They were focused on one particular child. I felt like I was failing and that maybe we should explore other options. He certainly remembered. It was the year that another one of our children was in 4 th grade. And all my struggles revolved around that particular child.
Ohh, and a few years before that, I had wanted to give up as well because another one of our children was proving to be a challenge. Yes, that child was in 4 th grade at that time. Every year that I have a 4 th grader, we have a difficult year and most of the challenges are centered on that specific child. It is during the 4 th grade year, that we experience more crying, frustration, arguing, and discouragement.
I have no real answers. Those years have their own challenges and very few things test my patience like listening to my children sound out the same word for the twentieth time or watching them suddenly forget all of their math facts while working on an assignment.
But by 3 rd grade, those children are gaining more confidence. They now have a solid foundation in the basics and are ready to begin a new learning journey. You may even want to ask for step-by-step notes. People with learning differences in math may give estimates that are wildly off. As many as 1 in 4 kids show signs of school refusal at some point.
More on: School struggles. Podcast Wunder community app. Main menu Our work Blog Surveys and research. Join our team Privacy policy Terms of use Fundraising disclosure Sitemap. Quick tip carousel. Quick tip 1. Practice with food, like pizza. Quick tip 2. Find example math problems.
Quick tip 3. Try a different approach. Quick tip 4. Learn more. Dive deeper Math visuals and models in fourth grade. For families: What to do next. Related topics Math Math School struggles School struggles. So how can you get your child to open up? Here's what other parents say really works:. Ask your child about school every day 1. If he's a horror story addict, for instance, say: "You've been reading a lot of those horror story books.
Which one do you think is best? Read your own books, magazines, or newspapers when your child is reading. For example: How many bowls of cereal do you think we can get out of this box? How many minutes do you think it will take to clear off the table? Encourage her to make up her own games. Let him bring his calculator to the grocery store. Try to come up with three different ways to spend it.
If your child's having trouble in it, or starts complaining that it's too hard or too boring, act as though you know that if she keeps on trying, she'll improve. But I know you can do it if you keep on trying. Ask questions as you read, to make sure your child is understanding what she hears.
While they're all entertaining, and can even be educational, they tend to promote tunnel vision. Make sure the time your child spends in front of a screen is balanced by time spent with other people, talking face to face. When your child wants to talk to you, for example, stop what you're doing and look at him while he's speaking.
When he's finished, say something that indicates you heard him, even if you only repeat back what he said. For minor problems and concerns, a telephone conference may be sufficient. But if you feel the issue merits more serious discussion, arrange to meet with the teacher face to face.
Don't try to corner her before or after school, when her attention is on the students. Instead, shoot for a time when she can give you her full attention, and is less likely to be stressed or tense. Write down a list of your concerns, and why they're concerns.
Let your list rest for a while, and then go back to it, when you're feeling calm and rational. Try to frame all of your concerns in the most positive light possible, so you won't immediately put the teacher on the defensive. For example, instead of saying, "You're not doing anything to help my child improve in reading," you should shoot for: "I'm really concerned about my child's progress in reading.
I wanted to check in with you to see if there's anything else that can be done, at school and at home, to help her move forward. You may feel like blasting the teacher; you may even have good reason to do so. But your child will not benefit in any way if you alienate her teacher. Try to remember that the best school solutions come when teacher and parent act as a team. If you lose your temper, you may lose the chance to be taken seriously.
Remind yourself that your goal is to help your child, not blow off steam. If possible, bring tangible evidence to back up your side of the story. There may be mitigating factors of which you're unaware; you may have gotten the wrong information from your child; there may be a miscommunication that's complicating the issue.
I'd like to meet with the principal. If the second meeting doesn't help, the next step is to contact the superintendent. But only you can decide whether or not that's necessary. Does she think it's too hard? Is she complaining about it at home? Or does she like it? Is there some special activity that she really enjoyed? Does she talk about the things she learns in school?
Most teachers would rather hear about problems sooner than later, so they can work on turning things around as quickly as possible. So don't forget to mention the good stuff. Is she being teased or harassed?
Is she too shy to make new friends? Does she need to branch out from her one best friend and get to know other kids? In elementary school, there is still a lot teachers can do to mold social relationships. But they need to know what the problem is before they can start to solve it.
Or, a desire to write may be stimulated by an invitation to describe one of the subjects your child loves. Let the teacher know if there is something that really motivates your child, so she can capitalize on it in the classroom.
If you think an issue might come up in these or other areas, let the teacher know. That means around to 9 p. Children who regularly go to bed later on school nights have a hard time keeping up in school, teachers say. They end up being tired and grouchy, they're more likely to have behavioral problems, and they aren't able to fulfill their academic potential.
Even sleep specialists are now beginning to believe that certain behavioral and learning problems among children are the result of undetected sleep deprivation. The bottom line is that a good night's sleep is the best guarantee of a pleasant and productive day at school.
Children who skip breakfast may not feel hungry when they first get to school, but according to teachers, they usually hit a slump around mid-morning and can't keep their minds on schoolwork, until sometime after lunch.
If your child doesn't like the traditional foods kids eat for breakfast, let him eat what he does like. There's nothing nutritionally wrong with eating pizza or a peanut butter sandwich in the morning. Or, if all else fails, send him to school with a breakfast bar and a box of juice, so he can get something in his belly before the first bell rings. A kid who goes to school without mittens, a hat, or boots in the winter may have to sit inside for recess while her classmates spend their excess energy on the playground.
A child who doesn't have shorts and sneakers on gym day may end up sitting on the sidelines, while everyone else is running around having fun. Children don't always have the best judgment when it comes to protective clothing.
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