3 Tips to Help Slow Movers

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Curt_Bumcrot]Curt Bumcrot
If you find that school work isn't getting done, here are three tips that may boost your student's productivity.
1. Consider having your student attend a class somewhere. One of the values of a traditional school setting is structure. I know that some home schoolers feel guilty about thinking, let alone suggesting, that anything of value can possibly come out of school. But, like most things, school is not an "all or nothing proposition." Take or use what's good and helpful, and leave what's bad and counter-productive alone. The dynamic of a class meeting creates motivation and accountability that helps most students to get work done. Classes, some of which are offered through co-ops, provide a weekly and regular point of contact and expectation. "Due dates" for daily work, tests, quizzes, and projects are less flexible than courses studied exclusively at home.
2. Combine your home school efforts with another family. Home schooling typically works better when there is more than one child learning in a group setting. At least for the kids, it's more interesting. If you're down to teaching your last child at home, a feeling of isolation may set in. Productivity drops. Home schooling with another family often leads to life-long relationships between the children. It's worth a try.
3. Link consequences to actions that have a real life component. Virtually all home school families use some sort of reward and punishment system. To avoid having your children feel like they're being manipulated or simply "controlled" (and the older they are, the easier they can pick this out), think through why it's important that they do what you want them to do. Link the consequence to real life because outside the home, this is the way it generally works. Think about it. Put things off, don't deliver, and you're typically passed over for a promotion or fired. Exceed your employer's or customers' expectations and typically the opposite happens. Speed regularly and eventually you'll get a ticket. Text and drive and an accident will likely occur.
Help your students think this way by communicating to them that sloppy work means the teacher can't read, evaluate, or get the benefit from it, and therefore it must be done over. Insufficient work completed means access to the TV or to recreational use of the computer or handheld technology is withheld. Work completed and goals met result in rewards or privileges extended. Again, remind them that most adults work an eight- hour day and then come home to relax and recreate. Weekend hobbies take place after they work a forty or fifty hour work week. Reverse this order and problems will follow. Convey to your student that all you are doing is helping them establish a healthy life-long work ethic that will serve them well both now and in the future.
Here is a final thought about consequences. The funny thing is that "what's important" changes as our children get older. Also, what we think is important isn't always seen that way by our children. We have to continually remind ourselves of the point behind the consequence, because consequences must change as our children mature. Keep in mind that for older children, consequences seem to communicate a "life lesson" of their own, unless we get in the way.
I'll discuss more issues related to productivity in another article.
Thanks for reading!
Curt Bumcrot, MRE
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Curt Bumcrot is the founder and director of Basic Skills Assessment and Educational Services. He has earned degrees in Biblical Studies from Grace Institute in Long Beach, California, a B.A. in English from California State University at Dominguiz Hills, and a M.R.E. (Master in Religious Education) from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary. He has been active both as a teacher and administrator in Christian Schools. He and his wife, Jenny, who home schooled their three children, currently reside in Oregon City.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Tips-to-Help-Slow-Movers&id=6619381] 3 Tips to Help Slow Movers