Randall Wrap Up December 2015
Transcription
Randall Wrap Up December 2015
THE RANDALL WRAP UP Randall Consolidated School, 37101 87th St, Burlington, WI 53105 www.randall.k12.wi.us 262-537-2211 / fax 262-537-2280 Volume 12, Issue 4 December 15, 2015 Upcoming Events: • NO SCHOOL: Dec 23-Jan 3 • Classes resume: Jan 4 • NO SCHOOL: Turn to Page 9 for highlights of our 2015 Girls Basketball Season Jan 22 • Early Dismissal (11:10 am): Feb 12 • NO SCHOOL: Feb 15 From the Principal’s Desk This year, as a teaching staff, we are focusing our professional development time on strengthening and improving our Tier 1 instruction, the instruction that takes place daily in our classrooms. Under this umbrella, we are focusing our development in three areas: literacy, technology implementation, and classroom instructional practices. I would like to briefly update you on our work thus far: Literacy: Our literacy committee continues to meet on a regular basis to examine and investigate best practices in reading instruction and then implement those into classroom practice. At this point in the process, we have created a belief statement based on the best practices and the components that a comprehensive literacy program should have. As our next step, the Literacy Committee will complete our investigations and work with phonics and begin discussion about reading comprehension strategies. Technology Implementation: Our primary teachers continue to work with I-pad technology and implementing I-pads into classroom instruction. Teachers are using the I-pads for a variety of small group activities as well as independent work to assess student progress. At both the intermediate and middle school levels, our teachers are working with students to use chromebooks as a learning tool, a research tool, and a communication tool. On December 8th and 9th, Randall sent a team of intermediate teachers including Ms. Putirskis, Mrs. Sproul, and Mrs. Byers, as well as Mr. Adams, to the SLATE (School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education) convention. This team will now share the implementation ideas they brought back, with staff, to improve our instructional use of our chromebooks. We are all excited to see the many things that they learned. Classroom instructional practices: Our professional development time, this fall, has been focused on implementing active, learning strategies for students. The focus of these strategies is to increase student participation in classroom activities, discussions, problem solving strategies, and higher-order thinking skills in order to maximize the learning experience. In visiting our classrooms, I have observed a number of amazing lessons and activities in which students are driving the learning. Students are on-task, engaged, thinking, and assessing their own learning. We will continue to focus on this initiative throughout the school year. On a separate note, I wanted to wish you a joyful, holiday season and thank you for a wonderful first half of the school year. We are all blessed to be a part of an amazing school with wonderful families. We will see you after the winter break on Jan. 4, 2016. I hope you enjoy the time with your friends and family. Policies & Procedures As we approach the winter season, we wanted to share some important information with you about potential school closings and delays due to inclement weather conditions. During the 2015-16 school year, Randall School is preparing for the potential use of a 2-hour delayed start if weather conditions warrant such a decision. Poor morning road conditions, dense morning fog, or frigid morning temperatures that are expected to improve significantly by mid-morning are examples of situations that may warrant a 2-hour delayed start to a school day. With a 2-hour delay, bus routes would run two hours later than normal, and school would begin at 10:00AM rather than 8:00AM. In the event of a 2-hour delayed start, morning breakfast will not be served, while lunches will be served at normal times. The school day would conclude at the normal time. We encourage all families to work on a logistical plan in the event that the start of school is delayed two hours. SCHOOL CLOSINGS DUE TO WEATHER How is the decision made to close school, delay buses, delay the start of school? 5:00 AM: Assessment of road and weather conditions is done by Randall Leadership Team, law enforcement, and other local school administrators. 5:30-6:00 AM: Data from assessment is evaluated in terms of closing school, delaying buses and/or starting school later than usual. No announcement means school will operate as usual. Notifications: If the decision is made to close or delay the opening of school, the district will utilize its SkyAlert phone messaging system to notify families. Milwaukee television and local radio stations will also be notified and broadcast the information as well. Please note: 1. Nearly all of Randall students are transported by bus. If busses cannot run and/or drivers are not available, school will be closed. 2. In the event of a 2-hour delay, both AM and PM sessions of 4K will be canceled. 3. Weather conditions vary within a defined area. Even with a decision to operate schools, parents must make the final decision as to whether or not their particular situation warrants sending their child/ren to school. 4. A decision to dismiss school early is rare. The school will take all precautions to contact families and/or emergency contacts in the event that school would be closed early. If a decision can’t be made before noon, it is of little or no value to dismiss school early. Our priority is to keep students and staff safe. We will communicate to our families as soon as possible in the event that school needs to be closed or delayed due to extreme weather. THIS UPDATED INFORMATION WAS SENT VIA SKYALERT TO ALL FAMILIES ON NOVEMBER 18, 2015 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE RANDALL WEBSITE: Page 2 Volume 12, Issue 4 Policies & Procedures School Closing Information At Randall we will use the SkyAlert calling system to notify everyone of a school closing. School closing or cancellation information will also be carried locally by the following Milwaukee media outlets: Radio – AM Radio – FM Television 620 AM WTMJ 94.5 FM WKTI Channel 4 – WTMJ 920 AM WOKY 95.7 FM WRIT Channel 6 – WITI 1130 WISN 97.3 FM WLTQ Channel 12 – WISN 100.7 FM WKKV Channel 58 – WDJT 106.1 FM WMIL RECESS WEATHER POLICY REMINDERS: Please be advised that practice and policy is for children to go outside at recess time unless the temperature or temperature combined with wind chill is below zero degrees. We monitor the weather during the day to determine whether or not students remain indoors or go outside. All students are expected to go outside for recess. Exceptions are made for medical conditions only (doctor notes required). As the weather in Wisconsin can easily change during the day, students should be properly attired during the winter months so that they are adequately prepared to go outside when weather permits. This attire includes hats, coats, gloves, and boots. Those students wishing to play off of the blacktop will need snow pants and boots. This information is listed on page 9 of your parent handbook received & signed for by all families BUS REMINDER FOR PARENTS: As we head into winter, we would like to remind all parents that they are encouraged to have a contingency plan in place for students should buses be either early/late for pick-up in the morning or drop-off in the afternoon. We plan on a ten minute window on either side of the stop time as a cushion for a variety of situations which may impact a bus route on any given day. The Randall Wrap Up EXTRA CLOTHING... With the “wet weather” ahead (or just a good idea), please consider having an extra pair of clothing in your child’s backpack. This includes socks, underwear, pants, and shirt. ALSO, DON’T FORGET TO HAVE A PAIR OF “INSIDE SHOES” FOR EVERYDAY!!!! Page 3 Policies & Procedures Correspondence Request When sending a note to the teacher or office either via paper, email or a phone message, please indicate the actual date of the event instead of just stating “tomorrow” or “today”. Sometimes these notes are Jackie Brown in delayed getting to all 3rd grade will be a the necessary pick up today, recipients, so this December 16th, causes much by her mom Jenny confusion. Brown Also, please list your child’s full name, not just first name or nick name, as this too makes things difficult sometimes. Thank you for your understanding and help with this procedure. Attendance Reporting Procedure: Please call the school’s attendance office by: Calling 262262-537537-2211 then Pressing “4” (or Dial “350” for the attendance office) OR Email the Attendance Office at [email protected] OR Prior to the Absence: Written notes can be sent in for appointments/preappointments/pre-arranged absences Page 4 Don’t Forget, by checking your Skyward Family Access account, you can see the following: (including but not limited to) : ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Day-to-day assignments Homework assignments Student grades Messages from teachers Food service account info Attendance info And much, much more Just follow the navigation bar on the left to access everything CHECK IT OUT, AND CHECK IT OFTEN! PHONE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SCHOOL When noticing a missed phone call from the school, PLEASE listen to your voicemail BEFORE calling the school back. If no message was left, please assume that it is NOT an emergency. IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY, we will leave a message AND continue to call back or call your emergency contacts until we reach someone. Thank you. Volume 12, Issue 4 Notes from the Nurse Here is a little advice from Mayo Clinic on how to keep us healthy as we celebrate with family and friends. Blessings to you, Randall family, and stay well. -Mrs. Kempken, RN, Randall School Nurse Tips to prevent holiday stress When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: ♦ Donate to a charity in someone's name. ♦ Give homemade gifts. ♦ Start a family gift exchange. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Try these suggestions: ♦ Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. ♦ Get plenty of sleep. ♦ Incorporate regular physical activity into each day. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm. Some options may include: ♦ Taking a walk at night and stargazing. ♦ Listening to soothing music. ♦ Getting a massage. ♦ Reading a book. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. The Randall Wrap Up Page 5 Library News Randall PTC sponsored a Monster of a Contest in conjunction with their annual Scholastic Book Fair, as the theme this year was Monsters. Students in grades 4K through 5th grade were given the challenge to create a monster out of any materials they might choose. All students were given a blank piece of white construction paper to start with and were told to use their creativity to develop their idea of a book monster. Many children participated from each of the grade levels. All of the creations were displayed in the library during the fair. One student winner was selected from each grade. They each received a book of their choice from the book fair. Pictured from L-R: Whitney H 2nd grade, Kelsey S 5th, Autumn W 5Kdgn, Ashley B 4th, Logan S 1st, and Kayden C 3rd (Not pictured) Aaron J 4Kdgn Shop with a Hero The Twin Lakes Police, Fire & Rescue Departments have once again sponsored the Shop With a Hero program. This event took place on Saturday, December 12th in Lake Geneva. Thank you to all of the sponsors of this program. Page 6 Volume 12, Issue 4 How Big is Your Smile? Mr. Ray’s Science classes measured their smiles and then calculated their class’ average size using the metric system. Students then made a poster showing their calculations. Students then voted on which poster they liked. The winner was 1st hour, who’s metric smile was 177 cm wide. Second place went to 9th hour who’s metric smile was 181 cm. Third place went to 4th hour with a metric smile that measured 146.5 cm. Who knew you could have so much fun measuring? Math Meet Twelve 6th and 7th graders competed in the first annual Westosha Central High School Winter Classic Middle School Math Meet held on Friday, December 11th. As a community service project of their Math Club, Mu Alpha Theta, students in middle school were invited to this event. The entire event was organized and run by members of this elite math club. Randall entered two teams consisting of a mix of the 6th and 7th grade students. Team coaches Mrs. Kristen Kovalaske and Mrs. Karen Reddin, took students to the event, but were not allowed to interact with their teams during the events. The students competed in 3 individual events and one team event. These students represented Randall well placing 2nd in the overall event. In addition, Blake Weaver took 3rd overall for individual scores for all 6th graders The Randall Wrap Up Back (L-R) Zoe Z, Jacob L, Zach Z, Gavin M, Chase K Middle (L-R) Celeste L, Kimmy Z, Elli Z, Blake W, Sydney Y Front (L-R) Keira M, Lizzy S Page 7 Musical Notes Upcoming Randall Musical Events... Enjoy these pictures from our K-3 Winter Concert Page 8 Tue, Dec 15 @ 6:30 pm/Big Gym Winter Concert 5th-8th Band, Chorus, Excel Dec 22 during school day Southridge Mall Christmas Cheer Select 7/8 Band/Chorus Thur, Jan 21st in AM/Green Gym Winter Concert 4th Grade Band Thur, Feb 25 @ 4-7 pm/JH Side Local Solo/Ensemble 5-8 Band members TBA/TBD @WHS Choral Fest 5-8 Chorus members Sat, Mar 12 All Day/WHS District Solo/Ensemble 6-8 Band/Vocal Students These dates/times are subject to slight changes. FOR THE FULL YEARS EVENTS, PLEASE check out the calendar by going to: RANDALL WEBSITE - ENCORE TAB - Band/Chorus/Music - BAND WEBSITE PARENTS TAB - PRINTABLE MUSIC CALENDAR OF EVENTS OR Visit the Music Dept. Website: https://sites.google.com/a/randall.k12.wi.us/randall-school-bands/home Volume 12, Issue 4 Athletic Notes GIRL’S A-TEAM ARE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!!!! CONGRATULATIONS to the A-Team for winning the Westosha Athletic Conference Championship! They beat Bristol 23-13 in the quarterfinals to begin tournament play. Then they prevailed 37-34 in overtime against Yorkville to reach the championship game. After losing to Union Grove 3 times during the regular season, the girls played an amazing championship game by completely dominating over them 37-16 to become conference champions! The team finished the season with an 18-4 record! They also claimed the Wilmot Feeder School Championship and placed 2nd in the Riverview Comet Classic and the Yorkville Tournament. Congratulations Girls on a Great Season! A Team members: Josephine B, Ryan R, Sophia P, Barbara B, Teresse N, Erin M, Delaney B, Kenzi K, Maija P, Kimmy Z and Shelly E. The girls' B team had a great season this year. They finished the regular season with a record of 8-2 and overall record of 12-4 including tournaments. They finished 3rd place in both the Riverview Comet Classic and the Yorkville Tournament. Congratulations girls on a great year! B team players: Lena M, Jazmin F, Emma B, Alana B, Josephine B, Shannan B, Kimmy Z, Sarah B, Abby S, Hailie M, Grace M, and Josephine S. Pep Band members greeted the Winning Girls Team as they arrived to school the next day. Boys BB Schedule: (home games in bold) A-TEAM & B-TEAM: Dec: 19/20 (Tourney: A-Team only on 19th) Jan: 6, 9/10 (Tourney), 13, 16/17 (Tourney), 20, 22, 27, 29 Feb: 2, 3, 5, 10 (Parents Night) Playoffs (A-Team only): Feb 12, 17, 19 C -TEAM: Jan: 8, 13, 15, 20 22, 23/24 (Tourney), 27 Feb: 3, 5, 10 The Randall Wrap Up NOTE: Students in 5th-8th grades can stay after and attend HOME basketball games as long as they have their Spectator Permission Slips turned into the office the morning of EACH game. Students can get these permission slips on-line at the Randall website/Athletic Tab/Forms OR outside of either Office. New slips are needed for each game. Students will NOT be allowed to call home if they forget their permission slips. Page 9 Wildcat Character Trait for December: “ Self Control ” December’s Wildcat Character trait is Self Control. When we do what is right even if we don’t feel like it, we are exercising self control. It also means saying "no" to some things in order to say "yes" to something better—something that can help you reach your goals! From this day forward, these statements will help you demonstrate this trait . . . I WILL: 1. Think before I act 2. Control my temper 3. Respect others and their belongings 4. Sit still and be quiet Wildcat Wednesdays Randall Student Council enjoys making Wildcat Wednesday extra special for students with its monthly snack sale. Students and staff have an opportunity to buy a snack to have as part of their snack time or to take home. Jr. High and intermediate grades make their purchases prior to class in the hallways. Primary classrooms have the carts come to their homerooms for purchases. Jr High Students Practice Character Ed Traits At the end of the first trimester, Jr High students had an MOVIE Day as part of the Randall Incentive Program. Students who earned the Movie reward by being responsible and respectful for the 1st trimester had the opportunity to buy concessions as they enjoyed their show. The students decided the proceeds ($150) from the concessions should be donated to the Twin Lakes Food Pantry. Page 10 Volume 12, Issue 4 GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade The Schoolhouse The third grade classes took a trip to Hawthorne Hollow, a one room schoolhouse in Kenosha. We spent the day as third graders would in 1906 doing arithmetic, reading, penmanship to name just a few. Here were our favorite parts: ♦ My favorite part about the one room schoolhouse trip was when we went into the wigwam. I also liked when we ate lunch in the little baskets. It was a really fun and exciting trip. I was very sad to even leave. - Brynna H ♦ My favorite part of the field trip was when we took a walk and went on the Native American trail and went in the little hut that they had for 5 to 3 years . -Tristan B ♦ My favorite part of the one room school house field trip was the original one room school house. Almost our whole class dressed up like we lived in 1906. The teacher gave us a handkerchief and a basket to wrap our lunches in . I never thought I would get that opportunity to go to such an amazing place. That`s a fun field trip I`ll never forget! - Meghan L ♦ My favorite part of the field trip was when we got to write on the little chalkboards. My other favorite part was when we got to go in the Native American hut. - Logan K The Randall Wrap Up Page 11 Agriculture Day (AG Day) School House GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade Page 12 Volume 12, Issue 4 GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade Third Grade Agriculture Day! This year the third graders were again invited to Agricultural Day at Badger High School. The FFA students put on a wonderful educational program about agriculture. Here are some of the highlights: ♣ I think that Agriculture Day was interesting because we learned lots of new things from the FFA. My favorite part was learning new things about the soil, fruits, and vegetables. We learned what we can grow in farmers fields. We also saw them make chapstick from beeswax and chemicals. We got to plant plants. There was a big plant that they chopped off a little piece for me. We went in October and my plant is still living! We were sad that we had to go. - Abby ♣ I thought that Agriculture Day was amazing. I learned about all kinds of fish, cows, and plants. I even saw my teacher’s daughter! I saw how you make chapstick and they taught me a poem about bees: Wasps are bad and bees are good. - Logan ♣ Agriculture Day was great! I learned some cool stuff like how high tomato plants can grow. We even got to grow our own plants called Wandering Jews. They are purple and a little green. We also got to make our own food. One of my favorite parts was when they made us chapstick. It was one of the best field trips I ever went to. - Addison ♣ I learned about elegant Northerns. I planted a plant and got to keep it, and it’s getting huge. I learned what foods come from each state. I learned bees make chapstick and foods. I got to eat yummy tacos. - Mason ♣ During Ag Day we got to listen to a cow’s heart beat. Then we learned the difference between a turtle and a tortoise. Then we got to eat tacos and we learned where the food came from. - Max ♣ I learned the parts of soil and we got to eat it. We got to hear a bunny’s heart. When we got into the greenhouse we saw tomatoes in boxes. We got to plant flowers too. - Annie The Randall Wrap Up Page 13 GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade Space Camp - 2015 5...4...3...2...1! Blast-off! Once again the third graders visited many stations dealing with astronaut space flight. Lots of learning and fun took place with parent volunteers who made sure that the stations went smoothly. Here are a few students that shared their experiences. ♥ Space Camp has many cool things to do. I liked the game when you blow up balloons and put them on a wire. All the games were so fun. I bet you would love it if you were in 3rd grade. - Alyssa ♥ The glider was the best activity. You also got to blow up a balloon and watch it fly across the room. I liked seeing my scores and trying to beat them. It was challenging. - Jason ♥ At Space Camp, my favorite part was catching marshmallows in your mouth. We got to do a lot of experiments. One was blowing up a balloon and flying it across the room. I wish that we could do that over and over again. I would be so happy if we did this next year too. - Morgan ♥ My favorite thing at Space Camp was when we got to blow up a balloon and put it on the string to see how far it would go. We threw marshmallows into our mouths, but I didn’t get any to enjoy because I’m bad at it. But when we put the washers on the bolts underwater, I got everyone on. We used the I-pads and saw Mars and Venus and Neptune. I was kind of nervous at first for Space Camp, but now I realize I LOVE it! - Breanna ♥ Space Food was cool at Space Camp. We made pudding in a bag and ate it out of the bag. We enjoyed the capri sun drinks that come in pouches too. We kept track of how many marshmallows that we caught in our mouths in our packet. We got to eat some when we finished. Then we worked on space riddles on the planets. - Ryen ♥ Using the I-pad was fun. All the activities were great. We learned a lot and enjoyed being with our friends. Hope next year’s class will love it too. - Lucas Page 14 Volume 12, Issue 4 Space Camp GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade The Randall Wrap Up Page 15 December Counselor Corner Mrs. Mudroch, Professional School Counselor [email protected] “If you can learn self--control, you can self master anything.” Volume 5, Issue 4 December 2015 The Importance of Self-Control Self-control has been defined as willpower, self-discipline, or being able to regulate yourself. New research shows that besides having a high IQ, and high test scores, if you want your child to be truly successful in life, you need to help them cultivate strong selfcontrol. In fact recent research shows that self-control is twice as predictive of health, income levels, and long-term relationship stability. From early childhood on, parents need to help their child learn and practice self-control skills. Over time, your child will develop the ability to stay focused, follow through on important tasks, set goals, make a plan to achieve those goals, even in the face of adversity, So, helping your child practice self-control from early childhood on, will lead to academic success, relationship happiness, physical health, and financial stability. In fact, children who do not develop self-control skills are more likely to have aggressive behavior problems, anxiety, and depression. Mastering self-control is a life-long challenge. Their success at mastering it depends on 6 factors: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ The opportunities you provide for your child to practice self-control Your family’s routines and habits Your parenting style The changes in your child’s brain (remember your child’s prefrontal cortex keeps developing well into the 20s, Dr. Jay Geidd, National Institute of Mental Health) The way your child thinks and handles emotions Your temperament and theirs So, how do you foster self-discipline in children? Not only parents, but also teachers have a profound effect on a child’s development of self-control. So, how can this happen? Here is what experts suggest: Create an environment where self-control is consistently rewarded. You may have heard about the famous “Stanford Marshmallow Test” (https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/willpower-gratification.pdf), by Walter Mischel, PhD, Preschoolers were given the choice between one treat now or two treats later. Children who demonstrated a greater capacity to wait ended up with better results – higher tests scores, more likely to finish college, and less likely to develop substance abuse problems. In recent years, Celeste Kidd speculated that self-control may also depend on the child’s expectations and past experiences. Her research proved this to be true – if you trust the person or the situation, you are more likely to exhibit long-term self-control. Support your child with timely reminders. Young children have a difficult time keeping directions in mind. It’s helpful to remind children of our expectations and rules often. When you do this before an activity, children are more likely to keep their impulses under control. Play games that help your child practice self-control By asking your child to “play by the rules,” you’re encouraging him or her to develop self-control. Take the classic “Red Light, Green Light” – it’s easy for your child to learn the rules quickly and be successful at the game. Now try reversing the rules. It is hard for a child to go against a habit. Doing this, will help your child to control their impulses, and practice self-regulation. Page 16 Give your Child a Break By giving your child a break between tasks, you are giving them a chance to recharge, and is a good way to learn. One theory is that when we do multiple tasks without a break, we lack the energy for self-control. Another theory is that our brains are designed to seek a balance between drudgery and easy rewards. Turn “Have to” Tasks into “Want to” Tasks Children need to find enjoyment and purpose in what we ask them to do. Approaching any task as a nasty chore always makes things worse. Children have a difficult time figuring this out. Discovering the best way to convince children to want to do a hard task takes patience and flexibility. Remember, it is a task that really pays off in the end. Teach your Children how to Tackle Challenges and Learn from Failure Teach your child that their hard work and resilience will pay off big in the end. To do this, we need to watch the feedback we give to our children. Praising your child for general traits (“You’re so smart”), and giving general criticisms (“I’m disappointed in you”), will not work. What works best is to praise for effort and feedback that encourages your child to try (For example, “Can you think of another way to do it?”). Help Your Child Develop Attention Skills and Expand Working Memory Play matching games, or give your child multi-step directions to follow. Keep increasing the number of steps in your multi-step directions. Be an “Emotion Coach” for Your Child Talk to your child about his or her negative emotions and show empathy, instead of being dismissive or disapproving. Children who have parents that do this usually show less problem behaviors. Encourage Your Child to Practice Planning Give your child reminders from an early age to demonstrate the importance of remembering. Look for games that award the players for planning ahead. Teach your child how to use “self-talk” to help him or her plan ahead. Teaching self-control is one of the most important things that parents and teachers can do for children, because these skills are some of the most important in life. By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes. Volume 12, Issue 4