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Have
you heard the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child?”
Even in today’s busy world where villages are almost nonexistent and
neighborhoods aren’t as closely knit as they once were, this saying
holds true. The same principle applies to your child’s education—it
takes more than a good school to educate children, just as takes
more than a good home to make children well adjusted. It takes
community, teachers, and it takes YOU!
Did
you know that children spend over 1,000 hours a year in school? So,
if they go to school for 13 years, that adds up to 13,000 hours when
someone else teaches, influences, molds and cares for your
children. But, if parents and schools work together, children can
grow up as educated, competent and productive members of our
society. So how can you help your children in school? One of the
main ways is to get take an active role at home and at school.
Research shows that children do better in school when parents talk
often with teachers and become involved. Kids whose parents
interact with teachers usually get higher grades and test scores,
develop positive attitudes about school, and are better behaved.
Parents and teachers need to communicate on a regular basis, not
just at parent/teacher conferences. But sometimes, a parent
doesn’t know just how to go about getting involved or how to make
that positive connection with the teacher and/or school.
So,
where do you start? It is best to try and meet teachers early in
the school year. This will help the teacher better understand your
values, your child, and also lets them know that you support your
child’s education. Teachers like to have parents who are interested
in a child’s progress.
If
you are involved in school activities and events you will have added
chances to talk with you children’s’ teachers. Becoming involved in
PTO, PTA, and Booster Clubs also gives you a change to get to know
the teachers better. On top of that, involvement in groups related
to the school give you a chance to have some say in the decisions
that may affect your children. You don’t have to be involved in
everything. Choose something that is manageable and give it your
all.
Another good investment in your child’s education is to volunteer.
What you do will depend on the needs at your school and your
abilities, but usually the possibilities are endless. Lunchroom
monitors, tutors, library aid, a classroom speaker on a specific
topic, concession workers, playground monitors, field trip
chaperones, or room parents are all frequently needed. Let the
teachers know what your interests are, then they’ll have an idea who
to call for help. Sometimes you can contact a teacher by phone or
can visit the classroom to check on your child’s progress. Be sure
to ask the teacher for convenient and appropriate times for those
activities.
Help at home is important also. Children do better in school if
parents support their education at home. Turn off or limit the
television on school nights, set a regular time for homework and
make yourself available to help, read to your children on a regular
basis, talk with your children about the things you read together or
about the lessons they are learning in school. Health can also
affect school performance. It’s important for children to get
regular sleep, eat breakfast(cereal and juice or milk is a good
starter), and get plenty of exercise
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