Remember when your child couldn’t wait to go to school? Part of the problem is age, but part of the remedy is finding success in school-that’s where teachers, in cooperation with parents, can make a difference in attitude as well as performance. As adults, we have deciphered the mystery of success-that is that learning never ends. In the Middle School years, the brain develops anatomically as it did from zero to three years of age. For this reason, it is critical that your child “learn to learn”. As parents and educators, we are at a crossroad of preparing children for their future more than at any other time in their lives since they first grasped the elements of life-eating, walking, talking, and other basics. I encourage you to read and use whatever “tips” you feel would inspire your child. The appetite for living, learning, loving tolerance, and for building successful citizens begins in the adolescent years.

Just as the runner going for the gold, the reader must practice reading using proper techniques in order to effectively win the marathon…..Just as the athlete must practice to tone muscle, the reader must practice to coordinate the eye, word, and brain to effectively read. Daily warm-ups and the independent reading program give the students this needed practice in the classroom, but as parents, providing a stimulating environment while setting an example, is simple!

With problems in reading comprehension, books on tape provide an auditory support and help develop the proper reading. When a child reads aloud, comprehension suffers at this age; it is important that the eyes follow with the tape, and he or she does not simply listen to the tape. The object is to coordinate the eye with hand movement across the written page, listen with attentiveness, and remember ideas. Before reading, it is beneficial to think about the selection and anticipate through a questioning process-what is this book or chapter going to explain, describe…….Is there identification through any experience with the characters?….. Of course, make certain the student’s hearing and vision has been checked -keep the novels at his or her level-books on tape usually can be found in most public libraries.

A more practical approach to reading is a “Read that Label” technique-you can use this approach by using instructions for grills, appliances, or labels on jars to check critical reading skills. Read high-interest signs, ads, notices, etc., from newspapers, magazines, movie promotions, etc., placing an emphasis on comprehension skills. At the grocery store question, “ What is the nutritional content? Are there any preservatives? How many ounces are in that can? “ With directions, ask for a sequence of steps or a summary of procedure. When asking your child to complete a job, give them a written one-two- and three step direction- keeping a day-timer for his or her own tasks and appointments help organize the thought process. Your adolescent will thank you later when he or she reads the tax forms!

For the advanced reader as well as those that need strategies for improvement, the media provides a plethora of opportunities to not only communicate and share with your child, but to practice literary skills. Ask your child to identify the theme or message of a video/movie-the theme is identified through the events in the story and helps to understand the author’s point of view of life. Many stories have more than one theme-sometimes the author will state his message directly through the characters, but more often, authors leave themes unstated or implied for movie watchers to infer on their own. Ask your child to evaluate the setting-how did it help the story? How did the producer structure the events of the story-did it start at the beginning, middle, or end? Why do you think the producer used that technique?

Could you relate to the movie or any characters……What do you think will happen if they produce a sequel?

Critiquing a television show is similar to analyzing the plot of a good book. They both involve a main story line, characters faced with difficult decisions, and a moral or lesson. By taking time to examine and discuss television programs with your child, you can change passive, “mindless” viewing into active, educational experiences. You can help by talking about the events that unravel in the story as you watch a program with your teenager. Take time during commercial breaks to analyze what has occurred and predict what will happen next. (The difficulty might be in finding a television program in common, but it is not an impossible task. You know your child’s interests best……) Invite your child to “talk back” to the TV-model-express agreement or disagreement with a character’s actions. Have your child compare real family life to that portrayed on TV. Encourage him or her to identify similarities and differences between television families and your own. Discuss how television friends act toward each other compared to real life. Take time to discuss the meaning of true friendship. If your adolescent has problems with ordering events, have him or her jot down each major event of the plot on separate index cards. Mix up the cards and have your child arrange them in correct sequence. For extra challenge and fun, turn off the volume while watching a show and have your child write down what he or she thinks is being said. Videotape the show so your child can compare notes and the actual conversations. Point out the similarities between evaluation a television show and analyzing the plot of a book. Explain that all stories, whether on film or print, involve a similar progression of actions and events. Encourage your child to voice thoughts and opinions about storybook characters and their actions.

No matter what reading level, children are more motivated to read when they personally relate to book characters and associate story events to real-life experiences. If you want your child to be intrigued by written words, read stories involving favorite hobbies, true-life mysteries, natural wonders, or any other topic your child finds fascinating. The following activity is one way to put “meaning into reading” making it an enjoyable experience for the whole family……..On clear, starry nights, take your family outside for shared reading. Spread out a blanket or comfortable cushions to sit on. For extra motivation and excitement, pitch a tent to create a camping environment while reading aloud. (My son pitched one in the basement, and wanted to live there when he was three years old!) My children liked taking turns reading stories or myths about different constellations. You may search the sky to see how many constellations he or she can find. You could discuss what it would be like to be an astronaut and travel among the stars. Read stories about voyages in outer space. Invite your child to close his or her eyes, or stare up into the stars as you read stories aloud. Lastly, encourage your child to write his or her own stories about constellations, space travel, life on another planet, or even aliens! Lastly, encourage your child to write his or her own stories to read aloud at the next “camp out”.

Vocabulary development should include a phonics program even at the Middle School level-included in the weekly skills are prefix, suffix, and Latin/Greek root exercises. In addition, I ask students to refer to phonemes learned in the elementary years to decipher or infer meaning and sound with more complex vocabulary. As with reading comprehension, have children decipher new vocabulary from newspapers, magazines, etc. and infer meaning through pictures or context. To increase vocabulary, have a word of the day chosen from the dictionary-reward each use of the word in that day. Have your adolescent note how the word was used during the day-keep a vocabulary notepad. This is a game for traveling cross-country!

Does your child avoid writing? If your child performs assignments so carelessly as to be illegible, supervise, recognize quality by comments or encouragement. Establish clear levels of expectations and require that he or she correct or repeat assignments until the expectations are met. Make sure your child has the quality of materials to perform assignments (e.g. pencil with eraser, paper, dictionary, handwriting sample if necessary, blue or black ink pen, and in some cases access to the computer for word processing. Practice writing with letters to friends, writing companies or famous athletes etc.

Have your child read written work out loud-this technique is particularly effective for children that do not compose complete sentences or express complete thoughts when writing. After reading his/her written work, have him/her explain why specific sentences do not express complete thoughts. Identify the qualities a good writer possesses (e.g. writing in complete sentences or thoughts, using correct vocabulary, etc) and have him/her evaluate himself/herself on each characteristic. Set a goal for improvement in one or two areas at a time.

Use the following in the writing process to evaluate:

Prewriting		What’s my topic? Who’s my audience? What info do I need?
Drafting		Do I have enough information? Where do I begin? Where does this beginning lead me? Have I covered the bases? Is this a good place to stop?
Revision		Do I have enough information? Do I have the right information for this audience? What can I cut without hurting the whole? Is my opening a grabber? Does the sequencing make sense? Did I wrap things up well? Is the tone right for audience and topic? Does the language communicate? Does it flow? Is it readable?
Editing		Is it as error-free as I can make it? Did I proof the text more than once? Did I read it both silently and aloud? Did I seek the editorial help I needed?
Publishing		Did I follow the directions for presentation? Did I follow the requirements?

As parents, reducing distracting stimuli in order to concentrate, providing a place for study and keeping dictionary and a thesaurus for writing help ensure a more successful year. For those children who need help with organization, provide a checklist and a time at the beginning of each day, establish a routine, provide an organizer, but most of all model organization and appropriate use of work materials. Interact with your adolescent frequently-provide breaks between tasks as well as checks for a successfully completed assignment.

Is your child missing assignments? Sometimes this is an organizational issue easily solved with the assignment notebook and checklist. I will provide the students with written directions for doing homework assignments as well as a list of assignments for the week for them to copy in the assignment notebooks. If missing assignments continues, reinforce turning in homework. Gradually increase the number of times required for reinforcement as your child demonstrates success. Lastly, the contract school to home would specify what behavior is expected and what reinforcement would be made available when the terms of the contract have been met.

It’s pretty amazing that the mind can imagine all sorts of things that humans can’t do yet-imagination, what a unique quality! If you’re like most parents, you want your child to develop his or her brainpower to its full capability. You can help extend your child’s mental reach by teaching his/her to think both creatively and logically-and by discussing the differences between the two. Don’t read the next sentence……………….For you to have followed that instruction; you must not have followed it. Paradoxes like this one are fun to share with kids. A dictionary definition of a paradox is “an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by making valid deductions from acceptable premises.“ In other words, the information you’re working with seems reasonable and your logic is correct, but what you end up with just doesn’t make sense. Here are some more paradoxes to explore with your child:

• In the sixth century B.C. Epimenides the Cretan said: “All Cretans are liars.” Is he telling the truth? If so, he’s lying…..and so on.
• A modern version: Say, “I’m lying.” Are you? Then you aren’t, or are you?
• Say to a friend, “Answer yes or no: Will the next word you speak be ‘no?”
• Am I asleep, or just dreaming I am?
• There are no errors on this page except this one.
• his sentence is false
• The only people I cannot tolerate are intolerant people

* An oxymoron is a short paradox expressed in words that seem to contradict each other. The word comes from the Greek oxys (sharp/keen) and moros (foolish)

	Examples: Soft rock, loud whisper, sad smile, living doll, mighty mouse, permanent loan Can your child think of others?

* Have you seen the bumper sticker that says, “Honk if you hate noise pollution”? Or heard the sentence, I used to be indecisive but now I’m not so sure’? Can you and your child spot similar paradoxes in the media or in your environment?

* Brainstorm a list of mistaken beliefs and carelessly held assumptions. Begin with the question, “Do you have to _______ to _______?”

	Examples: Do you have to go to school to be smart? Do you have to be a girl to play with dolls? Do you have to be sad to cry? Do you have to work hard to be rich? Do you have to get caught to be a thief?

* Educator and author Herb Kohl has found that asking students to list “Ten Ways Not to _______” frees their creativity and helps them learn to do a particular task.

	Example: Your son wants to learn to bake cookies. You teach him the basics and then ask him to come up with “ Ten Ways Not to Bake Cookies.” These might include: Be sure the oven is cold. Wrap yourself in foil. Stir the dough with a banana. Throw away half the dough before spooning onto the baking sheet.

* Give or imagine a party in which guests are asked to come as oxymorons, contradictions, anachronisms, or something equally unexpected.

	Examples: Dress as a New Year’s baby with a cane, a cactus with an umbrella, or an ancient Greek with a laptop computer.

* The concept of traveling through time offers a multitude of paradoxes, as anyone knows who has seen the movie Back to the Future and its sequels. For example: One reason you can’t possibly travel back in time is that if you met your grandfather and accidentally kept him from meeting you grandmother, you would never have been born. Can your child think of other complications of time travel?

* How would you play earth games on the moon? Since the moon’s gravity is one-sixth that of the earth, a football field would have to be six times as large, because players could throw the ball that much farther. Can your child come up with ways to adapt other familiar games for play on the moon? What about for play on planets with stronger gravity than exists on the earth?

• Play one checkers game as a “test game”. The winner counts how many checkers are left on the board and then starts the second game with that many fewer than the normal number. Example: If the winner ends up with five checkers on the board, next time he starts with only seven instead of the usual twelve. Continue this in subsequent games.
• Give the less experienced chess player sever free moves at the start of the game. Or, in checkers, give this player more kings to begin with-or declare him/her the sinner if he/she gets a single king or three kings.
• If your child knows strategy, try this: If she can tell you a good move to make, you can’t make the move
• Once you reach the point where it’s clear that you’re going to win (there’s no way for your child to make a comeback), turn the board around and have your child play with your pieces until the end.
• Eliminate competition altogether by having both players talk over each move, seeking and agreeing on the best ones.

Walking is the easiest, least expensive, and well accepted way to stay in shape-it’s even been found that physical exercise like walking can add to your mental fitness. So get your shoes on and let’s exercise our mind and body! What’s the topic of conversation? Choose from the selections below or imagine your own………….

• As you walk, look for ten things you’ve never noticed before, from front yard design to cracks in the sidewalk
• Point out things that need fixed in the neighborhood
• Search for pleasing images or scenes. This will enhance your child’s sense of aesthetics
• Search out things that are camouflaged-what about the rusted toy under the shrub, a dog sleeping under the tree, or a bird.
• Right after a rainfall, notice puddle size differences and decide which will dry up the quickest.
• Rate the buildings or houses you pass on your walk giving each a grade based on criteria you determine together, such as attractiveness or ugliness of color, loudness of barking dogs, amount of landscaping or lack, and memorable or ordinary doors, windows, decorations and styles.
• The “Who Lives Here Walk” invites you and your child to imagine who lives in the houses you pass. Guess from clues from around the house……Also try to figure out what people’s priorities are, such as keeping a garden, providing a play area for children, exercise area for a dog, feeding the birds, TV satellite, or having an artistically pleasing environment. Be an observation sleuth!
• Walk by the moonlight, early morning, afternoon……….whatever your schedule allows. How does your neighborhood look different at sunrise/moonlight?
• Take a picnic walk-let’s eat!
• Take turns instructing each other with a variation of “Simon Says”
• Look for geometrical shapes; don’t miss the ellipses and trapezoids, the diamond shaped leaves, or the circular bases of street lamps.
• The “Rainbow Walk” looks for all the colors of the rainbow. This is fun for all ages!
• The Inuits have a custom of walking to rid themselves of anger by walking as far as possible, noting where the emotion finally dissipates (you’ll want to walk with your child but avoid conversation for awhile) Thereafter, you can label the episodes of anger as “two-block mad” or a “mile-long mad”
• A traditional nature walk requires your child to look for elements of nature. You may or may not see animals, but you can be detectives and seek out evidence of animals. Notice holes in the ground, chew marks on wood, paw prints, flattened grass, stray feathers, bits of nest material and droppings.
• Call out letters of the alphabet of things you see-guess what the other person “spies”
• Flip a coin, heads for right and tails for left…………Take chances!
• Make rubbings of leaves, flowers, texture of buildings…You’ll need paper and crayons.
• Seek out evidence of positive and negative environmental practices and talk about them. On the plus side, notice recycling bins, solar panels, gas-efficient vehicles, clear air, or ecologically suitable plants. Make a point of strolling around the block on trash day so your child can observe how much garbage, recyclable and not, is accumulated by the families on only one block in only one week.
• Scavenger Hunt Walk….Give your child a list of items to locate….Look for leaves, insects, shapes, man with glasses, person carrying a child etc. Variations might be less tangible items -smiles, something friendly, something scary, a message, something you can’t photograph, an item that won’t be there the next day, a sign that someone cares, or something in disguise.

Brainstorming is a strategy used by businessmen, scientists, writers, and other problems solvers to help generate ideas. It involves listing all ideas on a topic that come to mind without judging whether they are good or bad. The next time your child says, “I don’t know what to write about,” try this brainstorming activity to help develop this ability. How you can help: Ask family members to collect small “secret” objects and bring them to the table. Have one person hold up his or her object for others to see. Ask family members to write as many uses for that object they can think of in five minutes. For example, a tin can could be used as a pencil holder, cookie cutter, dough roller, vase, drum, a doll’s body, or a measuring cup. Take turns sharing and comparing brainstorming ideas. See who comes up with the longest list. Extend the activity by having family members write “how-to” directions for their ideas. For added fun, invite family members to “ swap” directions, take turns reading directions aloud; then use them to make some of the creative crafts.

Memory even when lost can be rebuilt in many cases-it takes time and effort with memory exercises.

• At home, make your child the verbal messenger
• Have your child recall three activities at the end of the school day. Gradually increase the number of activities he/she is required to recall as he/she demonstrates success.
• Have your child practice repetition of information in order to increase short-term memory skills-e.g. Repeating names, telephone numbers, dates of events…..
• Teach your child to organize information into smaller units (e.g. break the number sequence 132563 into units of 13,25,63)
• Reduce distracting stimuli
• Stop at various points during the memorization to check comprehension
• Have your child repeat or paraphrase directions, explanations, and instructions
• Provide your child with written lists to do
• Outline, highlight, underline, or summarize information which should be remembered
• Make the subject matter meaningful-try to relate the possible purpose/meaning for studying the material
• Help break down large tasks into smaller tasks
• Have your child repeat to himself’/herself information just heard or read to help remember important facts or steps
• Have your child walk or use large motor movement to help them concentrate in memorization-for some children this technique increases focus.
• Try to connect new information to prior experience
• Mnemonic devices

Not too long ago, culture for many of us meant looking at celebrations, rituals, food, and dress from around the globe. While this type of study has benefits, you can also investigate the diversity of your own neighborhood, community and country-or even explore your own family. As you study your family roots with your child, aim for an appreciation of differences-avoid accepting stereotypes. As Amy Klauke of the multicultural children’s magazine Skipping Stones phrased it, “We walk a tightrope when we explore cultural diversity, because we don’t want to create more generalizations to replace the old ones” Usually a study of diversity benefits by increased flexibility in thinking as well as a deeper appreciation of his/her own “roots” or identity. A child who sees the beautiful traditional dress of one group may be saddened if he doesn’t believe he has something similar in his family. Reminding a child that culture is so much more than what the eye sees can help. Does your family have special customs handed down?

Attitudes toward childhood and growing up differ from culture to culture-Tom Sawyer’s rite of passage was as much a part of the culture of the South in the 1800’s as the displayed rites of manhood from African stories to the rites of passage in the American Indian culture. Ask your child to reveal the cultures displayed by a book they are reading. In some literary studies, for example, youth is portrayed as a valued trait whereas the wisdom of age is held in high esteem in other societies. Many of these cultural differences offer an opportunity to discuss values with your developing adolescent.

Depending on where you are in the world, body language and common gestures mean entirely different things. What’s funny or friendly in one culture may be rude in another. If you travel with your child, educate them about these cultural differences-but anyone traveler or not-can learn about and appreciate how much is conveyed by the unspoken. Different cultures have different ideas of how close people should be when speaking-have your child experiment with moving closer or farther away than usual when talking with a friend. How does the friend react? In Middle Eastern regions, nodding the head may signify “No”, and waving good-bye may seem to mean, “Come here”. In Great Britain, people tap the side of their nose to show that something is confidential; suggest that your child make a collection of gestures or body language he/she notices people using. Can he/she think of other gestures with multiple meanings?

Don’t forget that your own family has a history and its own folklore. By discussing what you know of these, you’ll be teaching your child how your family is both similar to and different from others around the world. Suggest that your child interview you or other relatives, using a tape recorder, video camera, or paper and pencil.

Additional ideas to help your child appreciate cultural diversity might be to………

• Attend local craft shows or fairs
• Discuss with your child how you experience your culture differently now than your ancestors did one, two or five generations ago. This home-based historical perspective adds insight to the study of worldwide cultural differences
• Visit art, anthropology and specialized ethnic museums with your family
• Encourage your child to call you on sweeping generalizations or stereotyping you might make. You may surprise yourself-
• With your children, compile a scrapbook of articles from newspapers and magazines relating to “structural inequality”-that is, ways in which discrimination against one group or another is upheld by the government or other institutions. This is much easier than it sounds. Articles appear frequently on issues such as discrimination against gay people in the military, against members of minority groups who apply for home mortgages, against women in hiring and promotion, against older adults through mandatory retirement, and against people with limited English proficiency in government agencies. A related issue is lack of access for disabled people in public places.
• Share elements of your culture with your friends and invite them to share with you. The following are Internet sites for pen pals in foreign lands. Exchanging letters with someone in a foreign land offers many benefits to children; it’s a great way to learn about different customs, broaden one’s perspective, improve letter-writing skills, have fun exchanging postcards, photos, and souvenirs, and maybe even make a lifelong friend. Suggest to your child that when she writes to someone whose native language isn’t English, he or she shouldn’t use abbreviations, slang, or colloquial expressions. Give your child some ideas of what to write about to get started such as extracurricular activities, where your family lives, what you typically eat, occupations of the adults in the family, what holidays you celebrate, or what you like about school.
  

  Here are some sites for pen pals:

  GeoMail, the National Geographic Pen Pal Network. Ages 6-16. Write to National Geographic Society, Dept. GeoMail-OL, P.O. Box 96088, Washington D.C. 20090-6088. Or print the order from you’ll find online at www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ngo/penpal/.

  Keypals (a feature of the Young Writers Club) www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~david/derya/keypals.htm.

  Student Letter Exchange. Ages 9-19. For an application, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Student Letter Exchange, 211 Broadway, Suite 201, Lynbrook, NY 11563, or find an order form online (you have to print it and mail it in with a small payment) at www.pen-pal.com