Q: My 5-year-old is doing work in kindergarten that my 8-year-old son did in first grade. At Parents' Night, the teacher explained that the school is implementing new Common Core State Standards. When I asked how to help him succeed with this harder material, she said, "Read with him 15 minutes a night." That's all?

A: Reading at home is still important -- so much so that Gaithersburg (Md.) Elementary School abolished homework altogether, replacing it with reading at least 30 minutes a night. When the faculty analyzed assignments, a lot was going home that "didn't match what we were doing instructionally in the classroom," says principal Stephanie Brant. With the new policy, Brant thinks students are motivated to read more and standardized test scores have remained steady.

Reading with your sons nightly helps them develop a love of reading. But leading education reformers, such as Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, College Board President David Coleman and GreatSchools.org founder Bill Jackson, encourage parents to focus on developing key character traits.

"The insight from research that schools should share with parents is this: It isn't how much information we cram into kids' brains from the earliest ages that turns kids into successful learners," says Jackson. "Sure, content knowledge matters, but the character traits they develop matter as much or more.

"At GreatSchools.org, we encourage parents to think in terms of helping their kids grow as students in three domains."

-- The first is skills. "These include reading, math, science, social studies, research, communication, problem formulation and interpretation, which is what the Common Core State Standards are all about," says Jackson. "For parents, this means making sure by communicating with the school that students are on track in mastering these subjects and intervening with the school if children are falling behind."

-- The second is character. "New studies show that when children develop early on those character traits that are the foundation for success in life, they quickly reap the benefits in school," says Jackson. "There is a great impact of such traits as curiosity, self-control, kindness, grit, citizenship, optimism, gratitude and leadership on academic success.

"The results are so compelling that the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Charter Schools -- where the motto is 'Work hard. Be nice.' -- stress the development of these traits in their approach."

-- The third is purpose. "It's a parent's role to help kids cultivate their children's passions and sense of purpose," says Jackson. "You do that by encouraging a budding entomologist to collect and catalog specimens, taking a family field trip one Saturday a month to develop curiosity, or watching the progress of the Mars Rover with your young 'Star Wars' fan. Alert your child's teacher to his passion, so she can build on it and ask him to be the class expert on it.

"With a strong sense of purpose, young people begin to imagine how they can use their talents to benefit themselves and the world."

For more information on the Common Core Curriculum, go to achieve.org.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My son is a third-grader in a new school and his teacher suggested we get him tested for attention issues. His second-grade teacher never mentioned them. While I can see what she means, I think he's a typical boy and if tested, he'll be put on meds. How do I know if he should be tested?

A: "It sounds like a number of important issues are at play," says Dr. Sheldon Horowitz, an expert on learning disabilities (LD) at the National Center for Learning Disabilities. He offers this advice:

"First, adjusting to a new school can be hard for any child. What might be 'normal' for children who are becoming emotionally comfortable with new people and surroundings could be misconstrued as features of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)."

Second, third grade isn't too early to identify ADHD. Your comment, "I can see what she means," suggests that you may have noticed some of the same behaviors that are of concern to his teacher, says Horowitz.

"Children who have ADHD," he says, "often share many of the same characteristics as those with undisclosed learning disabilities."

Third, "no one is just putting anyone on meds," reassures Horowitz. "The decision to begin a trial of medication doesn't rest in the hands of the school; educators can and should provide input, but the decision is between you and your child's physician."

There is no harm in having your son tested. Schedule an appointment with a medical provider who is familiar with these disorders, advises Horowitz.

"You and school personnel will have to complete questionnaires, and you will be asked to provide a detailed account of your child's medical and developmental history," he says. "Take to the appointment report cards, work samples, notes from parent-teacher meetings, and be prepared to share examples of any worrisome behavior. Be prepared to talk about any family members who have had similar struggles in school, at home or in the workplace. (For more information, go to www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/adhd-related-issues/adhd.)

"Whether or not ADHD is diagnosed, this process will help you discover what your son needs to achieve success and enjoy learning," says Horowitz. "Ask lots of questions and don't be afraid of medication, if indicated by the M.D. "Medication may 'level the paying field' in terms of helping to focus attention, but once that happens, the real work of teaching and learning begins, so it is very important that you and your child's pediatrician work with the school to put specific types of learning supports in place."

"Be assertive," says Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "It's absolutely within reason to ask your child's pediatrician to write a letter or join in a phone call with teachers, the school psychologist or other personnel. Speak up and set forth clear and actionable next steps."

To connect with referral resources, go to ncld.org's Resource Locator Tool.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My daughter, Karina, a second-grader, is a grump! Her kindergarten-age sister is Miss Sunshine, but Karina is increasingly disorganized or helpless, always finding something wrong, even though she has good grades. Any little thing sets her off. Her teacher says we need to work to improve her outlook. Any thoughts?

A: Assuming no extraordinary factors are affecting Karina's life, it sounds like she is learning pessimism and developing a way of thinking that isn't healthy, says youth counselor Marissa Gehley, founder of KNOW (Kids Need Our Wisdom) consulting.

"No second-grader should get up every morning and see the glass half empty," Gehley says. "You can teach her to use the empowering energy of optimism and learn to stay positive."

Researchers have shown that students who have a bright outlook are more resilient and do better in school. They are physically healthier, more self-confident, outgoing, and able to deal with adversity and setbacks because they don't take them personally. They can also stand up to bullies more effectively and advocate on their own behalf with peers and adults.

When Gehley works with young people, no matter how dire their circumstances, she draws from the work of Martin Seligman, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the "granddaddy of the science of positive psychology," says Gehley. "The guy is a genius, and the good news is that educators and parents are beginning to incorporate elements of this science into their teaching and parenting."

Positive psychology posits that optimism and resilience are learned, and that we control our attitudes. Optimists bounce back from glitches and failures.

"They see bad events as more temporary than permanent," says Gehley. "They don't let one failure color their attitude about everything. Conversely, optimists also tend to let good events and positive happenings influence their overall outlook.

"An optimistic girl who kicks the winning goal in soccer sees it as the result of the team's hard work and practice, not some fluke. She internalizes the positive energy and spreads it around to others."

Gehley gives parents copies of Seligman's book, "The Optimistic Child: A Proven Program to Safeguard Children Against Depression and Build Lifelong Resilience" (Mariner Books, 2007), and she refers them to Seligman's TED Talk online (www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html).

"When parents use the tools to help kids learn the skills of optimism," Gehley says, "they see right away that they're boosting kids' self-reliance and self-esteem and giving them a strong foundation to approach the teenage years."

To keep young kids looking forward to positive aspects of each day at school, corporate leadership guru Jon Gordon wrote a children's book based on his best-selling book, "The Energy Bus." In parable format, "The Energy Bus for Kids" (Wiley, 2012) shows readers how to overcome everyday challenges. The book explores five rules for "The Ride of Your Life": create a positive vision; fuel your ride with positive energy; don't allow bullies on the bus; love your passengers; and enjoy the ride!

"Negativity is part of life, but teaching children to overcome it is one of the most important things we can do," says Gordon.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)