KNOW
?
Enjoy the plot
Home&School Working Together for School Success	CONNECTION®

September 2018

Attendance adds up
Students who attend school regularly tend to have better attitudes toward school—and they’re more likely to read at grade level. Try to schedule your child’s doctor and dentist appoint-ments outside of school hours. Also, be sure to create a backup plan for getting her to school if she misses the bus or you can’t drive her.

The importance of integrity What would your youngster say if a classmate asked him to cheat? Talk to him about how to respond if he’s pressured to share answers or let oth-ers copy his work. For example, he could say, “Let’s study together so we both do well,” or “I don’t want to risk getting a zero.”

DID              The average child with YOU            a parent in the military

moves every two to three years. Encourage your youngster to introduce herself to all new students. If you’re a military family, contact your school liaison officer and the school counselor about programs available to help your child adjust.

Worth quoting
“All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.” Martin H. Fischer

JUST FOR FUN

Q:What has two legs but doesn’t walk?

A:A pair of pants!

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

A great beginning The story of your

child’s school year is about to unfold. A strong opening chapter will help to set the tone for a great year. Try these strategies.

Introduce the characters
Your youngster’s teacher will play an important role in his life this year. Write her a short note, and attach
a picture of your family. You might mention your child’s hobbies, favorite
school subjects, and family members’	math nights. Idea: Encourage him to draw names. Also, find out how the teacher	you a picture of his classroom to hang on prefers to be contacted. Getting to know	the refrigerator.
each other now will help you work
together in future “chapters.”	Attend back-to-school night to find Get to know the setting                    out what your child will learn this year.
Invite your youngster to tell you about	Then, plan family outings or activities his classroom, the library, and other places	related to the topics. If he’ll study your at school. What decorations hang on the	state’s history, you could visit historic walls? What books or games are on the	sites. Or if there’s a plant unit, let him shelves? When possible, see for yourself	help you work in the garden or plant by going to events like book fairs and	seeds in pots.♥

Routines that stick

Little habits make a big difference in the kind of day you and your youngster have. Here are things each of you could do to create routines for smooth days.

Your child can:Make a picture chart of what she needs to do every morning, afternoon, and evening. She might draw a backpack as a reminder to show you papers she brings home. A picture of a
violin could prompt her to practice her instrument.

You can:Have her go to bed in time to get 9–11 hours of sleep and to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. Set aside downtime after a busy day (perhaps 20 minutes when she gets home) so she’ll be recharged for homework, chores, and family time.♥

tell you which cup
to stump you.
Home & School CONNECTION®

Strengthen social skills

School is more pleasant for everyone when children share classroom materials and com-promise to solve problems. Consider this advice for improving your youngster’s
social skills so she learns to get along with others now and later.

Practice sharing
Do activities with your child that require sharing. For example, color together, and let her

Outdoor magic

September 2018 · Page 2

practice asking for the pur-ple or the green crayon nicely. She could say, “May I use that when you’re done?” And you might reply, “Sure, I’ll give it to
you as soon as I finish col-oring this dragon.”

Learn to compromise Your youngster and her class-
mates may disagree on how to approach a group project or a science
experiment. Help her prepare by look-ing for ways to find middle ground at
home. Say she and a sibling argue over what book they’d like you to read at bedtime. They could take turns choosing a story every other night or ask you to read one chapter from each book. If they can’t compromise, offer a suggestion like reading a book you pick.♥

I used to play outside all the time when I was little, but my sons never seem interested in leaving the house. One day, while reminiscing with my sis-ter about all the fun we had outdoors as kids, an idea struck me.
I labeled a bin “Out-door fun” and put it near the front door. Then, I
asked my boys to fill it with
things to play with outside. They found a yo-yo, balls, a Frisbee, a jump rope, and sidewalk chalk. I added a magnify-ing glass, a jar for collecting rocks and other treasures, and a bucket and shovel for digging in the dirt.
Having this bin in plain sight reminds my sons how much fun it is to play out-side. I love seeing them using their imag-inations outdoors and getting exercise. And surprisingly, they’re not asking for screen time as often.♥

O U R	P U R P O S E
	
To provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue · Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 · rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Attention stretchers

Boost your	● Try this classic game that requires child’s attention	focus. You’ll need three cups and a small
span with these hands-on ideas that use	toy like a plastic frog. While your everyday materials:	youngster watches, put the toy under
●
Create a “spiderweb.” Have everyone
order. Can your child
one cup. Now slide the cups around for stand in a circle with one person holding	30 seconds, constantly mixing up their a ball of yarn. That person grasps
the toy is under?
Then, let him try
one end of the yarn and tosses the ball to any other player. Your youngster must pay attention
Idea: For a bigger
challenge, increase
the time or add
more cups.♥
so he’ll be ready when the ball comes his way. Toss it back and forth enough times, and your child will be delighted by a giant web of yarn!

KNOW
?
Glance over finished homework so you
Home&School Working Together for School Success	CONNECTION®

October 2018

Exercise your brain
Your child’s brain is like a muscle— the more he uses it, the stronger it will become. Suggest that he give his brain a workout with activities like using his nondominant hand to throw a ball or to color. Learning to speak a foreign language or play a musical instrument are also known brain boosters.

DID              If your youngster quali-YOU            fies for free or reduced-

price meals, your family may also be eligible for low-cost internet. Contact local internet providers to find out. In addition, most libraries have computers with internet access. Your child can use them to do research for school or to look up topics she’s curious about.

Family talent show
Stage a talent show to help family members appreciate one another’s skills. Each person can choose some-thing he likes to do (singing, jug-gling). Encourage practice time, and choose a night for your event.

Worth quoting
“The world is round so that friendship may encircle it.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

JUST FOR FUN

Teacher:Jill, name four members of the bear family.

Jill:Mom, dad, sister, and brother!

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Super homework support Making homework an

important part of life at home will show your youngster that her education matters. Letting her work independently will also send the mes-
sage that you believe in her. Consider these strategies.

Provide backup Allow your young-
ster to work on her own, but tell her you’re available
if she needs you. Say she’s confused	“Nice move! Now you have plenty of about the directions for an assignment.	time to come up with good ideas and do You could encourage her to reread them	your best.”
Show interest
slowly or maybe read them aloud to her. If she’s not sure how to approach a math
lems together in her textbook.
problem, you might look at similar prob-	know it’s done and your youngster knows you care. Also, look at returned assign-
Give feedback	ments. She might proudly share a nice Point out to your child what she’s	comment her teacher wrote on her essay.
doing well—you’ll inspire her to repeat	Or if a paper has spelling errors, ask how the behavior in the future. For instance, if	she can avoid the same problem next you notice she started a long-term project	time, perhaps by looking up unfamiliar the day it was assigned, you could say,	words in a dictionary.♥

Organization made easy

Good organizational skills will help your child find what he needs—and save time. Try these tips:

● Encourage your youngster to help with jobs that teach organization. For instance, have him organize your toolbox. Let him try his ideas, such as grouping together same-size screws or arranging wrenches from shortest to longest.

●Point out that staying organized is easier than getting orga-
nized. If he cleans out his school desk and his backpack every Friday, those tasks won’t be overwhelming. Idea: He could put sticky notes on his desk and bag that say “Please clean me on Friday!”♥

an emergency that
Explain to your son
safe. That’s why the
Home & School CONNECTION®

Setting expectations Andrew always wears his sneakers to PE

class and returns his books on library day. Robert sometimes forgets his sneakers and misses out on PE, or he leaves his library books at home and can’t check out new ones.
What’s the difference? Andrew’s parents expect him to keep track of his schedule. Here’s how to set expectations for your youngster.

Discuss in advance. Be clear about what you expect, and remind your child regularly.
For example, if you want him to manage his schedule,

October 2018 · Page 2

you might post it on the refrigerator and tell him that it’s his job to check it each day. Or if you’re getting a pet, explain what he’ll need to do to care for it. (“You’ll be in charge of filling the food
bowl every evening.”)

Be reasonable. Set expectations that your
youngster can live up to.
If he plays soccer, for instance, you might not expect him to
score goals, but you could expect him to attend every practice, show good sportsmanship, and try his best.♥

Build map skills

This version of hide-and-seek lets your youngster practice finding places on a grid. She’ll have fun working on map skills and spatial reasoning.

1. Draw a grid. Have your child make a grid
with 5 rows (labeled A, B, C, D,
and E) and 5 columns (labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5). Her grid will represent a room in your home.

2. Add pictures. Next, your young-ster should draw furniture or other items in the boxes to indicate their loca-tions in the room. Say your couch is centered along the front wall of the liv-ing room. She could draw a couch on her grid across boxes A2, A3, and A4.

3. Hide an object. Take turns closing your eyes while the other person hides something (perhaps a toy car) in the actual room. Then, place a penny on the grid to show where you hid the item. If you put the penny on A3, your child might figure out that the toy is under the center of the couch.♥

O U R	P U R P O S E
	
To provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue · Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 · rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

After-school activities: Find a balance

My fifth grader, Alicia, was already in Girl Scouts and the school science club when I agreed to sign her up for martial arts. Before long, she started coming home too tired to do home-work, and she had little time to play.
Alicia and I realized she needed to cut back on her extracurricular activities. She wasn’t thrilled, but I explained that school comes first—and that she would enjoy each activity more if she weren’t juggling so many. We talked about what to drop. She wanted to stick with her friends in Girl Scouts, and she loves the experiments
she does in science club. In the end, she decided martial arts would be the one to go. Alicia has more time for homework and play now. And maybe she can try martial
arts next summer when school is out.♥

How to talk about lockdown drills

Q:My son came home anxious	situations like intruders, fires, tornadoes, about a lockdown drill they did	or earthquakes. Although it’s scary to
in school. How should I discuss	think about emergencies, having a plan this with him?	can make him feel more in control.

dents know what to do in
Ask your son to name other
A:Lockdown drills help stu-	ways we stay safe, such as wear-ing a seat belt in the car, look-
requires them to shelter
inside the school.
ing both ways before crossing the street, or going indoors during a thunderstorm. He’ll
that his teacher and
protect him.
realize that he knows how to principal want to keep	do a lot of things that help to him and his classmates                                                         Note: If he continues to
school holds drills to
feel anxious, contact the prepare the children for	school counselor for advice.♥

Stay up to date
Home&School Working Together for School Success	CONNECTION®

November 2018

Eye on the goal Boost your youngster’s
motivation by encouraging her to set goals. Say she wants to make it to the district spelling bee or science fair. She can brainstorm strategies like learning 10 spelling words each day or reading about previous winning science projects. Suggest that she write down her ideas and post them to stay on track.

Say no to secondhand smoke Children who breathe cigarette smoke tend to get more respiratory illnesses and ear infections. Second-hand smoke can also trigger asthma attacks. It’s best not to let anyone smoke inside your home or car. Since youngsters breathe at a faster pace than adults and are still growing, no amount of smoke exposure is safe.

A reading nook
Let your youngster create a special spot just for reading, perhaps in a cor-ner of the family room or his bed-room. He might include a beanbag chair, a lamp, a box or low shelf for books, and a stuffed animal or two. He’ll be inspired to curl up and read in his cozy nook.

Worth quoting
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Theodore Roosevelt

JUST FOR FUN

Q:How much dirt is in a hole 4 feet deep and 8 feet wide?

A:None!

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Parent involvement at home Did you know that support-

ing your child’s education begins at home? Consider these every-day ways to talk about school, deepen his learning, and keep track of school news.

Foster a positive attitude If you’re enthusiastic about
school, your youngster is likely to be as well. Ask him about projects he’s working on or topics he’s studying. Be sure to listen closely, and follow up with ques-tions or comments. Also, you can
influence his attitude toward teachers
by being positive. (“Mrs. Reeves picked a really cool field trip for your class. I can’t
wait to hear about it.”)	Be aware of what’s happening in your Tie learning to his world                   youngster’s classroom, school, and dis-
Show your child how what he learns is	trict. Subscribe to email lists, read news-useful outside of school. If he’s studying	letters, and check websites. Mention clouds, ask him to identify types you see	upcoming activities to your youngster in the sky and try to predict whether	(school carnival, class play) that you you’ll need an umbrella. Or challenge	might attend together. Also, put impor-him to spot vocabulary words on window	tant dates (book fair, math night) on signs or package labels, and talk about	your calendar. It will show your young-how they’re used in different ways.	ster that his school is a priority.♥

Connect at conferences

Fall parent-teacher conferences are the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bridge between home and school. Here are tips.

Before. Watch for notices in your email or your youngster’s backpack, and sign up for a time slot. Also, prepare ahead of time by looking
over your child’s work and listing questions you want to ask.

During. Listen to the teacher’s feedback on how your youngster is
doing, then ask your questions. Be sure to have the teacher explain anything you don’t understand.

After. Talk with your child about the conference. Point out what she’s doing well (reading more challenging books, finishing classwork) and areas that need improvement (writing legibly, taking turns).♥

own understanding—
needs help with.
You might also invite
thinking during daily
Home & School CONNECTION®

Bullying is everyone’s business

Good news: Your youngster can use strategies to help kids who are bullied and to protect herself if she’s a target. Suggest these ideas for handling bullying situations safely and effectively.

If she’s a witness:Your child should get a teacher or another adult right away if she sees someone being physically harmed. If a classmate

Graphic organizers for the win

November 2018 · Page 2

is verbally bullied (being called names, for instance), it’s best to ignore the bully.
Instead, your young-ster might give the per-
son being targeted an escape (“We need to go
to lunch now”). She could also offer to go with the per-
son to tell a grown-up.

If she’s a target:Let your child know it’s never okay for
someone to bully her. She can help to discourage a bully by trying not to react or show she’s upset or angry. Also, explain that it’s important to tell the school counselor or her teacher about bullying. She shouldn’t feel embarrassed or that she’s “tattling.” Speaking up can help stop the bullying—and keep another youngster from being targeted.♥

Graphic organizers are a visual way for your child to organize information in any subject. Share these activities.

Juggling monkey To plan a
report, sug-gest that your young-ster draw a
monkey juggling coconuts. If he’s writ-
ing a social studies paper on a state, he could put his topic (say, Virginia) on the monkey’s belly. Then, he can label each coconut with a fact he needs to find (capi-tal, population). As he researches, he can add information to each coconut (Rich-mond, 8.5 million).

Football field
When your child writes a persuasive essay, have him first draw a football field. He can write each side of an issue in a separate end zone (“Kids should have chores,” “Kids should not have chores”). On each half of the field, he should write statements to support the view in that end zone. Examples: “Teaches responsi-bility” on the pro-chores side, “Interferes with play time” on the anti-chores side.♥

O U R	P U R P O S E
	
To provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue · Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 · rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621

© 2018 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Could it be ADHD? My first grader, Anthony,

seems easily distracted and sometimes has trouble sitting still. When my friend’s child was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, I wondered if Anthony could have it, too.
I talked to our pediatrician and found out that just because a child gets distracted or wiggly doesn’t
mean he has ADHD. He might just be excited or need to burn off energy. He suggested that I talk to Anthony’s
teacher, and he gave me a form the teacher can fill out if she’s concerned. The teacher said Anthony’s attention span is normal for his age and that it
should continue to grow as the year goes on. She’s going to keep the form on hand. If she notices problems, she’ll let me know right away, and I can follow up with the pediatrician. I’m relieved that Anthony is on track—and that his doctor and teacher are on my “team.”♥

Explain your math strategy

Q: My daughter’s teacher often	loud. Have her look over completed writes “Explain your thinking” on	homework and ask herself questions her graded math assignments.            like, “When I solved 32 x 45, what steps
How can I encourage my child to do this?	did I take?” and “What other strategy A: When your daughter works on math	would work?”
her to discuss her math
problems, it’s important that she under-stand what she’s doing and why. Explain-
for her to check on her
ing her thinking is one way	activities. For example, say, “We’re having 11
and I need
1
–
3
pound of
and to show the                                                                        guests for Thanksgiving, teacher what she                                                                      potatoes per person. How
At home, your
can I figure out how daughter could think out	many 5-lb. bags to buy?”♥