How much homework is too much?

For one Calgary family, the answer is any homework is too much homework. With two children—one in grade five, one in grade seven—the family was spending an “inordinate” amount of time doing what the father, Tom Milley, called busy work.

So they signed an what’s known as a differentiated homework plan with their school so that their children won’t have to do any more homework.

The reason? The assigned homework was preventing the children from focusing on their weak areas.

The children are graded only on their in-class work and still have after-school work such as studying, but the majority of their homework will focus on improving in their weak areas.

The homework issue isn’t new—the debate has been going on for years about the purpose and effectiveness of assigned homework.

The Milley family’s homework ban may even create new homework regulations in their area.

Read more about it here.

How much homework do your children have? What are YOUR thoughts on the issue? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you.

By Amanda Dervaitis, B.Ed.

Your child has just received a disappointing report card. You may have known that your child was having difficulty, but did not realize the extent of their troubles. Or maybe you were hoping that this time it would be different, and he or she would do better. The report card is part of a larger support strategy that makes you an active participant in your child’s education. Get the most out of your child’s report card and learn exactly what to look for so you can help them get on track for success at school now, and for years to come.

Read all comments carefully. The comments written for a given subject may give a good explanation for the grade received. If your child seems to have an unexpected grade, a missed assignment or a high number of absences, rather than a difficulty with the subject itself, could be the reason. The comments can sometimes be technical and difficult to understand since they speak to specific curriculum objectives so be sure to write down any questions you have and ask your child’s teacher to clarify.

Look for clues in language skills to get to the root of a reoccurring problem. Language skills need to be strong in order to think about all other areas of curriculum. If reading and writing grades are low, all other class marks will likely follow suit. If reading comprehension is weak, for example, your child will most certainly have trouble understanding what is being taught in Science or History. If this is the case, building language skills should be a goal for your child. Discuss with the teacher how you can work together to help your child develop these skills. Once language skills are at an appropriate level, your child will experience more success in all other classes.

Carefully consider your child’s learning skills. Like language skills, learning skills are crucial for school success. Look to the ‘Learning Skills’ section at the end of the report card for indications of deeper problems. Skills such as independent work, use of information, problem solving or goal setting will be necessary for success regardless of the subject. A ‘needs improvement’ or ‘satisfactory’ score in any of these areas implies a bigger problem that will need to be addressed.

Once you have identified why your child is struggling to get higher grades, you can move forward to get them the help they need. Speak with the teacher to see if support can be offered through the school. If reoccurring difficulties have been holding your child back year after year, it may be time to consider help from supplemental programs or tutors outside of school.

Thanks to contributing author Amanda Dervaitis. Amanda has been an educator for 9 years and is the director at Oxford Learning in High Park. For information about exam preparation programs call the Oxford Learning Centre at 416-762-4447.

After the important report card discussion comes the parent-teacher conference. It’s a key step in the partnership between you, your child, and your child’s education.

Often, it can give you insights into your child’s behaviors and weaknesses—things that become evident when he or she is away from home and family members. Here are some tips on how to make the most of the parent-teacher interview:

1. Be prepared. Bring your child’s report card with you, and know all the details. If relevant, bring last year’s report cards as well. If your child has a grade that doesn’t seem in sync with test marks or project scores, then bring an assignment along as well.
2. Ask your child for insights. “What do you think your teacher will say about you?” is a question that might eliminate any potential surprises. After all, your child spends several hours a day with his teacher.
3. Write a list of questions to ask. There is only one teacher and many parents, so your time with the teacher is limited. If you run out of time, you can leave the list with the teacher, or save it to refer to next time.
4. Take notes. Write down any actions that the teacher has suggested.
5. Don’t be confrontational. A harmonious atmosphere in the spirit of partnership in your child’s education isn’t aided by tension.
6. Leave on a high note. Say, “Thanks for taking the time to talk with me!”

Sample Questions

• What key areas is Tom strong in?
• Where does Sarah need to improve?
• What can we do to help Andrew achieve improvement?
• As Mary’s teacher, what can you do to initiate improvement?

The Marshmallow Test is designed to test preschoolers’ ability to prolong gratification.

The gist is this: A researcher places a marshmallow in front of a child and leaves the room. The child is told that if he can wait for the researcher to return to eat the marshmallow, he can have two.

As you can imagine, this is quite the challenge for preschoolers. And it makes for some very amusing video footage.

The study is not new, having been initially given at Stanford University in the 60s and 70s, but it is certainly very relevant, perhaps more so in today’s society where instant gratification is only a mouse click or play button away.

According to the researchers, the ability to delay gratification can predict how a child will succeed in life better than reading or math scores.

The study re-tested the same children a decade or so later, and found that the children who waited for the second marshmallow were performing better in school, and according to the New Yorker, even getting significantly higher college entrance exam scores.

And you thought that marshmallows were only good for rice krispie treats!

Children who can delay gratification are more than patient; they have self-regulation skills such as planning, prioritizing, strategizing, and inhibiting impulses. These are learned skills, which means that every child can develop these skills.

The problem is, that too often, these important skills are rarely taught in school.

So what happens when children are not taught self-regulation skills? They eat the first marshmallow. They also have difficulty staying focused, and demonstrate typical classroom behaviors such as hyperactivity, which impedes learning.

Luckily, self-regulation and other higher-level skills can be taught. For over 25 years, Oxford Learning has been using teaching techniques that help students of all ages become aware of their learning processes, so that they can recognize when they are losing focus, and self-check when they are getting off track.

Young children can learn to plan and prioritize, so that when it comes school and homework, they can put aside that things that give instant pleasure, be it video games, Facebook, or marshmallows, and focus on the task at hand.

When kids get sick, they miss school. And when kids miss school, they miss out on important learning opportunities, which can put them behind academically.

To ensure that our kids get the most of their learning, every single day, they need to stay healthy.

While we may not be able to prevent the flu, we can ensure that we are doing everything that we can to prevent the spread of illness and to be as healthy as possible.

Too often, we think of treating illness only after symptoms are present. But there are plenty of actions that you can take to PREVENT symptoms from even appearing.

These tips can help your family stay well—and well educated—throughout the flu season.

1. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces often.
2. Wash hands several times a day with warm water and soap for a minimum of 20 seconds. That’s the time that it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
3. Add supplements into your family’s diet. Vitamins C and D are great.
4. Maintain or augment the amount of sleep that your family gets. The better rested we are, the less run down we get.
5. Keep hands away from the face—the eyes, nose, mouth and ears can easily breed germs passed along by the hands.
6. Gargle with warm salt water to prevent sore throats and keep germs at bay.
7. Eat healthy foods that are natural infection fighters, such as garlic and onions.
8. Drink plenty of warm liquids.
9. Exercise moderately so that if you do get ill, symptoms will not be as bad.
10. If you are feeling unwell, stay home and stay away from public places.

Oxford Learning has implemented company-wide policies during flu season to ensure that students remain healthy and safe while attending classes at Oxford Learning.

“Our topmost priority is the health and well-being of our students,” said Nick Whitehead, CEO of Oxford Learning Centres, Inc. “At all times, we are committed to providing an environment that is both comfortable and safe. Our commitment is even more relevant during the flu season.”

All Oxford Learning locations will be following the government-mandated policies to provide a germ-free learning environment for students.

Posters in lobby areas, classroom areas, and restrooms will help on-site students to adopt the proper techniques to help prevent the spread of germs.

This includes, but is not limited to, proper disinfection of learning surfaces and materials, following correct hand-washing practices, providing hand sanitizer the classroom areas, washrooms, and in the lobby, as well as ensuring that any staff who is unwell remain at home.

Additionally, Oxford Learning is providing an open make-up schedule to students who have to miss class due to illness during flu season. Parents should not feel pressured to bring a child to a scheduled class if that child is feeling unwell.

“Everybody is concerned about the spread of flu this year,” said Whitehead. “Our corporate policies are in place to alleviate any stress that our families feel about the health of their children while in our learning environment.”

For more information about Oxford Learning programs or flu-prevention policies, please contact Oxford Learning’s Head Office at 1-866-650-4447.

Getting together as a group to study can be a very productive way to study. It can also be a great way socialize and procrastinate. So, before signing up for a study group, make sure that the group will actually be helping you study, not eating up valuable study time.

Here are 7 Tips to Create an Effective Study Group

1. Don’t make the group too big, 4-6 students is ideal.
2. Designate a moderator.
3. Each member should be responsible for a particular topic or section.
4. Study that section before meeting as a group. Identify key points or messages.
5. Group member’s job is to summarize the key points and help the others in the group if they have problems with that topic

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6. Have practice quizzes or tests. Each group member could prepare some quiz topics from the material that they are covering.
7. Ask the teacher for any guidelines. It might be a long shot, but the teacher just might be willing to identify key topics that should be covered.

Why Study Groups Work

The power of study groups can be summed up in one word: paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is a great tool for students to have at their disposal. Not only does it help students develop deeper understanding of a subject, it helps them avoid plagiarism, something that becomes very important as the years go by.

In Other Words

Paraphrasing simply means putting it in your own words. As students review the section that they are covering for the study group, they should practice paraphrasing; that is, putting it on their own words. After reading a page, students should ask themselves, “What does this mean?” and re-state the section in their own words. The phrase “in other words” is the study group student’s best friend.

How a study group helps:

• Gives students new perspectives on a topic
• Helps divvy-up the studying responsibilities
• Gives students a feeling of camaraderie
• Helps develop group work skills
• Helps with test preparation
• Can remove study-related stress

Early Years

It’s more than a month into the school year. By this time, young students should be getting over their new-school year anxiety and starting to show excitement about the classroom, their teachers, and their new friends. A large part of the early years of school is social, including group play and recess. This part of development can lay the groundwork for a child’s attitude about school. They should be getting the message that school is a safe, fun place and that learning can be fun.

On the academic side, the early years of school are about critical groundwork; children are building the foundation for future skills (counting, learning their letters, and basic reading skills). While some problems might sound alarm bells, problems at this point might just as easily resolve themselves.

Middle Years

By the middle of October, students should be well into their school routine. The back-to-school jitters should be long gone.

If students are having issues, be it not keeping up with homework, or getting easily frustrated, now is the time to seek help.

It’s still early in the school year, and by seeking help now, students can quite easily repair academic problems and get on track.

High School Years

For many high school students, heading back to school is like jumping into the deep end of the pool. There is no easing into it. The school year starts off with a big splash, often with homework and assignments from the very first day of class. By mid October, students may have already dealt with midterms and major projects and essays. There is no time to waste; the first report is on the horizon, and high school students need to keep their eyes on the prize. One bad test mark can set the tone for the rest of the year. It’s important that if highschoolers are not adjusting to the new grade, they seek help. A little extra support can help students stay organized, stay on track of their homework, and keep up with the new curriculum.

It’s important to not be shy about asking for help; the many tutoring options are there for that specific reason. Often, the simple act of asking the teacher for extra help shows a willingness to improve, which can go a long way when it comes to the report card.

Have you ever asked Tim, your 5th grader, to bring the garbage out, only to trip over the bag halfway down the back steps? And when you go looking for Tim, you find that he’s engrossed in a computer/TV/videogame.

So you ask him about the garbage and he simply says that he forgot. What? He forgot a task while he was mid-way through it?

Doesn’t it seem like some days he has the attention span of a gnat?

Before you haul Tim off to the pediatrician’s office for a prescription, take a look at his after-school behavior. When it comes to the computer/TV/videogame, isn’t it funny how he can focus on nothing else for hours on end? Sure, when it comes to homework you have to nag and bribe, but when it comes to his favorite hobby, his attention is best described as undivided.

If your child can focus on some things, but not on others, it isn’t ADD; it’s childhood. It is simply a lack of motivation and interest in something that they have to put effort into, which is pretty common.

Turning our children into rock stars of focus may not be the easiest task in the world, but it isn’t necessarily one that requires medication. If your child can get to the 6th level of Super Mario Brothers, he can certainly learn to multiply fractions.

Let’s face it: children are into immediate gratification. They’re programmed to enjoy immediate results. Video games, good. Solving fractions, bad.

Just like other school skills such as organization or tidiness, paying attention is a skill that can be learned.

Oxford Learning has been using unique teaching methods to help children become aware of what their minds are doing as they are learning. Our techniques help children become aware of when they are off-topic, and teaches them to re-focus themselves. At Oxford Learning, students learn follow-through and stick-with-it-ness. Which are much needed skills, but unfortunately, very rarely taught in schools.

It’s a skill that they can use to make sure that the garbage bag ends up in the trashcan, and not on the back steps.

Being able to focus may not make children love their trigonometry homework, but it will help them get through the task much quicker.

Some children genuinely have a neurological disorder that requires treatment and a physician’s help. However, before placing a label on your child, consider the fact that maybe he just hasn’t leaned to pay attention yet.

Find out more about ADD/ADHD with Oxford Learning’s downloadable ADD/ADHD brochure, A New Way of Thinking about Paying Attention, by Dr. Nick Whitehead.

Quick, what was the last thing that somebody asked you to do?

Can’t remember? It’s not easy to keep track of all the things that we’re asked to do in a day. That’s why it’s important—for young and old alike, student and non-student—to use an agenda.

We’re bombarded with information throughout our day. Studies have shown that the short-term memory is capable of holding roughly 4-9 items, and only for a short period of time.

So don’t rely on your memory. Write it down. That’s why schools hand out agendas to students. It isn’t to doodle in during a boring lit class. It’s to keep track of assignments, homework, social activities, birthdays, and tests.

It’s there so that students don’t have to rely on imperfect short-term memory.

Students receive a lot of information during each school day. Using an agenda helps them sort, categorize, and remember that information.

Whether they realize it or not, and agenda helps students develop organization skills. It helps them to keep their priorities in order. It even helps them learn how to prioritize their responsibilities.

It also helps to reduce stress.

The trick, however, is to actually use it. The agenda can’t just stay in the locker during class, or in the book bag after school. To be effective, students need to make using the agenda part of their daily routine.

Oxford Learning has a great program that helps students learn how to use an agenda effectively. The “Get Organized Bootcamp” helps students learn to use an agenda, take notes in class, manage projects, and set goals.

Ask your local Oxford Learning about the “Get Organized Bootcamp.”