Education: Tips to Strengthen Your Child's Performance in School

How are your children doing in school? Are you pleased with their performance, or do you think there is room for improvement?

No matter what letters appeared on their report cards, it's never too late to help your children get excited about learning. This can be accomplished by creating an encouraging atmosphere in your home.

"It is important for parents to make everyday learning activities fun in order to enhance math, reading, writing and study skills," said Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D. and vice president of Sylvan Learning Center.

Here are tips from Sylvan Learning Center on how to get involved with your children's learning processes and help motivate them for the rest of the school year:

* Set aside a specific time for homework and studying. Take advantage of this quiet time to sit with your child and work on your own paperwork. This visually demonstrates the importance of "work time" to your child.

* Set up a reward system. For example, deposit change in a small jar when homework is complete. As soon as the jar is full, treat the whole family to something everyone will enjoy.

* Have family reading time at least once a week. Utilize Book Adventure, a free Sylvan-created, interactive reading program that is available online at www.bookadventure.com. Students choose their own books, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem their accumulated points for small prizes.

* Refresh your child's study space. Make sure that all materials, such as pencil sharpeners, erasers and extra paper, are easily accessible and in adequate supply.

* Create study plans. Have your child do the most challenging assignment first, then work on easier tasks. Finish each homework session with a fun activity.

* Seek opportunities to teach. Invite your child to participate in cooking or shopping to strengthen math skills.

* Find a study buddy. Encourage your child to choose a classmate with whom to study and swap books.

* Talk to your child's teachers. Find out if your child needs extra help in a specific subject in order to catch up or get ahead in the class.

For free guides and a variety of complimentary activity booklets and writing journals, visit the "Resources for Parents" section of www.educate.com or call 800-31-SUCCESS for additional information.

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