Helping your child succeed in school

October 2005 (back)

Send your students the message that school is important. Get to know your child’s teacher(s). It tells your child that you support learning and shows teachers that you care. Here are five ways to build a positive environment.

1. Know how to contact your child’s teacher(s).

2. Attend as many school functions as possible. School plays, concerts, parent reading or math nights are also good ways to show your support. Attend parent nights.

3. Know what teachers expect from students. Many teachers have course and class expectations. Read these with your child.

4. Keep teachers informed. Tell teachers when something big happens at home. Changes like divorce, death, or a new baby can affect your child and schoolwork.

5. Encourage middle schoolers and high schoolers to join after school clubs and teams. Research shows that the most successful students are part of an athletic team, music group, club, or organization.

6. Whenever possible, set aside a separate time and place for doing homework. Even if students have no homework, they can use that time for reading.

7. Encourage students to fill out a weekly calendar. Write down school assignments as well as after school activities, family events, tests, and project due dates. Help your child make long term as well as short term goals and help them create steps for meeting those goals.

8. Sometimes kids need reminders to stay on track. Use a timer or alarm clock to help you enforce time limits without having to nag. For instance, the timer could be used for that twenty minute reading period. It can also be used to limit phone time or computer time.

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