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School is back in session at Catholic schools in Quincy, but many students are stuck in summer mode. Parents can support their children’s success as they return to their Catholic education by helping them to develop and practice good habits for studying and homework that they can carry with them throughout life.

Learn how a Catholic education helps your child to succeed in life.

Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

Children and adults alike have things that they are good and others that they struggle with. Some elementary school students struggle with learning disabilities that they have inherited from their parents and not all strategies will be effective for everyone. Talk to your child about their challenges but be careful not to shame them or dwell on what they cannot do. Take the time to recognize what they are doing well and celebrate the smallest successes. Rather than simply making a plan for your child, help them to brainstorm ways they can overcome obstacles, such as planning for study breaks if they have trouble sitting still for longer periods.

Create A Productive Study Space

The environment we surround ourselves with has an impact on our success or failure. Students at Quincy Catholic Schools are provided with quality teachers and a supportive community in which to thrive and the home must be also a productive setting. Your house may not be as quiet, large, or well-equipped as a library but it is still possible to create a good study space. Have your child identify their ideal study space and its characteristics and help them to create a portable study station to mimic those characteristics anywhere. A supply caddy that holds everything they need, noise-canceling headphones, and a folding screen or tall piece of furniture to block out distractions are all good strategies.

Get Organized

Distractions are the most common deterrent many elementary school students in Quincy face to studying or completing homework assignments. Give your child a refresher in study skills, including how to read through an assignment before getting started so they can gather everything they will need, eliminating the need to get up repeatedly to find items. If your child has multiple classes and assignments, they may need help planning which to do first. Some students prefer to start with the easier or more enjoyable assignments while others favor getting the more challenging subjects out of the way first. Show your child how to measure success and be honest with themselves so they can adjust their routine as needed.

Study Skills

Perhaps the biggest mistake that parents of Catholic elementary school students make is assuming that they already have the basic skills needed to get organized and study. Even if your child is responsible, organized, and smart, they simply may not know how to take notes, organize a backpack or notebook, or prioritize assignments. If your child seems overwhelmed with their assignments, especially as they reach higher grade levels, slow down and assess the problem. Take the time to teach them skills without shaming them for not already knowing how to do those things. Show your child how to create a space for everything so they will not lose crucial items. Demonstrate the effectiveness of taking notes and breaking large tasks into smaller ones by creating lists together for household tasks or outings you take together. This helps make the connection between schoolwork and the real world.

Find a Supportive Learning Environment in Quincy

In addition to furnishing your child with the skills they need to study, it is important to make sure that they have the support they need even when you cannot be with them.  Enroll in a Quincy Catholic Elementary School and connect your child with the best opportunities in life.