modern parents digest

Volume II, Issue II

Encouraging Your Child to

Read

modernparents

digest

CONNECTING HOME & SCHOOL

ADHD:

Tips for

Home

2 modernparentsmagazine.com

HOME-SCHOOL RELaTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3a Successful Family-School Relationship

pRESCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4How to Raise a Reader

ELEMENTaRY SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Encouraging Your Child to Read

MIDDLE SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Guide to Middle School Success

HIGH SCHOOL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7preparing for College in High School

SpECIaL NEEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (aDHD)

Families in the know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

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advISoRy BoaRd

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contents

modern parents magazine 3Join us on Facebook.com/modern.parents

home-School RelationS

Guidel ine 3 : Ar range the confer-

ence at the teacher's conven-

ience.

The teacher now has suff ic ient t ime

to p lan and to have the necessar y

infor mat ion a t the conference. An

unplanned conference can turn out

to be a waste of t ime for both

teacher and parent and cause fee l -

ings of fr ustrat ion.

Guidel ine 4: Plan for the confer-

ence.

Write out the areas and quest ions

you want the conference to cover.

Combine, de le te , and c lar i fy these

quest ions ; and , f ina l ly, pr ior i t ize

them. By us ing th i s process, your

most impor tant quest ions wi l l be

answered in a c lear, succ inct man-

ner. Moreover, the teacher ' s re -

sponses wi l l l ike ly be c learer and

more to the point . Jo in us as w e con t inue th i s s e r i e s in the next i s sue .

a SuccessfulFamily-school Relationship


How to Raise a Reader

“Reading” will change as your child grows–chewing books, turning pages, pointing out pic-tures, naming things they recognize, pretendingto read, mastering the complex process oflearning to read words and sentences and even-tually whole stories.

Interesting stories, more than mastering the me-

chanics early on, will encourage children to be

lifelong readers. So do your part to make sure

the books are enjoyable for your individual

child. This can be finding a book with silly

rhymes, fantastic illustrations, a special subject,

pictures and pages made by your child, or a spe-

cial trip to the library or bookstore (or your pe-

diatrician.) Try to combine books your child

selects with ones you think your child may love.

Most importantly, remember that your daily in-

volvement will determine whether reading is

fun – the snuggling next to you, the voices you

give to the characters, the little games you play

by changing words and stories, your undivided

attention, and your overall attitude toward read-

ing.


pReSchool

modern parents magazine 5

encouRaGinG YoUr

cHiLd to Read


Alphabet Hunt. Make a list of allthe letters in the alphabet. Haveyour child identify household itemsthat start with as many of the let-ters as possible.

Concentration Games. Create agame using coupons. Childrenwould need to match two similarproducts. The brand names ofthese products may differ, if youwish.

Create Stories. Make up storieswith your child. Alternate betweenparent and child in adding lines tothe story.

Predict the Story Outcome. Flip

through a picture story book with

your child and have him or her pre-

dict the story outcome from the

pictures. Then go back and read

the story to your child.More tips in the next issue.

educatoRSelementaRy School


Guide to middle school Success

We continue our tips for helping your child

during the challenging middle school years.

• Identify other resources.

Encourage your children to find homework

buddies, and do not hesitate to line up extra

support if needed. Get to know the guidance

counselors and other school employees. Edu-

cation support professionals generally know all

of the students in the school, and their rela-

tionship with your children will continue as

they move from one grade to the next. Con-

sider taking advantage of the many technol-

ogy-based tools and educational software titles

now available.

• Stay in touch with your children’s teachers.

If teachers have access to e-mail, it can be an

effective way to maintain regular contact in ad-

dition to telephone calls and in-person visits.

Let teachers know of any home issues that

may affect academic performance or needs.

• Inspire learning outside school.

Nurture your children’s personal interests, per-

haps finding activities that parallel what they’re

studying in school, thus fostering their enthu-

siasm for learning as a life-long endeavor.National Education Association and LeapFrog


middle School


Today we continue our advice from the

United States Department of Education to

high school parents.

Encourage your child to take more Advanced

Placement (AP) courses in high school.

Advanced Placement courses are classes that high

school students take to prepare them for college,

or post-secondary education. Students receive ac-

tual college credit while still in high school. This

opportunity can also help parents financially. The

AP courses that students take in high school re-

duces the number of credit hours they are re-

quired to take during the freshman year. As a re-

sult, students can likely take classes ahead of

schedule. This could result in an earlier gradua-

tion date, thus saving parents college costs.

How does the curriculum of an AP course differ

from the "normal" high school course? AP

courses provide the equivalent of first-year col-

lege introductory courses. Students are given the

responsibility to reason, analyze, and understand

for themselves. AP courses include content as de-

scribed in The College Board overview and course

syllabi. ed.gov


preparing for college in high School

educatoRShiGh School


Continue to focus on the need for

structure and routine for your

child's daily schedule.

Have tangible reminders:

vA big clock in the bedroom;

vCharts for chores;

vAssignment pad to recordhomework and a specific folder to

put work in upon completion;

vGain the child's attention be-

fore speaking to him or her. Have

the child repeat back directions for

things that are really important.

Avoid the following:

vAdministering consequenceswithout prior warning or without

the child understanding why he or

she is receiving them; and

vResponding inconsistently toinappropriate behaviors.

TIPS for HoME

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(adhd)

U.S.Department of Education

Special needS


Families in the Know

Dr. Diane Bordenave, Child Development and Family Studies

Southern University at New orleans

[email protected]

You’ve heard the expression, “Knowledge is

Power!” When it comes to you and your child

with special needs, knowledge about issues related

to children with disabilities can empower your

family and the community in which you live. The

following are ten “need to know” items that can

help you create and implement your own action

plan built on best practices and available resources.

Your role is vital. It is through the actions of par-

ents and family members like you, that legislation

and organizations have improved the lives of all

children and families.

1. Know the Law

There are four key pieces of legislation to know

that have the most impact on students with spe-

cial needs and their families: Individuals with Dis-

abilities Education Act (IDEA); No Child Left

Behind Act (NCLB); Section 504 of the Rehabili-

tation Act; and Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA). State laws usually mirror these federal

statutes.

2. Know the Process

Each law mandates the process to follow if you

have a child you suspect has special needs or who

has a documented disability. You must know the

steps in the process from the start, because you

and your family must live with the end results.

3. Know Your Rights

IDEA and other legislation give families certain

rights, starting with requesting an evaluation, being

a part of the decision making team, and the right

to contest the decisions made for your child. A

copy of your rights must be given to you, so make

sure you read it!

4. Know the Language

IEP, LRE, BIP, accommodations or modifica-

tions....can seem like a second language. Know the

lingo. Research the terms and know what they

mean so you can participate fully in the process.

5. Know Who Qualifies

IDEA defines specific criteria for categories of

disabilities. Know who qualifies for services under

IDEA, but don’t stop there. It is possible that

your child can have his needs met through Section

504 or other laws.Jo in us as w e con t inue th i s ar t i c l e in the next i s sue .

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