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College Bound! College Ready?
Helping Your Child Develop Strong Study Habits and Writing Skills By Melissa Granberry
So your teenager is almost ready for college. Everything is prepared. The tuition has been saved. The dorm room has been assigned. But wait! The most important items are often overlooked: study habits and writing skills. Does your child know how to study and write for college level courses?
"Student skills have been declining over the past 30 years," says Bernie Gaidosch, a professor at George Brown College and author of The Professor's Secrets: Breaking the Silence (Daimon Corp. & Classic Legal Publications Inc, 2001). "When you're in college, you become an independent learner. You succeed if you have skills; you scrape by if you don't."
Instead of asking a question that can be answered with one word, try asking about specifics, such as assignments, tests and essays. "Give your child a safe environment to discuss weaknesses or problems," says Gaidosch. "Let your child know that you are interested."
To show your interest, Rick Bavaria, vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center, suggests having a large, family calendar in a central place. "Include important test dates and long-range assignments, as well as the upcoming family plans and sporting events," he says.
Parents can review the calendar and comment about future assignments. "This will let the child know that the parents are informed and interested," says Bavaria. "The underlying message to the child will be 'Learning is important in this family.'"
When your child receives a long-range assignment, such as a term paper, Bavaria recommends breaking down the task. "Put the due date on the family calendar, then break the assignment down into manageable chunks," he says. "For example, if the due date for the paper is June 12, have the rough draft due June 1 and the outline due May 22. Mark these dates on the calendar as well, so the child can feel success as she completes the tasks, and the family can celebrate her accomplishments."
