HowToDoThings.com Recent For Parents Articles

How To Make Sure Your Child's Special Needs Are Met in School

teacher — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:23:21 -0500

Both as a parent of two special needs children and as a teacher, I am aware of all that can be done to assist your child so his needs are met in school. I know that several schools will not provide certain services and even get away with it because parents are often unaware of what can be done in school. Most schools won't promote their services for a reason or another, especially in the United States. In fact, you often read about the legal issues that parents must deal with in order for their children's special needs to be met in school.

Here are some tips that I have for you! Of course, each state may differ as the Canadian provinces and territories do regarding special needs children, but some if not all these steps can be followed and provide you all that you need for your child to grow and develop well in school.

How To Help a Child Understand the Importance of Studying

annie20 — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:30:28 -0500

How To Enrich a Child's Education

Sandy120 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:43:53 -0500

Your child's education is vital to his or her success in life. Everyone agrees about its importance. Parents play a pivotal role in education, perhaps even more than the teachers. If you do the math, you will find that 6.5 hours of school per day over a 36 week school year multiplied by 13 years of school comes to just 15,210 hours. That's just under 634 days or 1.71 years spent in classrooms. It doesn't sound like much in the grand scheme, does it?

How To Improve Your Child's Math Skills

annie20 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:19:50 -0500

How To Help Your Child Get Good Grades

annie20 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:23:28 -0500

A good education for children is a must to ensure a good future for them. Success in school is mainly reflected in the grades children receive on report cards and other such reports. Some schools may keep portfolios on students instead of the usual grading system. Whatever method is used, it is vital that parents understand it and stay involved with their child's educational needs.

How To Help Your Child with Stress Management

Sandy120 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:22:56 -0500

How To Improve Your Child's Literacy

annie20 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:49:13 -0500

How To Make a Difference in Your Child's Education

3100 Caldera Blvd — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:54:13 -0500

How To Improve Your Child's Math Skills Using Dice

annie20 — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:49:30 -0500

How To Help Reluctant Readers at Home

caseynspeedy — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:53:04 -0500

Getting children to read at home is a difficult task in itself. But assisting kids who are struggling is a huge and sometimes tedious argument. Children who are struggling will avoid reading at all costs. There are a few things that can make everyone's lives easier.

How To Work with Young Writers

Ae640 — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:05:27 -0500

Children don't really care if you are an extensively published writer. (You also don't have to be an expert children's book writer.) What children really care about is satisfying their curiosity about the exciting world of books and writing:

How To Teach Writing to Children

Ae640 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:39:23 -0500

Most children's book authors have a way of inspiring children not just to read more but also dream big - and become a writer. You can give the same inspiration directly - by teaching writing lessons to children.

How To Be an Effective Substitute Teacher

caseynspeedy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:37:53 -0500

Substituting is the most difficult job! But there are a few things that can make your job easier. Keeping these quick tips in the forefront of your thinking will also make the teacher you are subbing for want to have you back in his/her classroom.

How To Get Children to Do Their Homework

caseynspeedy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:13:27 -0500

Many parents struggle with getting their children to complete their homework. But as we are all aware from our own youth, it is important for student understanding. It is also important for teachers as they gauge student understanding from independent practice. So how do we make both of these worlds converge? Well, here are a few simple steps to help parents encourage their children to complete their homework with minimal anguish.

How To Inspire in Your Child a Love of Reading

Karen — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:05:28 -0600

10 Keys to the Treasure Chest
Mommy, read me a story--
One about heroes, one about glory.
Open the gate to a world I don't know.
Help me to learn...cause me to grow.

Josh dropped his wet baseball mitt on the kitchen floor and scrunched off his muddy tennis shoes. He knew Grandma must be in the attic. Climbing the retractable ladder, he spied Grandma sitting on a battered footstool, holding a bronze key in her right hand, just staring at it. Josh pulled himself up and asked, "What's that for?" Grandma grinned, stuck the key into the lock of the enormous leather trunk. Click! The domed top creaked open. Josh whispered, "What's inside? Can I see?" Curiosity swirled in the room like a summer breeze.

How To Easily Read Shakespeare

Marilisa560 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:03:25 -0600

I think that if a poll was taken of high school students asking, 'Who would you most wish to see tortured?', William Shakespeare would top the list. English teachers love the Bard in all his wonderful, bawdy 16th century dialogue and prose; English students hate him for the same reason. If you need or want to read a comedy, tragedy or sonnet of Shakespeare's and don't know how to begin, here are some tips to get you started.

How To Do Gardening Science Fair Projects

bronwyn — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:53:35 -0600

Gardening science fair projects can be both fun and educational for children – especially for those who may have no experience with growing plants. There are endless possibilities in terms of gardening science fair projects, and most of them can be easily adapted to fit the needs of different ages.

How To Prepare School Lunches

Ae640 — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:02:03 -0600

Ideally, you should be packing your child’s school food – both school lunches and snacks. This is the best way to ensure that they will eat healthily even outside your home. If your child has to buy food in school…

Find out what kind of food is being served at the school cafeteria. Do your own investigation.
And if your child has a daily school allowance, keep it small. Set rules on what he can and can’t buy with the money. Try to find out at the end of each day what he did with the money. The last thing you want is for him to be using up all his allowance on candies, chocolates, chips and other junk food.
Don’t just ask about the school’s daily menu. If possible, also check to see the condition in which the food is prepared.

If you don’t want to take chances and want to prepare your child’s school food yourself, keep in mind the following tips:

How To Plan a Garden for Kids

bronwyn — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:02:24 -0600

Gardening is a wonderful introduction to science and nature. If you are looking for a special way to spend time with a child in your life, think about planning a garden for kids. The garden can be big or small; the point is to have fun, spend time outdoors, and introduce children to gardening!

How To Make Homemade Playdough

Ae640 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:22:15 -0600

One of the best ways to teach a child how to become more creative is through play. Why not try making this simple, cost-free homemade playdough for your kids? With playdough, kids get to develop their motor skills and creative expression. Plus, you get to practice your cooking too!

There are three very cool ways of making homemade playdough:

Cooking it over the stove
Microwaving
Just plain mixing

Here’s how you do it.

Stove-Cooked Play Dough

To make this homemade playdough, you will need the following ingredients:

How To Garden Safely with Children at Home or in School

Marilisa560 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:56:26 -0600

Gardening is in my list of top five learning activities. It's natural, therapeutic, hands-on, interactive and a great learning tool. Whether you teach plant care, botany lessons or gardening at home with your children or in school as a teacher, there are several areas to consider and steps to follow to ensure safety.

How To Report a Problem with a Teacher

teacher — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:05:13 -0600

Through the years, I have learned to deal with teachers either as a colleague or as a parent. Either way, I sometimes had to solve certain issues with a teacher. There is a procedure to follow in order to solve problems as effectively as possible for both parties. If you choose not to follow these steps, be aware that these problems may take enormous proportions, which would negatively affect the situation and the possible outcome. As they say, it is better to do it right from the start than deal with the consequences of doing it all wrong. After all, teachers and parents both have the same goal: to help their student or child develop their potential to the fullest.

How To Make a Healthy School Lunch

sipatenco — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:28:41 -0600

As parents, we are responsible for the well being of our children. We provide them homes to live in, clean clothes to wear, friends to play with and food to eat. Many of us, however, are overwhelmed with the prospect of getting our children to eat healthy food. Children would rather eat pizza and macaroni and cheese than a carrot stick or apple slice. The good news is that it is easy to sneak in healthy choices and most of the time your kids won't even know! Here are some easy ways to get started.

How To Tell if You're Pushing Your Child Too Hard

teacher — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:59:58 -0600

As a teacher, students have been the main focus of my career. Of course, their education was the center of attention. Nonetheless, as a teacher you are so much more than an educator. You have to adapt in order to meet their needs, help free them from abuse, take good care of the children of uncaring, unsupportive parents that refuse to involve themselves in their child's life at school. Another problem that I have learned to recognize is the child that is pushed too hard by his parents. How can you tell if you, as parents, are the source of such drama in your child's life? Look for some of these common clues.

How To Teach Babies Sign Language

lblau — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:51:20 -0600

My daughter Leah was born deaf, so we taught her American Sign Language (ASL) as her first language. When she was in preschool, none of her classmates knew how to sign, and I noticed they just stayed away from her. It broke my heart! She could do everything that other children could do except hear. Although I tried to teach ASL to those around her, I could not help but notice she remained a deaf girl in a hearing world. Would she forever be excluded just because she couldn’t hear? I couldn’t change the fact that she was deaf, so I decided to try to inspire the rest of the world to learn a little ASL instead. I knew I had to find a way to make it fun, engaging, and widely accessible, so I created series of DVDs and called it “Signing Time!” With fun music, animation, and of course with the help of Leah and friends who sign, every family with a DVD player now has the opportunity to learn a little sign language.

How To Get Your Child to Focus on Schoolwork

Megan635 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:59:11 -0600

Schoolwork is an essential part of learning in a classroom. Teachers have given students assignments since the beginning of time. The practice in class promotes several aspects of formal and informal assessments that teachers are able to grade and utilize in making proper future lessons. Students would rather play, talk, or even run their day away. This is not a bad thing, but they also need to learn how to focus on what is expected of them and complete assignments in a timely manner. The following are some tips that will help a parent promote a greater focus on schoolwork for their child in the classroom.

How To Volunteer in Your Child's Classroom

bronwyn — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:07:16 -0600

Ask any teacher - they need help in the classroom! As funding for public education goes down and students' needs go up, the job of a teacher gets more and more demanding. One of the best things that parents can do for their children's education is to volunteer in their child's classroom! Luckily, there are many ways for a parent to volunteer.

How To Keep Your Child from Getting in Fights

teacher — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:48:31 -0600

Through the seventeen years of teaching that represent my professional life, I have dealt with numerous conflicts involving students. It doesn't matter their age, their size or the relationship they have with their opponent, fights unfortunately occur, especially during recesses.

At home, on the street or at any public place, certain steps can be used to avoid fights. How do you keep your child from getting in fights? Well, if your child follows the following steps, you will see a difference!

How To Choose the Perfect Gift for Your Child's Teacher

teacher — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:29:04 -0600

As a teacher myself, I have received numerous gifts throughout the years. Although gifts are optional, they are considered to be a display of appreciation. When a child feels sad because he or she has no gift to give me, I always remind him or her that a smile, a thank you or a drawing are precious gifts of appreciation to any teacher. It puts a smile on their face and mine as well. After all, it is not the gift but the intention behind it, as they say, that makes the difference.

On the other hand, many parents and children are on the prowl for the "perfect" gift for teachers. How do you choose the perfect gift for your child's teacher? Simply follow these few tips and you will hit the "bulls-eye" by getting the perfect gift.

How To Support Your Child During a Suspension

teacher — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:08:35 -0500

One day, you get a phone call from the school principal. Your child has been suspended from school due to a major offense. Although you may or may not agree with the administration's decision, your child's next day or so will be spent at home. How can you prevent this situation from becoming a habit? How should you support your child during a suspension? Here are a few useful tips!

How To Deal with Bullies as a Child

teacher — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:25:18 -0500

Mankind has been plagued by a growing problem that has been infecting our society for thoushands of years. What is this problem? It is know as bullying. Adults have a hard time dealing with this attitude and the trauma linked to it for years on end. In fact, criminal minds have been known as either bullies or victims of bullying. Either way, most people don't seem to have all the tools needed to put a stop to it, which is why schools have decided to take matters in their own hands.

You see, educators believe that bullying must be nipped in the bud. And it can start as early as Kindergarten. Bullies come in all ages. The younger a child is when he learns right from wrong and how to react appropriately to difficult situations without affecting others negatively, the better the chance is that he doesn't become a bully.

How To Deal with Your Child’s Homework

teacher — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:53:12 -0500

For some parents, they eye the school year as going back to normal, following a more disciplined schedule and putting an end to a hectic and often expensive summer holiday. For others, they see homework just around the corner and they feel a panic attack coming on. All they can remember are the crying fits, the frustration, the yelling and the exhaustion related to hours of work. As a teacher, I am always looking for ways to lighten up the load for parents by sharing some helpful tips with them. I consider the following tips valuable in helping you know how to deal with your child’s homework.

read more

How To Get the Most Out of a Parent Teacher Meeting

teacher — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:22:27 -0500

I have been teaching various grade levels over the last seventeen years. These levels range from Nursery School to Grade 10. Having years of experience, I have had the opportunity to participate to numerous parent teacher meetings. Through the years, I have noticed that most parents are not quite sure how to get the most out of a parent teacher meeting. That being said, I have decided to share a few helpful tips with parents in need of guidance.

read more

How To Use Wikipedia

apolman — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:32:44 -0500

Wikipedia has been on the Internet for several years now and was founded on the idea that everyone had information and knowledge they could share with others, which is what the Internet is really all about. The problem with Wikipedia is that anybody can contribute information on any topic at anytime they like, regardless of what they know about it. Many teachers (like myself) won't allow students to cite Wikipedia when writing papers due to the (at times) unreliability of the information. Many students argue that every page on Wikipedia is checked for accuracy but due to the size and number of updates to the site every day, this simply is not true. If you have found information on Wiki that you really want to use, here are some tips to making sure you get the correct information.

read more

How To Prepare Yourself for Your Child’s IEP Meeting

teacher — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:12:54 -0500

I have two children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. As you can imagine, they both have special needs that need to be addressed. As a parent, I can imagine how these IEP (Individual Educational Plan) meetings can appear to be intimidating. After all, you meet not only with the school administration, the classroom teacher and the resource teacher, but also with all the specialists as well as the "Head Honcho" that is responsible for the financial support behind the resources that will be provided to meet your child's needs. My husband would have probably felt like most parents if it wasn't for me knowing all the crooks and nooks of the system; I am also a teacher.

read more

How To Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten

bronwyn — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:07:18 -0500

The first day of kindergarten is an exciting and frightening day for children as well as parents! Luckily, there are several steps you can take in order to make sure that you and your child will remain calm and start the school year well.

read more

How To Develop and Improve Family Communications

Ae640 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:22:21 -0500

Communication starts at home. Children get better literacy wherever they are, but most is learned from conversations at home. Here are ways to improve family communication and language literacy.

read more

How To Develop Your Child’s Reading Habits at Home

Ae640 — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 02:19:47 -0500

Reading is among the language skills that a person needs to learn as early as childhood. It is also one that is to develop continuously until adulthood. That is of course to help a person have a good overall language comprehension. Moreover, it creates a special bond not only with books, but also between family members. Here’s how to develop your child’s reading habits at home.

read more

How To Get Ready for a New School Year

Elizabeth69 — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:39:36 -0500

Ask most any student and they will tell you that summer never seems to last quite long enough. Before you know it, the lazy days of summer make way for the responsibilities of another school year. Getting a good start each year is important and not hard to do -- if you take a little time to prepare.

read more

How To Make Your Family Road Trips Fun and Educational

Ae640 — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 02:28:52 -0500

It’s the summer season again. Everyone is excited for road trips – except Mom. Here are a few tips on how you can make the trip free from kiddies’ brawls and whines:

read more

How To Choose a Preschool

Ae640 — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 23:51:25 -0500

A child's learning in his early stages of development will help to establish his attitude toward education and will contribute to his lifelong success. A parent needs to know that there is a range of good preschools out there to choose from; it is possible to find a program that will meet the needs of both you and your child.

Parents should have a series of preschool alternatives and they should evaluate which one is the best choice. Parents should know about a preschool's daycare curriculum, the time allotted for learning, the cost, the distance from home (or your work), the school's security and overall credibility and reputation. Parents need to assess whether these factors will ensure an optimal learning environment for their child.

read more

How To Compare Charter and Traditional Schools

Susie254 — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:06:00 -0600

As parents try to decide whether to move their children to a charter school, they often seek to compare the similarities and differences between these schools and traditional schools. In some cases, educators, politicians, and even media also seek to make comparisons between the two schools as well. There are several ways to compare the two, including the following:

read more

How To Increase the Growth of Charter Schools

Susie254 — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 13:31:00 -0600

A 2005 report by the Center for Education Reform found that charter schools make up 4% of public schools in the United States and have seen an increase of 13% in one year as well. While these statistics are encouraging to those who support charter schools, more must be done to encourage an increase in enrollment. If you want to help increase the growth of charter schools in your area, follow the steps below.

read more

How To Enroll in a Charter School

Susie254 — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 12:26:00 -0600

Charter schools are typically considered a part of a public school system in a particular district and state. Because of this, charter schools are subject to all laws governing any public school, including civil rights and federal special education laws. Enrolling your child in a charter school generally involves several steps.

read more

How To Prepare Your Child for Preschool

Nichole551 — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:28:00 -0600

The first words, first steps, first days of school -- anytime your child starts or learns something new is a nervous and exciting time for everyone. A child that is just beginning preschool for the first time faces many emotions and worries. As a parent, you can help to ease the fears and worries that often arise with the prospect of being in an unfamiliar place without mom or dad. Use the following tips to make the transition easier on the whole family and also make your child's first year of school a memorable one.

read more

How To Run School Fundraisers

Susie254 — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 11:02:00 -0500

For many schools, the money that is raised through school fundraisers allows the school system to obtain extra necessities and supplies that they might have had to go without during each school year. Running a school fundraiser can be a difficult and time-consuming job, and it will take several involved people to make the fundraiser a success.

read more

How To Join a Bible School

Kaye305 — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:19:00 -0500

The Bible is a complicated read, often hard to understand to someone who wishes to learn its contents. This is why so many people seek to learn about the information by joining Bible school. What people may not realize is just how many different options there are out there for them when wishing to learn more about the Bible.

read more

How To Find Online High School Resources

Susie254 — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 08:09:00 -0500

With the influx of technology in today's schools and homes all over the world, high school students are no longer limited in the range of sources that they can access. Online high school resources offer virtually unlimited access to a variety of databases and websites that high school students can use both in their school's media centers and at home. The problem for many students, however, is finding these online high school resources.

read more

How To Find a Camp for Troubled Teens

Susie254 — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 06:35:00 -0500

Children attend camps for troubled teens for a variety of reasons. In some cases, this is the final step before more serious consequences are taken, such as being admitted to a juvenile detention center or attention home program. For others, these camps can help teens who are struggling with emotional problems due to various circumstances, such as the divorce of the parents or a death in the family. There are a wide variety of camps to choose from, however, so keep the following points in mind.

read more

How To Choose a Summer School

Susie254 — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 06:00:00 -0500

Every year, thousands of students attend summer school. For some, summer school is a chance to get ahead. For others, it's a chance to make up a class they missed or failed. Either way, choosing a summer school is important. Consider the following points before you choose a summer school.

read more