Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- Should I help my child with writing assignments?
- Should my child read aloud to me?
- Should I help my child with EveryDay Math homework?
Should I help my child with writing assignments?
Yes..and..no!
To avoid overdependence on adult assistance.. or squelching creativity, the best way to
approach writing assignments is to allow your child the opportunity to describe what the
particular writing assignment is and to talk about his/her ideas for the assignment. This
actually, helps a student form his/her ideas, and is especially valuable for students who have
trouble coming up with ideas or getting started. A "prewrite" /planning is often assigned. A
prewrite may take many forms; graphic organizers such as lists, webs, Venn diagrams, story maps
etc may be used for a particular purpose. Sometimes we do a brainstorm/ prewrite activity in
class before the takehome writing assignment. Students should independently attempt written
assignments. Guide when requested by student.
At this point in the school year, many students still are not mindful of proofreading their
own writing to catch errors in sentence structure and mechanics(punctuation, capitalization.)
Therefore, it is A-O.K. to proofread with your child. A good practice is:
1. encourage the student to be a proactive proofreader/ self-editor. S/he should
independently reread and revise (for clarity and detail) as well as check for mechanics errors.
2. Allow the student to read the piece of writing aloud to you. Oftentimes, errors are more
apparent as students read aloud what they have written. For example, students will realize that
a sentence was ended as s/he pauses for breath while reading aloud. Punctuate and capitalize
the next sentence as needed.
3. Finally, offer to be a "second pair of eyes" to help catch errors. Point out where change is
needed; have students explain why punctuation, capitalization complete sentence structure etc.
was needed.
Thank you for your assistance in helping your child become a better writer.
P.S. To promote and share the joy of writing, try a family writing night at your house! It's a
fun family activity, and can be done in a variety of ways.
Should my child read aloud to me?
Yes! Especially if your student is struggling with fluency, it is most helpful to listen to them
read aloud a text that is at his/her READING LEVEL. Encourage student to read by phrasing
chunks(& "scooping") rather than word by word. Struggling readers also benefit from multiple
readings of the same passage to encourage fluency and accuracy, to ultimately promote
comprehension. An expert (you!) modeling fluent, expressive reading of passage first is
recommended too.
Should I help my child with EveryDay Math homework?
Yes. The homework pages are usually labelled "Home Links." Parent participation plays an
integral role in the EDM program. Each "Home Links" page offers a brief commentary to
parents/adult helpers outlining the skill students have worked on at school. Often there is a
reference to pages in the Student Reference Book(SRB.) These pages detail the skill and provide
sample problems. At the beginning of each new unit, an EDM newsletter is sent home. This unit
newsletter outlines and explains key concepts within the upcoming unit. Additionally, the
"answer key" for the "Homelinks" homework pages is given. This will allow parents to check the
homework and to be able to discuss the math related topics. The teacher will not correct these
homelinks pages, as it is expected that families will utilize this answer key as they work through
the homelinks pages with their student. Other EDM homework will be "Mathbox" pages, which
feature 6 varied topic problems per page. Please note that students should always "show their
work" when solving word problems.
