If your family is like most, you’ve enjoyed the summer break—and may not exactly be looking forward to the school year’s relentless schedule of project deadlines, events, and class obligations. And if last year ended on a sour note—either because your child has a learning difficulty or because getting through homework was just rough—you may be looking towards the new school year, and the increasingly challenging curriculum, with actual dread.
As you prepare for the new year, consider after school help to address the issues that are making school hard for your child. Though every student is unique, extra learning after school can make the year easier.
Stop the Homework Battles
Do you find yourself in full-on homework battles most nights of the week? It’s no surprise that most children and teens will dig in their heels when it comes to doing schoolwork. Can you blame them? It’s always tough to get started on something we don’t particularly enjoy. Most would prefer to be playing video games, chatting and texting with friends, riding their bikes, watching television—just about anything other than homework—especially after the school day.
To avoid the battles, parents should: 1) establish a daily homework routine 2) implement and monitor an organisation system for assignments and projects 3) provide a distraction-free homework zone, and, 4) be available during homework time for questions and monitoring progress. Most kids benefit from structured homework time with parents, and having clear expectations can eliminate a lot of conflict.
But for many busy families, protected homework time is not always practical, at least not for every night of the school week. Whether it’s a work schedule that keeps us from homework help until after dinner, or the myriad of other family activities bustling around the studying child—our best laid plans for homework time can quickly go out the window.
Homework Matters at Lindamood-Bell
Homework Matters is supervised homework help, 1-4 afternoons per week.
We create an environment that motivates and focuses students on getting their homework done. Our skilled instructors take the struggle out of homework for families by helping students get their work done. We can answer your child’s questions and assist when necessary.
Improve Skills
Students who struggle in school may have a weakness that is affecting learning. Unfortunately, these students typically fall further behind as the year goes on. Students with poor comprehension, critical thinking, writing and memory may have weak concept imagery—the ability to create an imagined gestalt (whole) from language; students who are poor decoders and spellers, or slow readers, may have weak symbol imagery—the ability to visualise letters in words. These difficulties are not only frustrating for a student, but prevent them from accessing school curriculum.
Sensory-Cognitive Instruction at Lindamood-Bell
We start by identifying strengths and weaknesses that may be affecting performance in reading, comprehension, and maths. And, we make recommendations for individualised instruction plans that create learning gains. Sensory-Cognitive instruction is available at the learning centre or online.
Build Confidence
Students who attend our learning centres may benefit from a bridge between their new skills and their school work. For example, a student who received comprehension instruction may have made great progress, but could use help applying his new skills to a book report assignment.
Application to Content at Lindamood-Bell
Students who have completed sensory-cognitive instruction at Lindamood-Bell can get help applying their new skills to school.
Call us to chat about how you can use after school to make an impact on your child’s learning!
Double Bay: (02) 9328 7119
Sydney-Chatswood: (02) 9410 1006
Melbourne: (03) 9815 2949
×
