Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I hear many people advise "show interest" or "be involved" but those terms are vague. I would really like some detailed advise of what can a parent do to help children do well in school.
Ensure they understand and complete their homework.
Keep in contact with their teachers.
Go over homework with them.
Practice their tests with them.
Find out what is next in the school curriculum and perform get ahead work.
Stone, be patient with them. Do not believe a teacher over your own kids. Realize that teachers, though they have a difficult job are not all there just out of their love for kids, but they are needing it for an income and don't side with them as if they are "the law."
Keep it in mind that YOU are the boss of your kids' welfare and stay involved in how your kids feel ABOUT school. Always ask if they are being bullied and I mean by any adults as well as other students in their schools. It's worse than "a dog eat dog" world out there, now.
Don't pressure your kids to make certain grades on their report cards. Tell them it's all about being prepared to support themselves and be happy in life. It's not about impressing society and becoming what others think they should.
This world is getting nuttier every year and remember that your kids are, by attending school being forced to mix with, and sometimes very closely mix with the worst, as well as the best families' kids. Have compassion on them for putting up with it all.
Don't just care if they do their homework but care how they feel about being in school, etc.
I think the above posts are all correct for young children. I think it's also important to back off homework help in elementary school. Homework is to enforce the material covered in the classroom and it's the chance for the teacher to see what the student understands. If your child does not understand the instructions on how to do the homework, then you should help or, of course, if the teacher requests parents help.
As a parent of three children, I can tell you first hand of kids that drop out of college because they all of the sudden had no one nagging them about their homework, studying for tests or editing their papers. At some point this HAS to be the child's job.
I would also add that being involved in any parents organizations proved helpful to us. I rarely worked in the classroom after the first couple of years but helped with making copies, fundraising and other behind the scenes jobs. My kids liked that I was there and I enjoyed the work.
The best thing my parents did was the teach me respect for education. They always stressed to me the importance of doing well in school and how it can open doors for me in the future.
For young children, it's important to make sure kids know that priority is on work before play. Keep tabs to make sure they are doing their homework and keeping their grades up. I feel kids see the importance of education when parents make it a priority.
Parents should make sure they know the kids' teachers and classes and attend all PTA meetings to get an idea of how their kids behave in school. Parents can spend time with their kids and include school and future academic plans in the conversation.
Parents should encourage curiosity and learning as a way of life rather than a chore to accomplish. Lifelong learning starts from home. Teachers can only facilitate.
I feel my parents never had to keep strict tabs on me growing up because they taught me the importance of education from a young age. I knew I wanted to go to college and always took pride in doing well in school. I feel if a positive attitude can be taught from a young age, parents have far less to work to do later in life.
I hear many people advise "show interest" or "be involved" but those terms are vague. I would really like some detailed advise of what can a parent do to help children do well in school.
Ask them about what they did in school. More importantly, teach them that school is their job. Homework comes first and it is their responsibility to do well. Do not baby sit them. Don't call the teacher to find out what their assignments are. That only teaches them that it's your job to firgure out what they should do. I teach high school chemistry and, surprise, surprise, the parents who call to find out what their child's work should be are the parents of kids who don't turn in their work. They've learned well that someone else will make sure it gets done so they take no responsibility themselves.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
