying to relearn material that has been covered before. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Praise promotes learning and helps counter cycles of negativity</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-09-21T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/cfe90b7b9d41663d7684497c809bb7c7-199.html#unique-entry-id-199</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/cfe90b7b9d41663d7684497c809bb7c7-199.html#unique-entry-id-199</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They send children to school who can&rsquo;t wait to go because they love to learn, and in just a few years they have a child who hates anything that even sounds like school or learning because they &ldquo;can't do it."


...In my work with children over the years, I have witnessed a cycle of disappointment and grief that leads to the lack of what I call an &ldquo;I can do&rdquo; attitude. 

...LACK OF &ldquo;I CAN DO&rdquo;: I believe our children's grief is what destroys in them the desire to continue approaching learning from a position of hope and aspiration. 

...When your child starts to bring home her papers, use her grades simply as a signal to show what learning she has mastered and what she has left to learn. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New school year means lots to get used to</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-08-31T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/522814d17e830e9b15db8506565cb382-198.html#unique-entry-id-198</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/522814d17e830e9b15db8506565cb382-198.html#unique-entry-id-198</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When the first six weeks have passed &ndash; and report cards have come home &ndash; it&rsquo;s not too late to teach your child how to cope with changing expectations of one or many teachers.


...Once both lists are ready, ask her which items from last year she is ready to let go of because she can see what she has this year.    For the items that are left, do one of two things:  First, figure out something your daughter can do, like ask the teacher about her favorite colors; or, second, for the things she cannot change put the list in her baby album as memories to share with others.


The first six weeks of school are all too often viewed as the easy six weeks, but they can be a time when children grieve over what they had the year before and cannot get back.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prepare your child for grade-level transition </title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-09-07T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/247db8fa4aae334908b9f3b81711444a-197.html#unique-entry-id-197</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/247db8fa4aae334908b9f3b81711444a-197.html#unique-entry-id-197</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Still, each time one of us met with the teacher, she kept telling us that it was just our child Why has kindergarten turned into so much work, and what can I expect as my child enters first grade? 

...For parents, the start of a new school year can signal only more work and tears, due to a mentality of desire in this country for bigger, better, sooner and more when it comes to education.  

...These are but a few of the behaviors expected of a child in a four-year kindergarten, and yet these are characteristics that many adults have yet to develop. 

...Kindergarten to first grade: kindergarten is already teaching content we knew in the first and second grades, but there is also teaching of "school skills," such as how to stay seated and how to stay on task. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Explore possibilities before ADD/ADHD label</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-08-24T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/61287bbb83721d53c29aea420ed6677e-196.html#unique-entry-id-196</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/61287bbb83721d53c29aea420ed6677e-196.html#unique-entry-id-196</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Fournier: I have read a number of your articles, and I think the idea you have presented in the past that children who have ADD or ADHD are somehow misdiagnosed or can be dealt with without medication is against everything I have read elsewhere.  

...Frankly, I could make a case that one or more items on this list applies to all of the people some of the time just as much as it characterizes some of the people all of the time.


...All too often, when a child is identified as &ldquo;spaced out,&rdquo; or &ldquo;inattentive,&rdquo; and this judgment may cascade into a description of how the child lacks focus, cannot follow directions, and is seldom on task, which is the result from the one-size-fits-all conclusion of ADD.   

...As such, I will continue to give parents and teachers non-chemical prescriptions in the form of learning strategies to help children learn to cope with the changing demands of their learning environment long before I recommend medication of any sort.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Self-reliance: The key to understanding working capacity</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-08-17T17:34:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/c9bffc8e6116c0b7e862ac04f0963f7f-195.html#unique-entry-id-195</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/c9bffc8e6116c0b7e862ac04f0963f7f-195.html#unique-entry-id-195</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I especially like the idea of keeping the log showing the difference between the child's estimate and actual time it takes to do a task, however, I have a child who always underestimates how long things will take.&nbsp; 

...When making a commitment, your child must know how to do the task or be willing to learn, and must agree to having it done when it is due. 

...Inability to estimate how much the time a task will take (working capacity) has additional potential negative consequences:  the outward appearance of lack of responsibility often results in labels such as careless, disorganized, lazy, inattentive, unfocused, and unreliable. 

...As your child carries out the &ldquo;research&rdquo; phase on learning how long different task really takes he is going to be ready for future grade levels that will expect more done in less time.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Grades show what is left for the child to learn</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-08-10T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/ac2a6ce63d63350d25f9100b0ecb998f-194.html#unique-entry-id-194</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/ac2a6ce63d63350d25f9100b0ecb998f-194.html#unique-entry-id-194</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Susan: This eight year old child has already experienced the repeating of junior kindergarten, (which includes seeing his friends move on while he is left behind), testing, labeling, medication so he is able to learn, humiliation in class, no summer vacation in four years and goes to more school (tutoring) after school. 

...Missed learning only becomes dangerous if it is material that is left unlearned, because it will create a deficiency in his foundation of basic skills and will continue to affect any subject matter he covers in later grades that is dependent on his mastery of these correlating basics. 


...When parents and teachers get to the point where they feel that they have done everything and don&rsquo;t know where to turn, the best thing to do is to listen to the child, who more than anything just wants love and acceptance.	  The only way a child will feel this is through the words and actions of those whom he wants to please the most, so it is extremely important for the child to feel that his parents see his or her strengths instead of focusing on and drawing too much attention to weaknesses. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Simple instructions&#x2c; sometimes not so simple</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-08-03T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/a94744326906543ec1c96c366f85efad-192.html#unique-entry-id-192</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/a94744326906543ec1c96c366f85efad-192.html#unique-entry-id-192</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While your child may be hearing your instructions, that does not mean they have learned to add the mindfulness and attention required for listening.


...For example, you may give what you believe to be a simple instruction: &ldquo;Bring me your laundry and make sure it&rsquo;s ready to be washed before I get busy with dinner.&rdquo;  

...Once you have said the instructions, go over it again and teach your child to separate the tasks with you.


...By then, see if he can quantify and summarize (find key words and create a sequence from these:  upstairs, laundry, laundry room, separate, group, and done!) ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Don&#x2019;t judge new toys in yesterday&#x2019;s context</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-07-27T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/784ab77ae133011eb679a59385f6d2f8-191.html#unique-entry-id-191</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/784ab77ae133011eb679a59385f6d2f8-191.html#unique-entry-id-191</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just because today&rsquo;s parents either did not have a video game system as we were growing up, or grew up with many of these systems in their infancy does not mean that the boom in gaming we see today is worthless or bad for our children.  

...Children can learn many important skills from video games: They can learn to think in terms of goals and strategies; to take risks without fear of attempting; and &ndash; perhaps most important for the workforce of 2020 &ndash; to expect and accept failure without paralysis and know that success may take weeks or months.


...However, these factors can give us the opportunity for discussions that we might otherwise be put off from having, and can help our children know that the boundaries we set have to do with our beliefs and values.


...Only then can you decide if the good outweighs the bad, and vice versa, so you and your child can make decisions together based on your child&rsquo;s future and not your past ideas of &ldquo;good toys.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Set rules to help child enjoy &#x2018;homebody&#x2019; days</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-07-20T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/b590cd6801887df1c6d53a9c4edcf84c-190.html#unique-entry-id-190</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/b590cd6801887df1c6d53a9c4edcf84c-190.html#unique-entry-id-190</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Many people have to take steps to re-learn how to develop this side of themselves later in life, so if you see this as a quality your child already possesses, understand that it is a gift. 


What To Do: Linda, whenever your son expresses the need to be alone, set down some rules as if he were having another child over to play.  ...  Keep the list on the refrigerator door, and as your child has &ldquo;homebody days,&rdquo; he may think of other activities to add to the list.  

...2) It will help you know the types of supplies to keep in stock around the house, such as watercolors, a tool kit or clay. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>You answers to children&#x2019;s questions will help in school</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-06-22T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/3300e4fbb07b411691c550204a701d00-189.html#unique-entry-id-189</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/3300e4fbb07b411691c550204a701d00-189.html#unique-entry-id-189</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Susan: Although reading is essential for your children&rsquo;s success in school and in the future, you and your husband should not feel guilty because the task seems like such a chore. 


...Knowing how to read also means knowing what to read, why you want to read it, whether the reading fulfilled your purpose, and what the reading did for you or left undone. 

...- Reading a poem or scripture can tell your children their feelings are valued and let them go on in spite of the hurt. 


...As your children practice meaningful reading such as the examples listed above, they will also learn that reading is not confined to books. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trust imperative for a child to grow up</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Middle School</category><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-06-15T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1064b84a856ac70e366af5eea51ab71d-188.html#unique-entry-id-188</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/1064b84a856ac70e366af5eea51ab71d-188.html#unique-entry-id-188</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Camps want this age child to work and not play but I want her to have a break from school and not start working so I&rsquo;m not going to send her to camp and I&rsquo;m not going to let her baby-sit.


...And because I am a single parent with no family here to help me, I have no choice but to let her stay home alone, yet I&rsquo;m afraid of everything I hear in the news. 

...Malinda, you can begin by visiting your state&rsquo;s Department of Human Services website for any state mandated ages or guidelines it may have on leaving children home alone. (http://www.tn.gov/humanserv/) 


...As you will see from this site, Tennessee has only a guideline &ndash; age 10 &ndash; for how young a child can be to stay home alone. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Don&#x27;t cram facts&#x2c; use context to develop learning</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-06-29T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/daf357cc265cb51ebe5a772b33755270-187.html#unique-entry-id-187</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/daf357cc265cb51ebe5a772b33755270-187.html#unique-entry-id-187</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After about two hours of testing, I was given a list of things my son needs to work on the rest of this summer, including his ABCs, learning numbers through 10, colors, shapes, body parts, directions, motor skills, and his name, address and phone number. 


...Dear Kellye: With increased pressure from society to teach more and teach it sooner, schools are changing so rapidly that it&rsquo;s no longer a simple comparison between the education of our generation and of our children&rsquo;s. 

...What To Do: As a parent, our responsibility is to help our children develop an awareness of learning in the context of life, not to teach a list of facts in the context of school. 


...I have often read instructions to parents indicating how to help teach concepts such as have your child put his foot &lsquo;in&rsquo; and &lsquo;out&rsquo; of a garbage bag to teach direction and count out the chocolate chips before putting them into the cookie dough. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Time is life: Calendars develop responsibility</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-06-08T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/acbf8da8c45e8680149fb441975c6490-186.html#unique-entry-id-186</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/acbf8da8c45e8680149fb441975c6490-186.html#unique-entry-id-186</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Fournier: During the past school year, my daughter has made great strides toward being responsible when it came to her daily schoolwork, but she fell behind every time there was a long-term assignment such as a book report or science project.  


...For a child, chores and responsibilities can make a long summer seem very short &ndash; so it is a great time to learn how to manage time and develop responsibility while still leaving plenty of time for summer fun.


...Then help your child add things you know she will have to do that she might not think of, such as: &ldquo;feed the dog, go to the dentist, get a haircut, and make a card for grandmother&rsquo;s birthday.&rdquo; 


...As summer goes by and your child can see how she can be in charge, you can set her up to take charge of her life when school starts again because now she plans on it! 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Let children resolve boredom alone</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-07-06T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/690bc04d9d8be5c1844ac1ca43f31cd1-185.html#unique-entry-id-185</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/690bc04d9d8be5c1844ac1ca43f31cd1-185.html#unique-entry-id-185</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Because of these circumstances, it is difficult for children who are trained to &ldquo;follow the leader&rdquo; (the teacher) for at least ten months out of the year to know how to do for themselves what they have little experience doing. 

...For parents, the Greeting Card Syndrome can cause the belief that happiness is a daily vitamin requirement to be given, and then fall victim to the erroneous thought that they are supposed to supply this happiness vitamin to their children. 


...What To Do: Regardless of all you do for and give to your children, there is an intangible gift that could mean the difference between being a follower for the rest of their life or being a leader in all that they do: the capacity to take charge of life through critical and creative decision making.


...This will require you to have rules about when and for how long children will be allowed to view television, play video games, or be on the computer wasting time, but it will teach them to overcome Greeting Card Syndrome, resolve these feelings of boredom for themselves and to cope with the negative feelings attached to it. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Emphasize gains&#x2c; losses in child&#x2019;s approach to tasks</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-07-13T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/59f33debb8056c5888ffea1a2db23897-184.html#unique-entry-id-184</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/59f33debb8056c5888ffea1a2db23897-184.html#unique-entry-id-184</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At the office, if you have not completed the work you were expected to do, we do not hear an employer come in and say, &ldquo;If you complete the employee handbook, I&rsquo;ll give you $5 for each paragraph and $1 for every sentence,&rdquo; or &ldquo;Bring in your stereo. 

...This is an important understanding not only for the short term repercussions with the family, but also for his long term development in how he will participate in creating and maintaining future relationships in his adult life.


...We all have the right to experience failure, but if a student chooses to do poor work, he or she needs to understand that the choice has been made for both short-term (in school grades) and long-term (in life opportunities) losses for the minimal gain of avoiding work.


After you discuss these gains and losses, work with your child to develop her own definitions of doing well and doing poorly in school, then do the same for the responsibilities she has at home with the family.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Students: Don&#x2019;t ruin college chances by picking wrong classes&#xd;</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-05-11T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/d12b889c8fa87604d6cbcd3e43392b71-183.html#unique-entry-id-183</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/d12b889c8fa87604d6cbcd3e43392b71-183.html#unique-entry-id-183</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Instead, they will continue to do as they are told, do as they see others do, or do as they please based on the amount of free time they want now or in their senior year of high school.


...This does not mean that as an eighth-grader, he must decide today what he plans to do with the rest of his life but he should have some idea of his destination. 

...Have him write the grade he must get in each course for each subject in order to end up with a grade point average that will open doors later in college, vocational school or in a job. 

...If they do this for four years of high school, it should be no surprise to parents they will do this in college and end up with a degree that leads to a dead-end street.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Study skills classes simply outdated way of learning</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-05-18T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/73d8f90ad7da43ccedb90607254cf555-182.html#unique-entry-id-182</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/73d8f90ad7da43ccedb90607254cf555-182.html#unique-entry-id-182</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Fournier: All year long, my son&rsquo;s teacher has written notes saying my child could do better, needs to prepare more for tests and needs to show more effort. 

...The Assessment: The notion of study skills has its roots two or more generations ago when people went to school to prepare for a working world that required sameness of thinking: Many people carrying out the same job description with the same level of productivity.  


...During vacation, he may find some of the best processes for learning, whether it&rsquo;s keeping up with his favorite baseball team or figuring out how to build a tree house. 


...Take time once a week to review this with your son and help him learn how to set new strategies that will help him adapt to changing tasks and complex situations at school and in all other environments. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Teacher works as long as child works like everyone else</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-05-04T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/280570aa3723b6d5062ff7e075609710-181.html#unique-entry-id-181</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/280570aa3723b6d5062ff7e075609710-181.html#unique-entry-id-181</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What we need from reform is not more teaching but more learning and that our choice is not merely between public and private schools, but between schools that focus on teaching and those that focus on learning.


...A teaching-intensive curriculum requires students to memorize enormous amounts of information for short-term recall: &ldquo;We discuss the chapter in class, the children answer the questions from the book and we have a test every two weeks.&rdquo; 


Learning-Intensive Curriculum: A learning-intensive curriculum encourages the students to process information with thinking, learning and creativity: &ldquo;Each child must read the chapter and be able to explain the impact of an event in history or bring to class the questions of the chapter that the author&rsquo;s did not answer.&rdquo; 


Homework: Ask to see a typical week&rsquo;s homework assignments and judge what will be expected from your child both in how they will perceive learning (memory/thinking) and the hours of their childhood it will take to comply. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Seniors: Graduation NEVER ends; Parents shocked</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-05-25T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/ff7ea6893f7154af30a9f52443e17fdc-180.html#unique-entry-id-180</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/ff7ea6893f7154af30a9f52443e17fdc-180.html#unique-entry-id-180</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What your son is about to begin learning, Marvin, is that we all have a series of graduations in our lives, a time of closing out the past and going on to new challenges. 

...You may even set up a new scrapbook or journal for your child to record the next series of events that will lead to the next graduation of life. 


...By sharing your personal history, your child can learn that hindsight gives us direction, vision gives us a road map, and that living through gains and pains gives us the learning that prepares us to go forward. 

...The true yardstick is not an artificial graduation tied to a school calendar and a piece of framed paper, but real-life turning points that push us in new directions. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Insignificant for you is opposite for child</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Skill Sets</category><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-04-27T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5906e5e38f1f70058d7bf4d52dc06415-179.html#unique-entry-id-179</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5906e5e38f1f70058d7bf4d52dc06415-179.html#unique-entry-id-179</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Fournier: My child called from school for the first time frantic about a playground incident that he thought was killing him, yet when I arrived, it was a simple misunderstanding with the teacher about a kickball rule. 

...This child also needs personal strategies for coping with the hurt of peer humiliation rather than allowing it to accumulate from incident to incident, not knowing how to let go of the pain. 


...Legitimize your child&rsquo;s pain by recognizing that feelings are, in a way, our body&rsquo;s barometer of how we cope with the challenges of life.   As much as we want our children to have good feelings and to be happy, we must help our children recognize hurt feelings so they can take on life with strength rather than fear it to avoid pain. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Repeating an early grade does not mean failure</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-03-23T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/b4c2d8419d2b437efe8220b00b07b9a0-178.html#unique-entry-id-178</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/b4c2d8419d2b437efe8220b00b07b9a0-178.html#unique-entry-id-178</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[His teacher says he will need stronger reading skills to do second-grade work, which is mostly why she is recommending we hold him back.


...By kindergarten, they are learning to read and write; by first grade, they are doing board work and ditto sheets, expected to know how to concentrate and organize themselves to work independently. 


...3) Ask yourself if you honestly believe your son is ready to do the work and feel successful at it so that his motivation doesn&rsquo;t become your major. 


4) If second grade reminds you of your third or fourth grade, try telling your son as he gets ready for bed that you want him to grow two feet taller by tomorrow, or even by the end of spring break. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Certain skills needed for taking the ACT test</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-03-30T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/66348b3e5deea835a68857949e03c266-177.html#unique-entry-id-177</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/66348b3e5deea835a68857949e03c266-177.html#unique-entry-id-177</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Assessment: Tests like the ACT try to determine whether you can analyze the information given; whether you can eliminate that which looks important yet not relevant to the question asked; and whether you can synthesize information to reach conclusions that will help you find the best answer.  


...If you come to a question you believe you could get correct if you had more time, mark the question with a plus mark (+) in your booklet, skip the answer and move on.   If you come to a question that would require a great deal of time &ndash; or one that you do not know &ndash; put a minus (-) sign in your booklet, give it your best guess and keep working.   When you have finished that section of the test, if you have time left, you may go back to the plus marks where you can spend any &ldquo;extra&rdquo; time wisely.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Writing with a pen spells big trouble for children</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-04-06T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/9f0362556d0157478e95444ee5921ace-176.html#unique-entry-id-176</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/9f0362556d0157478e95444ee5921ace-176.html#unique-entry-id-176</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[She has no problem with math at home yet she has a hard time making her numbers readable, so much so that the teacher deducts points off for wrong calculations.  

...Remember that each solution must meet one criterion: Your daughter must do the intellectual work required of all students to master the knowledge at hand. 


...2) Computing 10 math problems takes 55 minutes because your daughter has trouble spacing the problems on the page so they don&rsquo;t run together. ...  Have her do as many problems as she can in 30 minutes, or at least half of the work. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The story of an eighth-grader&#x2019;s life</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-04-13T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/de180cd11cc57f786ceaeb5aeba78a43-175.html#unique-entry-id-175</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/de180cd11cc57f786ceaeb5aeba78a43-175.html#unique-entry-id-175</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[You have managed to survive with an &ldquo;item learning&rdquo; approach in the lower grades, memorizing facts from ditto sheets to be poured out on the upcoming test and then quickly forgotten. 


...What To Do: Steve, your parents, if they want you to be motivated in school, must first learn why all you do in school will be essential to your future. 


...As a child expands his understanding of career choices, parents can help him see how what he learns today in First Period is an item he needs in the future.   Then the horrible names of First Period and Second Period can become First Step, Second Step, and so on to the choices your child will make in a lifetime of learning and success. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>After Spring Break&#x2c; what now?</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-04-20T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/317076f74e93f0f26f9643a6d92e345e-174.html#unique-entry-id-174</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/317076f74e93f0f26f9643a6d92e345e-174.html#unique-entry-id-174</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They were used to coming home from school, getting their homework done in time to play, us having dinner together as a family, and them going to bed on time. 


...The Assessment: As students look forward to a vacation from school and parents savor a break from the routine, anticipation makes us all believe, &ldquo;I can get my work done later.&rdquo; 


...On the left side of the paper, have your child write what he or she was required to do in that class before Spring Break. ...  Have your child write specifically what will be different in each class and provide an extra sheet of paper to record &ldquo;Other Changes&rdquo; likely to occur before the end of the year. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Take a break from studying?</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><dc:date>2010-03-16T12:00:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/94fcf4dbca9e679b33edf13984265008-173.html#unique-entry-id-173</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/94fcf4dbca9e679b33edf13984265008-173.html#unique-entry-id-173</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Suzette: While your comments seem to make a compelling case that your son needs to use spring break to get a head start in preparing for his exams, this school &ldquo;holiday&rdquo; was instituted for a reason: Students (and teachers) need the break.


...While learning how to break from a routine is important, we need to learn how to break constructively so that when we come back to work or school, we are refreshed and not overwhelmed at the thought of having wasted the week when we could have been getting ahead.


Many adults prepare for a vacation by lugging along work-related reports, books or other materials and one of two things happen: They sacrifice vacation time for extra work and thus feel that they had no break or they return from a peaceful break feeling guilty that they didn&rsquo;t get any work done. 


...If he doesn&rsquo;t know what will be coming up beyond spring break, have him meet with his teachers to determine how much new work will be covered in class and how much previous work will be covered on exams. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>C&#x2019;s Do Not Mean Your Child Is A Loser</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-03-09T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/c2f4c047c1191b8ada63308a2df2d773-172.html#unique-entry-id-172</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/c2f4c047c1191b8ada63308a2df2d773-172.html#unique-entry-id-172</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[C&rsquo;s and D&rsquo;s don&rsquo;t automatically mean your child can&rsquo;t learn, is goofing off, or has ADD or ADHD or that your child is doomed to failure because of a C or D on a report card. 

...I have been the principal of a private school for more than 20 years and during my tenure, my conviction has become stronger that children and parents are being pressured to feel that the child will be a loser in life simply because of a C or a D on his or her report card in elementary school. 

...What To Do: Talk with your child and clearly define what a grade is - a measure of what a student is able to give back in a teacher-determined format over which the student has no control.    To do well on a test, a student must learn the material and must be able to give back the information in the accepted format; regardless of the strategy the teacher uses (true or false, matching, essay or class participation). 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Timing Is Everything In Schools</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-03-02T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/8398547a64fdd001a783b987acafc803-171.html#unique-entry-id-171</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/8398547a64fdd001a783b987acafc803-171.html#unique-entry-id-171</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Dear Joan: As part of a society that believes more is better, parents for years have said to schools, &ldquo;Teach my child more, do it faster, and do it sooner.&rdquo;  


...The only problem is they find they&rsquo;ve learning these facts wrong each time they write them on a test and they get checked as being incorrect.


...They have to cover a certain amount of material within state-mandated time frames and they must justify their actions not with evidence of true learning, but with test scores and grades. 


...Then have your child set a reasonable goal - one that is achievable with effort for how many math facts he believes can be completed in school in the time the teacher allots.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Parents Accused Of Being Unfair</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-02-23T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5928d374cf928a527cb197525a55d203-170.html#unique-entry-id-170</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5928d374cf928a527cb197525a55d203-170.html#unique-entry-id-170</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you negotiate rather than argue, your parents might agree to let you stay up an extra 30 minutes, but only if you have a good reason for staying up, for example, to get ahead on a long-term school assignment, such as reading chapters in a book for a book report. 

...Rather than thinking of your parents as mean and unfair, ask yourself, &ldquo;What are my parents trying to give me by not letting me watch TV?&rdquo;


...For example, if your parents will not give up the time for you to do quality homework without rushing, you can have them look at your complete homework and ask you any questions they wish before you watch one TV program that you both agree upon.   If you usually wait until the last minute to do homework or prepare for tests and quizzes, you may have to give up putting off your homework because there would be no TV if you couldn&rsquo;t answer their questions.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>School Expectations Change In Seventh Grade</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-02-16T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/f0e4fa8be01aec87c4ff35f8c28c604c-169.html#unique-entry-id-169</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/f0e4fa8be01aec87c4ff35f8c28c604c-169.html#unique-entry-id-169</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[These children may score well in reading comprehension on achievement tests, but when they are unable to perform on a daily basis they may be told they must &ldquo;try harder&rdquo; and &ldquo;live up to their potential.&rdquo; 


...Ideation: To take what the author says and be able to retell it in the student&rsquo;s own words, phrases, symbols or drawings with extensions from their own thoughts.


...Students who jump over the ideation stage may read well and be able to answer questions on a test, but they do not have the skill of knowing how to anticipate the different ways information can be asked. 

...I have seen students try so hard that they keep copious notes of answers to questions, but the more notes they keep, the worse they do and parents experience what you are experiencing, a drop-off in grades. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Child Can Spell At Home But Not In School On Tests</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>Elementary School</category><dc:date>2010-02-09T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/2e6b04d4dc5ec97ef03c4f25ac275bf5-168.html#unique-entry-id-168</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/2e6b04d4dc5ec97ef03c4f25ac275bf5-168.html#unique-entry-id-168</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While many parents feel this is their responsibility and the least they can do to insure their child is learning, spelling seems to initiate a teaching role at home that only intensifies later on. 


...Between recording the words, your son should write each word correctly even if he has to copy it on a Test Sheet of paper, thus making sure there is enough time left after saying each word on tape to be able to write the word on a practice test. 


...To take the practice test, your son should listen to the Test Recording and write the words on the sheet of paper in the column corresponding to the day. 

...Parents, remember that teachers teach, you are the monitor at home and your child&rsquo;s responsibility is to learn, so don&rsquo;t make your child dependent on you at home, which simply makes him dependent on you during school on tests and quizzes.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mother Doing Homework...</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-02-02T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7d609f6e3aa543715f8816a94961e3b9-167.html#unique-entry-id-167</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7d609f6e3aa543715f8816a94961e3b9-167.html#unique-entry-id-167</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[She feels that she should sit down with our fourth-grade daughter each day at the onset of homework, read over each question or problem, explain what the teacher is asking or requiring of her, help look up the answer in the book or the handouts, and show her exactly what should be written down. 

...Recently, I counseled a couple where the husband was upset with his wife for not merely helping but actually doing their daughter&rsquo;s social studies project, reading a book for her, writing her book report, and doing two chapters worth of math problems. 

...Out of a concern for your daughter&rsquo;s long-term development, you recognize that doing all the thinking for her puts her in the role of a &ldquo;pencil pusher&rdquo; - probably not your goal for her. 

...I believe that becoming an independent learner is one of the most important goals a child can have because it promotes individual responsibility and the abilities of thinking, learning, creating and doing what is necessary with that knowledge. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Son Won&#x2019;t Do Homework But Wants To Be A Judge</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>High School</category><category>College</category><dc:date>2010-01-26T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/f2e69cd02ac51cb091d6f8eb9421e074-166.html#unique-entry-id-166</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/f2e69cd02ac51cb091d6f8eb9421e074-166.html#unique-entry-id-166</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Student has no clue what it will take regarding his studies to get into college, much less law school.<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="2"><tr><td width="15%" valign="top">


...This time last year, we told him that if he had a D for his year-end grade in any course because of his failure to hand in homework, he&rsquo;d have to go to summer school. 


...I&rsquo;m not asking for straight A&rsquo;s, B&rsquo;s and C&rsquo;s would be nice, yet I see nothing but failure or continuing with barely passing grades if he keeps walking on this path. 

...Dear Lois: The key lies not in your frustration or your numerous attempts to help your son, but in the statement that your son believes his home time should be his to do with as he pleases.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Homework Problems Stem From Lack of Plan</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-01-19T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7e5af1c584123aafa76ab2c16c9fb312-165.html#unique-entry-id-165</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/7e5af1c584123aafa76ab2c16c9fb312-165.html#unique-entry-id-165</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Assessment: Julie, it appears you allow your daughter to play after school until dinnertime, probably around 6 p.m., and then she&rsquo;s expected to start her homework. 

...Julie, have your child make a completion plan for homework and other responsibilities each day after school. 

...Depending on the demands of the day, your child should schedule the most difficult work at a time when she is fresh and thinking is best, or tackle easier tasks right after school for a sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a task, then wait until after dinner for more challenging work. 


...If the completion plan doesn&rsquo;t seem realistic, give her time to prove success or failure and set aside a time at the end of the week to discuss ways to improve her new homework system. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Student Doesn&#x2019;t Need Occupational Skills - Yet</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-01-12T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5abb5c79bc38e3730183a6f3239fa7e0-164.html#unique-entry-id-164</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5abb5c79bc38e3730183a6f3239fa7e0-164.html#unique-entry-id-164</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Assessment: When our children don&rsquo;t have the occupational skills of being a student (and these increase in amount and complexity for each grade), we use the quick fix, &ldquo;I'll tell them what they have to do.&rdquo; 

...Unfortunately, at times we are so intent on giving our children current knowledge that the essential task of teaching them how to be independent, self-directed and continuous learners for the grade they are in and to build on later, is glossed over. 


What To Do: Katie, a memo pad or a calendar with a day or a week-at-a-glance feature are the precise ways to tell children what they must do without teaching them skills that will make them lifetime learners. 

...So, when your child doesn&rsquo;t do what you have &ldquo;told&rdquo; her to do, ask yourself, &ldquo;What am I assuming my child knows how to do that she probably doesn&rsquo;t?&rdquo; 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Focus On The Work&#x2c; Not The Grade</title><dc:creator>info@hfhw.net</dc:creator><category>All Levels</category><dc:date>2010-01-05T12:00:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5471ea933444f414745639c0085c90ee-163.html#unique-entry-id-163</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.hfhw.net/Articles/Articles10/files/5471ea933444f414745639c0085c90ee-163.html#unique-entry-id-163</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I think he gave good answers; they were just in his own words, yet the teacher considered they were wrong because they weren&rsquo;t in the same words as in the book. 

...If he answers, &ldquo;Because my teacher (or the book) said so,&rdquo; then you may infer that he is still preparing for the past definition of success. 


...Rather than using school terms such as &ldquo;right&rdquo; and &ldquo;wrong,&rdquo; let your child know that &ldquo;different&rdquo; answers may be perfectly acceptable as long as your child can explain and defend these answers.  


...A paper with answers that were well thought may receive an F in school, but it should earn a 100 &ldquo;thinking grade&rdquo; at home. ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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