Parents as Tutors: Helping With Homework

So what do you do if your child comes home with an assignment that he or she can't crib from one of E.D. Hirsch's books? (If the child is in 7th grade, you're out of luck anyway, since the series only runs through 6th grade.) Parents as Tutors won't answer that question, but it does give parents something more important: a few basic skills that will serve the child well in his or her educational endeavors and provide some quality time for family members to boot. Dr. Carl B. Smith's easy-to-follow program focuses on improving reading, vocabulary and writing skills by showing parents how to promote active engagement with the text (reading aloud, asking questions, etc.) and become mutual learners (rather than falling into the father or mother knows best trap that turns kids off, since they are not allowed to share in the discovery). The final segment covers the ‘fear of failure' that many children have concerning tests, and shows viewers how support and early preparation (as opposed to cramming) will increase the child's chances of success. A very good program, neither too technical nor daunting, which requires no additional skills on the part of parents, other than simply time and caring. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)