How Can an Educational Assessment be Beneficial to You and Your Child?
It is officially fall – that means football, costumes, hayrides, pumpkin spiced lattes (and everything else pumpkin flavored you can dream up) and HOMEWORK. (Wait, homework?).
Yes, if your evenings are like many other parents, it consists of long, grueling nights of frustration, confusion, and nagging.
Chances are your child has been “back to school” long enough for you to begin to see patterns. How much homework is the teacher giving? When is it due? You should know the teacher’s expectations and how your child is responding. Are they frustrated? Do you hear things like…I’m not good at reading? Math is stupid…why do I have to do this dumb stuff anyway?
Many parents accept this conflict with their children as an unavoidable consequence of responsible parenting. Arguing, punishing, and refusing to help rarely result in improved performance in school – and certainly no progress toward what should be our ultimate goal: helping children enjoy learning and have a positive school experience.
The solution to the problem of homework always begins with an accurate diagnosis and a recognition of the demands placed on your child. Parents should never assume that a child who resists doing homework is “lazy.” Your child may be anxious, frustrated, discouraged, distracted, and even angry- but this is not laziness.
To provide the best environment for your child, it is beneficial to create a homework plan. Our Educational Specialist recommends:
- Breakdown homework by task: Pick one small task that your child can do to get started.
- During the homework hour, all electronics are turned off, for the entire family.
- Most elementary school children are able to work more effectively in a common area, with a parent nearby. Parents may work on other projects during this time, but should be available to help, to offer encouragement, and to answer children’s questions. Parents: avoid engaging in phone conversations during this time and be available if your child needs help.
- Set aside a specified (and limited) time for homework. Set a time after school, after dinner, or a time that works best with your family’s schedule.
- Be positive and encouraging. Make note of every improvement, not every mistake.
- Avoid nagging and punishments. Give your child time to adjust and do not assume their lack of desire to complete a task is because they are unmotivated.
If you are already doing many of these recommendations with no real improvement in behavior, it is time to sit down with our Educational Specialist for an assessment of how our Educational Services can help!
Our Educational Specialist, Becky Taylor has over 40 years of experience helping children have a successful learning experience. For more information on pricing and what this process looks like visit our website: Educational Services
Q: Who would benefit from an Educational Assessment of Academic Achievement?
A: Reaching a decision to have an educational assessment typically comes after a period of struggle, distress, and various strategies to help improve the educational process. This assessment is an important step to help a student achieve success and for a parent to better understand how to address areas of concern. Results of this testing will address:
- Academic achievement
- Academic levels of functioning in:
- Math
- Written expression
- Language
- Reading
- Academic readiness
- Academic potential
- Learning style
- Attention difficulties
- Communication skills
Results from this comprehensive assessment will provide important information in developing a plan of remediation.
Q: What is involved in an Educational Assessment?
A: Educational evaluations are comprised of informal assessments, standardized tests, evaluator observation, criteria-referenced tests, checklists and interviews. Test scores are analyzed to better understand the student’s areas of learning strengths and needs. The evaluation will include specific recommendations to address what is going on with the student.
Q: What happens after the Educational Assessment?
A: Once the comprehensive Educational Assessment is completed, an appointment will be scheduled with the parent to meet with our Educational Specialist. This follow-up conference will include a summary of the results and recommendations going forward to help the student achieve their greatest potential.
Q: What information can I gain from an Educational Consultation?
A: Consultation and review can be very useful in determining the next best step to address educational problems. Oftentimes, there is a complexity of learning challenges (attention, behavior, speech/language, social interactions, academic) that need to be addressed. Often, a parent has questions about response and services provided by the school; needing to accurately know the areas of academic strengths and weaknesses; or the implementation of services.
Q: How do I get started with the Educational Assessment process?
A: Getting started is easy! Contact us on our website www.carolinatherapyconnection.com or call our clinic at 252-341-9944 to connect with our staff. We will schedule an appointment to meet with our Educational Specialist.
