Notes from Parent Group
November 13, 2007
8:30-9:40 am

Introductions of those in attendance:

Bob Cooke, Anne Solie, Robyn Kramer, four parents

Discussion about homework strategies

Assignment notebook is key. 

Needs to accurately reflect assignments.

Child needs to know expectations.

Anne Solie shared information titled “Homework Strategies for Parents,” which is also in the Middle School section of MPA website.

Anne also shared some self-reflection sheets about studying and learning profiles.

Kids need to find out what environment/routines work for them.

One parent shared their experience about a contract with their Middle School student.

*Needs to be signed weekly by all of her teachers to confirm that everything is up-to-date, assignments have been turned in and she is getting at least a “C”

*Parents set up rewards and consequences at home

Another parent talked about her role as the time maven.

    *Need to do something consistently every night.

Other discussion points:

    *Don’t talk about HW at dinner

    *Kids need a break from school

*Some kids/families prefer to work right away after school to get the HW done while others need a break and start a bit later

*Study carrels work for some.  Idea was mentioned about using one with a mirror so you could actually see yourself studying. This Learning Station idea came from a book called "7 Steps to Homework Success: A Family Guide for Solving Common Homework Problems" by Sydney Zentail.  Step 5 outlines Building the Learning Station and the mirror is put in as a "simple strategy found to increase self-awareness and thereby improve accuracy and persistence on simple tasks."  Then it sites a Purdue University study where a mirror dramatically increased independent work as well as an increase in math homework completion and accuracy.

*Balancing within a family.  Different parents have different strengths.

*The need for patience.

*Children may take the responsibility back but parents could still watch and get directly involved again if necessary

*Powerschool – this is used very differently by people.  Some check very frequently while others check very infrequently, ranging from daily to once or twice a quarter.

*Plastic bottles information was brought up.  See the following website for more info.

http://www.agobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083

Bob Cooke shared some information about the recent ISACS conference that some MPA faculty and administrators attended.  The theme this year was the Science of Learning.

   
    *Mel Levine -  how brains work, demystifying kids, teaching to strengths, people tend to work in their areas of strength

    *Leonard Sax – gender differences, boys falling behind girls, not achieving same, Chapel Hill in North Carolina and their gender-blind admissions, brain research about boys’ brains being different from girls’ brains, Boys Adrift

*Richard Louv – Nature Deficit Disorder, kids need to get outside to have unstructured time, nature important to him, nature in your briefcase vs. nature in your heart, No Child Left Inside

    Several books were purchased at the conference and are available for check out from the lending library.  Contact Bob Cooke for more information.

    Future meetings scheduled:

Tuesday, January 8, 2008   8:30 AM      

Tuesday, February 12, 2008   8:30 AM      

Tuesday, April 8, 2008   8:30 AM      

Tuesday, May 13, 2008   8:30 AM