Parents and teachers think that if only students would connect their short term decisions to long term goals, such as college and jobs, they would quit procrastinating and do their homework. That’s why we’re always telling them about how important their future is. Experience tells us that it’s not a reasonable connection. Kids won’t suddenly … Continue reading Procrastination, values, and connecting long term goals to short term choices→
With academic writing or other research projects, student improvement has a single source: drafting. Students will always score a better grade if they don’t hand in a “first draft” to the teacher. Think of handing in an unrevised paper as “going in blind.” That means that no one else, including the author, has looked it … Continue reading How can I improve my essay grades? Students, writing is drafting→
Seemed like a good idea at the time… Two recent Skype incidents remind us of the dangers of social media and the “instant age.” One, an offensive albeit private joke ignorantly shared online, the other a deliberate spamming via Skype messaging remind us that parents can and should be aware of their teen student’s social … Continue reading Parents & Teens Beware: like diamonds & tattoos, social media posts are forever→
When a parent of a middle or high school teen worries that “my student doesn’t test” well, what’s missing is a combination of goal setting, preparation and execution. As discussed in the previous posts on “Successful Assessments,” testing success consists of: Identifying teacher/ test expectations (“no surprises”) Preparing effectively (learning v. cramming) Executing on test … Continue reading A Successful Assessment pt 3: how to take a test (or, reading instructions & not running out of time)→
Parents concerned about their teen’s middle and high school exam and test prep might consider that studying isn’t just a matter of reviewing notes and study guides. Successful testing requires ongoing learning. Here are some strategies for parents to empower their student’s exam prep and overall academic success. In our series on Successful Assessment: how to … Continue reading A Successful Assessment pt 2: how to prepare for a test (or learning all along not just cramming)→
