How to Be Pro Active in Your Child's Education

Parental involvement in a child's education, whether they are in an early childhood education program or entering kindergarten, has been proved statistically to help them do better in school. By becoming involved in your child's educational experiences, you have an opportunity to learn how to help your child develop their social and educational skills and goals, and to carry that learning experience over into your home environment. Parental involvement in your child's education and school activities also helps improve the quality of the school your child attends.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• School calendar
• Copy of school policies regarding discipline, attendence, etc.
• Student directory

1. 
    

   When you enroll your child in school, take them along with you and tour the classroom they will be in. If your child is not given their classroom number until closer to the beginning of school, find out when the school is open for a walk-through with your child.

2. 
    

   Take your child to school the first day. If you can't take them, see if another family member can take them. The first day of school, especially for children ages 3 to 7, can be a daunting and scary time. This is especially true for children entering preschool or kindergarten.

3. Let your child know that an education is important. As soon as you can after school lets out for the day, ask questions about how your child's day went, what they did and which new friends they made. Also ask what they did during recess or gym. This is a time to be close to your child and share their daily life. This is also a wonderful way to foster positive self esteem.

4. 
    

   Read everything that your child brings home from school, including things like classroom or school newsletters, flyers, report cards, homework assignments, school lunch calendars and vacation and bus schedules. This shows your child that you know what is going on. You might share what is in the classroom or school newsletter with your child.

5. Develop a relationship with your child's teachers, the school nurse, the counselor and the vice principal and principal by attending meetings and parent-teacher conferences. If you have to pick your child up for a doctor or other appointment, go a little early and take a minute to say hello.

6. When you pick your child up from the classroom for appointments or to take them home, look at any artwork or other projects the students in your child's class have hanging on the hallway walls. Acknowledge all the students' works and make sure you point out your child's work, as well. This will make your child feel good about both the individual and team work that takes place in the classroom.

7. If possible, volunteer to help out with school activities like sporting and music events, fundraisers and holiday classroom parties or field trips. Take your child to school book fairs where you can purchase books, book markers, art and craft activities, etc. Let them pick something out that fits in with your budget.

8. Occasionally set up a day, or an hour or two, to visit your child's classroom. If you don't have the time, see if an aunt, uncle or grandparent would do this. This lets you see what goes on daily in the classroom and how your child participates. Young children love to have a family member come watch them in school and will proudly introduce you to everyone. If you call the school ahead of time, a lunch can be ordered for you and you can go have lunch in the cafeteria with your child.

9. If there is a parent organization at your child's school (e.g. PTO, PTA), go to meetings. If there isn't one, you might consider getting one started. Most schools provide a student directory to students early in the year. Consider contacting other parents to see if they would like to help. Some schools also have site councils and other organizations that you can get involved with to help ensure your child's school is the best it can be.

10. If you have a concern about a particular grade your child got on a report card or something they are struggling with academically or socially, talk to the teacher, counselor, principal or other appropriate staff person. For academic concerns, ask your child's teacher if there is something you can do with your child at home to help them out.

11. Read with your child every evening, even during the school year. Also let them see you read, whether it is the newspaper or a magazine you like. For older children, read together. Afterwards, discuss what you read. This way children begin to learn comprehension and problem solving skills.

12. If your child needs help with homework, assist them, but do not do the work for them. Otherwise they will not learn or develop important education skills they need to graduate on to the next grade.

Tips & Warnings

• Invite grandparents, stepparents and other adults who hold an important place in your child's life to participate in school activities.
• It is your actions and involvement in all aspects of your child's educational experience that make an impression on them, that gives them a sense of pride in family, school and community.
• Literacy begins in the home.
• Once children enter puberty and their teen years, your child probably will not want you visiting the classroom or having lunch with them. This becomes an embarrassment, as other children may think they are "a baby, a sissy," etc. It is okay to stop classroom and lunch visits at that time. You can still be involved with sports, band or orchestra competitions, parent/teacher organizations, etc.

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[acherryscott]

on 9/5/2009 We need all the positive tools we can get to educate our children.

[Coach4U]

on 7/12/2009 This is very good information for being involved in your child's education. "5"