Parents' Page
Tips, information, and resources to help you provide the best possible support to your child's learning.
Home Supports
Ask your child how their day was: praise her/him for accomplishments and good choices during the school day, and encourage her/him to keep working on areas of improvement and on making better choices when mistakes in behavior were made.
Have a comfortable, quiet, and distraction-free work space, like a desk, table, and/or chair, for your child to do homework undisturbed in 10-20 minutes intervals. First graders have had a long day by the time they reach you. The school requirement is 30 minutes of homework. Much longer than this is not suggested.
Be sure your child reads at least 20 minutes each day. It is best that she/he mostly reads books at her/his current reading level for the most benefit. Ideally, children should discuss their reading each day with an adult or older sibling to ensure full understanding of the reading and fostering in your child the focus of reading for understanding.
Have a notepad or sticky notes and pencil available for your child while he/she is working independently, to jot down questions or tricky words or problems he/she is struggling with in the homework. Then your child can share with an adult or older sibling later.
Remember to keep things positive and fun, so your child associates reading, math, and learning in general with positive feelings, not anxiety, frustration, or inadequacies. If your child is struggling with something academically, try working on it in smaller chunks and/or over shorter time spans (5-10 minute intervals, of no more than 2 intervals a day). Try making a game out of practice work whenever possible. Feel free to ask me for any suggestions to make at-home practice pleasant and productive.
Happy Learning!!!!
Ms. Derderian
Helpful Sites
Related to writing:
http://www.greatschools.org/students/activities/298-first-grade-learning-games-activities.gs
Related to spelling:
http://www.spellingcity.com/
Related to math & language arts:
http://www.ixl.com/math/
http://www.ixl.com
**Please see the many other helpful educational sites and games your child can benefit from that are listed under the Curriculum Connections tab (listed by Subject).**