Webster County High School

Share strategies to improve reading speed People who can read quickly generally understand more of what they read. To help build reading speed and comprehension, remind your teen to read silently (whispering words aloud can slow readers down). Suggest looking at several words at a time rather than single words. It also helps to practice reading fast with easy reading material. Your teen can save slower reading for more challenging selections. https://tpitip.com/?32je18889

Organized students can see the big picture How do some students manage to play three sports, volunteer and still make the honor roll? Organization! For example, writing down every assignment and commitment in a planner can help your teen see the big picture: "Yikes, next week I have a math test and an English paper due on Thursday, and I'm volunteering Wednesday night!" This also lets your teen see the time available between now and next Tuesday to do the work. https://tpitip.com/?32kF18889

Mirroring emotions helps teens reflect When your teen is upset, "mirroring" is a technique that can help both of you figure out why. To mirror, use your own words to reflect your teen's feelings. If your teen says, "I'm going to quit that stupid team," you might say, "You sound upset. It must have been a bad day at practice." Instead of offering advice, continue mirroring. Your gentle affirmations will keep your teen talking and encourage independent problem-solving. https://tpitip.com/?32kE18889

Better class notes are more help before a test Students who can capture class lectures and discussions in their notes have a valuable review tool at test time. What's more, studies show that kids who take handwritten notes remember material longer than those who use a computer. Suggest that your teen go online to learn more about different note-taking methods, such as the Cornell System. Then your teen can try them out to find a method that's a good personal fit. https://tpitip.com/?32kC18889

Share strategies to improve reading speed People who can read quickly generally understand more of what they read. To help build reading speed and comprehension, remind your teen to read silently (whispering words aloud can slow readers down). Suggest looking at several words at a time rather than single words. It also helps to practice reading fast with easy reading material. Your teen can save slower reading for more challenging selections. https://tpitip.com/?32je18889

Encourage your teen to practice testing Is your teen often unsure if time spent studying is enough? Practice testing is a study strategy that can help. Your teen can ask the teacher for a practice test, or use class notes, assignments and textbooks to create one. Actively recalling the material to answer the questions helps reinforce it in students' minds. It also helps them figure out what they still need to learn. https://tpitip.com/?32jd18889

Give your teen responsibility for college applications When college application deadlines loom, some parents simply take over. They write essays, contact teachers for references, and more. But success in college takes responsibility, and applications are the first step. If your teen needs guidance, make an appointment to visit a school counselor together. Create a list of required tasks and deadlines. Have your teen check it regularly to stay on top of what needs to be done when. https://tpitip.com/?32jc18889

Bust the myths that prevent math success Does your teen believe that "You're either born a math person or you're not"? This is a common math myth. Share the facts: Great teaching and hard work are what make someone a math person. Here's another myth to bust: "Math takes too much memorization and repetition." The truth is that math is about learning patterns. Once a student is familiar with them, the problems make sense and the math starts to be fun. https://tpitip.com/?32ja18889

Is your teen sleeping instead of studying? Many teens have trouble staying awake when they sit down to study. To make it easier to stay alert, help your teen get enough sleep at night (at least eight hours). Exercising regularly can help your teen sleep better and also provide more energy during the day. You might also suggest that your teen set an alarm clock for 30 minutes when studying. If your student does fall asleep, it won't be for too long! https://tpitip.com/?32jZ18889

School counselors can help families in many ways The school counselor is an important ally for your teen and your family. Counselors help teens set and meet academic goals and plan for life after high school. They also mediate disputes between students and help them with personal problems. Your teen's counselor can answer your questions about school policies, too, and serve as a helpful link between you, your teen and the teachers. https://tpitip.com/?32jY18889

Join the effort to keep students safe Schools and communities are working hard to keep students safe. One way to help is to get involved in school efforts to prevent violence. Many school-family groups have committees dedicated to reducing violence. Some parents volunteer to mediate conflicts between students. At home, get to know your teen's friends, and step in if a friend is known for drugs or violence, or has helped your teen get into trouble. Prepare your teen to handle negative peer situations by role-playing responses in advance. https://tpitip.com/?32jX18889

A group effort can strengthen study power Studying in a group can be an effective way for your teen to tackle a challenging subject. When forming a study group, your teen should choose members who take learning seriously, and who aren't such close friends that socializing gets in the way of learning. The group should then establish goals and create a plan to meet them. Members should also share the responsibility by taking turns leading the group. https://tpitip.com/?32jW18889

Discuss goals and expectations with the future in mind This is a good time to review goals and expectations with your teen. Talk together about how school is going so far, and help your teen think about setting new goals. Ask what activities your teen would like to pursue, both in school and beyond. Then help research what your student can do now to get on the right path. Make it clear that you believe that by working hard, your teen can achieve goals. https://tpitip.com/?32jT18889

Teach your teen to consider the source of online information Anyone can put up a website or social media feed. That's why it's critical that students learn to evaluate the online sources they use when doing research. Before using information found online, your teen should find out about the content provider. Is it a commercial company trying to sell something? An organization promoting a specific agenda? An academic institution? Encourage your teen to search for other material the sponsor may have posted to learn more about it. https://tpitip.com/?32jQ18889

Look for openings to chat with your teen Many teens would rather talk to their friends than their parents. But the cost of poor parent-teen communication is high: Kids who don't talk enough with their parents tend to make poor choices, both academically and socially. To encourage your teen to open up, keep things casual. Grab a moment to talk when you are in the car. Or drop in at bedtime to chat. Then start with an open-ended question, like "What's the best thing that happened to you today?" https://tpitip.com/?32jP18889

Be an active partner in your teen's education It is as important now for you to be involved in your teen's education as it was when your student was younger. Don't wait for signs of trouble to make contact with your teen's teachers. Ask about what your teen is learning and how you can help. Check in with a school counselor to find out if your teen's classes will prepare your student to achieve goals. Ask how other parents are getting involved at school, and consider joining them. https://tpitip.com/?32jO18889

Note cards make it easy to organize research When your teen has a project to research, suggest taking notes on index cards instead of paper or online. Your student can use different colors of cards to organize different types of information. Then, after researching, your teen can lay the cards out on the floor and arrange them under headings such as "introduction," "main points," "details" and "conclusion" to make a physical outline to follow when writing. https://tpitip.com/?32jM18889

Let your teen experience problem-solving firsthand It's hard to stand back when kids are making less-than-perfect decisions. But if parents solve their teens' problems for them, the teens can't learn from their experiences. Instead, when your student has a choice to make or a problem to solve, suggest brainstorming possible solutions and the pros and cons of each. Listen to your teen's concerns and reasoning, and provide guidance if needed. Then let your teen make the decision and learn from the consequences. https://tpitip.com/?32jK18889

Have your teen put math to practical use One way to support your teen's efforts in math is to demonstrate how useful it is in everyday life. You are probably interested in the average amount you spend on groceries in a month, for example. Tell your teen how much you budget for food. Then hand over your receipts. Have your teen calculate the average of your actual spending each month and compare it to your budget. Suggest making a chart that shows the difference. https://tpitip.com/?32jJ18889

Ask for your teen's expert opinion There's one topic on which teens are the experts: themselves and their ideas. So when you read or watch an interesting news story, talk to your teen about it. Ask, "How does this relate to your own life?" Ask for your teen's opinion on it. Allow a little time for your student to think it through and express ideas clearly. You may learn more about your teen's ideas, worries, friends and life. And you'll be learning from the expert. https://tpitip.com/?32jG18889