As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. To help your child succeed in school, it is important to know that children perform better and feel better about coming to school when parents and families are active in their schools. Several studies indicate that a child’s performance in school is more dependent on parental involvement, consistent support, and the learning environment at home.
By actively engaging in your child’s education, fostering positive study habits, and creating a supportive atmosphere, you can significantly boost their chances of success in school. This is equally as important as enrolling your child in a school.
Parents can support their children’s learning in various ways, both at home and throughout their school experience. We have listed some guidelines that will enable you to help your child succeed in school.
1. Meet your child’s teacher:
As a parent, you must know your child’s teacher. As soon as the school year starts, find a way to meet your child’s teacher. Inform your child’s teacher that you wish to support your child’s learning endeavours. Make it clear that the teacher can get in touch with you if your child ever has any issues at school. You can also talk with your child’s teacher and offer some tips for developing a partnership with your child’s teacher. Schools like Greensprings are deliberate about making parents meet their child’s teacher in the presence of the child, by organizing tea parties at the beginning of a new school year. Parents are allowed to talk about their children and state their learning expectations.
2. Establish a Homework Routine:
An essential way to help your child succeed in school is to have a good routine of how, where, and when to do schoolwork.
While your child does homework, be available to interpret assignment instructions, offer guidance, answer questions, and review the completed work. But avoid giving correct answers or finishing the assignments. You don’t want to deny your child the opportunity to learn from mistakes because this is an important part of the process.
You can help by showing that you are interested in providing the necessary materials, creating an effective study environment and praising all of your child’s efforts.
3. Plan for Technology / Smartphone Use:
Phones are a distraction when they are in the study room, even when they are turned off. Have a plan in place for family tech usage. This can be around minutes, data or context. If you want family dinners and homework to be tech-free zones, agree to that ahead of time.
You can help your child with homework by setting aside a special place to study, establishing a regular time for homework, and removing distractions such as the television and social phone calls during homework time.
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4. Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences / Meetings:
Attending parent-teacher conferences is another way to stay informed. The meetings are a chance to start or continue conversations with your child’s teacher, and discuss strategies to help your child do his or her best in class.
Parent-teacher meeting is a great way to get to know your child’s teachers and their expectations. School administrators may discuss school-wide programs and policies that could be of great benefit to helping your child succeed in school.
In addition, attending meetings will help you know the physical layout (main office, cafeteria, playgrounds, halls, and special classes) of the school building which can help you connect with your child when you talk about his or her school day.
5. Encourage your child to use the library:
Everyone can learn and discover something new at libraries. Your child will be better prepared to learn independently if you help him or her learn about libraries.
It is good to encourage them to use the library as it provides a quiet setting for students to finish their schoolwork.
6. Get extra learning support:
Learning supports are the resources, strategies, and practices that provide physical, social, emotional, and academic help intended to give students an equal opportunity for success at school by addressing barriers to and promoting engagement in learning and teaching.
If your child has special learning needs, additional meetings can be scheduled with teachers. However, it is also advisable to book a learning assessment that can address your child’s specific need(s). You can schedule a learning assessment today for your child.
7. Know the student code of conduct/policies:
Schools usually cite student code of conduct in student handbooks. It covers expectations, and consequences for not meeting school policies, such as student behaviour, dress codes, use of electronic devices, and more.
The policies may also include details about attendance, cheating, fighting, and bullying. At Greensprings Schools, for instance, we have specific policies about bullying.
With these policies, your child can know what is expected at school and that you will support the school’s consequences when expectations are not met.
8. Make Time to Talk About School:
Finally, a vital way to help your child succeed in school is to make out time to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you as a parent. When children know their parents are interested in their academic lives, they will take school seriously as well.
Besides family meals, a good time to talk and discuss their daily activities is during car trips from and to school.
Ask questions always. If something concerns you about your child’s learning or behaviour, ask the teacher or principal about it and seek their advice.
