A new school year, brings new ways to review with your child.
If you are the parent of a child in grades K-8, more than likely you are assisting with
homework and remediation in content areas that your child needs more time on task with. May
it be Math, English or History, there is a way to make it fresh, fun and manageable for your child
and you! Starting the third week back to school, after your child has secured all of their school
supplies, has homework and assignments, and adjusted to a full day of school, devote 30
minutes a day 1 day a week in addition to homework completion for a content area to focus on.
Example Schedule and ideas:
Mondays- English 30 mins
· 30 minute scrabble game, keep the board in a safe place to revisit the next week
· Read a book with your child for 30 mins, take turns reading sections out loud
· Purchase review books at your local bookstore or borrow from the library. Look for
books with worksheets that review spelling and grammar usage. Have your child
complete the worksheets and you review the correct answers with them.
Tuesdays- Math 30 mins
· Purchase math flash cards to travel with and use in the house for a quick review.
· Save circulars with sales and have your child calculate the savings in the circulars on select
items either by hand or with a calculator.
Wednesdays- History 30 mins
· DVR History Channel shows and watch them with your child.
· Watch a Jeopardy episode with your child (look for the teen and college edition episodes)
and play at home with your child. Jeopardy games are also available online.
· Play Junior Trivia Pursuit with your family and test your knowledge too!
Thursday – Science 30 mins
· Log on to newyorktimes.com and read the Science/ Technology section together and
discuss.
· Review the chapter summary at the end of your child’s Science Text Book with them and
make flashcards to review for quizzes and exams.
Fridays and weekends- silent reading for an hour a day
Selecting choice days to devote additional time to a content area creates routine and
organization, two things that students need most. In addition to homework completion,
scheduling days for specific content areas can increase a student’s time on task in these areas. I
suggest no more than 30 additional minutes of review, and review can be in the format of
worksheets in math, a scrabble game for English vocabulary, watching a select program on the
discovery channel for Science or reading the current events section of the news paper for Social
Studies. As parents, you can incorporate learning into your homework help with your child. Silent reading over the weekend can include news magazines, newspapers or a current children’s
book. Ask your child to read aloud to you in the car, or while you do the dishes, better yet, start a
book club with your family.
If you choose to target all subject areas or only the areas you think your child needs more
review in, be sure to have a visible calendar and the materials organized to ensure that your
child follows a routine and can begin immediately after homework completion. Color coding
works well, with folders or a small accordion file labeled by subject and days for you and your
child to access quickly.
Don’t forget to let your favorite little person relax over the weekend! Good luck this school year.
Meet the Writer
If you are the parent of a child in grades K-8, more than likely you are assisting with
homework and remediation in content areas that your child needs more time on task with. May
it be Math, English or History, there is a way to make it fresh, fun and manageable for your child
and you! Starting the third week back to school, after your child has secured all of their school
supplies, has homework and assignments, and adjusted to a full day of school, devote 30
minutes a day 1 day a week in addition to homework completion for a content area to focus on.
Example Schedule and ideas:
Mondays- English 30 mins
· 30 minute scrabble game, keep the board in a safe place to revisit the next week
· Read a book with your child for 30 mins, take turns reading sections out loud
· Purchase review books at your local bookstore or borrow from the library. Look for
books with worksheets that review spelling and grammar usage. Have your child
complete the worksheets and you review the correct answers with them.
Tuesdays- Math 30 mins
· Purchase math flash cards to travel with and use in the house for a quick review.
· Save circulars with sales and have your child calculate the savings in the circulars on select
items either by hand or with a calculator.
Wednesdays- History 30 mins
· DVR History Channel shows and watch them with your child.
· Watch a Jeopardy episode with your child (look for the teen and college edition episodes)
and play at home with your child. Jeopardy games are also available online.
· Play Junior Trivia Pursuit with your family and test your knowledge too!
Thursday – Science 30 mins
· Log on to newyorktimes.com and read the Science/ Technology section together and
discuss.
· Review the chapter summary at the end of your child’s Science Text Book with them and
make flashcards to review for quizzes and exams.
Fridays and weekends- silent reading for an hour a day
Selecting choice days to devote additional time to a content area creates routine and
organization, two things that students need most. In addition to homework completion,
scheduling days for specific content areas can increase a student’s time on task in these areas. I
suggest no more than 30 additional minutes of review, and review can be in the format of
worksheets in math, a scrabble game for English vocabulary, watching a select program on the
discovery channel for Science or reading the current events section of the news paper for Social
Studies. As parents, you can incorporate learning into your homework help with your child. Silent reading over the weekend can include news magazines, newspapers or a current children’s
book. Ask your child to read aloud to you in the car, or while you do the dishes, better yet, start a
book club with your family.
If you choose to target all subject areas or only the areas you think your child needs more
review in, be sure to have a visible calendar and the materials organized to ensure that your
child follows a routine and can begin immediately after homework completion. Color coding
works well, with folders or a small accordion file labeled by subject and days for you and your
child to access quickly.
Don’t forget to let your favorite little person relax over the weekend! Good luck this school year.
Meet the Writer
 |
| Meredith Chase Mitchell |
Meredith Chase-Mitchell has worked in the nonprofit sector under the education umbrella for over fifteen years in the capacity of director of programs, charter school advocate, and recruiter. During these years Ms.Chase-Mitchell has implemented the No Child Left Behind Act via innovative programming in New York City with BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) and TASC (The After School Cooperation). She is currently a middle school special education language arts teacher and has also written a children's book entitled “Mommy and Me” highlighting positive relationships between a mother and her daughter. In 2014, Meredith founded Classroom Culture, an education based startup that provides a platform for professionals in education to collaborate and lead. Learn more about Classroom Culture here. Ms. Chase-Mitchell is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Northeastern University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Adelphi University, a Master of Arts in Urban Policy from The City University of New York, and a Masters of Arts in Special Education from The George Washington University. She has also contributed articles to Impact D.C, Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Africana Studies publication “The Horizons” and the book “Just Be Cause” released in the Fall of 2012. Additional professional commitments for Ms. Chase-Mitchell include being a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc, and serving as a former board member for the organizations The Seven Roses Foundation, and A Son’s Promise. She is the co-founder of www.whythesunrises.com, which is an international initiative to showcase the faces and stories of women in education.
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