School Psychology News Helping children thrive in school, at home, and in life

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School Psychology News Helping children thrive in school, at home, and in life 2016-2017 School Year, Quarter 1 Struggling with Homework Many parents are all too familiar with the homework struggle.

1 School Psychology News Helping children thrive in school, at home, and in life School Year, Quarter 1 Struggling with Homework Many parents are all too familiar with the homework struggle. Between excuses, avoidance, arguments, and bargaining, a seemingly simple task can quickly turn into a nightly battle that leaves both parents and their children feeling frustrated and discouraged. There are a number of reasons why a child could be having difficulty completing homework, but there are also many ways to intervene and provide support. 1. Make it routine. Set aside time for homework after school each day. Building in a specific time and keeping it consistent will make homework completion become a habit. 2. Create a homework space. Provide your child with a quiet, well-lit place that is free from distractions. 3. Discuss the importance of homework. Not only does homework reinforce academic skills, but it also teaches responsibility, time management, study skills, and better organization - all of which are important life skills! 4. Allow time for breaks. Students that are easily frustrated, inattentive, and/or distractible may benefit from breaks throughout the homework session. Set a timer

2 or assign a set number of problems, then have them take a 5-10 minute break before getting back to work. They could eat a snack, take the dog for a short walk, throw a football around, play a quick game, draw a picture - anything fun that gives their brain a break! Setting a timer for the break will help to decrease resistance you may face when it is time to finish their work. 5. Encourage them with rewards. Adding an incentive may increase their motivation and willingness to complete homework. Brainstorm some potential rewards ahead of time so that your child knows what they are working for. While money and tangible items such as games and toys are often what they ask for, the reward does not have to be monetary-based. They could choose their favorite meal for dinner, get a no chores pass, have a later bedtime on the weekend, pick a movie or TV show to watch as a family, have a sleepover with a friend, or choose a game to play as a family. 6. Make homework fun! While homework may never be a desirable task, you can at least make it less frustrating by creating game-like scenarios. Your child could create math problems for you to solve; write their spelling words with magnetic letters, finger paint, shaving cream, or sand; act out stories with toys or puppets before writing them down; or trade-in one minute of work for one minute of TV, video game, or ipad time. Also, be sure to talk with your child s teacher about the struggles you are facing at home. If your child has a 504 Plan or Individualized Education Program (IEP) that specifies modified assignments, that includes homework! Some ways to modify homework assignments include: assigning fewer problems (for example, complete the even-numbered questions only), shortening assignments (for example, write a shorter essay), providing lower grade-level reading passages, or allowing alternative response formats (for example, creating a presentation instead of writing an essay). Collaboration is key to your child s success! ADHD: A Guide for Parents What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral disorder that affects both children and adults. The hallmark characteristics include inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. While all children exhibit these types of behaviors to some degree, those with ADHD have pervasive symptoms that are more significant than they are for their same-age peers. Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 11% of school-age children have a diagnosis of ADHD and that

3 1 number continues to rise. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, but it is not yet clear why that is the case. While the cause of ADHD is unknown and may never be established, it has been linked to genetic and biological factors as well as environmental toxins (such as exposure to alcohol or cigarette use during pregnancy). How does ADHD affect children? Children with ADHD often experience difficulties academically and socially. At school, their tendency to be inattentive and/or overactive impacts their ability to follow directions, complete work, turn in assignments, organize their materials, remain on-task, and stay seated during instruction. Those students that also struggle with impulse control may display aggression and oppositional behaviors. In turn, this impacts how they relate to their peers since those behaviors typically color their social interactions. Research has indicated that children with ADHD have difficulties forming and maintaining friendships 2 and that classmates prefer to work and play with typical students over those with ADHD. This peer rejection places children at-risk for a number of poor outcomes such as school dropout, substance abuse, and psychological maladjustment (since they are less resilient and more vulnerable to life stressors). While this prognosis is unfavorable, it is likely that, with early identification and intervention, children with ADHD can lead happy, productive lives. What can parents do? While ADHD cannot be cured, there are many treatment options that can help your child successfully manage their symptoms. The two most common approaches are medication and behavioral interventions, with a combination of the two being the most effective in reducing symptoms and improving functioning. School-based personnel cannot prescribe or make recommendations regarding medication, so that is something that parents would have to consider and pursue on their own accord. However, there are a number of interventions and proactive strategies that teachers can implement including preferential seating (away from distractions), chunking assignments so the child works on fewer problems at a time, using nonverbal cues for redirection, presenting directions clearly and concisely, using an agenda or folder for parent-teacher communication, providing guided notes for lessons, utilizing a rewards-based system for homework and assignment completion, and peer tutoring. As always, talk to your child s teacher to figure out what strategies will work best!

Recycling Halloween Candy Wondering what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy? Try one of these ideas!

pound of candy that a child brings in. They then donate the treats to soup kitchens or send them to troops overseas.

Operation Gratitude Operation Gratitude sends over 200,000 care packages annually to troops overseas.

Your heat-resistant candy (no chocolate) and personal letter is guaranteed to put a smile on any service member s face.

4 Recycling Halloween Candy Wondering what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy? Try one of these ideas! Candy Exchange Some dentists and orthodontists participate in the Halloween Candy Buy Back (HCBB) program and pay $1 for every pound of candy that a child brings in. They then donate the treats to soup kitchens or send them to troops overseas. Go to to find a dentist near you! Operation Gratitude Operation Gratitude sends over 200,000 care packages annually to troops overseas. Halloween candy is a great addition to those packages! Your heat-resistant candy (no chocolate) and personal letter is guaranteed to put a smile on any service member s face. Visit for more info. Candy Art Leftover candy is a unique (and tasty!) medium for arts and crafts. You can build robots out of empty boxes, create a yummy self-portrait, make a sweet landscape, or get started on Thanksgiving decorations - the possibilities are endless!

$subtraction, and skip counting. Kit-Kats and Hershey bars are great visuals when working with fractions.$ You could also sort your candy (chocolate, gum, lollipops, fruit snacks, etc.

You could also sort your candy (chocolate, gum, lollipops, fruit snacks, etc.

Candy Architecture You could make a spooky gingerbread house or chocolatey candy city.

Candy Science There are lots of candy experiments that you can do with household items.

5 Candy Math M&M s, Smarties, Reese s Pieces, and Candy Corn are perfect for practicing addition, subtraction, and skip counting. Kit-Kats and Hershey bars are great visuals when working with fractions. You could also sort your candy (chocolate, gum, lollipops, fruit snacks, etc.) and calculate what percentage of each category contributed to your total amount. Candy Architecture You could make a spooky gingerbread house or chocolatey candy city. In addition to candy, you ll need a hot glue gun, some toothpicks, and lots of imagination! Candy Science There are lots of candy experiments that you can do with household items. Try leaving a gummy bear or Skittle in water, dropping a Warhead in baking soda water, or melting a Starburst. Make predictions beforehand and see if your hypotheses are correct! 106 Gordon Street P.O. Box 1010 Sanford, NC 27330

Learning Materials That Support Children with ADHD. A practical guide for teachers and parents Lakeshore S8214

Learning Materials That Support Children with ADHD A practical guide for teachers and parents 2014 Lakeshore S8214 ADHD: A Practical Guide Understanding Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)