Huntington Learning Center

Sunday, August 20, 2017

4 Homework Tools to Keep Children on Track

4 Homework Tools to Keep Children on Track

Homework is a great way to reinforce what children learn in the classroom and provide opportunities to practice skills independently. Unfortunately, it can be a source of stress for many children—especially those who are naturally disorganized and tend to “spin their wheels” at homework time. Luckily, there are lots of aids that will help keep children on task and focused on what they need to accomplish. Here are some of Huntington’s tried-and-true homework tools for students:

Homework completion chart – Perfect for younger children who do not get a lot of homework but still need a simple way to mark off when they are complete with it, a homework completion chart teaches children good habits like writing down assignments and managing their tasks. Your child can keep this chart on hand during homework and check off subjects as finished. Here’s an example of what this chart might look like:

Week of: February 12

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Math	X
Spelling	X
Reading	X

Subject homework checklist – For children who struggle to keep track of multiple subjects, a weekly “by subject” homework checklist is a good way to keep tabs on what they need to do each night and what is coming up. One week’s sheet should list out each subject (math, reading, science, etc.) and have five boxes underneath for the days of the week. One subject would look like this:

Subject: Math

Day	Homework
Monday	Workbook p. 12-13 Read Math text p. 25-27 Review today’s notes	X
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Daily assignments sheet – For those who like having the “big picture,” the daily assignment sheet is an invaluable tool. You can make copies for each day of the week. The idea is to get your child into the habit of recording to-dos at the end of each class and using that as his or her guide at homework time that night. Here’s an example:

Date: Monday, March 10

Subject	Assignment	Anything coming up?
English	Read text Chapter 2 Worksheet	Test Friday Report due March 22
Math	Text p. 14-17
Science	Read text Chapter 3 Review notes from today	Quiz Thursday on Chapter 3
History	No homework, but study flash cards	Test Thursday
Spanish	Worksheet	Paper due March 25

Project plan – For times when children have bigger projects to work on over the course of a few weeks, it’s a smart idea to break up the assignment into manageable tasks with deadlines. Encourage your child to create such a project plan as soon as the project is assigned. There are many ways to create a project plan, but here’s one possible structure:

Class: Social studies

Assignment or project: Research paper

Task	Start date	Deadline	Done
Select topic		October 1
Create outline	October 2	October 4
Research sources	October 5	October 6
Narrow down to best materials	October 7	October 7
Revise outline	October 8	October 8
Rough draft	October 10	October 12
Brainstorm visual aids	October 13	October 13
Draft #2	October 14	October 15
Choose visual aid and start collecting materials	October 14	October 16
Draft #3	October 16	October 17
Finalize visual aid	October 17	October 18
Finalize report	October 18	October 19
Proofread final report	October 20	October 20
Turn in paper		October 21

One of the keys to homework success is to stay organized, and charts and checklists help children do just that. In combination with use of the day planner, have your child try a few different methods and tools to discover what helps him or her be the most successful. Embracing such methods will give your child a sense of responsibility and ownership, help him or her stay focused on what he or she must do and when, and put those goals front and center.

5 Tips to Make it a Great School Year

Contact: Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

5 Tips to Make it a Great School Year

Ankeny, Iowa. August 20, 2017– As your child starts the new school year, it’s the best time to set the tone for positivity. As Dr. Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center says, a bit of “mental preparation” can help children and parents kick things off on a good note. “We tell families all the time that attitude has a major impact on how a child views school,” he says. “Parents who communicate with their children about school and its importance and embrace an optimistic demeanor about how to tackle challenges along the way have a tremendous influence on their children’s outlook as well.”

How can you help your child make this a great school year from the start? Here are five tips:

1. Talk about failure as a good thing. Many children who have faced school adversity in the past approach each new school year with trepidation—and it’s understandable. However, the best thing parents can do is talk about the fact that each failure yields a new and important lesson. Explain that every mistake or difficult class is an opportunity to grow and learn and apply that knowledge to a future situation.

2. Keep it in perspective. Reflection is a powerful activity and reminds your child that even the hardest situations will turn out fine. Talk about problems your child has had in the past and how he or she overcame them. Remind your child that if similar issues arise this year, they won’t ruin your child’s life forever. When a poor grade or failed test occurs, teach your child to take a deep breath, calm down and think about how to do better.

3. Give a refresher on problem-solving. Problems in life are inevitable. Build your child’s independence this year by reminding him or her of the steps to solve problems. Give your child plenty of opportunities to make decisions and deal with the consequences of those decisions—good or bad. Encourage your child to persevere when his or her first attempt at something isn’t successful.

4. Embrace a growth mindset. Children who believe their intelligence can be developed excel in school and life much more than those who believe it is static. Talk with your child about embracing challenges, even when they prove frustrating. Celebrate forward momentum and progress and remind your child regularly that there’s something new to learn each and every day. The more you can show your child that learning is continuous, the more open he or she will be to soaking up new knowledge.

5. Set goals. A new school year is the perfect time for children to think about what they want to achieve in the months to come and how they will do so. Talk with your child about what is important to him or her this school year and how you can support those efforts. Then, be sure to revisit those goals every month and at report card time.

Parents can make such a big difference in how their children approach the school year by being confident and enthusiastic from the outset. “Even if your child has had some difficult times in school, you can still start things off with a positive attitude,” Dr. Shaw says. “Children are perceptive—if they sense optimism from their parents, it rubs off. Make this school year great by encouraging your child to put the best foot forward and committing to supporting your child however he or she needs it.”

About Huntington

Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

©2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center®, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN® are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

Helpful hint for coping skills for your child going back to school.

Helpful hint for coping skills for your child going back to school.

1. Get back into a routine.
For example: set bedtime and wake up time schedule. Look at fall schedule and see if it is manageable.

2. Start reading again.
If your child has not been reading much during the summer months, go to library, get some reading material and even start a nightly reading routine while making it a family activity. This will make a difference.

3. Look over past year's schoolwork.
Refresh your child's memory on what he/she was learning at the end of school year and get them into the school mode.

4. Start talking about school.
Discuss with your child what they may be looking forward to or have some qualms about the next grade, new teacher, new classroom and more. Ease their fears by visiting school with them or talk to teacher during the first week during parent/teacher conference.

5. Get organized.
Tidy up work space for your child, have a place for school supplies, backpack so that they are not scrambling around trying to find these items when they go to school. Set a routine and an expectation when homework should be done.

5.Discuss goals for the new year.
Have your child write down five goals for the first semester and they plan on achieving those goals. Revisit the goal in two weeks and see how the strategy is going and how you child is feeling about it.

If your child is struggling and need help getting off to the right foot, you can contact Huntington for help. Call 1 800 CAN LEARN and see how we can help your child learn skills for the school year.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

7 Note-Taking Strategies for High School Students

Contact:Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

7 Note-Taking Strategies for High School Students

Ankeny, Iowa June 1, 2017– A lot changes when students transition into high school and one skill that becomes more important than ever is that of note-taking. “In high school, students are expected to become proficient note-takers, and those notes will become essential study tools that they use to review material for quizzes and tests,” says Doctor Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center. “Note-taking should augment student learning and help students recall difficult concepts more easily and remember what teachers teach. Our goal when working with students is to share some of the basics that will help them retain what they learn and study smarter.”

Dr. Shaw shares these seven strategies for effective note-taking with parents and their teens:

1. Record meaningful facts. The goal of note-taking should be to summarize the most important parts of what a teacher shares during a lecture: dates, names, places, formulas or anything else that is emphasized. It’s good to write lots of notes, but teens should focus on recording points that seem important, recurring themes or other details that are critical to their overall understanding.

2. Group ideas. Lots of “raw” notes may not make studying any easier for a student. It’s a good idea to leave space on the left- or right-hand side of the notebook for condensing and recapping concepts. During class or afterward, teens can write down any main ideas on the side of their notes, or at a minimum, subtitles of what was discussed.

3. Think quality over quantity. New high school students tend to think good note-taking means recording everything the teacher says. It’s a common challenge for students: focusing so intently on taking notes that they forget to listen and process information enough to be thoughtful about what they record in their notebooks. Big picture: notes should concentrate on what the teacher wants the class to know. That may very well mean teens’ pencils aren’t moving the entire class period, and that’s perfectly fine.

4. Follow along in the book if appropriate. When the teacher focuses on a particular chapter or topic, it can be helpful later on to have page numbers to refer to for clarification or more information. Teens should ask at the beginning of the period if the teacher is referencing textbook material.

5. Date and title notes. It’s a minor thing that can make a huge difference: labeling notes will prove helpful when it comes time to study for a test. Teens should always put the date, class name and topic(s) discussed at the top of their notes.

6. Highlight the clues. Teachers usually point out information that students need to know and it is a smart idea to call out these cues in notes. Teens should listen for phrases like the most important part, for example, in summary, as a review and the only exception to this is. These should trigger careful note-taking and teens should notate these important points with an asterisk or other symbol.

7. Say it another way. One of the most important parts of note-taking is not the note-taking itself—it’s the reflection process. Teens should write down complex points in their own words so they are easier to understand later. This helps information “click” and reinforces long-term retention.

Dr. Shaw reminds parents that taking notes is not a natural skill—it must be taught and practiced. “Organized students tend to take cleaner notes, of course, but note-taking is meant to solidify knowledge and make studying easier and more effective, and that doesn’t come easily to many students,” he says. Huntington helps students develop their study skills, including their note-taking abilities. For more information, contact Dr. Shaw at 515-965-3864.

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