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| Teach your elementary schooler the importance of a work ethic |
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Working hard and sticking to a tough task is a sign of strong character. As it turns out, it's also a great way to be successful in school. Students who keep at a task are more successful than those who quit at the first time of trouble. Here are some ways parents can encourage effort: * Tell a story. Talk about a time you had trouble learning to do something. How many times did you fall before you rode a bike? Let your child see that things haven't always come easily to you. * Notice effort. When you see your child trying to do something, compliment her. Say, "I'm proud of how hard you are working on this project." * Help your child see progress. Your child may be focusing on how far she still has to go. You can keep her motivated by helping her see how far she's come. "Last week, you could only run around the block. Today you were able to run over a ¼ mile." Reprinted with permission from the March 2010 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2010 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.Source: Robert J. Marzano, A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works, ISBN: 0-871-20522-X (Pearson Education, www.prenticehall.com). |