How Do I Know If My Children Are Studying?
Some children will go to their rooms and study for hours with no results.
When you check on them to see if they have finished their homework, they
don't know the spelling words, they haven't finished their social studies,
they haven't completed the vocabulary sentences, they haven't planned the
project, etc. When reading chapters, there are those who will "look"
at the words and not comprehend. Usually they are not paying close attention
to what they are doing. Their minds are wandering.
Your child may have read an entire chapter and not be able to answer
any questions about the content. If this is happening, checking on the
child from time to time and asking questions about reading and studying,
etc. are good ideas. Make sure, however, that your children are not relying
upon you to get the content into their heads. They need to be responsible
for studying on their own. You might help them, if needed, and quiz them
to review the content, but don't accept it if they have not learned much
of what they were supposed to study on their own.
If your children are using the computer for studying, research, or other
homework projects, check to see that they are on target. Although computers
offer excellent tools and resources for learning, your child may have chosen
to play a game, chat online, investigate web sites about automobiles, or
just surf the net.
Sometimes children may know the content when you ask them about it at
home, but when they go to school and take a test, they do not know the
same content. There are children who are frightened when taking tests in
a group and cannot concentrate. They worry over whether others are handing
in their papers ahead of them. They worry if a neighbor turns a page before
them. If they have difficulty on a question early in the test, they get
so upset they cannot answer the rest. If this seems to be happening to
your children, talk with the teacher. Perhaps the teacher can move your
children's seats so that there are fewer distractions. The teacher might
try testing the children after school when no one else is around. The children
might go to the guidance office or some other quiet spot to take the test.
A number of children who try testing away from the group do better and
often after doing tests this way for a while, they are able to back and
take tests with the group. If problems persist, you may want to talk with
a counselor or psychologist about your children. There may be problems
with long or short term memory or a learning disability that obstructing
your children's learning.
