The gift of time

Over the past two weeks, I have been faced with a perilous task: I had to write an article for Inspirations Newspaper.  I would write one draft and then delete it.  I would write another draft, and move it to the bottom of the page.  I knew what I wanted to write about but nothing would link together properly.  It was tedious.  I stared at my computer, stared into space, stared at the wall.... Nothing would help.  When all else failed, I acted out: I yelled at my boyfriend, yelled at my mom... I felt like a failure.  I just didn't think that I could accomplish this task. I was defeated, depressed; I felt alone in the world.  I had a major headache.  Life sucked.  I was very stressed out about this situation.  I had written thousands of words and I had deleted thousands of words.  Was I ever going to succeed? 

When I came home from work today, I started writing.  And to my relief, it was good.  It was exactly what I had been looking for.  I was able to link everything together, explain myself and really send a message to the readers.  I felt proud.  I was beaming when I was done.  I wasn't a failure after all.  I just needed time. And so do students everywhere. 

We assign work to students and put time limits on them.  Why is this?  Could this possibly work for everyone?  The answer is simple: NO!  Standardization does not work.  Instead, what works is helping kids get the tools and skills they need in order to succeed.  I'm sure that adults everywhere have needed time to think about something, write something, put something into action.... Why should adults be afforded the gift of time if children are not?

Often, only children with IEPs (Individual Education Plans) are allowed access to extra time.  If you notice that your child is having difficulty with tests or meeting time limits, it is essential that you investigate.  Do not rely on your child's teacher to notice that your child is struggling or what the root cause may/may not be.  

Use these tips to find out if your child is struggling to complete tasks in a timely manner: 

• Talk to your child.  Make sure to ask your child how his/her day was... EVERYDAY!  Do not just accept the answer of 'fine'.  Ask questions, search for details and see how your child is feeling about school. 
• If your child comes home with a test/assignment that needs attention, ask your child to describe what happened during the test.  Is it a knowledge issue?  Was he/she adequately prepared?  Did he/she feel like he/she was running out of time?  Did he/she not understand the instructions?
• Know what is going on with your child's homework.  If you notice that homework completion takes forever for your child, speak to his/her teacher.  Make sure that a lot of work has been assigned.  If homework takes forever, it could be a sign that your child is having difficulties. 
• Speak to your child's teacher.  If you suspect that your child is struggling with anything, make sure to bring it to the teacher/school's attention.  Awareness will only help your child in the end. 

For me, addressing my issues with time was easy enough.  I was able to make sure that I had the time I needed to complete my article.  But look at what happened before I was able to complete it: I became frustrated, felt unsuccessful, felt like a failure, felt incapable and felt worthless.  And I am an adult; I know better and can bounce back.  Imagine what a child must feel like.  It cannot be easy. That is why we must all be actively involved in the lives of our children and address issues as they come up. 

If you are looking for an Academic Coach for your child, please feel free to contact me at robin@brightsidelearning.com or www.brightsidelearning.com .