Top 10 tips on taking the stress out of school mornings

Do you sometimes feel that you have run a marathon after the kids have been sent off for school? School mornings can be quite stressful for both parents and kids but if we can establish a few routines, we can help to reduce the chaos and the drama that usually plays out on school mornings.


1. Establish a morning routine for the daily tasks. Activities that children engage in daily should have a set sequence, for eg. Brush teeth, wash face, comb hair, get dressed, eat breakfast, pack knapsack.


2. Prepare the night before for the morning. Certain tasks like filling water bottles, laying out the school clothes, setting out the breakfast table, preparing the school lunches and getting the sports gear ready can easily be done the night before to save time in the morning.


3. Set up a calendar with special reminders for each child. If you have more than one child in the house it can get a bit daunting trying to remember who has got what for the day. Set up a calendar that lists all the special events and what needs to be taken to school that day like library bags, sports gear, Homework.


4. Have a dedicated shelf for school essentials. The block shelves are great to set up as a “School Corner” for schoolbags, lunch bags, school books, school shoes, sports gear etc. – saves time to retrieve as you know where to find stuff.


5. Avoid distractions like having the television on. Watching TV while trying to get ready is bound to upset the schedule and get everyone late. Switch off the TV and if the kids are ready and have some time to spare, they could watch TV as a treat.


6. Be calm, optimistic and try to have a positive outlook. Children usually mirror the parent’s behaviour – if the parent is frazzled, the children tend to play up. Try to use a calm voice to instruct the kids what to do even if things are getting a bit chaotic.


7. Reward positive behaviour and ignore negative behaviour. When you catch your child doing something positive to get organised, praise the appropriate behaviour. On the other hand, when your child is engaged in destructive behaviour like yelling, bullying or dragging their feet try not to give attention to that negative behaviour


8. Set up a Reward Chart for being organised on time. For little children, a sticker chart can be a great incentive if they are rewarded for getting organised.


9.Choose the correct time to discuss inappropriate behaviour. If a child is being deliberately unco-operative, you cannot hope to save the situation by trying to discipline the child then especially if you are frazzled. An appropriate time to discuss the unfitting behaviour of the past morning would be at the end of the day when the child is in a calm state.


10. Ensure that everyone has had a good night’s sleep. If everyone has had the required amount of sleep, everyone would be rested and there’s a greater chance of getting through the morning’s activities without any drama. So, if we make the effort to put in place some routines for the night before and the morning, it would ensure a smoother and stress free morning. It is important that parents continue to reinforce these routines for it to work.

Top 10 tips on the benefits of creative writing

1. Encourages creativity and imagination. It broadens the thought processes by allowing the child to think outside the box. This is great in preparing the child for problem solving and analytical skills in the future. 

2. Allows for self-expression. It is a perfect channel for children to express their emotions and feelings through characters, settings and plots. Creative writing helps them make sense of their own feelings so they can share, understand and reflect on their own lives. 

3. Provides language skills practice. By writing the children can practise their writing skills learnt like grammar, spelling, word choice and punctuation. 

4. Teaches self-discipline. While creative writing is imaginative, it requires discipline to order thoughts on paper in a clear and concise way to make it believable. 

5. Can be therapeutic. Sometimes it’s difficult for kids to define their emotions and feelings. Creative writing provides an outlet by writing in the third person point of view to tell us what’s bothering them. 

6. Discover themselves. Creative writing allows kids the opportunity to look anew at the world around them. They are forced to question and seek. 

7. Develops self-confidence. When children receive praise for their writing efforts, it increases their self-confidence because they have achieved success. 

8. Develops self-esteem. Through creative writing, children have the chance to assert themselves by voicing their opinions. When their efforts are well received by their audience, it builds self-esteem. 

9. Improves skills in other areas. Studies show that children, who are involved in creative writing practices, tend to perform better in math, science and foreign languages. The challenges faced in creative writing give them the confidence and discipline to succeed in other areas of their life. 

10.Teaches persuasiveness. Children need to convince their readers through characterisation, storylines and themes to make it believable so they learn persuasive language techniques.

Top 10 tips on understanding visual learners

A visual learner is one who learns by looking or seeing. All concepts, ideas and information are learnt in terms of images. They need to see it first before they can make sense of it. Some ways to recognise a visual learner are: they like reading, they are generally neat and tidy with their workspace, room or handwriting, they can work silently, they love colour and art activities and they learn better when concepts are visually explained by charts, pictures or graphs. Here are some tips on understanding the visual learner. 

1. They need to see the big picture. Before they learn the parts and the details, they need to see the big picture first. Once they understand the concept as a whole, then they can understand the “nuts and bolts”. 

2. They need to look away in order to process information. Don’t insist that they look at you as it is too distracting to them. It is often thought that they are daydreaming when in fact they are just trying to cut off too much information like people’s faces. 

3. They often need time to think about questions before they answer. Don’t expect instant answers from a visual learner – they need to process the answers in their “mind’s eye” first before they can answer. 

4. They prefer neat and ordered work spaces. Visual learners are often thought to be perfectionists – they are easily distracted by clutter so they like everything around them neat and tidy. 

5. They often lose all sense of time. These learners are usually creative and imaginative so they can get distracted by something that gets their attention and therefore lose track of time. It is often handy to have clocks and timers so that they can focus on the task at hand and manage tasks according to time limits. 

6. They are poor listeners. They find it difficult to follow when information is spoken to them. It is advisable that they write out what they hear and later read this information to make sense of it. When giving them instructions, keep it simple and give it one at a time as they can’t follow a whole string of instructions. 

7. They prefer complex, advanced and abstract activities. They get easily bored by rote memorisation and being asked to do easy and repetitive tasks. They prefer creative and challenging tasks. 

8. They prefer information to be visually organised in order to learn. Visual learners learn by mental images, patterns and colour. They learn well by graphs, diagrams, illustrations, mind maps, highlighting words as well as other visual technology like video tutorials and PowerPoint presentations. 

9. They can’t show how they arrived at their answers. Visual learners are intuitive thinkers and they often arrive at answers to complex problems in multiplication or division but they can’t explain how they arrived at the answer. They just know the answers. 

10. They are usually quiet and observant with a keen eye for detail. They are usually not talkative and have a keen sense of beauty for the physical surroundings and visual art. They love colour and art activities. 

Our success at Kip McGrath centres is recognising the visual learner and providing them with learning experiences so that they find the concepts explained, meaningful. Contact us for a free assessment to determine what is your child’s preferred learning style is.

Top 10 tips for fidgety kids

Does your child struggle to sit still? Or is your child constantly moving around or fiddling with objects around them. Most often these kids are labelled as “ADHD” and are constantly being scolded to sit still. Here are some useful tips in dealing with kids that are “movers”.

1. Not all children that fidget have ADHD. These children may just have a kinaesthetic learning style. In other words, they may be more of a mover instead of a looker or a listener. 

2. Fidgety kids actually do concentrate on what is being taught. In spite of being fidgety, these kids show evidence of listening and grasping the lesson at hand. They show the ability to concentrate even while moving or wriggling around. 

3. Fidgeting in children is quite normal. Children are generally full of energy and like moving their hands and legs around. Some educational psychologists say that children actually tend to take in more when they move their hands and legs around. At home, children could sit on stability balls so that they could move around instead of a fixed chair. 

4. A fidgety child could well be a gifted learner. Often, children fidget when they are bored and the lesson lacks challenge. More stimulating and challenging work could help the gifted learner to stop fidgeting. 

5. Allow children who fidget to hold onto some small object. Instead of stressing about a child drumming on the desk or throwing things around, rather give them some small object to channel their energy into like a squeeze ball or a beaded bracelet. I often give my kids coloured pens and a sheet of paper to doodle when they have to listen for more long periods. Instead of focussing on keeping still, the child can then focus his energy on the lesson. 

6. Break up long activities into smaller sessions with breaks. Instead of an hour-long activity, break it into smaller 15 minute chunks with breaks in between for the child to move or stretch. This gives them a chance to get rid of the pent-up energy. 

7. Rotate the type of activities to refresh the child’s focus. Instead of expecting the child to sit and listen for an hour, get them to listen quietly, have a discussion with others, do some written work, engage in a computer activity and so on. By varying and rotating their activities, their concentration is refreshed each time which minimises fidgeting. 

8. Allow the fidgety child to do their activities moving around as far as is practical. They could pace while reading or do their math while standing up as long as they are not a distraction to others. Giving them errands to do also helps in using their energy. 

9. Children need to move around and exercise more. Due to our modern lifestyle, children are not moving around and playing outdoors like they used to do before. This results in poor core strength and vestibular balance which makes them to fidget. 

10. Introduce more “hands on” learning material. Learning aids like flash cards, board games, puzzles, floor activities interactive computer activities work really well with fidgety kids as it allows for movement. 

The Kip McGrath Education Centres are perfect for fidgety kids as activities are rotated after every 10 minutes so the child is constantly on the move with teacher-based, computer and worksheet activities.

Top 10 tips for sitting the NAPLAN tests

Each year across schools in Australia, students will be sitting for the NAPLAN tests in maths and English. Understandably, many students are very nervous about these tests. However, just practising a few of these tips will help relax the kids and put these tests in perspective. 

1. Read the question and work out what information is needed to get the answer. NAPLAN tests are not content tests – in other words it is not based on how much you know but rather on your problem solving ability and how you interpret the question to arrive at the answer by using problem solving strategies like multi-step, working back to front, guess and check and completing the gaps. So don’t try to remember what you have learnt - just focus on what the question asks for and try to arrive at an answer. 

2. It is not a test based on “pass” or “fail” grades. NAPLAN results are just a measurement of where you are now in terms of your ability in maths and English skills. It is more a test for the school system to see where they need to focus on planning and teaching. So if your scores are below where it should be, then teachers know what areas to focus on for future teaching and your parents may also use these results to get the extra support you need in maths, reading and English.

3. See the NAPLAN tests in perspective. This test is not the biggest and most important thing in life. When the sun rises tomorrow, the birds will still be singing and the buses will still be going. So relax and just accept it as something that must be routinely done like a dental check-up. It is over really quickly! 

4. Practise relaxation techniques while seated on your chairs. Some quick short term relaxation techniques include: · differential relaxation - pressing feet flat and firmly on floor and heaving the body up while clasping the chair on either sides with both hands – hold for 30 seconds and then relax the whole body -repeat) · deep breathing – breathe in deeply filling those lungs, hold to the count of three, release the air slowly – repeat · visualisation – close your eyes and think about a happy place where you feel relaxed and at ease. 

5. Do your best and try hard. Parents and teachers are happy if you can just give of your best – this test is about the effort, not the result. 

6. Have a decent breakfast on the morning of the NAPLAN test. When you have to focus on the questions, the last thing you want to worry about is your stomach growling so eat a good, full and hearty breakfast. 

7. Have a good night’s sleep the night before the test. Go to bed early and have a restful night’s sleep. Do fun activities that will help you relax. You need to be fresh and alert for the testing times. You cannot cram content the night before because this is a skills-based test. 

8. Ensure you are hydrated. Ensure you have had water before the test and carry a bottle of water that you could sip through the test when you feel thirsty (or nervous!) 

9. If you are not feeling well, let your teacher or your parent know. If you feel sick - like you are feverish, have a heavy headache or are feeling nauseous, please let an adult near you know. In extreme ill health, the test can be rescheduled on another day (provided it is before 15th May 2016) 

10. The NAPLAN test just measures your skills in literacy(English) and numeracy(maths). You may not be the best in maths and English but you could be super talented in music, art, physical education, dance or making friends so don’t be nervous about “failing” – just be the best you can be for these tests because you could be a super star in another area.

Top 10 tips on introducing audiobooks to kids

Does your child dislike reading? Or do they become frustrated because they can’t read the words? Or they could be auditory learners who are not keen to read a visual format like traditional books. Just because they don’t like reading, it doesn’t mean they should lose out on the wonderful stories that are in books. Audiobooks is the answer for reluctant readers. The best thing about audiobooks is that they are free because they can be borrowed from the local library or downloaded mostly for free.

1. Audiobooks brings the stories to life. Audiobooks are usually read by celebrity actors who are dramatic readers and therefore it is more interesting to listen to. Some audiobooks have added features like music, sound effects and a cast of characters which makes for a very powerful interpretation.

2. Audiobooks can be “read” while you are doing other activities. These books can be listened to while you are travelling in the car, doing household chores, repetitive tasks or exercising. Any activity that just uses your eyes and hands now becomes potential reading time with your ears.

3. Audiobooks are great for kids whose reading age is much lower than their chronological age. Children who have a low reading level become frustrated when they read by themselves. However, when they listen to these books being read to them, they are still able to enjoy content that is pitched to their age level and interests.

4. Reading an audiobook is a great way to increase sight words. It’s a good idea for kids to have a hard copy of the text while the story is being read. There are audiobooks which indicate when the page needs to be turned or others with uninterrupted reading. In this way they can work on the correct pronunciation too.

5. Audiobooks increases a child’s vocabulary. Children are exposed to new words that are not heard in their daily life situations and they learn intuitively to work out the meaning of the new vocabulary in its context.

 
6. Audiobooks are a fantastic way to improve a child’s listening and focusing skills. It is helpful to introduce children to short stories of about 5 minutes duration, then to longer stories and eventually to chapter books.

7. Audiobooks develops a child’s imagination. These books don’t have illustrations which usually act like picture clues so a child is forced to use their imaginative skills. Further, by listening to audiobooks they internalise the narrative structure subconsciously so when they begin to write their own stories they naturally know to create a setting, add an element of conflict, build the story to a climax and offer a resolution at the end.

8. Audiobooks introduces kids to authors and genres that they would not otherwise choose. Children are motivated to listen to more books from the same author or more books in the series. They also may be motivated to read the hard copy version of the audiobook.

9. Audiobooks create strong family bonding time. Families can listen together to audiobooks while travelling, cooking dinner or before bed. They can then discuss what they read by sharing opinions, making predictions or discussing aspects of the plot, character, theme or setting.

10. Kids that listen to audiobooks become lifelong readers. Children who are introduced to audiobooks early on in life view reading as an intensely pleasurable activity and therefore become lifelong readers. They do not have to wait to learn to read before they discover the magic of books. Long before they can read, they increase their general knowledge by learning about the world around them. The more they know about a subject, they more confident they become in a learning environment.

So, if you haven’t tried it out already, please visit your local library and look at their audio book collection in the form of audio cds, mp3 cds or check out downloadable mp3 files through apps like Overdrive or One Click Digital.

Top 10 tips for parent - teacher meetings

Parent- teacher interviews are held 2 or 3 times a year and at barely 15 minutes a pop, it’s worthwhile knowing how we can get the best from these meetings. I am a mum. I am a teacher. I can tell you one is just as nervous in either hat! However, both parents and teachers should see these meetings as an ideal window of opportunity to identify problems and to celebrate the good. Here’s a list of things to help parents make the most of this meeting.

1. RSVP promptly

When the teacher sends the invitation to a parent-teacher meeting, make sure you send in the note as soon as is practical. This prompt response will not only get you your preferred time slot but will signal to the teacher you are really interested in discussing your child’s progress. It is not often possible for both parents to be present because of work constraints but if both spouses were available for the meeting, it shows further that you really take your child’s education seriously.

2. Arrive on time
Usually these meetings fit into 15- 20 minute time-slots and it’s important to respect the teacher as well as others who are after you. Some teachers will finish off the interview on time because they have a class to take care of or they have to see another parent – you lose out precious minutes if you are late!

3. Talk to your child before the interview
Talk to your child about their classroom experience. What activities do they enjoy? What makes them unhappy? Is there anything that they wanted to ask the teacher but was afraid to ask? What would make the classroom a better place for them? What do they do that makes the teacher happy? Ideally, your child should not be present at the interview so that the adults are able to talk freely and honestly about the child.

4. Prepare your questions
We often think that we will be able to remember all the questions we need to ask but as it so often happens, we leave the meeting and then remember pertinent questions we should have asked. Write these questions down in a little notebook (I use the Notes feature on my iPhone). Have a look at your child’s latest report or national test results and frame questions around these. As suggested, write questions from your child too.

5. Ask questions
Ask your questions in a polite and nice manner. Phrase it in such a way that it doesn’t come out as if you are accusing the teacher but you are just sincerely concerned with certain issues. Some questions that you may ask could be:

• What aspects of the curriculum is my child good at?
• In which areas does he need to improve in?
• Does my child get extra help in any subject?
• What is your homework policy?
• Is my child’s homework of a satisfactory standard?
• Is there anything that I could do at home to support you?
• How does my child participate in classroom activities?
• How does my child interact with his peers?
• Are there things about my child that surprises you?

For the future, what is the best way and time to contact you should I have more concerns?

6. Adopt a pleasant manner
Most of these meetings are held before or after school hours and we ought to be thankful to the teacher for giving off their free time. In this light, even delicate questions can be asked in a polite manner. If you perceive that the homework your child brings home is not enough or not of the appropriate level, instead of becoming antagonistic and saying “I really don’t like the homework that Jamie brings home. He finishes it in five minutes flat. Couldn’t you give more?” These kinds of attacks immediately put the teacher on the defensive and nothing constructive is gained. Rather, you could say something like:”How much of time would you suggest that Jamie spends on homework?” and then address your concerns.

7. Brickbats and bouquets
Inasmuch as you are displeased about certain aspects of your child’s classroom, there are a lot of fantastic things that happens there too. Make sure you mention the positive things that you have noticed or your child has mentioned and praise the teacher for these. In that way, you imply that you are taking an objective view. So, when you broach your displeasure, the teacher doesn’t get defensive.

8. Convey relevant home news
If there is anything out of the ordinary happening at home that may adversely affect your child’s performance at school? If so, it’s important to convey this to the teacher. For example, their grandparents have come for a visit from overseas after ten years and all routines have gone through the window! Or the new baby is keeping everyone awake at all hours of the night. These disruptions can affect your child’s learning at school and if the teacher knows what’s going on, then it would make sense to them why your child is a bit “off-colour”.

9. Work as a team
The purpose of the parent-teacher interviews is to cement the essential link that needs to be strengthened between the school and the home. It’s a wonderful opportunity to identify concerns about the child and for both parent and teacher to work as a team to put a plan of action to help the child so that their time at school can be a happy one.

10. Follow up
Sit your child down and mention all the good things that the teacher has said about them. Then mention those things that the teacher said that could be improved on. Discuss how you and the teacher are going to work together to help them reach their goals. Refrain from talking negatively about the teacher to your child – your child needs to respect the teacher so that he can be an effective classroom member. If you and the teacher have concerns about your child, schedule a follow-up meeting so that you can plan specific goals and set in place a plan of action. If there were some suggestions made by the teacher or yourself concerning your child (like placing them in the front of the class), contact the teacher after a few weeks to see whether this is working.

Parent – teacher meetings can add lots of benefits to your child’s developemnt if handled the right way. All the best at your interview.