Compiled by Mme Erin Hollins with the help of her Grade 7 LFI class in Novemeber, 2009.
(With a few amendments made in September, 2022.)
My parents...
-Asked if I had homework and helped remind me to complete it. Now doing my homework has become a kind of habit.
-Let me figure it out on my own and did not jump in with Google Translate to solve things instantly.
-Gave lots and lots of encouragement, without which I would have dropped out.
-Helped look things up, including definitions, verb conjugations, using bon patron online (grammar checker) when I got frustrated.
-Wrote test dates on the family calendar.
-Made sure homework looked neat & tidy.
-Looked over work for spelling.
-Helped type out assignments
(but NO GOOGLE TRANSLATE as that defeats the idea of studying a language...)
-Picked up homework from school if I was home sick.
-Were there to listen when I felt down.
-Let me phone/text a friend or an older FRIMM student to ask questions.
-Quizzed the material with me, over and over and over.
-Encouraged me to watch and listen to French programs.
-Gave me all the time I needed for studying for tests.
-Bookmarked Mme Hollins' homework site so that it was easy to look up what needed to get done.
IF there was one thing I could tell FRIMM parents it would be:
-Encourage your children to study, and do not distract them with screens or other things while they are working.
-Don’t get too upset with your kids. If things aren’t going well, go talk with the teacher. S/he’ll help!
-Focus on good study habits, not top marks.
-Ask to see the planner and make sure assignments are being written down.
-Think positively and provide lots of encouragement.
-Never give up. Study hard, because it is hard at the end it’s all worth it.
-Practice reading French with your son/daughter during free time.
-Don’t get scared – remember to laugh at mistakes and have some fun learning.
-Your kids are going to get frustrated and this is normal, so please let your kids make mistakes because we’re only starting out. How can a seed grow into a flower without time and basic needs?
One thing my parents did that did not help was:
-Turned on the TV as I was starting my homework.
-Yelled and were really critical of my homework.
-Tried to pronounce words in French.
-Asked me to do something other than my homework – sometimes I just need to take my time with it.
-Pressured me for the right answer all the time. I have to make mistakes to learn.
-Pushed me to speak French in front of people. I just get really shy and clam up.