Inspiring reluctant readers is a challenge- a challenge that becomes bigger and bigger as students become older and reading requirements become larger and more frequent.   Let’s be honest, when you look at it from a student’s point of view, here comes an authority figure handing you, the non-book lover, a huge book which you are not only required to read, but answer content questions. It would overwhelm any non-book lover, regardless of age. 

Consider the use of paperclips to help overcome the anxiety of a large reading assignment.  As I recently asked my 7^th grader, “how do you eat an elephant?”  The answer- “One forkful at a time.”  We break apart the reading of a large novel or text chapter by reading only to the clip.  We repeat this daily or twice a day- depending on the urgency to complete the assignment, until the entire reading assignment is complete.  Anxiety is eliminated or at least lessened- for both parent (usually Mom) and student.  

For more tips like this, attend CHADD’s Parent to Parent Family Training Class, online classes are forming now.

Children with ADHD often struggle with both poor handwriting and poor organizational skills, which can result in squashed, misaligned columns of numbers.  Often math problems are wrong because the student arranged their columns of numbers incorrectly, not because the student did not know their math facts or how to do the problem correctly. Graph paper can help solve this problem. 

Arrange problems on graph paper, each number occupying a space.  Free printable graph paper is available on-line at http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/.  This site allows you to scale the size of the squares to accommodate your child’s handwriting.

Another quick idea for organizing math problems is to turn loose-leaf paper on its side.  The now vertical lines can help organize columns of numbers.  

Below is a list of sites you can visit to find volunteer opportunities in your community. Go on-line with your kids and their friends and together find a place to volunteer on Monday. If you can’t find somewhere close, encourage your kids to do chores and research where they want to donate the money. The amount doesn’t matter, it is the spirit of giving and service that matters. Be the change you want your family to make!

I invite readers to leave comments about how they plan to spend Martin Luther King Day. Share your wealth of information, resources, and ideas! Thanks for participating and Happy Volunteering!

USA Freedom Corps

Volunteermatch

MLK Day