Getting off to a good start – What to Watch For

1. The workload increases dramatically and students must learn new organization skills.
2. Basic skills, such as reading, writing, spelling and math should be mastered by now. If your child is struggling to read fluently, it is time to take action. Students in grades 5 and 6 are at some risk if these skills are still weak.
3. Too much time should not be spent on homework

Tips for the First Three Weeks

• Reinforce the use of a day planner to record daily homework assignments, deadlines, after-school activities and upcoming quizzes and tests.
• If basic academic skills are weak, consider enrolling the services of a supplemental education specialist to help develop appropriate basic academic skills.
• Do not judge your child’s homework requirements by the first three weeks of school. It often takes three weeks or more for a class to have a homework rhythm established.

Tips for the Second Three Weeks

• Reinforce the use of the day planner and monitor it daily.
• If basic academic skills are weak, consider enrolling the services of a supplemental education specialist to help develop appropriate basic academic skills.
• Keep track of how much time kids are spending on their homework. More than one-half hour in Grade 4 and one hour for grades 5 and 6 probably means that they are not getting their work completed in school. It may also suggest that they need help with organization.