The Parental Student Assessment
By Dr. Raymond J. Huntington
As a parent, you’ve probably heard plenty about standardized testing in recent years. While formal assessments are an integral part of a child’s education, it is just as important for parents to evaluate their own children’s academic strengths and weaknesses, learning preferences and more. Be observant of your child, so that you can gain the knowledge necessary to help make his or her academic experience as positive as possible. Here are a few questions to consider as you conduct your own “parental” assessment of your young student:
How does your child process information?
Many experts categorize learning preferences as visual, auditory or kinesthetic. If your child understands concepts better when the teacher writes them on the board, is great at remembering faces and places, or easily remembers details from movies or books, he or she might tend toward visual learning. If your child talks through new concepts or ideas aloud, tends to ask a lot of questions or enjoys reading out loud, he or she might tend toward auditory learning. And if your child detests sitting still for too long, fidgets often, prefers standing to sitting or loses focus easily when reading, he or she might tend toward kinesthetic learning.
How does your child interact with others?
Some children love to work in groups and enjoy collaboration in the classroom, while others are more introverted and reflective, preferring to do homework independently and solve problems on their own. Observe your child’s studying habits and interactions with friends to get a sense of his or her inclinations. Also, talk with his or her teacher about how he works with other students and the teacher at school.
Is your child an analytical thinker?
Does your child learn effectively through rote memorization (as in multiplication tables) or by breaking concepts down into smaller parts? Does he or she generally respond well to the sequential style of learning in the classroom? Or is he or she more of a “big picture” learner, preferring to understand the whole structure of a problem or assignment first?
When it comes to getting things done, is your child focused and structured?
Skills like time management and organization are learned abilities for many children. Does your child plan ahead to do homework or projects? Is he or she self-disciplined? Alternately, does he or she constantly procrastinate or struggle to prioritize to-dos?
What does your child say – or imply – about school?
It is important to pay attention to outside factors that might affect your child’s happiness or ability to concentrate or learn. Take note of your child’s reactions to school and learning. Is he or she anxious when it comes to doing homework in general, or just when it comes to a certain subject? What does he or she say about school, friends and teachers? Are you aware of any recent incidents at school or elsewhere?
Taking the time to evaluate your child from a number of angles is essential – and is the first step to addressing any learning problems or issues. Armed with knowledge about your child’s traits, skills and tendencies, not only will you be able to share important information with his or her teacher, you will be better able to reinforce good habits, correct bad ones and more effectively support your child’s overall academic development.
Parents who want additional information are encouraged to call the local Huntington Learning Center at 425-391-0614.
Dr. Raymond J. Huntington and Eileen Huntington are co-founders of Huntington Learning Center, which has been helping children succeed in school for more than 30 years. For more information about Huntington, call 1-800 CAN LEARN 1-800 CAN LEARN .
For more information, contact:
Brian Riddick
Owner
Huntington Learning Center of Issaquah/Bellevue
425-391-0614 425-391-0614
riddickb@hlcmail.com
