By Dr. YVONNE FOURNIER, Scripps Howard News Service
Helping a child who has a homework meltdown
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My son is having a hard time returning to school. Last year he was in kindergarten and had homework. This year, his homework has increased. Now when he sees a full page of homework, he has a meltdown, thinking it will take him forever. He now brings home a math sheet and a reading sheet as well as spelling for Friday tests.
It's not the student who is careless
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: Every year since fifth grade my son's straight-A report cards have declined. Last year he was a B to C and even D (in math) student. He has no behavior problems, pays attention, completes his work and does his homework before any TV or play. He always hands in his work. He just makes poor grades on tests.
Advice for a new teacher
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: I recently graduated and have my first teaching position at a school for socioeconomically and racially diverse gifted children.
College students need guidance for meeting the world
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter is headed for college in another state, yet I look at her and cannot believe she is ready to go away. She will come and visit on vacations, but if she is anything like many other children we know, once out of college she will want to continue to live on her own.
Should you put your child in pre-school? Follow your instincts
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter is almost 3 years old, and I am a stay-at-home mom. Lately, I have been getting advice from friends that my child should be in pre-school. My friends say that children who don't go to pre-school will not be prepared for kindergarten.
Take kids' summer learning into your own hands
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My son is in public school, and his fifth-grade teacher did not assign any summer work. While my son is delighted, I have concerns that this may put him at a disadvantage. Many of our friends' children are in private schools, and their children have in-depth assignments during the summer break. They read three to five books and then answer packets of questions.
ADHD over-diagnosis the symptom of a greater problem
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: I recently read your article answering a mother's question about her daughter's request to get tested for ADHD before taking her ACT/SAT college exams. If so diagnosed, the daughter could take them untimed and be prescribed ADHD medicine. In your column, you did not recommend getting diagnosed just for these exams. I think you missed the daughter's main point.
Don't worry about one low test score, but beware of a trend
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: I just received my son's 11th-grade achievement-test scores, and he scored much lower than on past achievement tests. He has always done well in school and on his achievement tests -- he is a responsible A/B student who enjoys sports and plays trumpet in the band.
When a school's summer reading program falls short
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My children are beginning their summer reading, and my daughter has three books to read and two extraordinarily long packets of questions to complete. Can't schools find better ways to get children to read?
It's past time to rebuild our educational system
DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter just finished the seventh grade at a public school, and her teachers say she has failed reading. How could this happen?
