STEPS TO BETTER GRADES FOR YOUR CHILDREN

ARE YOU A VISUAL LEARNER?

ARE YOU AN AUDITORY LEARNER?

ARE YOU A TACTILE LEARNER?

VISUAL LEARNERS

Prefer to read rather than listen – Are good with charts and graphs – Work best on their own-

TIPS FOR VISUAL LEARNERS

Compare your notes with a classmate who takes good notes-

Write vocabulary words on index cards with the definitions on the back-

When reading, pay close attention to pictures, charts, maps, etc.-

Study by yourself in a quiet area-

With your eyes closed, picture important information in your mind –

Make flash cards-

Make charts to help you remember the order of things in a list – picture the number of things on the list to mentally make sure

you remember them-

AUDITORY LEARNERResponds well to verbal instructions and studies well with friends

–

TIPS FOR AUDITORY LEARNERS

Summarize class notes on tape and listen several times-

Tape record definitions of vocabulary words-

Repeat spelling and vocabulary words aloud-

Recite lists aloud –

Read aloud –

Study with a friend – take turns reading material aloud – quiz each other aloud -

TACTILE LEARNER

Learn best by doing – Need a physical connection to what’s being taught – Prefer to do rather than read or listen and work best when

they move around –

TIPS FOR TACTILE LEARNERS

Use mapping

Use a highlighter with your note-taking

Make index cards and walk around while reciting info –

Change study positions often –

Take frequent short exercise breaks –

Study with soft, soothing music-

ORGANIZATION

Clean out book-bag, and school desk. Trash should be discarded, papers filed and only the essentials remain.

Procure the necessary notebooks and school supplies and label them appropriately.

Arrange the home study environment for maximum efficiency.

Use a filing system.

Create a weekly planner for each family member.

Encourage your child to write goals down and review them often –

Let student set his/her own goals-

Reward progress appropriately –

Goals must be challenging but realistic –

State in positive terms –

Break down into steps

Must be measurable

Must be flexible

Must be within your control

Sample Weekly Planning Sheet

MON. TUES. WED. THURS. FRI. SAT. SUN.

6:00Get up –Eat

Get up-

eat

Get up - eat

Get up-make bed

Get up - eat Sleep! Sleep!

7:00Dress-

Make

Bed

Dress – feed dog

Dress – make bed

Eat,dress,feed dog

Dress, make bed

Sleep! Sleep!

8:00Arrive at

School

On time

To school on time

To school on time

To school on time

To school on time

Team party Church

Family time

3:00Eat snack

Begin home-

work

Dr. Appt. Snack – home-work

Snack-homework

Snack – play time

game Play time

4:00Homework

(SPECIFY)

Home-work

homework Play time Homework

5:00soccer dance Church-

family timedance soccer Play time TV

6:00Dinner

Chores

Bath

Dinner

homework

Dinner

Home-work

Dinner

homework

Out to eat Pizza and movie

dinner

7:00Read/TV

bath

Homework

bath

Read/TV

bath

Read/game night

Family time Family time Family time

Make sure you understand how to use the planning sheets. Review the sheets daily at first, then weekly

after your child demonstrates competence. Be supportive, but do not enable. In order for time-

management principles to take hold, the student must assume control. Share your own time-management challenges and successes. Manage your own time well. Nothing teaches better than a good example.

Good note-taking skills reduce study time and improve grades.

Use Abbreviations: %=percent, w/o=without, *=most important, @=at, etc.=and so one………….

Always put the date and subject at the top of every page.

Leave space so you can add info later.

Don’t waste time writing down things you already know.

Review notes the same day you take them.

Make an outline.

Use Categories

A category groups things that have something in common. Grouping in this manner illustrates comparing and contrasting.

Trees

Evergreen Perennial DeciduousNeedles don’t shed all single main stem broad leaves

at once. Branches extend from trunk Branches spread

Often upside-down cone shaped

PUT THINGS IN SEQUENCE

1787-Fitch lauches first steamboat on Delaware River

1788 – Fitch launches second steamboat

1804 – Stevens launches first boat on Hudson River

USE VISUAL METHODS

Clustering

Family Life HabitsLives in packs Howl to communicate

WOLVES

Appearance HabitatDoglike Used to be in N. Hemisphere

HAT DIAGRAM

Dirt roads got muddy.

Wagons were small and slow

Boats were limited by river geography.

Boats could not go on frozen rivers.

Transporting goods in New Jersey was a big problem in the 1830’s. (main idea)

MEMORY TECHNIQUES

ANCRONYM – A word or phrase created by shortening a much longer phrase. They’re often created by using the first initial of each word. Example: NATO (north Atlantic Treaty Organization. You can make up your own – just make it memorable!

ACROSTICS – Use the first letter of each word to make a sentence. Example: to remember the order of the planets, use My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas – Mercury, Venus, Earth Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

ASSOCIATION – Can be a phrase, rhyme, sentence, or mental picture. For example, if you are trying to remember that

REHEARSAL - Pretend that it’s test time and you are totally unprepared for the test – You would probably make a bad grade, and you, your parents and your teacher would all feel terrible. Have a “dress rehearsal” and recite everything you know about the subject in front of a “live audience” – Let your audience ask any questions, offer hints, and correct mistakes you might make. This is the time to clafify any doubts you may have about the material. Flash cards work well here. Study cards with the material written on index cards are great too!

Offer to read aloud to your child so that they may practice note-taking skills-

Share examples of good listening and poor listening from your own life- Talk about the positive and negative

consequences that resulted-

Stress that the key to good listening is preparation – keep up with homework, come to class prepared to listen-

Listen actively – Put the information in your own words and evaluate material as you go along-

Communicate with Teachers

Help build the respect for teachers by expressing appreciation and admiration for the work they do-

Suggest the student think about homework as part of his/her job-

Confirm that no matter how the student feels about the teacher, he/she / is responsible for learning the material that is taught –

Note instances where the student’s good communication with the teacher had a positive result –

Your involvement in your child’s homework time is vital –

Average homework time for K-2 is 10-20 minutes-

Average homework time for 3-5 is 30-60 minutes –

By investing in this amount of time with your child daily, you are not only developing good work habits- you are building a solid foundation of trust and mutal respect.

You are still your child’s first and best teacher!!

Thanks for all you do.