Research shows that children are more likely to
succeed in school if parents or caregivers take an active part in their
education. A good education is important for finding a good job and having a
good future. It makes sense to help your child do well at school. Most parents
want to get more involved in their child’s education, but may not be sure how
to begin. A great starting point is sharing a positive attitude about school
with your child.
"Remember, you don’t have to know how to do the homework to help your child succeed in school."
Share
your ideas about the importance of education with your child
Talk about ties between what your child is learning
today and how that knowledge might be used in the future. Begin to talk about
possible education goals for your child. If you begin to think about goals,
your child will, too. Talk about technical and professional schools in your
area, careers that you find interesting, or people you have met that seemed to
enjoy their work. Let your young student know that they have many educational
possibilities!
Be
careful not to pass on negative attitudes about school that may be a part of
your own past experience
Without realizing it, you could start your child off
on the wrong foot by recalling bad memories from your own school days. Giving
children the idea that school is too difficult, that teachers are unfair, or
that school isn’t important will discourage them from doing well. Instead, talk
about your friends from school, your favorite teachers or your best subject. If
school was a bad experience for you, you might tell them you made the mistake
of not liking school and you don’t want them to do the same.
"A positive attitude about school is perhaps the most important gift you can give your child."
Help
your child set education goals, both short term and long term.
Talk to your child about the future and plans for high
school, technical school or college. Tell your child you hope they will be
successful in school.
A short-term goal may be finishing a writing
assignment by Sunday night.
A long-term goal could be attending a trade school,
the local community college or a university after high school.
Talk to
your child about what they are learning at school
From kindergartner to high school senior, it’s
important to ask students about their school subjects. Ask open-ended questions
about their class work —questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or ‘no.”
Share any knowledge you have, and if you are curious, read the textbook!
Help
your child get organized to do homework
Create a study area or corner for homework. You can
start this as early as first grade, and it becomes more important as homework
is assigned. Have a table and chair in a quiet place away from the TV, perhaps
in the corner of a bedroom. Add a lamp, if needed. Add a box for books and
supplies. Make a special trip to the store to buy supplies such as paper,
pencils, and colored pens. As your child gets older, add a clock. Help keep
this area tidy and ready for use.
Have a
place to keep all communications from school
All schools are making an effort to keep in better
touch with parents. Most communication is on paper and is sent home with your
child. This includes reports on your child’s grades, lunch menus, coming
events, newsletters, requests for materials from home, and so on. After you have
read them, save them all in a box, basket, or easy-to-find location. This
system will save the day over and over when a form needs to be read or returned
to the school and your child is hurrying out the door. It takes some effort to
make this plan work, but it also lets your student know that these
communications from school are important to you.
Make
rules about homework
Decide with your child on a good time to do homework
and stick to that schedule as much as possible. Try to keep noise down during
study times.
Ask what homework your child has been assigned and
look it over when it is finished. Don’t be a tyrant about homework, though. The
goal is for the student to be responsible for getting it done without excessive
nagging. If homework isn’t getting done, talk to the teacher about ways to help
your child. A joint effort may work better than “laying down the law.” Some
schools post assignments and grades online or record homework assignments on
telephone voice mail.
Help with assignments if you are asked, but don’t feel
bad if you are unfamiliar with a subject. School has changed since you
attended! The teacher is always there for additional help.
Make
interactive homework fun
Many teachers assign projects that require a student
to interview adult family members. For example, elementary students may ask
questions about their ancestors: what was their country of origin and when did
they come to North America Your young interviewer may ask opinions on current
events, favorite books or hobbies. Respond with enthusiasm and give your child
as much help and good information as you can. One of the purposes of this type
of assignment is to practice good conversation skills with your children.
A study of students who get good grades showed that
children whose parents talk to them almost every night at dinner do better in
school than children who rarely talk to their parents except to argue. Message:
try to eat one meal seated together and talk about what’s going on in
everyone’s life without arguing.
Do a community
service project together
Watch for opportunities for the whole family to join a
park cleanup, to collect food for the hungry, or simply to help an elderly
neighbor with chores. Doing things together for others helps students practice
cooperation and caring, skills they will need to be successful in school and on
the job.
Help
your child do research projects at your library, museum or nature center
Provide transportation to the library for work on
projects. Access to learning centers other than school introduces children to
the world of learning outside of school.
"Help your child succeed at school—work with the teacher!"
One reason parents say they don’t know how to help
their children at school is because schools have changed so much since they
were students. Subject matter and teaching methods are different and unclear to
parents. Parents often feel that teachers talk down to them or that teachers
are not honest with them. Student learning patterns have also become much more
visual and fast-paced with the advent of television and video games.
These barriers are very real. The good news is that
schools are aware of these communication problems and want to work with both
teachers and parents for the good of the student. These problems will not be
solved immediately, but at least they are out in the open and can be discussed.
Much of what is needed between the parent and the teacher is better
communication. By being open minded and willing to try new ways, you will help
your child succeed in school.
From learningtogive.org
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