Changing the Schools?

When you signed up for kindergarten, you did everything the experts said to do. You visited schools, talked to people, and made what seemed like the best choice. But now, a year or two later, you just don’t have a good feeling about things. Maybe it’s lessons that don’t seem quite right; maybe it’s a tone around the playground. But your kid isn't happy, and neither are you. Many school districts now offer quite a few choices such as magnet schools, charters, or even alternate neighborhood schools. Is it time to consider one of them?

To learn more, we turned to the pros at the National Association of School Psychologists, which coordinates research and advocates for students and families across the country. Here’s what Stacy Skalski, Ph.D., a longtime school psychologist and current Director of Public Policy for NASP, recommends:

1. Make sure you know exactly what the problem is. This sounds easy, but if you’ve ever listened to a hysterical second grader, you’ll know: it can be awfully hard to understand what’s really up. Take time to ask questions; quite often, problems turn out to be very different from what they seem at first. Skalski says parents should “sit down with your classroom teacher and have an authentic and specific conversation…When developmentally appropriate, you may even bring your child.” Listen carefully to all sides, and send a clear message: “We understand this may be tough to talk about, but we are really committed to working it through.”
2. Start by doing everything you can to work it out in your home school. Remember: switching schools is usually a huge leap for kids. In fact, research suggests that it may be among the most stressful events of childhood, sometimes comparable to a divorce. Even a great new school will have other kids, a new teacher, new expectations, and probably a different pace. So before you go elsewhere, Skalski says, use the home team. Ask for extra help from your teacher, and administrators, as appropriate. Can other staff, such as the school psychologist, lend a hand? However, beware of quick fixes. “Research suggests,” says Skalski, “We need at least six weeks of faithful intervention and careful monitoring of student responses…and we also need to be willing to try multiple interventions.” And if all those things fail? All is not lost—you’ve still gathered valuable data that will help you move forward.
3. Still No Improvement? Weigh your choices. Skalski says sometimes “a problem is just grossly insurmountable.” In particular, beware violent situations; children must feel safe if they are to learn successfully, and no child should be left in a threatening environment. In most cases, if your child can move to a different room in the school, this will be easier than moving to a building across town. But if you do decide that transferring to another school is the only option, speak honestly with the teacher and administrator about your choices. Districts offer a variety of strategies for moving schools; in some, competition and “open enrollment” are encouraged, while in others you may need to complete several bureaucratic steps. As a final caution, Skalski urges parents to move kids “during natural breaks,” such as summer vacation. It’s easier to be a “new” kid when everyone else is new to a class, and nobody knows the routines yet anyway.

Of course, it would be wonderful if someone could offer a checklist for tough parent decisions like this. But every child is unique, and each case deserves special care. Whether you stay or whether you leave, Skalski says, you can take heart if you’ve followed the steps above: your child will have watched you take on a tough problem and do everything you can to work it through with integrity.

Study Strategies to Get High Test Scores

Oftentimes middle and high school students say they have studied for a test, when in truth all they did was skim through the material.

In order for students to be successful on exams, they have to put forth the time and effort into studying for them. Test-taking is a skill, and not all students are good at it. It's important for educators to give students the study skills and strategies they need to successfully master their exams, and raise their grades.

The following is a list of study techniques and strategies students can use to ensure their academic success in school.

• Have students read and re-read material a few times to focus on any information that they have missed the first time. This "review time" also allows the student to comprehend the information better.
• Students should highlight the information they know or think will be on the test using different colored highlighters. For example, highlight all definitions in blue; highlight all key words in yellow, and so on. This is for the sole purpose of reviewing.
• Students should look up any vocabulary words that they are unfamiliar with. They can use their smartphone, tablet, the Internet, or a good old dictionary to find out the meaning of the word.
• When reading a textbook, write down all of the boldfaced words and their definition on flashcards for study purposes.
• To help enhance memory, have students review their notes taken in class for about ten minutes each day.
• Each students' learning style is different, therefore students should review testable material to suit his/her learning style; iPad, internet, movies, books, smartphone, etc.
• Research proves that chewing gum while studying will increase a student’s focus.
• When completing a study guide, students should check off each task asked of them to make sure that each step has been completed.
• To make reviewing for a test a little bit exciting, use flashcards to play games, or studywith a peer.
• Students should do all assigned homework; doing so will help students' master skills. It also provides reinforcement of concepts that will be on test.
• Study testable information in a variety of ways; orally, through games, in written form, through technology, or by drawing.
• It's important to take study breaks for at least ten minutes until study time is complete. Research shows it's important to give your mind a break.
• Encourage students to study in a group or with a friend. This may help them with information they may not know or have forgotten.
• If there is a movie adaptation of a novel students are getting tested on, have them watch it to help reinforce any missed or unknown information.
• If students are having a hard time understanding something that will be on the test, encourage them to take notes after each paragraph (or concept they do not understand) until they get it.
• To help organize and retain details have students create a graphic organizer.
• Memorize six to ten facts at time, no more and no less.
• To help increase understanding of math formulas and concepts, have students write down each step.
• Make sure students study each day and not wait until the day before a test. This will ensure that concepts will be mastered for the test.
• Students should write notes in the margins of books or materials for study purposes. Then they can look back at review time.
• Encourage students to study in a quiet area and block out everything around them.
• Listening to soft music can make study time more effective and is said to increase brain flow.
• Have students self-talk and reinforce that what they are learning in valuable information.
• Encourage students to complete a practice test, or create their own version of what they think will be on the exam.