by Joy Burgess
Self-Esteem & Teamwork are two Benefits of Extracurricular Activities
There are many high schools out there today that provide a plethora of extracurricular activities. Some occur before school, some after school, and a few may even take place on the weekends. While some parents are a bit dubious about their children participating in extracurricular activities, these activities actually bring with them many benefits. Allowing your child to get involved in extracurricular activities at school is a wise choice, and it can be very important in helping them to develop many working skills, people skills, and more. Of course, while a few activities is a great idea, there is a point where you need to draw a line. Here is a closer look at some of the benefits of extracurricular activities for your child, and how you can know when these activities become too much.
The Benefits of Extracurricular Activities
If you aren't sure whether or not you should let your high school student get involved in extracurricular activities, you definitely need to consider all the benefits that come along with these activities. Here is a look at just a few benefits your teen will enjoy if you allow them to get involved with these activities.
Benefit #1 - Learning Time Management and Prioritizing - One great benefit of your teen being involved in extracurricular activities is that they will learn about time management and prioritizing things in their life. As adults we get very used to juggling a variety of different tasks and commitments. Our teens need to learn how to do this as well, and getting involved in these activities can give them some practice at it.
Benefit #2 - Getting Involved in Diverse Interests - Getting involved in extracurricular activities also allows students to get involved in diverse interests. It is important for your teen to be very diverse in their interests. These activities allow them to explore various interests that they may have.
Benefit #3 - Learning About Long Term Commitments - Teens learn about long term commitments when they are involved in extracurricular activities as well, which is another excellent benefit. When the join one of the activities or clubs, they commit themselves to that activity for a period of time. If they don't hold up to their end of the deal, no doubt they'll hear about it from their peers and perhaps even teachers. Learning to take on commitments is important, and these activities can teach your child this important lesson. More on Extracurricular School Activities and the Benefits
by Angie Shiflett
Teaching your child how to effectively communicate with teachers is an essential in today’s educational environment. While the school has a set curriculum that it follows to educate your child, you also have the responsibility of teaching your children certain things. Then, there are those lessons that should be mutual between your home as well as the school. An example of one of these lessons is that of communicating effectively. In order to ensure the success of your child, it is important that you know the basics when it comes to teaching your child how to effectively communicate with teachers.
First and foremost, your child needs to understand that the teacher that they have is an adult and should be respected as such. Remind them that it is important to be polite and courteous at all times, even if they are frustrated or even angry at themselves, someone else, or the teacher directly. By doing this, you are teaching your child to carefully guard their words and truly think about what they want to say before they say it. Children who fail to carefully consider their words may put up a wall between them and their teachers, which can actually hinder successful communication.
It can be very hard sometimes to tell if your child is having problems at school, at least until reports cards come Unfortunately, most schools only offer very minimal information about coursework and expectations and of course talking about school may not be something that our kids want to do with you every day. This makes it difficult for parents to judge how well their children is mastering the material.
Here are some quick tips which can help you check up on your child's schoolwork without having to wait for report-card time:
- Talk to your child about her classwork. Does she feel confident? Does she say whether she is keeping up or feels behind the rest of the kids?
- Take notice of any comments that the teacher is giving on the papers.
- Check the work that your child brings home each day. You may have to dig through crumpled papers at the bottom of her backpack. Ask what assignments her teacher is giving the class.
- Do not be afraid to talk to your child's teacher. Schedule a meeting if need be.
- Most of the time the teacher will send home progress reports in between report cards. Are you getting them? If not then be sure to keep up with your child's reports from now on.
Many children have already started school, some, like my kids start next week right after Labor Day. Many kids too will be starting a new school. You may have great reasons for moving — a much better job, better schools, closer to family, etc. But whatever your reason, moving is almost always hard on your children. In fact, Cincinnati pediatrician Dr. Mona Mansour found in a study that children who change schools frequently are more likely to have both academic and behavioral issues. Fortunately, you can help your children adjust to their new schools and make the transition easier. Here are a few ideas.
More on Back to School - Are You Starting A New School This Year?
