Hey parents, now that kids are back to school for in-person instruction, it doesn't mean that it's time to be hands-off. Phew! No doubt it's tempting, after the past year of at-home learning that took so much out of us as parents, but the reality is that going back to campus and face-to-face is yet another transition for our kids. It's a scary one, too, with COVID continuing to spread. Both young kids and older ones, for example, undergrads, need us right now, and there are still many ways to stay connected with your child's progress in school to help them pass their classes. A lot of it is not dependent on the teacher/faculty as we may think. Involvement is not simply asking your child did you finish your homework.
Better questions that force introspection and metacognition would be:
1. What classes do you have homework for today?
2. When is your homework due?
3. Do you know how much it will take to complete each homework that you have?
If your child is involved in sports and extracurricular activities, you want to ask how and when they plan to do the homework considering their other scheduled activities. Encourage the use of a planner, no matter how young they are. If you think your child will need any help, you can plan your schedule around helping your child complete more deeply involved projects or shopping for the necessary supplies. For younger children, you may want to include questions like
4. How can I help you?
5. Do you understand all the concepts you're learning right now in math?
6. What are you learning in History now?
7. Would you be able to pass a pop quiz for the last science class module
Mix them up. Don't ask every question, every day. The point is to ask the right questions that spur thought and reflection and a degree of accountability.
The other fundamental reason for asking these questions is that some things require students to sit down intentionally and practice or memorize. Some things require repetition of concepts and working through problems, which are often the crucial steps students skip because it is "too challenging." As a result, they do not develop mastery. Instead, they are just going through the classes, understanding only on a surface level. We need to help our students to get into a mindset of mastery; mastery over concepts and new knowledge, and mastery over their time. Help them plan time for just reviewing, memorizing, or practicing, as well as time for the things they enjoy doing to relax too.
Yesterday my 8th grader, on his 5th day back to school, said to me, "Mom, it's a good feeling when I know what all I have to do and I'm understanding everything." That lifted my spirits and leads to the most important reason to stay involved and help our kids stay organized with school: their stress levels and mental state. I say we owe it to them. Wouldn't you say the same?
Juliet