Published: October 21, 2008 11:45 pm      

By the book

What parents can do to help students

FAIRMONT — As students face tests throughout the school year, their parents are a substantial part of the study process.

Stacey Strawderman teaches seventh- and eighth-grade math at Monongah Middle School and is also president of the Marion County American Federation of Teachers (MCAFT).

She said for her tests, the biggest thing is to practice and go through all the homework, because the exams are based on these assignments.

Students need to look at their past work and materials and review their notes to make sure they understand, Strawderman said. In the classroom, students can practice different concepts by playing interactive computer games through Portaportals, and they can also access this tool at home.

“It’s pretty cool,” she said. “Technology has come so far.”

By the time students reach the seventh and eighth grades and high school, many times parents forget how to do the math work that their children are learning, Strawderman said. But parents can play a big role in motivation and keeping their kids on track.

“Sometimes it’s hard for them to help,” she said. “Their basic job instead ... is to try to get them motivated to at least care about the test. Make sure they do their homework is probably the most important thing.”

Nan Murray is a general fifth-grade instructor — teaching reading, language and science — at West Fairmont Middle School. She said it’s so valuable for parents to remain a part of their children’s studies throughout their schooling.

“I believe the parent has to stay totally involved from birth through college,” Murray said.

In her classroom, she can tell which children have parents who are involved and which ones are letting their kids drift away. Guardians should strive to provide their children with enriching activities, such as library trips and traveling, and expose them to new and different things, Murray said.

“Too much TV downtime or video game activities does not warrant the best students,” she said.

Parents need to stay informed about what their children are doing in school, cover text books with them, and check their assignment books regularly. Murray said they should also look on Edline for notices and assignments.

She said her students generally know one week in advance about tests and start preparing in class two to three days before.

At home, guardians can do study guides with their kids. They can quiz the child orally on the test materials and ask thought-provoking questions other than general recall. Parents can also try putting the test questions into a game situation like Jeopardy or Deal or No Deal “to make it fun and interesting,” Murray said.

“Give them encouragement,” she said. “Provide the correct good study atmosphere and materials for the children.”

As director of special services for Marion County Schools, Gia Deasey works with special needs children “from one extreme to the next.” The spectrum of special education includes kids with learning disabilities, behavioral and mental disorders, and pre-K special needs, as well as gifted children.

She said parents need to realize that it makes sense to set up accommodations for tests. These accommodations allow the child to be tested fairly, but don’t change what is actually tested.

Testing today isn’t just about reading, facts and memorization, but makes use of different strategies to find answers, Deasey said. Tests involve document-based questions that use charts, graphs, menus, maps and cartoons. Parents can help their children learn how to use these documents and gain a depth of knowledge about information.

Special needs students don’t do well if they have to pull an all-nighter to prepare for an exam, she said.

“Our students really need to prepare,” Deasey said. “It’s important to take those big tasks and break off a little bit every night.”

She said a lot of special ed students need daily help, which can strain the relationship between the parent and child. Some parents prefer to use another relative or a tutor, and this is perfectly fine.

Deasey said parents should reward students for working hard, not for grades. It’s vital to get “students to understand it’s OK to work really hard and get a C or D.” However, it’s not acceptable for a child to get a zero for not turning in an assignment.

“Never punish the grade — it’s always the effort,” she said. “That’s really important to understand in families.”

Parents should also establish a place for their children to work and a schedule for them to follow. Deasey said a lot of special needs students will work really hard to make it through high school, and keeping in contact with case managers and general educators is essential.

In addition, guardians need to know about their child’s disability, she said. They need to grasp whether the problem is driven by disability, or if it’s spurred by boredom or something else.

“I think it’s important for every parent to understand what is their child’s disability,” Deasey said. “Is this ‘won’t do’ or ‘can’t do’? Is this problem disability-driven?”

“Most of our parents ... they want their kid to do well. They want their child’s rights protected, but they want their kids to work to full potential. They don’t want them to get the lazy way out.”

E-mail Jessica Legge at jlegge@timeswv.com.