SPRING FEVER

Spring has finally sprung and the anticipation of summer vacation is seeping into classrooms and homes all over the bay area. Eager students plan their summer escape to pools; parks and playgrounds while anxious teachers squeeze out the last drops of curriculum, wrap up projects and assess summative coursework. It can be difficult for kids to academically persevere when warm fresh air beckons them to play outdoors. However, teachers and parents can join forces to keep them focused in class and endure homework just a little longer. We must adhere to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s advice, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”

Classwork

If you want to know if class time is being used wisely, just ask your kids. Even the youngest pupils are surprisingly astute when reflecting on their behavior, and they also have a good idea about their grades. Double check with teachers and see if your child needs to complete or make up any missing assignments. Also inquire if any assistance is needed for end-of-the year projects, field trips, parties, etc. Volunteering is a tremendous help for teachers and gives you a birds-eye view of your child’s behavior as well as the whole class climate.

Homework

If the weather is too beautiful to finish homework indoors, take it out! Create a homework space on the patio or in the backyard. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, a card table and folding chairs or even a blanket and a lap desk will suffice. Make sure all needed supplies are handy (crayons, pencils, folders, etc.) and loose papers are secured with paperweights. Check in frequently and keep a timer handy so everyone knows how much time is being used, and how wisely.

If silent reading or studying is part of the homework, you can do it together - anywhere. It will be so painless; you’ll feel like you’re cheating. But don’t worry; reading aloud and studying together is perfectly acceptable to and even encouraged by teachers. It also has other advantages. It saves time, boosts comprehension and makes reading and studying much more enjoyable. So grab a great book or unfinished assignment that requires reading, rehearsing, or memorizing and head to the park, or nestle under a favorite tree. Invite classmates and have a play-date when you’ve achieved your goals.

Homestretch

To keep morale from floundering, start planning an end-of-the-year party. Ubiquitous calendars throughout the house marking the final days will keep the light at the end of the tunnel clearly in sight. Frequent, physical rewards (a Friday night movie, or trip to the ice cream parlor) will also hearten reluctant workers. To keep the expectation bar high and your frustration level low, insists that any compensation be honored only for thorough completion of all assignments with minimal protests.

When the work is done, go back to planning your escapes and conjuring up your summer excursions, for summer is - at last - right around the corner. Perhaps Henry James summed it up best, “Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.