As your children get older, schoolwork becomes more demanding. We encourage parents to anticipate winter break assignments and prepare for them. But have no fear. Here are a few tools that parents and students can utilize to make winter break productive, yet restful.
Required Reading
If you little one has to read a book over break, ask the teacher for the required titles in advance. Make sure to visit the library to check out the book in advance, or to purchase the book ahead of time. This guarantees that holiday shipping delays or library holds will not waste valuable reading time.
Next, divide the reading into equal sections that correspond to the number of days remaining until it’s due. So, if your child’s break is 9 days and they have to read a 330 page book, they need to read about 37 pages per day to stay on pace. Set aside a regular time each day to get the reading done. Ask your child to describe what they’ve read. This will help solidify the material and serve as a quick accountability exercise.
Last, have your child write annotations and notes as he or she reads. With all the fun and activity of winter break, sometimes it is hard to retain new information. Having a few notes and big ideas jotted down can make all of the difference.
Essays
First, review the essay prompt with your child. Ensure that they select a good topic that will satisfy the rubric. Once your child has a topic, divide the winter break holiday into three parts: outlining, drafting, revision. The outlining and drafting require more time to complete. It may be worthwhile, then, to allot more days to these first two steps than the third.
Next, begin the outline phase. When outlining, have your child collect all of their sources in advance. Prioritize finding supporting details and citations, and organizing ideas.
Third, only after the outline is fully completed, begin drafting. Check in often with your child about their progress. Ideally, the draft is structured logically and mirrors the outline.
Then, ask to read your child’s draft. Proofread for grammar and content. Make sure they understand the strengths of their essay as well as areas for growth. Have them spend a bit of time addressing these constructive criticisms and then reread a final time.
Projects
Similar to the required reading and the essay, we highly suggest that you help your child divide the workload over a few days. Make sure your student completes the research on their project’s subject before buying crafting materials.
Second, require your child to pre-plan their presentation. Are they satisfying all areas of the prompt? Will they be able to realize their vision of the project with the time and resources available to them? They should adhere to their teacher’s requirements as closely as possible.
Begin building the project only after your pupil has demonstrated knowledge of the project and a plan for execution. This helps guarantee time efficiency and reduces the amount spent on materials.
Summary
Taking advantage of working in increments helps reduce the stress of winter assignments. Parents can drastically improve their children’s productivity by focusing on efficient efforts, and also enjoy some holiday relaxation. Enjoy!
