Teaching Moments – Basketball Shuffle

How can you help your children understand the importance of getting their homework done correctly and handed in on time?

Sit down with your children and clearly outline the issue in a two-way discussion (not a lecture). Let them know that you are willing to help them but that it is ultimately their responsibility. Design a realistic plan to build on successes and boost your child’s confidence. Now do the “basketball shuffle.”

How To Do the Basketball Shuffle
The basketball becomes a fun, visual and practical way to show your children that it is their responsibility to get a good education.

a) Write in bold letters on the side of a basketball: “The Ball’s in Your Court NOW.”

b) For the first three to five days, put the ball in a neutral, highly visible area (e.g., the kitchen). This signifies to you and your child that you need to work together to get the new plan off to a good start.

c) Next, put the basketball in your son or daughter’s room, indicating in a positive, physical way that your child is in charge of his or her success in school. Your child can “pass” the ball back to you when asking for help.

d) If your child passes the ball to you, then you must display the ball in a prominent place until your son or daughter receives the help he or she needs. Then you may then “pass” the basketball back to your child.

e) It is important that the ball remain in a highly visible place so it is clear who has the “The Ball’s in Your Court NOW” basketball.

Suggestions for implementation:
1. Make this fun, positive and interesting.
2. The key is the visual placement of the basketball.