FOR RELEASE: December 2002
TITLE: HELPING CHILDREN DO WELL IN SCHOOL
·
Take you child to school or child care or pick your child up each
day. This personal involvement is
important for all parents. Providing this
daily transportation is especially important if that parent does not see the
child at home on a daily basis.
Meaningful daily contact improves your relationship with your child and
with your child’s teachers, friends, and friends’ parents.
·
Be sure your child knows that school is important to you. Ask questions or observed what is going on at
school. Then plan similar activities
that you and your child can do together.
For example, if your child is learning about animals, take a trip to the
zoo, rent a movie, or go on line to find out more about animals together.
·
Set up a place in your home where your children can read, write, and
use the computer. Provide space to store
school books, supplies, special materials, and a hook for that back pack. It is good for children to have both private
and family spaces for study. Some
parents and children work together at the kitchen or dining room table or on
the coffee table in the living room.
This may be part of the evening meal or a snack routine. Sometimes children need a more private space
in which to work perhaps in their room or your home office.
·
Read everything that is sent home – newsletters, the school lunch and
snack menus, field trip plans, requests for parent involvement and
assistance. If you are co-parenting,
share the information. If you are
parallel parenting because you and the other parent can not get along
peacefully, ask the school or child care program to provide copies for each
parent.
·
Get to know your child’s teachers, coaches, center directors, and
principal. Attend school meetings, open
house, and parent-teacher conferences.
Most are happy for you to call them during certain hours at school or at
home. You might exchange notes or keep a
notebook on your child. Each day the teacher
and child care provider write news of the child’s behavior and learning
activities are progressing. Your notes
can include questions for the staff and information about family plans and
things you are sharing with your child.
·
Every day, read with your child.
You might share the newspaper, read aloud, have
a night time story routine, or exchange books and articles you have
enjoyed. Be sure your child sees you
reading and writing in very practical ways like a grocery shopping list or
email as well as reading and writing for enjoyment. Ask your child about the books read at school
or child care. For infants and toddlers
it is a great idea to have at home some of the same books the baby “reads” in
child care. Ask your child’s teacher for
a list of books and magazines appropriate for your child’s age, ability,
interests, and family background.
Prepared by:
Elaine Wilson, Ph.D.
Parenting Specialist
104 HES, Room 238
OCES,
405-744-7186