I wrote 3 things on the board (ask your child what they were). I then told them I was going to erase it but they needed to remember what I had written. A few minutes later I asked who remembered what I had written. All hands went up. Next I asked what the student had done to remember: "I kept saying it over and over in my head." Time passed and I asked again, another student replied, "I kept thinking about what it looked like in my head." The last time I asked the question the third student replied "I made a picture of 92 pickles on fire in my head."
The purpose of this activity was to explain what the students should be doing when the teacher is teaching a lesson. One child needs to look at what is being done; another may need to be listening. It is so important for each of us to concretely define how we learn.
The next step is to think about independence. When working each student needs to read directions, think about what is really being asked, and then answer the question completely. "Stop and think" is the key.
Our classroom has benefited from the constant presence of specialists in our company. We have noticed a pattern of constant dependence on adults to complete tasks they are able to do on their own. You may want to help your child to use these strategies when they come to you with a question. Before answering, ask them to stop and think if they can figure out the answer themselves. It seems that the students do not know to depend on their own abilities before asking for help.
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