http://pressroom.prlog.org/hassle-freehomework/About Fournier Learning Strategies - For 30 years, Dr. Yvonne Fournier has been helping children become more successful in school. Her column, "Hassle-Free Homework," was published by Scripps Howard News Service for 20 years. She holds her doctorate in education. http://www.prlog.org/12009981-learning-responsible-parenting-requires-collaborative-efforts.htmlIf the goal is to teach responsible parenting, we must begin with a basic understanding: responsibility is not an innate skill.Fri, 26 Oct 2012 22:52:27 GMT http://www.prlog.org/12000612-test-and-exam-strategies-made-simple.htmlIt seems like we just began the new school year yesterday, but I am already receiving emails for strategies on final exams and test taking as the first quarter draws to a close and exams begin to creep closer.Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:48:56 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11985662-effective-organization-involves-more-than-checklist.htmlThere are a number of programs out there that promise to organize lives that are headed by parent coaches, or life coaches, or what have you. The reason for this newer phenomenon is simple: organization and management are not innate!Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:54:36 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11977591-community-service-helps-teen-grow-in-more-ways-than-one.htmlService is a union of strengths, with everyone on equal footing. Service requires compassion, but is not judgmental.Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:24:06 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11966196-quantity-homework-is-relic-of-the-past.htmlIf we allow ourselves as a society and a culture to debate over how much homework a child should be given, we are lost. We should instead be concerned with what kind of homework should be given, and to understand its purpose.Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:31:32 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11963377-the-educational-checklist-for-schooled-children.htmlYes, I believe it is of the utmost importance to draw a clear distinction between education and schooling.Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:51:25 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11954990-parents-can-expect-the-unexpected-in-raising-an-adolescent.htmlWhen your child was a toddler and into her elementary school years, you and your husband were the objects of all of her attention.Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:09:12 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11949642-the-secret-teachings-in-algebra-revealed.htmlThink of math in terms of two skills that complement each other – math computation and math reasoning.Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:04:26 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11938423-preparing-for-your-childs-hurried-curriculum.htmlFor parents who have struggled with their children through any grade, the start of the next school year brings anxiety and fear of both the unknown and the prospect of rehashing the traumatic experiences from the previous year.Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:13:21 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11932895-grade-with-creativity-taken-into-account.htmlThe practice of making standardized testing the measuring stick by which we judge our children’s learning was, and is, a mistake.Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:05:06 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11930212-use-allowance-to-teach-responsibility-through-gains-and-losses.htmlEven the most well-intentioned parent can “allow” an allowance to backfire when it is based on the false premise that it will auto¬matically make a child more responsi¬ble with money.Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:02:48 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11921726-help-your-child-conquer-space-and-time.htmlIn our hurried lives, almost from the time our children are born, “time” means “hurry,” and “hurry” means “stress.” A classic case of A=B=C, or A=C.Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:12:50 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11915396-book-bag-routines-aid-in-developing-responsibility.htmlAs technology use increases and becomes more efficient, it seems as if we as a society expect that this new technology will solve our problems for us. Procrastinate? There’s “an app for that.”Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:18:02 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11910443-regression-moments-are-parenting-moments.htmlHow often do we, as parents, tell our children, “All I want is for you to be happy and successful”?Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:30:24 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11897990-to-redshirt-or-not-to-redshirt-that-is-the-question.html“Let's get to children earlier” sounds great as society mandates ever-increasing curriculum demands, but getting there means nothing if we do not answer the “To do what?"Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:03:48 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11892538-over-reliance-on-iq-results-is-alive-and-well.htmlA test, like a yardstick, is only one form of measurement. This point cannot be stressed enough.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:05:34 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11887914-good-learners-are-made-not-born.htmlAs many children continue to slip through the cracks school, I can't help but wonder how many of them are destined to become disillusioned "adult-kids" a few decades from now.Wed, 30 May 2012 15:20:54 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11881441-is-there-hope-for-our-graduates.html“With 85 % of college graduates moving back home and an average debt of $22,900 per student, thousands of college graduates face a stark economic future."Tue, 22 May 2012 15:14:43 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11869551-the-two-keys-to-raising-genius.htmlSome critics have raised eyebrows whenever I have said, “All of the children I work with are geniuses,” or “I have only taught geniuses.”Tue, 08 May 2012 14:50:44 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11863793-teach-children-good-financial-habits-early.htmlThe freedom that a teenager gains with disposable income can be a tricky situation to handle, especially if he is accustomed to having things provided for him without being expected to return the love that has been given to him with acts of love.Tue, 01 May 2012 18:15:47 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11859081-studying-necessitates-specific-strategies.htmlMany students give in to the ideas that studying and learning are one in the same, but studying is the road and learning is the destination.Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:51:04 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11851602-students-track-grades-daily-to-relieve-tension-at-home.html"How do I get my parents off my back?" Whenever I hear this very common complaint from students, I try to explain that there is good news as well as bad news in this dilemma.Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:45:01 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11846853-stress-doesnt-identify-problem.htmlWhat exactly does it mean when we're "stressed out"? I believe that children have learned from adults that "stress" is a very convenient label for everything that bothers them.Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:16:35 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11840955-locate-white-space-in-the-sea-of-activity-on-your-childs-calendar.htmlIn society’s rush to ask more and more of students, and to demand it sooner and sooner, we often overlook just how much we are requiring of our children.Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:41:49 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11835299-responsibility-is-skill-that-takes-teamwork-to-develop.html"Responsibility" has been a buzzword for a long time as well as how it relates to school and schooling in our society.Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:46:42 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11830410-reading-skill-and-comprehension-must-be-assessed-separately.htmlYou can only develop your own personal prosody –no two are alike– if you know the meaning of what you are saying or reading.Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:20:19 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11822992-parents-role-as-monitor-aids-in-reintegrating-children-into-traditional-schools.htmlMost parents of children with learning disabilities will place their children in special programs/schools with the hope and intention that they will eventually master the skills that kept them from being successful in traditional schools.Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:42:00 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11817220-consider-the-consequences-of-extra-curricular-commitments.htmlAfter-school activities have become such a large portion of children’s and families lives that it is almost a given that someone you just meet will ask you about the sports or other activities in which your child is enrolled.Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:37:09 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11811210-defeat-apathy-with-understanding-and-caring.htmlThere is a mid-range emotional state that many parents miss because of its subtlety.Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:50:48 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11804880-last-mile-kids-must-be-allowed-to-finish-the-race.htmlIf you view reading as a journey that is ten miles long, then to complete the journey –to say that you can read and demonstrate mastery – you must travel the full ten miles.Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:57:50 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11799105-standardized-tests-may-require-adjustments.htmlPerforming well in school is not an automatic guarantee that a student will breeze through standardized tests that measure skill and content.Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:52:33 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11792809-in-striving-for-success-use-personal-definition.html"Just do your best” may be excellent advice in a loving home environment, but unfortunately this standard falls short in today’s judgmental world.Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:24:42 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11786423-self-worth-is-answer-to-setback.htmlSpeaking up takes courage. Each week I am amazed at the parents who have the courage to write to me about their questions and concerns for their children's education.Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:37:49 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11780923-goal-of-mentoring-programs-is-to-develop-independence.htmlThere's no debate that today's "at-risk" children need positive role models, but we must recognize that mentoring programs do have inherent dangers.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:01:33 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11774808-child-need-parents-input-even-when-facing-school-battles-alone.htmlSchool is too often viewed as a child's responsibility in which parents are involved only if the child misbehaves or does not learn.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:19:40 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11768394-childrens-media-consumption-requires-monitoring-regulating.htmlToday, our children are faced with numerous media sources and technologies, from smartphones and tablets with Internet connectivity, to Blu-Ray media, multiple gaming consoles, and or 3-D capability on High-definition 60 inch wi-fi ready televisions.Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:01:19 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11753507-interrupt-the-pattern-of-homework-despair.htmlWhen parents scream, punish and/or bribe a child in order to change his behavior, and then witness little or no change, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that the child is not lis¬tening and is doing nothing to alleviate the problem.Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:47:21 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11753496-this-holiday-season-be-mindful-of-the-chatter.htmlOur lives our full of what I refer to as “chatter.” This chatter can be broken down into two distinct types: Internal and external.Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:30:00 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11753486-most-valuable-gift-to-child-could-be-presence.htmlDuring the holiday season, it’s so easy to get caught up in what we do - buying presents, chauffeuring the kids to special activities, or cooking a big family dinner - that we sometimes forget to reflect on who we are.Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:30:00 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11748904-prepare-children-for-school-realities-regarding-work.htmlChildren enter school full of curiosity, eager to experience, wanting to be seen and heard.Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:18:15 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11742825-parents-must-resist-the-temptation-to-become-teachers.htmlMost parents have heard their child complain, "But I don't know how to do it!" The natural inclination is to respond, "Let me help." Unfortunately, this leads many parents to cross the line of parenting into teaching.Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:30:36 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11736610-teach-your-child-to-close-the-circle-not-simply-complete-tasks.htmlBefore jumping to extreme conclusions such as a pre-diagnosis of ADHD and considering testing, I advise attempting small strategies for change to see if they address the dilemma.Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:31:07 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11731321-the-processes-for-learning-are-more-important-than-trivia.htmlIn our children’s generation, the definition of success is changing. The style in the workplace is shifting from management by one boss and many workers to teamwork and independent action.Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:43:47 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11724855-think-of-early-reading-products-as-circus-tricks.htmlOne of the statistical understandings I usually share with parents who are considering an accelerated curriculum of any kind is the fact that around the third grade, childhood development rates begin to even out.Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:15:50 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11718843-learning-to-estimate-working-capacity-will-pay-dividends-for-life.htmlWhat adult hasn’t felt overwhelmed when the "To Do" list at work and home keeps getting longer? Unfortunately, this feeling is now experienced by school children at younger and younger ages.Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:40:41 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11712632-focus-on-grades-as-clues-to-what-still-needs-to-be-learned.htmlGrades are not meant to be a badge of honor or shame to the recipient; they are simply notations that give a numerical reflection of how much our child has left to learn.Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:33:31 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11706771-hurried-curriculum-30-is-it-kindergarten-or-third-grade.htmlThrusting higher-grade level material onto unready children is a recipe for disaster.Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:23:55 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11700546-be-preemptive-rather-than-reactive-to-act-scoring.htmlMost college-bound students were brought up to believe that the door to college would magically open one day.Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:24:19 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11691527-coping-skills-are-vital-piece-of-academic-success.htmlStress related symptoms are a signal for the need for effective coping skillsTue, 11 Oct 2011 17:27:07 GMT http://www.prlog.org/11683718-developmental-readiness-is-not-an-exact-science.htmlToday’s hurried society continues to tell us to do more and do it sooner, which for many has been translated into finding potential disabilities as early as possible.Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:10:56 GMT