Healthy Habits for Effective Learning

  • Academics and Homework:
    Healthy Habits for Effective Learning

    Adequate sleep and healthy habits act as a foundation for good behavior, strong self-control, and effective learning. 

    • Make sure your child gets enough sleep
      • Set a reasonable bedtime and stick to it. Be consistent.
      • Develop a pleasant nighttime routine.
      • Keep screens out of their rooms.
        An alarm clock empowers children to take responsibility for waking up independently. This also frees up their phone to charge in another location, reducing nighttime screen time.
      • Children require significantly more sleep than most adults realize. This is crucial for their physical and mental development. See this recommended sleep chart.
    • Cultivate healthy eating habits with your child.
    • Ensure your child gets regular exercise.
    • Make sure your child has some unstructured down-time.
    • Monitor stress levels and priorities. While good grades are important, fostering kindness, responsibility, and a healthy balance are crucial for their development.

    Emphasize the importance of education and make it a priority.

    • Set high expectations, remain consistent, and hold your child accountable.
    • Expect good behavior at school.
    • Actively participate in your child’s school life by attending key events like Meet the Teacher, Curriculum Night, and Open House. This will allow you to connect with teachers, understand learning goals, and stay informed about your child’s academic journey.
    • Attend parent-teacher conferences.
      • Parents and teachers form an essential partnership in shaping a child's academic journey and positive behavior.
      • Ask about your child’s academic and social progress.
      • Before attending the conference, ask your child if there’s anything they want you to discuss or share with the teacher.
    • Reassure your child that their teacher is on their side; and that you and the teacher are a team working together to help your child reach their goals and succeed.
    • Show an interest in their school day; ask specific, open-ended questions. Avoid asking “How was your day?” or “Did you have a good day?” as these questions often don’t yield a lot of information. Instead, try asking, “What was a good thing that happened today (or a bad thing)?” “What made you laugh today?” “What were you proud of today?” “Did you or someone else do something kind today?” “Did you learn anything cool?”

    Teach your child independence

    • Provide your child with opportunities to do chores and take responsibility around the house.
    • When your child seeks help with a task, instead of immediately providing the answer, offer guidance and encourage them to find the solution themselves.
    • Engage your child in a conversation by asking thoughtful questions. This will guide them to explore different approaches and ultimately discover the solution on their own.
    • Help your child learn to take ownership of their actions. When they drop something, or spill something, encourage them to pick it up or clean it up themselves.
    • Teach your child to tie their shoe laces.
    • Teach your child to speak respectfully to adults.
    • Play games with your child. Teach them the importance of good sportsmanship when they win AND when they lose.
    • Avoid texting your child during the school day unless it is absolutely necessary.

    Build a Strong Partnership: Communication with the Teacher and the School

    • At least weekly, read school or teacher emails, notes, newsletters, and ParentSquare updates. Highlight important dates and deadlines. Make a note of any action items requiring your attention.
    • Do not hesitate to email your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.
    • Encourage your middle schooler to reach out to their teacher directly for clarification or when seeking assistance. As they progress to high school, this skillset will naturally evolve, enabling them to confidently draft polite emails about grades or assignments directly to their teacher.
    • Inform your child’s teacher of any significant home events or circumstances, such as medical concerns, family situations, or the loss of a loved one, that may impact your child’s learning or behavior. This knowledge will allow the teacher to provide appropriate support and understanding for your child.
    • If your child has an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan, email your child’s teachers to make them aware of specific accommodations or support outlined in the plans. This will allow the teachers to gain valuable insights into your child’s needs.
    • Remember that your child’s teacher has your child’s best interest in mind when contacting you about a behavior concern. They want to work together to find a solution.
    • Start by focusing on only one or two behaviors.  Work with the teacher to ensure accountability and communication with you.

    Encourage your Child to Read

    • Elementary and middle school aged children should read every night.
    • Read with your child and have them read to you.
    • Even after they become independent readers, keep reading together. Choose age-appropriate books that challenge them and pique their interest.
    • Ask open-ended questions throughout your reading session. For example “Based on what we’ve read, what do you think will happen next?”, or “If you were in that character’s shoes, how might you have handled the situation differently?” or “Which character do you find yourself relating to the most and why?”
    • Help them find books they’re interested in. Use the library - it’s free!
    • Studies reveal that watching tv shows or movies with captions improves comprehension and memory.
    • A website you might be interested in: Get Georgia Reading

    Building Organization Skills with your Child

    • Review their school-to-home folder together. Discuss upcoming deadlines and designate a spot for each homework assignment.
    • Encourage your child to charge their Chromebook every night.
    • Establish a designated area for your child’s backpack, homework, and Chromebook, creating a ready-to-go “launchpad” for the next school day.
    • Work together to establish a morning routine that allows you to get your child to school on time. This ensures your child gets the valuable learning that happens at the beginning of each day, feeling prepared and confident.
    • Label your child’s jackets, hoodies, water bottles, etc.
    • While middle and high schoolers are developing their independence, they might still appreciate your guidance for creating a system for tracking deadlines, packing for school, and keeping track of their belongings. This will foster ownership and help them build long-term organizational skills.
    • Remind your child to use their planner to record assignments and deadlines. To check their progress, review Schoology together with your child.
    • Procrastination can lead to stress! Help your child create a system for managing their assignments.
    • Regular school attendance is crucial for academic success. In middle and high school, catching up on missed assignments can be demanding. Encourage your child to only miss school for an illness or emergency.

    Self-Motivation is the Best Kind of Motivation

    • While rewards get you started, internal motivation will keep your child going.
    • To instill internal motivation:
      • Celebrate their efforts publicly. Instead of just praising them to you, casually mention their hard work to others. This creates a sense of pride and accomplishment.
      • Unconditional love. Clearly communicate that your love for them is not based on grades or achievements. This allows them to explore and learn without fear of losing your affection.
      • Growth Mindset with “Yet”: Instead of simply saying ‘I don’t know how to do that,” introduce the concept of “yet.” This will teach your child that challenges are opportunities to learn and grow.
      • Effort-Based Praise: When your child achieves success, highlight their effort, not just the outcome. Say things like, “You studied hard for that test, and it paid off!” This will reinforce the connection between effort and accomplishment.

    Homework

    • Ensure your child has a structured time and place for homework, limiting distractions.
    • Eliminate screens from the homework zone.
    • Schedule homework when they have positive energy, such as right after school, after a snack, or after dinner.
    • Homework can be stressful for some children. Doing it right before bed can lead your child to feeling anxious and wound up, making it hard to relax and fall asleep. It’s much better for younger children to have a relaxing bedtime routine.
    • If your child becomes upset or begins crying while doing homework, take a short break to calm down and then start again. You can offer a healthy snack, some light stretching, or a few deep breaths together.
    • Let your child know that once their homework is finished they can choose a fun activity, such as playing outside, using a tablet, or helping to make dessert.
    • To avoid homework overload on busy nights, help your child plan ahead and prioritize assignments for nights with less activity.

    Elementary

      • Review the papers your child brings home. Find something positive to mention. Ask your child to explain the paper, “teaching” you helps them solidify what they learned.
      • Discuss the problems or incorrect answers with your child. See if they can explain how it should have been done. This should appear as curiosity to your child, not you grilling them.
      • Each night, ask your child about their homework. Make sure they understand the instructions and have the necessary materials. Then, give them space to work independently. Periodically check in to offer encouragement or answer questions, but avoid hovering.

    All Ages

      • Let your child do their homework independently and then you can review it with them and assist them with correcting any errors.
      • Resist the urge to fix every error. These mistakes provide valuable information to the teacher about what areas your child needs extra help with.
      • Help your child understand the benefits of studying for tests or quizzes a little each night, rather than just the night before. Reviewing key concepts a little each night helps retain information better compared to cramming right before a test.  
      • Encourage your child to experiment to find the best place for studying. Do they learn best by actively studying, like pacing and reciting aloud, or do they thrive in a quiet workspace like the kitchen table?
      • Help your child plan ahead for larger projects. Together, create a step-by-step plan, outlining deadlines for each stage to ensure they finish the project on time.
      • Sneak in some practice during “wait time”. Use car rides, dinner prep, or waiting rooms to play quick games that reinforce math facts, spelling words or vocabulary.
      • A solid grasp of multiplication tables by middle school sets your child up for success!  These foundational skills become essential building blocks for more complex math concepts.

    Middle and High School

      • Middle and high schoolers should be able to complete homework independently. Parents should briefly check in to be sure their child understands the assignment and to confirm completion.
      • Help your middle or high schooler study for tests or quizzes.
      • Limit screen time and phone usage until their homework is completed.
      • If you notice your child struggling, communicate with the teacher early rather than waiting until the end of the grading period.

    Explore these resources for additional guidance and support!