There are a few things that we as parents and guardians can do to help our children have a better chance of succeeding in school.
Stay Involved: Kids do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives. Attending back to school night (curriculum night) at the start of the school year is the best way get to know the teachers and their expectations.
Attending parent-teacher conferences is another way to stay informed. These are usually held once or twice a school year. These meetings are a chance to get the whole story from your child's teacher about how they are progressing in school. You can also discuss strategies to help your child do his or her best in class by working together with them. Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that there is a home-school connection.
If your child has special learning needs, additional meetings can be scheduled with teachers and other school staff to consider setting up different educational plans depending on the needs of your child.
Make Homework a Priority: Homework in elementary school reinforces the learning for that day and helps kids practice important study skills. It also helps you to see what they may need extra help with. Most teachers will modify homework for your child if it's too much for them to handle based on their learning needs. Most times, you just have to ask.
Ask the Right Questions: Most kids won't open up about their day if asked, "How was your day?" or "What did you learn today?" Some kids will tell you their entire school day without you asking, but most won't. There is no right or wrong phrase to use when asking them about their day but I've learned the best way to get information about their school day from my closed lipped kids is to connect with them first. That may mean while we are eating dinner together, playing a game, driving in a car, helping them with homework etc...asking about their day then. When morale is high and everyone is feeling connected. That will increase your chances that they will open up to you and when they do, be sure to listen. You will find out more about their day, then you ever thought you could.
As parents and guardians, we all want what is best for our child. Sometimes we know what we need to do to help our child meet their fullest potential but we don't always make the best choices at the time. No one is perfect, but the more you attempt to use these strategies that were discussed in this article, the more you will see progress in the right direction.
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