Q: I didn't realize how disorganized my fifth-grade son, Garth, was until his teacher told us about multiple uncompleted assignments he had. He enters middle school this fall. She's urged us to work with him on getting his act together this summer, but how?

A: This teacher gets a "C" for flagging the problem ("better late than never") and an "F" for diagnosis.

Garth's incompletes could be due to weak organizational skills, but that's not necessarily the case, says Donna Goldberg, a New York City-based academic coach.

First have an objective talk with Garth. "You might learn, for example, that all the incompletes are from the last class of the day," says Goldberg. "The teacher gives the assignment just before dismissal, after he has stuffed his planner in his backpack. He relies on memory to recall the assignment then forgets. I've seen it happen."

Another reason could be schedule overload. "Some kids go from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They get home, eat, do half their homework and crash. They aren't mature enough to say, 'Hey, I need more breathing room.' Or they may fear a favorite extracurricular activity will be taken away," she notes.

Make an appointment to see the teacher. Probe for specifics, Goldberg advises.

"Are all the incomplete assignments in the same subject? Were some partially complete? Garth may lack key skills in that subject," she says. "This is a common reason kids fail to complete work, yet it goes undetected until testing shows what skills are missing. The teacher assumes lack of diligence when really it's lack of knowledge. Find out what the gaps are and consult with the school counselor about summer tutoring."

If he has incompletes in all subjects, discuss how he keeps track of assignments. Goldberg says many schools expect all students to record assignments in planners and use them to schedule homework and other activities. He may not be writing down assignments. Or he may have trouble scheduling time. Some teachers post assignments online, assuming that students will check the school's site if they forget.

"Works fine in theory," she says, "but in practice it's hard for the undeveloped brain to manage multiple sources of information. They think, 'I'll remember,' but don't."

Goldberg says that no matter how much online information a school offers, it's important for students at this age to record assignments and instructions, which "helps them remember homework and give it importance."

If Garth's incompletes are skills-related, use the summer to catch up. "You can hire excellent teachers to tutor an hour a couple of days a week. Schedule around Garth's summer plans so it isn't a punishment," Goldberg advises.

If his problems are the result of poor organizational skills, tell Garth that come fall, you'll help him make a fresh start. Read Goldberg's practical book, "The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond" (Touchstone, 2005). When school starts, be proactive: Check in with his teachers to ask how Garth is doing.

(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: I teach in a district making budget cuts. We are trying to keep our middle school guidance counselor. She is really good, but never toots her own horn. Our school has 550 students! Can you help us make a case for her?

A: With that student-to-counselor ratio, members of your district should be doing everything they can to keep her happy. One counselor for every 250 students is the recommended ratio.

First, make sure everyone knows exactly what your school counselor does. As a teacher, you know she's critical, but too many folks have an outdated notion of the role.

"Today's counselors offer much more than the 'guidance' of (our) grandmothers' day. They provide a broad range of services and skills," says Darcie Jones, Program Assistant for Counseling at Oregon's Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

In response to burgeoning student needs, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) redefined the profession in 2004. ASCA publishes standards that describe the many facets of a licensed professional school counselor. There are national and state standards, too. (Go to schoolcounselor.org and your State Education Department website.)

"A licensed professional school counselor is a skilled advocate uniquely trained to understand the social, emotional, interpersonal, academic and career skills necessary for kids to stay engaged in school," says Jones. "As community resources dwindle, the counselor often functions as the architect of structural supports a student needs to succeed."

A school counselor is a collaborative school team member, says Jones: "A big-picture thinker who can partner with the entire school staff, parents and outside resources to address issues that may affect student outcomes. As instruction becomes more data-driven, school counselors help collect and interpret data to make sure students aren't falling through the cracks."

Middle school counselors have an especially critical role as students transition from childhood to adolescence, says Jones: "They teach coping strategies and ways to understand oneself, navigate peer relationships and develop effective social skills. They provide academic support such as goal-setting, decision-making and teach organizational, study and test-taking skills.

"They provide responsive supports such as individual and small group counseling, referrals to remediation to make up for lost learning, and individual, family and school crisis intervention."

Research shows that comprehensive counseling programs boost student success. Students at schools with such programs do better on standardized tests and are more likely to go on to higher education.

Studies also show that students who feel valued and safe in their school -- a key goal of a comprehensive school-counseling program -- are more likely to perform well in all academic areas.

"Because they have a broad perspective, many school counselors have an important impact on maintaining a positive school climate," notes Jones.

With more children slipping into poverty each year, Jones says that "school counselors are more involved than ever in garnering basic resources children and families need such as food, clothing, dental and medical care and adequate shelter."

But perhaps the best way to keep your school counselor is to have the budget cutters shadow her for a day. While she attends to confidential matters, they can sit in the hallway and catch their breath!

(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 is a single working mom with a 3-year-old son. I think he should enter preschool. She wants him home with me even though I'm sickly. She says a child's IQ is what it is and preschool isn't beneficial. She's making me feel guilty. Is it true that IQ is fixed at birth?

A: Overwhelmingly, experts agree that intelligence is not fixed at birth.

As for the benefits of preschool, there is considerable evidence showing positive, long-lasting effects for 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in early learning programs.

Studies also show that while kids from lower socioeconomic groups may have lower IQs than their better-off counterparts, the gap is due to differences in educational opportunities. Their IQs rise as their learning opportunities expand.

Researchers have also shown that children who have had preschool are more ready for kindergarten. They tend to repeat fewer grades, have higher rates of high school graduation, and exhibit more pro-social behavior throughout their school years.

But quality matters. If the educational program is just baby-sitting, your grandson could be better off with you, assuming you're not giving him a daily diet of TV. But if the program has well-trained teachers, is organized around environments where teachers and children interact, and offers developmentally appropriate activities to help him build a strong foundation for kindergarten, then encourage your daughter to register him.

Your daughter may be interested in a recently published paper by New York University researchers Joshua Aronson, Clancy Blair and John Protzko at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. They analyzed hundreds of studies to determine the overall effectiveness of various early childhood interventions involving children from birth through kindergarten.

The researchers discovered that enrolling an economically disadvantaged child in an early education program could raise his or her IQ by more than four points. Preschools that include a language development component boosted children's IQ by more than seven points.

They also found that a technique called interactive or shared reading -- when parents actively engage their children while reading with them -- raised children's IQ by more than six points.

The technique helps children develop vocabulary, knowledge of the sounds of language, and a habit of home reading, says early literacy expert Anne Van Kleeck, author of "Sharing Books and Stories to Promote Language and Literacy" (Plural Publishing, 2006). She suggests these basic steps when reading with your preschooler:

Look for children's books that engage him. Ask him simple questions, such as, "What is in this picture?" Repeat words and phrases. Ask him to label objects and events in sequence. As you progress through a book, ask him more complex questions about specific things in the story. Ask open-ended questions, rather than yes or no questions, and expand on his explanations. If he says, "The boy is afraid," ask him why. Reinforce correct grammar and syntax. If your grandson says, "The dog go home," say, "Yes, the dog went home."

To give your grandson a great start, enroll him in a quality preschool program and read with him every day after school. You'll put him on a path to lifelong learning.

(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.)