Note-Taking Accommodations

When note taking is difficult, the problem is often due to a poor learning environment. This means that a child's ability to get the information he needs is impaired because of factors going on (or not going on) in the classroom around him. Fortunately, there's something called "accommodation."

How to Take Better Notes

Rule number one: There are no rules! Kids' minds work in different ways, and their notes should reflect those differences.

You can help your child become an independent learner -- and a great note taker -- by encouraging her to think about how she thinks. Then she can figure out the note-taking methods and tricks that will work best for her.

Set her on the right course with these four guiding principles:

Principle 1: Your Language and Attitude Matters

Metacognition skills

What to Do When Kids Have Trouble Studying

You can help Vinny develop a personal plan for studying that goes beyond the outmoded methods he devised during elementary school.

Nine Good Note-Taking Habits For All Kids

Even though I believe that note taking should be individualized for each student, this section provides some plain-and-simple good habits that can help all kids take better notes. Yes, I know I just said "all kids." But these habits are just good habits to get into. What can I say? The world's a gray place.

Note-Taking: Finding the Method that Works

Cracking the Books Without Cracking the Whip

Talking with Kids About Good Study Habits

FOR AGES: 6 and up

How can you help your kids improve their study skills? Start by asking them to define their study preferences: Do they study best when curled up on a comfy chair, or do they fall asleep? Do they like a bustling study environment, or are they easily distracted? When do they study best -- early morning, during the day, or late at night? All these factors are important in determining the best study routine for your child.

Developing good organizational skills is a key ingredient for success in school and in life. Although some people are by nature more organized than others, anyone can put routines and systems in place to help a child "get it together." The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities has come up with a list of strategies you can use to help your child get — and keep — their life under control this school year.

The National PTA's Guide to School Music Programs

Brought to you by the National PTA&reg.

As a parent, you should expect your children's school music program to adhere to certain standards. Once you have created a musical environment in your home to stimulate interest, it's up to the teacher to continue the process. Yet how can you judge the quality of a school's music program?

There are three ways to tell if the school your young children attend does a good job of exposing them to music:

Should students be allowed to have their cell phones in middle school and high school? A 2010 Pew Research Center study found that 65 percent of cell-owning teens bring their phones to school despite any bans that may be in place. Most high schools now allow students to have cell phones but require them to be turned off during class because they can be disruptive and distracting.

Mathematics in Sixth Grade

The truth about adopted children