Tip #32 from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents (McKinley & Trombly) - Develop a Plan
Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.
#32
Develop
a Plan
If
you are planning for a year, sow rice
if you are planning for a decade, plant a tree;
if
you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
Richard
Fenyman
Becoming a lifelong learner certainly
requires persistence, but it also requires a plan. In Part 1 (Idea #4) you
learned about setting goals by helping your child write down what he aspired to
accomplish. Now that school has begun, perhaps it is a good time to take a good
look at those goals.
Now that he has embarked
on a journey into a new grade, your child’s goals and expectations may be
changing. He may realize that the goal he had originally set for himself is a
bit too ambitious or not quite challenging enough. Take time today to review his
original goals or to write new ones entirely. Choose two or three from
whichever areas he believes he could use the most improvement. Although some
will undoubtedly be academic (become a
more fluent reader), remember, they need not all be. Become a more attentive listener or learn to work cooperatively are important life skills as well and
certainly merit some conscious effort on your child’s part. If he has trouble
deciding what to pick, look back at his final report card from the last school
year. What did his teacher mark as areas for improvement? You could also find
out from his new teacher what are a few of the “big things” that he will be
learning this year.
Remember these hints:
● Review
your child’s goals with him once a month or so. Talk about progress made and
steps toward achievement.
● Choose
an appropriate reward for your child when the goal is reached. (“Reward” does
not have to mean money or presents.) Celebrate as a family!
● Create
a new goal as each previous goal is met and applauded.
● Support
his efforts in any way your family is able. (Do you need to listen to him read
for 15 minutes each night, plan family projects that require cooperative
efforts, find him a private tutor?)
● Don’t
hesitate to ask his teacher for ideas. His teacher has his best interests at
heart, too!
● Display
his goals so he can see them daily as a reminder to keep on track. (Try the
message center, his study area, or his bedroom wall)
● Don’t
forget that if everyone in the family does this, your child will see that
learning is a lifelong process and that everyone
has goals they have to strive to achieve. (He is not the only one who needs to
work on something!) With the whole family working together and supporting one
another’s efforts, it is entirely likely that your child may even find a way to
help you accomplish your goals as
well!
Cindy McKinley Alder Patti Trombly
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For more excerpts from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents, click HERE.
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