Principal's Page
By Sumner, Michelle
October 03, 2011
Dear Families,
In the last newsletter, I offered tips from Ann Dolin’s book, Homework Made Simple. This month I have added some tips for the “procrastinator”.
For the Procrastinator, the student might struggle with the following:
How might I set realistic estimates of times for tasks?
How do I break down long-term projects into manageable tasks?
How might I create written reminders to replace verbal requests or “nagging”?
As a parent, you might ask…
How might I help my child become a better estimator of the time it takes to complete assignments?
How might I encourage the use of an agenda?
Often times for the procrastinator, it is best to start with the toughest assignment and work toward the simplest. So if your child loves to read, leave that activity for the last 30 minutes and start with the most difficult assignment. It is also helpful to work for 10 minutes and break for one minute. Setting deadlines are important so make sure he knows to return to the work after the one minute break.
Often times the procrastinator believes that the task at hand will only take ‘a few minutes’ when in actuality it may take several minutes or even hours to complete. Try this: Ask your child to estimate the time it will take him/her to load the dishwasher, feed and water the dog, and empty the trash. Did the estimate match the real time? Now try that with math homework. How much time will it take for you to thoughtfully and thoroughly complete your math homework assignment? Did the estimate match the real time? Often procrastinators dread the assignment because they believe it will take HOURS to complete; but, students often recognize that it is “no big deal” and the task could be completed quickly or at least it wasn’t nearly as long as he anticipated it would be.
On the other hand, sometimes students recognize that their estimates are unrealistic and need to allow for more time to do their best work. It is important for the procrastinator to use an agenda and plan backward. If the test is Friday, then plan time Thursday, Wednesday, etc….so that he does not leave the test preparation for the night before. This next suggestion is not just for the procrastinator. It is a typical dilemma for students this age.
Students often believe they have all the time in the world to study when in actuality, extra activities encroach on that time. Help students plan for this by asking them to write not only their extra activities in the space in the bottom of the agenda but other family obligations as well like a special birthday celebration, church activities, visiting a sick friend in the hospital, etc… Work with the child to decide what days can be devoted to studying.
Hold to the plan! If she cannot study when planned, make sure to reschedule a time.
Next month – the avoider – I am putting that off until later!
Fondly,
Michelle Sumner
Jenks Public School