Schools

Ending Homework Battles: Free Parent Workshop Provides Guidance

Event open to Lake Forest parents promises to teach parents strategies to deal with homework battles.

Courtesy of Chris McCue

With school in full gear and the first progress reports hitting home, now is the time of year when parents often gain extra motivation to seek outside help for their child.

In response, a new Chicago-based educational coaching organization, Thinking Outside the Classroom, is offering a free parentworkshop on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Highland Park, featuring CEO Michael Delman, to provide parents with strategies for ending the nightly homework battles, and offer ways to help their child with planning, prioritizing and motivation.

"Staying focused, organizing materials, managing time and completing work - these are just some of the skills under the executive function umbrella that can cause problems for students - especially those in the middle school and high school grades," says Delman, who is not only founder of Thinking Outside the Classroom, but also a long-time educator and parent. "The workshop is designed to help parents better understand executive function, and walk away with some strategies and tools they can use at home to help their child."

The free Oct. 17 workshop will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El (Natkin Room), at 1175 Sheridan Rd. in Highland Park. Advanced registration is required by sending an e-mail to info@ThinkingOutsidetheClassroom.com, or by registering at www.ThinkingOutsidetheClassroom.com. Walk-ins can only be accepted if space is available.

"We all know that without help, the homework battles and challenges with planning, organization and motivation can grow over time," said Delman. "Our workshop will help parents better understand those challenges, and learn strategies for getting their child back on the right track."

Delman began providing executive function/educational coaching services in 2006 after co-founding the Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School, in Framingham, Mass. and serving as an award-winning educator for more than eight years. Thinking Outside the Classroom was founded in 2008 and now serves more than 150 individuals school-aged to adult. Delman opened the Chicago office of
Thinking Outside the Classroom in July, which is currently serving North Shore families.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here