What Does “Finished” Mean?

It happens everyday.  Your child gets an assignment, does that assignment only to find that what the student thought was “finished,” wasn’t.

Students may start assignments and then “drift into the ozone” because they do not have a clear picture of what “finished” looks like.   They are busy working, but they aren’t too clear as to what they are supposed to accomplish.

You can help your child to understand “what finished looks like” by examining each assignment, then explaining, “You will know you are finished when…” and list the criteria.

For example:  You will know you are finished when..

• You have completed all 10 math problems and checked them

• Your name, date, and class period are at the top of your page

When your child is not working, point to the list of criteria you jotted down and simply ask, “I wonder if you completed this assignment based on these criteria.”

I heard about a teacher who used this technique to help students know what a clean desk should look like.

She took a photograph  of a clean desk and posted it with a caption that said, “You will know your desk is clean if it looks like this.”

Help your child understand what “finished” really means for each assignment, jot it down on a paper or 3×5 card, and then make sure they meet all the criteria for “finished.”  In the long run it will save you lots of frustration.