“I have a clutch of students who read for pleasure, yet bizarrely hand in assignments only sporadically. Let’s call them “Readers.” These are the kids who take home The Kite Runner and read the whole thing in two days—then never write any of their journal responses. Their grades do not reflect their abilities. However, these students always score at or near the very top of the class on these standardized tests.”  

This hints at an even deeper gift that these students have – one that feeds their love of reading – and that is the innate (or is it taught? modeled? suggested?) gift of CURIOSITY. These people do not read because they have to – “have to” doesn’t factor in that heavily if they are not writing their journal responses and earning poor grades. They are reading because of something else. That SOMETHING is also leading them to score at the top of these assesments that Mr. Brown refers to. Freedom of thought, freedom from the slavish “do only what you are told to do and nothing more” and a freedom to pursue knowledge and adventure (what else?) through books fuels these students’ success. As a parent, how do you foster CURIOSITY?

 - Heather

Your child should have an area that is dedicated to his/her academic work, away from the family comings and goings - a place to keep supplies handy, a good surface for writing (and perhaps access to a computer). A few resources that you’ll want to have available are:

• a dictionary and a thesaurus
• a pencil sharpener, extra pencils, highlighters, pens, erasers, etc.
• math supplies such as a ruler, counters (for younger kids), and a calculator if appropriate

The area needs to be well-lit, and might include a radio or cd player so that your child can study with music on in the background (while that could distract some kids, it actually helps others focus – if you are not sure, test it out). Also, be sure that the chair your child is using is comfortable and supports good posture for writing and reading. Additionally, you may consider adding a beanbag chair or comfy pillow in the area for when your child is curled up with a good book.

The study area is also a good place to have organization tools such as a homework calendar, a list of montly goals, a corkboard with pushpins or a whiteboard for jotting down deadlines and reminders, and cues such as the one I’ve provided here, which reminds kids to check their writing to ensure it has met various criteria. Feel free to download this resource and print it for your own use. Or, make your own study resources according to your child’s changing needs.

If your house is like mine, it is a flurry of activity, often bordering on chaos. It is important to think about your child’s academic needs at home, whether he or she is home schooled or leaves the house for school. A love of learning is nurtured in the home, and a snug place for a child to explore books, maps, and ideas will encourage that learning – even through the din of family life.

Heather