Seven Steps to School Success

Written by Lisa Harp


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4. Keeprepparttar student involved in what he is good at - baseball, soccer, gymnastics, tennis - whatever motivates him. I often encounter parents who take away these activities becauserepparttar 109098 student's grades are poor. This only adds to an already poor self esteem. A great activity to help a struggling learner is martial arts, not only forrepparttar 109099 focusing and discipline involved, but also becauserepparttar 109100 student is constanly crossing his vertical midline, and this helps to coordinaterepparttar 109101 left side ofrepparttar 109102 brain withrepparttar 109103 right side. I have noticed that most kids who stick with martial arts long term have reasonably good grades. 5. Don't do marathon nights with homework. Most districts have guidelines about how many minutes of homework a child should have. If your child is inrepparttar 109104 5th grade and is spending three hours a night on homework, then this is too much. Contactrepparttar 109105 teacher and principal if neccessary and haverepparttar 109106 work load decreased. I am constantly amazed that so many parents don't know this and feel they have to work for hours on end every evening on homework that usually isn't even worthwhile. 6. Regularly work on simple eye exercises. 80% of what we take in is through our eyes. I consistently find strain onrepparttar 109107 visual system of kids who struggle in school. No, they usually do not need glasses. What they need is to strengthen their eye muscles. One way to do this is to purchase an eye patch. Putrepparttar 109108 patch onrepparttar 109109 child's eye. Move a pen or pencil in front ofrepparttar 109110 unpatched eye. Move it slowly back and forth, diagonally, and in a circular pattern. Next, patchrepparttar 109111 other eye and repeatrepparttar 109112 procedure. 7. Turn offrepparttar 109113 television. Unplugrepparttar 109114 video games. Limit computer time. Play board games and cards. Get those kids outside and exercising. Children sitting in front of media are not actively learning. This is passive learning, and it will only hinder school learning. Too many parents think that if they plug in an educational game or movie that learning is taking place. Yes, that is true, but kids today are inundated with technology, causing their brains to become lazy in a sense. Without even getting intorepparttar 109115 current problem with childhood obesity, please understand thatrepparttar 109116 body andrepparttar 109117 brain are connected, and those kids need exercise and interactive learning in order for their brains to work properly. There are many more things that you can do to help your child succeed in school. There are numerous learning programs available. Anything done is better than nothing. So, you are onrepparttar 109118 right track to start getting help for your child.



About the author: Lisa Harp, a teacher and educational therapist, offers a line of learning products designed to help the struggling learner in a quick, effective, and affordable setting. http://www.learning-aids.com


Imagination

Written by Debbie Long


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‘Storybuilding with Imagination’,repparttar second inrepparttar 109097 Imagination Series, usesrepparttar 109098 proven techniques Debbie has developed and helps walkrepparttar 109099 child throughrepparttar 109100 general principals of story writing. Following her lead helpsrepparttar 109101 child untanglerepparttar 109102 confusing trail of mazes, and feelrepparttar 109103 pride of a job well done. ‘Storybuilding with Imagination’ is written simply, visually and interactively, so that children can follow along, regardless of reading and writing capabilities.

Kid’s Writing Place could be called an Internet learning room where children are mused and/or becomerepparttar 109104 muse to others, helping to spark children’s imaginations and promote writing skills. Encouragingrepparttar 109105 use of imagination helps a child build strength and courage, thus fostering a child’s self-image. At Kid’s Writing Place, children that are intimidated by that blank page can come and get story beginning ideas, or those that are full of ideas but just can’t seem to finishrepparttar 109106 ending can get help with their ideas. Those that are well on their way to becomingrepparttar 109107 next generation of authors can have their work read and critiqued by others. This not only enhances skill improvement but promotes interaction between others.

The goals of Kid’s Writing Place are to Foster Literacy throughrepparttar 109108 Imagination. This is achieved throughrepparttar 109109 interaction, cooperation and brainstorming ofrepparttar 109110 children working together and learning how to build on their ideas. This on-line forum was inspired by a writer’s fascination withrepparttar 109111 ability to motivaterepparttar 109112 creative process within children using their imagination. Visit www.designsbydebbie.ca/kidswritingplace and join inrepparttar 109113 fun of letting your own imagination soar and be amazed atrepparttar 109114 places that it can take you.

“The kids of today are our future,’ says Designs by Debbie founder, “I believe that we are all capable of helping to improve our children’s futures, starting with their own imaginations.”

Debbie Long is a writer/illustrator and founding member of 'The Muse Program', a literacy program for children. She has currently published her first children's book, in the Imagination Series, 'Short Stories with Imagination. The second is due to be released July 2005. For more details visit http://www.designsbydebbe.ca


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