NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
January 15, 1998
Kim Bushaw, Parent Line Program Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
Yesterday afternoon was amazing at our house. We were all home, and nobody even asked to leave. The doorbell was silent, and the phone didn't even ring until almost 10:00 p.m. The time was so peaceful and productive I almost didn't recognize it for what it was— finish-the-major-projects-before-the-end-of-the-semester day.
Middle school is more challenging than the earlier grades with more projects and more reports being done independently. So with Styrofoam, sequins and wire in hand, daughter created a calcium atom. Math and English were finished, and a final book report was started.
Senior-high son, surrounded by a mountain of library books, took over the computer for the final draft of a giant term paper assignment. I did book work, read my own assignments and assisted where needed. Editing, bending wire, hearing about the plot of a book, visualizing Styrofoam calcium—you know, the usual assortment.
It was one thing to expect that we could all hunker down as students at our house this day, but why didn't the phone ring constantly with Sunday afternoon invitations to "do something?" My guess is that many people are putting in their last-ditch efforts before the end of the semester.
Whether your students are finishing projects or studying for finals, ask what else needs to be done, expect them to be responsible for their own work but be available for help and support when asked. Here's a list of suggestions for parents and students during crunch time:
n Parents and other adults can help the student plan ahead to break larger projects or big tests into doable chunks. Many a school-age child has finished the book report by flashlight under the covers at least once in their lives. Teach planning by modeling it in your everyday life as well as by posting pieces of assignments on the calendar to work toward. Older students with little practice in long assignments may appreciate this sort of help too. Ask them early in the quarter during the calmer times.
n Perfectionists of any age need this sort of help. They also need to gain realistic expectations of themselves. By procrastinating, the perfectionist gets to use the excuse, "If I just had more time I would have been able to do a wonderful job, but now I'll just have to live with this."
n Ask your older students to help their younger siblings. When we teach a concept that we learned earlier in life, we tend to see new connections and solidify our own learning. For long-term tutoring, consider paying the older family member so you can comment if you aren't getting what you expect from the arrangement.
n For big tests like final exams, students learn facts well ahead of time then memorize them one more time right before the test. When you get your test paper, "dump your brains" of all vital test information on the back of the page. You can refer back whenever you need to without worrying about forgetting who the 14th president was or what the symbol for hydrogen might be.
n Practice taking the test the same way it will be given. Use the example of the weekly spelling test. The teacher says the words orally, and the students write the answers. So do the same when preparing for the next spelling test.
n Good nutrition and enough rest seem to be the first to be forfeited when extra work piles up for both children and adults. Teach children how to work smarter by planning healthy schedules and foods and postponing other offers until the crunch time has passed. These are lifelong skills our children look to us for and copy, healthy or not. My standing rule for myself is this: if you don't offer to help before, you aren't allowed to complain nearly as loudly after the grades are out.
More than 100 Parent Line columns are in the book "Please Tell Me This is Just a Stage." To order, send $9.95 per copy to Distribution Center, Box 5655, NDSU, Fargo, ND 58105-5655.
Kim Bushaw answers the Parent Line, an information and listening support warmline for North Dakota parents from the NDSU Extension Service. Call the Parent Line at 1-800-258-0808 (231-7923 in Fargo) with questions about this column and other parenting topics.
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Source: Kim Bushaw (701) 231-1070
Editor: Becky Koch (701) 231-7875