Is My Child On Track for School Success?

What academic skills should my child have?

By the end of elementary school your child should have a solid foundation in the core academic areas of reading/language arts, mathematics, science and social science that he or she can now build on with more challenging middle and high school courses. At a minimum, your child should be able to:
Read at or near grade level. If your child still struggles with reading by the time he or she enters middle and high school, it will be difficult to catch up. Continue to encourage reading at home throughout the high school years.

Perform basic math skills. Your child should be able to do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and use a protractor, ruler and calculator. In addition, your child should have memorized the math facts. More importantly, your child should have strong estimation skills. Math skills are important for success in both math and science classes.

Demonstrate basic English skills. Your child should be able to write a simple three paragraph essay that includes a topic sentence and a supporting sentence, using correct punctuation. He or she should also be able to write legibly.

Throughout middle and high school your child should take courses that challenge and interest him or her, to prepare for college-level work.

What other skills should my child have?

Social and emotional skills are also important to your child's success in high school. He or she needs both relationship skills and personal discipline skills.Skills in relating to others:

Respect for diversity;
An understanding of his or her own limitations;
The ability to cope with stress;
Responsibility for his or her own decisions;
An understanding that attitude can affect his or her life; and
The ability to modify behavior based on feedback from others.
Skills in personal discipline:
Time management skills;
Good study habits;
The ability to set attainable goals;
The ability to stay focused in class;
Good note-taking;
The ability to complete homework (and turn it in);
Organizational skills;
Motivation to learn and work hard; and
Commitment to his or her education.

How can I help my child move into education and training after high school?

In today's job market, education and training beyond high school is increasingly important. Even if your child doesn't want to attend college, he or she should take college-level courses in high school. By doing so, your child keeps post-high school options open, and can more easily attend community college, vocational school or a four-year college.

Basic college preparatory classes include:
4 years of English
3-4 years of Mathematics
2-3 years of Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
2-3 years of a Foreign Language
2-3 years of History and Geography
1 year of Visual and Performing Arts

What questions should I ask my child to test for understanding?

Reading: The parent should ask questions on detail, drawing conclusions, facts, and main idea.

Writing: The student should be able to write at least three paragraph essay on most topics.

Mathematics: The student should have memorized their math facts, and have developed several mental math strategies for estimation and for understanding.

For more information: contact The Academy at www.theacademync.com