The ABCs of Report Cards
For some students, the phrase “report card” comes with a sense of dread. As a parent, it can be hard to gauge how things are really going at school if your student is tight-lipped about his day and his report card feels like a jumble of letters or percentages. After getting straight A’s last…
Help Your Child with Homework
Kids with learning or attention issues can have a tough time with homework, no matter how hard they try. As a parent, you know the importance of completing homework and developing strong study skills. But it can be hard to know how to be supportive without doing too much. Students should get the learning benefit…
5 Ways to Make Mornings Easier
If you are dreading a repeat of last year’s manic mornings, it may be time to change up your family’s routine. Below, explore ways to make school-day mornings better. We’ve included tips for how you can encourage your child to make mental pictures of everyday tasks. The imagery-language connection is key to good thinking and…
Nurturing Your Reluctant Reader | “How Many More Pages?”
While you’d like your son or daughter to disappear into the land of Narnia or be swept up in a Harry Potter spell while reading, the reality may be the opposite of this for your child. In fact, they might even say they hate reading and when they finally sit down with a book, you…
Countdown to Kindergarten
A generation ago, kindergarten days were only filled with activities like finger painting, “Hide-and-Go-Seek,” making friends, and learning to be peaceful at nap time. And, while reading and spelling may have been introduced in first grade, there was nothing like today’s pressure for students to be performing according to grade-level standards. Sure, there is…
Summer Reading Tips for Parents
During the school year, reading is built into a child’s day. They are reading from the board, assignment sheets and books throughout school and during homework time. Parents may feel challenged when trying to squeeze reading onto the summer schedule. No matter where your summer adventures take your family, it’s important to include regular reading…
Turn Summer Learning Loss into Learning Gain!
For many students, three months away from academics can lead to measurable learning loss in skills like reading and math—which, of course, is not what any family wants to be faced with at the start of the upcoming school year. We’ve gathered a few ideas to help your family balance rest and learning all summer….
How to Have a Great Parent-Teacher Conference
Kindergarten through high school, effective communication with your child’s teachers can contribute to school success. A shared view of your child’s strengths and challenges, goals for progress, and a workable plan, can pave the way for a great school year. Yet, the anticipation of a parent-teacher conference can make some parents apprehensive. We have…
Get the Most Out of Your Child’s Progress Report: Tips
The end of the marking period is a time for parents to assess their child’s progress—to make sure they’re on track, improving in subjects, or to see if they need help. This is the time to note any areas of difficulty. It’s important to look carefully at each area of your child’s progress report—how are…
Imagery-Language Connection for Writing Tips
Book reports, essays, and even short responses, can cause frustration, panic, and, sometimes, even tears for many school age students. And it’s no wonder. Writing is a complex task that requires a lot: good thinking skills, organisation, spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as ease with a pencil, or keyboard. Writing can be particularly…
