Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Tips for Talking About School

I know that it is sometimes difficult to get your child to 'tell' you about school. I recently read a short article in the "American Profile" magazine. I thought the suggestions were good ones. The author Denise Mann suggests:

  • Make the time right. Don't pounce on your child the minute they walk in the door. "Let them unwind first."
  • Be specific. 'how was your day?' is too broad of a question and children don't actually understand when we ask this. Instead be specific in your questioning. "Did you play on the playground today?" or "Did you see Suzy today?"
  • Talk about yourself. Talk about yourself to get your child to talk about themselves. Chat with them.
  • Use Technology. Older kids communicate by text messaging or e-mails.
  • Take a deep breath. Don't drive yourself crazy if your child only gives one-word answers. "Keep working at it!"

I hope these suggestions help with your next conversation with your student.

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