Ways Parents Can Help Their Child Do Well at School

The new school year will begin next week for some people, so as a school teacher and a parent, I'm taking this time to give my two cents on how parents can help their children perform better.

Get Involved Early on

To start off the school year on the right footing, get involved in your child's school by attending back to school night, parent conferences, and open house. You do not have to attend all three major functions, but it would be a plus if you do so or if you attend two of the three. I have found that students whose parents get involved at school are the ones who perform well already. It often saddens me to see that those students who are close to falling through the cracks are the ones whose parents do not show up. No surprise there! I say this because studies have shown that when all stakeholders involve themselves in the progress of students, they do well. Parents are the most important stakeholders in a child's education process. When they are missing in the equation, a child without much intrinsic motivation finds it hard to make it through school. Get to know your child's teachers and check frequently on how the child is doing. You can request that they give you weekly progress report. This keeps students accountable and makes them realize that they are being monitored at home and at school, and that they are expected to perform at high level.

Show that you Care

Ask your child how was school when ever he or she gets home from school. Inquire about classes, teachers, what he or she learned for the day. These questions show the child that going to school and what happens at school are important to you. It will make him or her more apt to strive to perform at the highest level. If you don't show that you care about school or what happens there, your child will follow suit.

Provide a safe place for homework and studying

You don't know how many of my students throughout the years tell me they don't have a place to do their homework, so they often do it at the dinner table and most times leave it there on the dinner table. They say they were doing their chores and forgot to get it off the table for the next day. Please parents, provide your child with a specific place just for doing homework. A little corner with a small table and bright lamp is suitable. When he or she is there, it is strictly to do homework, not chores. It will be easier for the child to pack up his or her things and put them back in the backpack when there's some kind of organized and designated place for studying.

Praise your child often

I don't want to make it seem like you have to be too hard on your child for he or she to perform well. Just set the expectations you want, and keep monitoring by communicating with both child and teachers. When the child does well, always remember to praise him or her. Don't just wait to pounce on him or her when they misstep. Positive encouragement and rewards will make him or her see that good work is rewarded. Show the connection between hard work now and hard work later on in real life ; hard work will pay off.

This is my two cents tips on helping your child to do well at school. Don't forget to get all necessary school supplies including several pens, pencils, erasers, portable pencil sharpener with the little bottom cover to hold the shavings from the pencil, notebook or binders with college ruled papers. Help your child organize his or her classes by getting a notebook for each or using a divider for the binder. Make sure he or she comes to school daily with the backpack. It is surprising how many comes every day asking others for the basic things like pen and paper, having come to school with absolutely nothing.

You will see remarkable improvement in your child's overall performance if you can use some of the tips I've suggested. Best wishes!

Sources:

Experience