If you have ever undergone a major medical procedure or
surgery, one of your first concerns was the surgeon’s experience. How many
times has he done this surgery before, and how successful have his surgeries
been? The diplomas hanging on his office wall and the style of his clothes
don’t impress us when he has had minimal practice or poor performance with
previous patients. Doctors, depending upon their specialty, spend 3 to 8 years
in internships or residence after having spent 8 years in the classroom. You
may wonder, “What’s going on during these years of internship and residency?” Supervised Practice. They are performing
medical procedures and prescribing treatments as a doctor but under the
supervision of a higher ranking doctor. And that’s an educational practice that
can be applied to all students, at every age, and on every level.
It’s been said that a new skill must be practiced 24 times
in order to accomplish 80% mastery. This emphasizes what teachers have always
said, “Practice makes perfect” – at least, closer to perfect than no practice
at all. But there’s a requirement that
cannot be overlooked. The student must practice it correctly. If a student practices
doing something the wrong way, he’ll require even more time (and frustration)
trying to correct the old way of thinking and making the right way the habitual
way. This illustrates why students need to perform on their own, but with
supervision. As you supervise your child’s homework and studying, consider a
few factors.
1. Students haven’t mastered a skill if they
cannot think independently. Good parents have high expectations for their
kids and want them to excel. Sometimes, a parent’s natural tendency is to offer
a little too much instruction too early. Let them try the problem at first,
seeing what they remember from the teacher’s instruction. When you feel like
you must assert yourself, offer guidance by asking questions. “What’s the next
step?” “Where should that comma go?” “How should you spell that word?” When
students can deduce and answer on their own, they’re more likely to really “get
it.”
2. Student work needs
to be assessed often. As it was already mentioned, practicing the wrong way
produces the wrong habits. We want students to learn to think and work
independently, but the lack of supervision will be counterproductive. Time
spent on task cannot be confused with quality work. Some parents have been
surprised by their students’ poor grades after seeing them work diligently on their
assignments. Unfortunately, they were diligent at practicing the wrong thing. We
have to make sure their work is correct.
3. Students need to
follow the teacher’s instructions regarding assignments. Generally,
teachers assign homework practice so students can develop mastery in a skill,
or teachers assign study requirements to prepare students for a test or quiz. Parental
help is usually welcomed for these type of assignments. But on occasion,
assignments are given to provide teachers an accurate picture of their
students’ understanding. Teachers need to know how well students can perform
independently. That’s the true sign of whether or not they are progressing
academically. Parents should be careful to not incidentally hijack the task by
offering “help.” Additionally, some assignments build critical thinking skills,
and students need a chance to exercise their analytical skills. They need to
find their own mistakes and correct them without a parent or teacher pointing
out every one. For example, when a student must complete an assignment that
requires research, the purpose of the assignment involves comprehension and
reasoning skills. It might be helpful for the parent or teacher to recommend
books and periodicals for the student to use, but if the student does not do
the reading and writing alone, the purpose of the assignment has been defeated.
Be careful to follow the teacher’s requirements that accompany specific
assignments.
I have heard adults jokingly tell stories about their
parents’ over involvement when they were in school. Their parents completed
most of the project for them because of frustration over a difficult assignment
or because the assignment was going to be late. The student is always the loser
in that scenario. Students need practice to improve their skills, and they need
to be practicing the right way. What they really need is supervised practice.
