From a history test at the end of each month to a spelling quiz every Friday, studying is a skill children will need throughout their years at school.  Help your child study with these tips:

START A HABIT.  Encourage your child to treat studying as a daily assignment, not just something they do the evening before a test.  For example, they might study 15 minutes every night for a spelling test on Friday.  After they finish their regular homework, they can spend a little time reviewing their notes and handouts.

TACKLE TEXTBOOKS. When your child has a chapter to study, have them “preview” it to increase their understanding.  They should glance over headings, graphics and photos and go to the glossary to look up boldfaced words.  Tip:  If they find a section hard to grasp, they could read a picture book on the topic.  For a science book on matter for instance, they could try the book “What Is the World Made Of”.  By Kathleen Weidner Zoeheld.

MIX IT UP. If your child reviews information in several ways, they will be more likely to remember it.  They might use colored pencils to copy each spelling word or math fact onto a separate index card.  Then they can shuffle the cards and study them in a different order each time.  For extra reinforcement, suggest that they spell each word or recite each fact aloud.

MAP TESTING.  Students in Grades 2-8 will be taking the MAP beginning September 19.  The MAP is the Measure of Academic Progress test that our school will give each student in the fall this school year.  It is a computerized adaptive test in reading and math that reflects the instructional level of each individual student.  It measures growth over time in addition to performance.

Many parents/guardians have asked how they can help their child prepare for this test.  The best advice I can give is to make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before each test, have your child eat a healthy breakfast on the day of each test, remind your child to dress comfortably on the day of the test and most importantly get your child to school on time the day of the test. 

Check in with your child’s classroom/homeroom teacher to find out the exact date of the Math and Reading MAP tests that your child will be taking.  Make sure you let your child’s classroom/homeroom teacher know if your child will be gone during their scheduled testing time so that the test can be rescheduled for your child.  Remember that testing is used in schools to measure student achievement. 

(Some information from the 2012 Resources For Educators)