Webster Springs Elementary School

Give reading a creative edge Combining reading and creative activities develops your child's imagination and keeps the reading interesting. Offer some crayons and encourage your child to draw pictures of characters or scenes from a favorite story. You can also ask your elementary schooler to make up songs about stories and books. Ask, "What might the three little pigs sing when the wolf is coming? How would the music sound?" https://tpitip.com/?12hT18889

Sneak some writing into your child's daily life Being able to communicate well in writing will help your child succeed in school and in a career. So look for fun ways to provide practice. Your child may enjoy sending emails or texts to friends and family. You might also write your elementary schooler a letter about a book you've read together and have your child write back. Challenge your child to rewrite the ending of a movie. Encourage journaling, too. It's a great outlet for self-expression. https://tpitip.com/?12hS18889

Have you seen these signs of reading difficulty? When children encounter words they can't read, many squirm, get sleepy, look anxious or act up. If you see any of these signs, ask if there's a word that is causing difficulty. Help your child look it up in the dictionary. Then verify understanding by asking your child to use the word in a sentence. And if your student claims to know all the words, do some spot checks. Ask, "What does this word mean?" https://tpitip.com/?12hR18889

Teach your child to take 'no' for an answer Kids who understand that they can't always get their own way have a much easier time in school. And the way you say "no" can help your child manage disappointment. When your child makes a request, pause and say "Let me think about this for a minute," before answering. This shows you have heard the request. Then think out loud. "If I let you go to Maya's house, we won't have time to eat dinner together, so I have to say no." https://tpitip.com/?12hQ18889

Create a routine that gets your family ready for the day The start of a new school year is exciting, but it often means families must make a few adjustments. This year, decide on some basics for your school-year routine. Set a regular time for reading and completing assignments. Create a chart of your child's daily tasks to serve as a reminder until they become habits. Post a calendar and have everyone write down their activities. Then review it each week with your child and plan ahead. https://tpitip.com/?12hP18889

Show your child that respect makes working together easier Students and families have important roles to play in making the school a productive learning environment. Promoting respectful behavior is a big one. When it comes to teaching your child about respect, the best way is to demonstrate. Make an effort to be fair, honest, kind, dependable and polite to your child. Then expect your child to do the same for you and others. https://tpitip.com/?12hO18889

Give your child a chance to make the right choice When your child has to make a big decision, it may be tempting to take over and make it. But there are a few things you should do first: Listen as your child considers possible solutions. Restate what you hear, and ask follow-up questions to help your child think things through: "If you don't go to the game, how would your teammates feel?" Then be patient. Your child may come to the right conclusion independently, and will gain useful problem-solving skills. https://tpitip.com/?12hL18889

Set your child up to be a responsible learner Students who take active responsibility for their own learning get more out of it. Explain to your child that this involves being prepared to learn, as well as asking questions, participating in class, and talking about school subjects at home. It also means staying organized, and continuing to try when facing learning challenges. Say that you expect your child to be a responsible learner, and you will help. https://tpitip.com/?12hI18889

Make the most of read-aloud time Reading aloud with your child fosters language and reading skills, no matter how old your student is. When you read, begin by reading the book's title and the name of the author. Then, as you read the story, use plenty of expression in your voice and be sure to stop and talk with your child about the plot, the characters and the illustrations. Most importantly, read stories that you and your child enjoy. https://tpitip.com/?12hG18889

Don't be afraid to let your child be bored Many parents fill every minute of their child's day with activities. "At least my child is not bored," they tell themselves. But a little boredom can actually encourage kids to be creative. Your child may decide to build a fort from blankets and chairs, draw with crayons or even read a book. When children are given a little time just to sit and think, great things can happen! https://tpitip.com/?12hD18889

A word game encourages learning on the go Whether you and your child are going to the store or across the country, make the most of travel time by playing games that promote thinking and learning. One to try is Where Are We Going? To play, give everyone pencil and paper. Then name your destination: Maryland, library, etc. Players make as many words from the letters in that word as they can. The person with the most picks the next word. https://tpitip.com/?12hB18889

Decoding skills are key to reading new words Before children can learn to read, they must learn the sounds letters make. Then they can begin to decode, or figure out, written words by sounding out each of the letters. To help your child practice decoding, point to a new word. Touch each letter from left to right, saying its sound. Then blend all the sounds together to pronounce the word. Make a game of decoding words together all around the house!

Responsibility is a key part of reading Reading is a wonderful hobby, but it involves responsibility, too. Teach your child to keep borrowed books in a special spot, like a basket or shelf, so they won't get lost or damaged. When books come home from the library, have your child write their due dates on the family calendar. To keep reading from interfering with sleeping, set an early tuck-in time so your child can read before lights-out. https://tpitip.com/?12fT18889

Word games help your child score a strong vocabulary Games that feature letters and words, such as Scrabble and Boggle, are great for having fun while practicing language skills. When you play with your child, don't worry too much about the rules. Using a dictionary is OK (it builds reading skills!). When you make a new word, discuss its meaning. You can also use the letter tiles from one game to play other games: How many words can you each make from the letters in your names? https://tpitip.com/?12fL18889

Six important words are the start to better questions Asking questions is how children learn. And the better their questions, the more they learn. To help your child ask good questions, choose any object in your home (a pair of jeans, for example). Then explore this object with your child by asking questions using these words: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. (Who invented jeans? What are they made of? Where were they first made? When can you wear them? Why do you like them? How do they feel?) https://tpitip.com/?12fK18889

Stay up to date with a family guessing game Is getting details from your child about the school day like pulling teeth? Try this game to get your student talking. At dinner, have each person tell three things about their day: two that really happened and one that is made up. Family members get to ask questions, then decide which story is false. Or each person can tell about three true events, and everyone can guess which event was the speaker's favorite. https://tpitip.com/?12fJ18889

Reduce resistance by acknowledging feelings Successful students take responsibility for doing what's expected of them. Along the way, however, they often argue about it. One way to stop arguments is to acknowledge your child's feelings. If your child says, "I don't want to do my reading," you might respond with "Wouldn't it be nice if we never had to do things we don't want to?" Then get back to reality. "But we do. I have to wash the dishes, and you have to finish that chapter." https://tpitip.com/?12fI18889

Inspire your child's inner drive to strive Does your elementary schooler practice free throws for hours, but whine after five minutes of math problems? Tap into the internal motivation that drives your child on the court to motivate efforts with schoolwork. You can do it by praising your child's effort, progress and persistence. Instead of rescuing your student when problems crop up, ask, "What ways can you think of to figure out a solution?" https://tpitip.com/?12fG18889

Curiosity and science go hand in hand To encourage an interest in science, make the most of your child's natural curiosity. Take a nature walk and stop to notice and ask questions about what you see. Then see if you can find the answers together. Or try simple experiments. For example, you could fill the sink with water and give your child some items from around the house. Ask which your child thinks will float and which will sink. Then test to see! https://tpitip.com/?12fF18889

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