Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Lab at Utah State University

Check for initial understanding
Ask your child to read over the rubric or directions and then paraphrase them to you.   Check for understanding when your child appears to be unclear. If the two of you are not sure, ask your child how she can become sure (call a friend, check for the assignment online on the teacher's webpage, ask the teacher the next day, email the teacher).

Break the assignment into sections
The first step is the mechanics of breaking the project into sections and then scheduling when each step should be complete.  The teacher may create specific checkpoints, but you and your child can create your own if none are provided.  A large project should be entered into a calendar or schedule several times, not just once on the due date.  

Schedule the project
Show your child how to use a calendar to schedule backwards.  Our page on time management has suggestions on how to do this.  Essentially, your child can enter the final due date in the calendar and then fill in dates for when each step should be done.  Discuss your child's progress with her on the due dates of each of the steps.  This is when you can hold a conversation about progress, whether she needs to devote extra time to the project to keep from falling behind, or if she is demonstrating good effort and planning skills.

Check for understanding
As your child progresses through the project it is important to stop and reflect from time to time to determine if she is understanding the material, the expectations, and the demands of the task.

Self-advocate
For a variety of reasons, there are students who do not want to ask for help.  Sometimes they will ask a parent, but not a teacher, and sometimes it is the other way around.  Some students will not ask anyone for help even as they dread the inevitable discovery at the due date by her parents and teachers that she needed it.

Encourage your child to seek help as needed--without allowing this permission to become an excuse for not developing self-reliance.  There is a happy medium here.  Sometimes, our students commit to asking for help but just do not follow-through. Positive practice often helps these students break through the barrier of their emotional resistance.  You, or a counselor, or an administrator can practice with her on what to say to a teacher when she asks for help.  Your child does not need to describe what she would say, she has to use the actual words (Not--I would probably just ask Ms. Jones if I could ask her a question or something; Rather--Ms. Jones, I need to ask you something.  Is this a good time?)

It may also be necessary for one of the adults to walk her to the door (but not into the room) as she directly asks Ms. Jones for help.  The adult can then do a quick check to make sure she followed-through.  This should not be an ongoing strategy, simply a technique to break the ice the first time.  Usually, whatever dread the student may have had is quickly diminished by the experience of teachers who are helpful and supportive in response to student questions and concerns.

Check for quality
When an assignment is completed, discuss the final product with your child.  You can start the conversation with inquires such as:

•  How does this project demonstrate your depth of knowledge about this material?

•  How does this project demonstrate the breadth of knowledge you have about this material?

•  How does this project demonstrate the skills you have acquired while working on it?