How do you get kids to …

Cheri Frame | July 27, 2012

If asked, would you say your student is productive? Success in academics usually is an overflow from a student who owns his or her own time. They have developed a sense of Time Management and tend to tasks outside of school with the same diligence that gives them success in their academics.

If Time Management and Productivity are not your student’s strong suits, use the summer to help them gain these skills. For example: This morning, assign the task of sweeping the garage before dinner. No fanfare, no reminding. Then once you sit down to dinner, thank him for sweeping the garage. (Assume he has, but you’ve already checked). If, in fact, he failed to complete the task, ask him to get up from the dinner table and take care of it. Again, no fan fare. Tomorrow … same method, different task, until he can be intentional in scheduling his own time to include assignments that are not immediate.

These types of character and habit development tools will serve him well when a college professor simply passes out a syllabus and expects completion. The professor certainly will not nag, remind or hold court if the assignment is not completed. But there will be consequences. Help your student achieve academic success with tools you can teach at home.

Category: Building Blocks