How Can I Help My Child Succeed?
"Home is where one starts from."
~ T.S. Eliot ~
As teachers, we can only do so much in the classroom. The real work takes place in the home!
The U.S. Department of Education has given valuable guidance on how YOU can help your child succeed.
Encourage Your Child to Read
Helping your child become a reader is the single most important thing that you can do to help the child to succeed in school—and in life. The importance of reading simply can't be overstated. Reading helps children in all school subjects. More important, it is the key to lifelong learning. Here are some tips on how to help your child become a reader.
Talk with Your Child
Talking and listening play major roles in children's school success. It's through hearing parents and family members talk and through responding to that talk that young children begin to pick up the language skills they will need if they are to do well. For example, children who don't hear a lot of talk and who aren't encouraged to talk themselves often have problems learning to read. In addition, children who haven't learned to listen carefully often have trouble following directions and paying attention in class.
Monitor Homework
Let your child know that you think education is important and so homework has to be done.
Here are some ways to help your child with homework:
American children on average spend far more time watching TV or playing video games than they do completing homework or other school-related activities. Here are some suggestions for helping your child to use TV and video games wisely:
Libraries are places of learning and discovery for everyone.
Helping your child find out about libraries will set him on the road to being an independent learner.
Help Your Child Learn to Use the Internet Properly and Effectively
The Internet/World Wide WEB—a network of computers that connects people and information all around the world—has become an important part of how we learn and of how we interact with others. For children to succeed today, they must be able to use the Internet.
Encourage Your Child to Be Responsible and to Work Independently
Taking responsibility and working independently are important qualities for school success.
Here are some suggestions for helping your child to develop these qualities:
Children need active learning as well as quiet learning such as reading and doing homework. Active learning involves asking and answering questions, solving problems and exploring interests. Active learning also can take place when your child plays sports, spends time with friends, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument or visits museums and bookstores.
To promote active learning, listen to your child's ideas and respond. Let them jump in with questions and opinions when you read books together. When you encourage this type of give-and-take at home, your child's participation and interest in school is likely to increase.
You can find more information about this topic by visiting:
http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/succeed/part4.html
~ T.S. Eliot ~
As teachers, we can only do so much in the classroom. The real work takes place in the home!
The U.S. Department of Education has given valuable guidance on how YOU can help your child succeed.
Encourage Your Child to Read
Helping your child become a reader is the single most important thing that you can do to help the child to succeed in school—and in life. The importance of reading simply can't be overstated. Reading helps children in all school subjects. More important, it is the key to lifelong learning. Here are some tips on how to help your child become a reader.
Talk with Your Child
Talking and listening play major roles in children's school success. It's through hearing parents and family members talk and through responding to that talk that young children begin to pick up the language skills they will need if they are to do well. For example, children who don't hear a lot of talk and who aren't encouraged to talk themselves often have problems learning to read. In addition, children who haven't learned to listen carefully often have trouble following directions and paying attention in class.
Monitor Homework
Let your child know that you think education is important and so homework has to be done.
Here are some ways to help your child with homework:
- Have a special place for your child to study. The homework area doesn't have to be fancy.
- Set a regular time for homework. Having a regular time to do homework helps children to finish assignments.
- Remove distractions. Turn off the TV. Discourage your child from making and receiving telephone calls during homework time.
- Don't expect or demand perfection. When your child asks you to look at what is done, show interest and praise when they've done something well. If you have criticisms or suggestions, make them in a helpful way.
American children on average spend far more time watching TV or playing video games than they do completing homework or other school-related activities. Here are some suggestions for helping your child to use TV and video games wisely:
- Limit the time that you let your child watch TV.
- Go to the library and find books that explore the themes of the TV shows that your child watches.
- Limit the amount of time your child spends playing video games
Libraries are places of learning and discovery for everyone.
Helping your child find out about libraries will set him on the road to being an independent learner.
Help Your Child Learn to Use the Internet Properly and Effectively
The Internet/World Wide WEB—a network of computers that connects people and information all around the world—has become an important part of how we learn and of how we interact with others. For children to succeed today, they must be able to use the Internet.
- Monitor the amount of time that your child spends online.
- Point them in the direction of sites that can help with homework or that relate to their interests.
Encourage Your Child to Be Responsible and to Work Independently
Taking responsibility and working independently are important qualities for school success.
Here are some suggestions for helping your child to develop these qualities:
- Establish rules, and make it clear to your child that he has to take responsibility for what he does, both at home and at school.
- Show your child how to break a job down into small steps, then to do the job one step at a time.
Children need active learning as well as quiet learning such as reading and doing homework. Active learning involves asking and answering questions, solving problems and exploring interests. Active learning also can take place when your child plays sports, spends time with friends, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument or visits museums and bookstores.
To promote active learning, listen to your child's ideas and respond. Let them jump in with questions and opinions when you read books together. When you encourage this type of give-and-take at home, your child's participation and interest in school is likely to increase.
You can find more information about this topic by visiting:
http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/succeed/part4.html