Q: Many parents want to help their children with schoolwork – especially after seeing a disappointing report card – but don't know how. What would you suggest?
Dr. Bavaria: First of all, parents have got to be involved in the children's education, all the time. Communication is the key. It's important that parents and teachers communicate with each other so that report card time isn't a surprise. Report cards are never a surprise to kids. They shouldn't be a surprise to parents either.Parents also need to communicate with their children. Talk about school every day, and don't ask questions that can be answered in one word. Know who their friends are, whom they ate lunch with today, what the day's assignments are.
Q: Beyond communication, are there practical ways for parents to get involved?
Dr. Bavaria: There are certain study habits kids need to know, and we have to teach them. For example, we adults need to help them learn about time management.As kids get older, they get long-range assignments. Parents can show children how to finish these assignments by breaking them down into manageable "chunks." Put a schedule on the bulletin board, and on each day when one of these "chunks" is completed, give the child a little reward — like staying up an extra 15 minutes, or going out for an ice cream. Not only will this help the child become a better time manager and get the project done on time, it will also save the parent from the nightmare of having the child announce on Sunday night that there's a science fair project due Monday morning. It's up to us adults to give kids the routines they need be successful in these projects. They don't know how to do it themselves.
Q: What should the rules be for doing homework?
Dr. Bavaria: No two kids learn alike. One might come home from school ready to go right to her room to get her homework done and be free for the rest of the night. Another might need to expend some energy before he buckles down to do his homework, so he might need some time to run outside and play, be with friends, ride his bicycle. Every child needs to have a homework routine, but those routines will not all be exactly alike.Parents need to recognize that there are different learning styles. I've seen some kids who do homework with the radio on, the TV on, talking to friends… I don't know how they do it, but they do. The key is the report card grade. If the child has a lot of distractions and is bringing home unsatisfactory grades, then it's time for the parents to step in and say, "We're trying a different way of doing homework."Parents can also help make homework time more productive by giving kids the tools they need to be organized and efficient. There should be a place where the child does homework every day, so that all the equipment, all the materials are right there at the child's fingertips.
Q: What if a child says there is no homework that night?
Dr. Bavaria: Parents can give pop quizzes. If a kid says, "I don't have any homework tonight," then say, "Alright, we're going to have a spelling quiz now. There's no homework-free night in this house, so if the teacher doesn't give homework, I'm going to give homework."You can do pop inspections, too. Do periodic random checks of the backpack. You'll be amazed at what you find! Also, periodic random checks of notebooks and personal planners.
Q: Personal planners, for school children?
Dr. Bavaria: Yes, writing down assignments and when they're due is a simple way to teach the child about responsibilities. The 4th grade is a good time for the child to start using a personal planner. They may not admit it, but kids know they need help organizing. When you show them how to operate at peak efficiency, they learn faster and have more free time to do other things.Another way to help them plan ahead is for parent and child to decide every night what will be needed tomorrow for school and put all that stuff right by the front door, so as they're going out all they have to do is pick it up. In some homes, I've seen a little box for each kid by the front door.
Q: Any other ways to improve study habits?
Dr. Bavaria: Pair up classmates as Study Buddies. Every night, these two call each other and talk about what the assignment is, talking no more than 10 minutes. Nobody has an excuse to say "I didn't understand what the assignment was." Study buddies can also get together to study for tests by going over their notes and other materials. They'll do better on tests, and it will increase their confidence. This is a way to use their sociability to their advantage. They can learn from each other.
Q: How can a parent tell if a child is having trouble at school?
Dr. Bavaria: There are some warning signs that parents should learn to recognize. A downward change in grades, obviously. A change in attitude about school – a child who used to love going to school and suddenly doesn't, that's a warning sign. Watch for a change in appearance, in clothes or cleanliness. When long-time friends are no longer in the picture, that's a warning sign, and so is increased isolation from family members.
Q: If there's a problem, what should parents do?
Dr. Bavaria: Parents' involvement is the best antidote to distress in the child's life. When parents see signs of trouble, they should go right to the school and talk to teachers – especially any favorite teachers – and the guidance counselor, who is specially trained to look out for the social and emotional well-being of a child. Others at the school who might be able to help are any adults with whom the child has a relationship – cafeteria worker, coach, schoolbus driver, school nurse, yearbook advisor. Parents can also speak with their minister or rabbi, or a pediatrician if there might be a health problem.
Q: What if a child simply isn't interested in school?
Dr. Bavaria: It's important for parents to keep their children "stretched." Unfortunately, a lot of children fall through the cracks because they're more talented academically than what they are being asked to do in the classroom. There are kids who are bored at school, bored at home. This is a great, wonderful and scary world and there's no reason to be bored, ever. Shame on us adults if we don't show the kid that there are lots of ways to keep his or her mind active. We need to recognize where a kid's talents are and encourage those talents, praise those talents, give confidence in those talents.
Dr. Bavaria is available for interviews. To schedule a time, please contact Wendy O'Dell Magus at (410) 843-8928
Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., is the vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center and directs all academic programs for the learning center network. With more than 35 years of education experience, Dr. Bavaria began his career as a high school English teacher and progressed to executive director for the for the Baltimore County, Maryland, Public School System’s department of curriculum and instruction where he oversaw the development of all instructional programs for the 22nd largest public school system in the United States. Dr. Bavaria holds a master of liberal arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in English curriculum and instruction from the University of Maryland. He serves on the Education Advisory Board of Villa Julie College, a four-year liberal arts college, and the board of directors of The Grace and St. Peter’s School, an independent elementary school in Baltimore, Maryland. He is an associate of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and was the recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Alumnus Award of Towson University’s College of Liberal Arts.
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