How to Help your Child be Successful

It is my belief that the KEY to a child’s educational success is parental involvement.  The best teaching techniques or the best teachers can not replace the gratification that a child gets from their parent’s support and encouragement!!  There are many things a parent can do to help their child be successful in and outside of the classroom.  The activities described below will benefit your student in the classroom and help them become a success outside of the classroom!!

 
1.                 Set aside a special reading time everyday (15-20 minutes).  Have your child read to
        you, or read aloud to your child.  Keep books in the car, bathroom, kitchen, and
        living area.  If a child has to look for a book they typically won’t read, if a book is
        easily assessable to a child they are more likely to pick it up and just start reading it.

2.               Keep newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials easily assessable to your child.  Talk to your child about what is happening in the local and national news, believe it or not they do care…

3.                Talk to your child daily.  Ask them what they did in school during the day.  Don’t accept “Nothing…” as an answer!!  Be specific; ask about Science, Social Studies, Math, and Reading.

4.               Begin to solve problems with your child, not for your child.

5.               Encourage your child to keep a journal, dairy, or scrap box or book with memories, goals, and dreams.  This encourages imagination, writing, as well as independence.

6.                Supervise Homework.  Designate one particular spot for nightly homework to be completed.  See this as an opportunity to learn something new!!  I guarantee that your child will learning something this year that you did not know, have them teach you!

7.               Be a Backpack Detective.  Check your child’s backpack daily for homework, notes, and graded papers.

8.               Encourage your child to participate in the classroom, as well as in or out of school activities.

9.               Have your child make a monthly school calendar of events to list test dates, events, and activities.  This activity helps to build organizational skills and creativity .