Studies show that when parents are engaged in education their children perform better in school. All parents want their kids to be successful in school and sometimes that means rolling up your sleeves and lending a helping hand.

The ultimate aim of education is to have children who are organized, independent thinkers, both responsible and capable of taking academic risks. The majority of children need a little support from Mom and Dad to get to that point.  But how much help is too much?

Somewhere between seeing grades on the report card for the first time and scheduling weekly phone conversations with the teacher is the perfect amount of parental school involvement. Parents should be involved and aware of what is going on at school, but not actively completing work for their kids.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO HELP PARENTS GET INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD’S EDUCATION

Communicate. Talk to kids about school every day.  Ask specific questions about classes.  Rather than asking, “how was school?” ask, “how was math class?  What did you learn?” Parents should know their kids schedule and teachers’ names, and stay abreast of upcoming projects and assignments.

Don’t Wait for the Report Card. One of the biggest mistakes parents make is waiting too long to correct problems. Rather than waiting for the first report card or progress report to come home, parents should follow up with issues that come up when and if they come up. If there’s a quiz on Friday, ask how it went on Monday. If marks are not what they should be, arrange a talk with the teacher and make a plan. And don’t be afraid to simply call the teacher just to check in and make sure that everything is going smoothly.

Help with Homework. There are a lot of DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to homework help.  It boils down to two basic rules: Help, but don’t do the work for them. Parents should help create a homework-friendly atmosphere where children can focus and get the work done without getting stressed out or losing motivation.

Organization. Morning, after-school, and evening routines all require organization skills to run smoothly. Whether it’s emptying book bags right after school, picking out school clothes the night before, or enforcing bedtimes, an organized routine teaches kids consistency, which pays off in school.  If disorganization is a problem at home, it’s likely a problem at school.  Kids who demonstrate consistent organization skills at home transfer those skills with them to the classroom. Help kids get organized at home, and you’re helping them be organized in school.

Set Goals Together. Part of the communication process involves setting academic goals for the school year.  Help kids learn to think about long-term outcomes by discussing personal and academic ambitions, big or small.  Be sure to keep goals realistic, achievable, and measurable. Use calendars, planners, agendas, or use our Academic Action Plan to keep goals on-track.

Do you have great tips to share on how you get involved in your child’s education?  We’d love to hear them.  Leave us a comment…and don’t forget follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

You asked. We answered!
This question comes from our archives…

Question:
How do I help my four-year-old son to develop a love of reading? He struggles to sound words out, and doesn’t seem to be interested in reading on his own. How can I help him learn to love reading?

Answer:
Books can be our best friends. But to struggling children, they can also be the enemy. Children are aware of our expectations, and they recognize our desire for them to read. To avoid disappointing us, children with reading issues may just push books aside for activities that don’t require so much effort.

Strong reading skills are the foundation for learning, so they are a critical skill to develop early on. Luckily, an aversion to reading at a young age can easily be overcome.

Sometimes different approaches are the solution to getting reluctant readers to embrace books and reading. Our Little Readers program is developed to help children as young as three learn to become strong, competent readers who love books! We help kids learn the sounds that make up the building blocks of our language. Kids become able to sound out words and develop confidence in their ability to try to read new words.

Remember that learning to read can be a struggle for many children, but if you give your son the skills that he needs to be a successful reader, a love of reading will follow eventually. Continue to make an effort to share reading time with your son, and encourage him every step of the way!

——-

Do you have an education question that you’d like ask us? Leave your question in the comments, or visit us on Twitter to ask your question there!

Report Cards can be very stressful for families. Kids don’t want to disappoint their parents, or be punished for bad grades, and parents don’t want to find out that their child is struggling academically. While report cards can be stressful, they don’t have to be.

Before stress levels reaches the danger zone, consider the following:

It’s Still Early—this is the first report card, which means that there is still ample opportunity to make improvements this school year.

Language—report cards often contain confusing educational jargon, which can be frustrating. Forget the gobbledygook and focus on the teacher’s comments. These comments can give you a better idea of how your child is performing overall.

Context—some school years are more challenging than others. Certain grades are transition years, such as the first year of high school, or the shift from early to middle school. These years can be challenging to all students, regardless of their academic abilities.

Now that parents have read the report card, it’s time to have a chat with the kids about their grades. Here are some tips that will help parents—and kids—banish any icky report-card feelings:

1. Be calm, cool, and collected. If you’re upset or angry about grades, hold off on the discussion until you can speak calmly and rationally.
2. Say something nice. Start with empathetic and positive comments. Highlight something positive about the report card, no matter how trivial. For instance, “You are really kicking butt in English.”
3. Listen to your child. Recognize the struggles. School can be tough. It is helpful to students to know that you are listening to their concerns and complaints.

The final report card takeaway is this:

Problems Require Action! Remember that the report card is a red flag. There may be plenty of time left in the school year, but if you don’t act now, the urgency of poor grades will be forgotten.

Or, 13 more ways to make learning part of your summer.

N: Nature. Take a nature hike, stopping along the path to look at plants and animals. This is a great place to practice description skills. Engage children to think actively about what they encounter by asking questions, “why do you think that tree is dead?” “What kind of animal might have left that footprint?”

O: Oxford Learning. Oxford Learning Camps and programs are an easy way to maintain learning momentum over the summer. Our programs help students catch up in trouble areas, keep up with their classmates, and get a head start on next year’s subjects.

P: Puzzles. Like board games puzzles are great downtime activities that keep the brain challenged. Whether playing Sudoku, Crosswords, search-a-words, or traditional puzzles, this is a fun way to challenge your mind and learn skills such as persistence and problem solving.

Q: Quiet time. Make a time every day to have some peace and quiet. Engage in some active thinking, a little daydreaming, or just spend some down time simply being together. It’s a great way to let the brain make important connections.

R: Read. If there is one summer activity that is equal parts fun and education, it is reading. It doesn’t take science and research to know that reading keeps the mind active all summer long. It also helps develop vocabulary, and increases reading comprehension, which both pay off in the classroom.

S: Scrapbook. Turn summer memories into a hobby that encourages children to engage their brain by writing and drawing about the day’s activities. Cut pictures from magazines and newspapers and gather items such as feathers, or seashells to paste onto the pages for a colourful way to document summer fun. (This is different from “scrapbooking,” but that can be fun too!)

T: Travel. You don’t have to leave your city to experience the spirit of wanderlust. Visit your local tourist bureau and become a tourist in your own backyard. Head to the other side of town to visit a park that you’ve never been do. This is also a great opportunity for children to learn about the city they live in—major street names, directions, and local history.

U: University. For teens heading off to university in the fall, summer is the best time to prepare for what comes next. It’s also a time for summer jobs and, as the last summer of high school, it’s a major life milestone—it’s important to take advantage of this opportunity.

V: Vocabulary. Vocabulary is linked to school success—the greater a child’s vocabulary, the greater the reading comprehension skills are. The best way to develop vocabulary? Reading. Write down new words and definitions in the summer scrapbook.

W: Write. Despite the prevalence of keyboards, penmanship and handwriting are still very important! Personal handwriting style is always developing, so it’s critical to maintain skills. Journaling and writing in a scrapbook are a great ways to improve penmanship over the summer.

X: X Marks the Spot. Organize a fun scavenger hunt or a pirate-theme day and have a little bit of silly fun. Make crafts and invite neighbourhood friends. It doesn’t have to be a holiday or a birthday to celebrate the summer! It’s a great way to break up summer boredom.

Y: Yard Sale. Summer is the perfect time to hold a yard sale. It’s also a great opportunity to teach kids lessons about organization. Kids can help gather up clothing, books, and toys that they no longer use, and sort what they’ve gathered into categories. They can also help with money and counting.

Z: Go to the Zoo. Zoos are a great opportunity to learn something new about the animals we share the planet with. Spend some time before hand researching a favourite animal either online or at the library.

Read Part 1: A-M

With report cards on the horizon, parent teacher interviews are not far behind, which reminded me this unforgettable story that actually happened!

This story is true—and hilarious.

It was the week after report card cards and this father (names changed to protect the innocent and guilty parties) was scheduled at a parent-teacher conference for his tenth-grade son. He announces that he is leaving to meet the teacher, and asks his son if there is anything that he needs to know. The son shakes his head and does not reply.

The father gets to the school and introduces himself to the teacher.

“Hello Teacher, I’m Mr. Smith, father of Tim. How is my son doing?”

The teacher gives the Father a quizzical look.

“Mr. Smith, your son has not been in school for about two months!“

The moral of this story is: Don’t be a Mr. Smith!

Stay in contact with school teachers and keep the lines of communication open with your kids! Read these tips on homework help and how to get involved.

“Why don’t you listen to me?”

It’s a lament that’s often heard from children and their parents. Effective communication helps kids and parents develop confidence, self-esteem, and achieve good relationships with other people. Here are some tips from Oxford Learning on getting everyone in your family to listen:

• Teach your child to listen. Gently touch your child before you talk to him or her and say his or her name.
• Speak in a quiet tone of voice, even whisper so your child has to work a little to listen.
• Look directly at your child when you speak, watching his or her eyes so you can tell that he or she understands. If your child is little, bend or sit down and get down to your child’s size.
• Practice listening and conversing. Discuss with your family what you see on TV, hear on the radio or see at the park or store. Speak with your kids about their school and friends.
• Respect your child and use a courteous tone of voice. If you speak to your child as you would a friend, he or she may be more likely to seek you out as a confidant.
• Catch your child being good and praise him or her for cooperating with you or siblings, for being courteous, for doing chores or completing homework unprompted, or for doing other little things that you might be tempted to take for granted. Praise will help build your child’s confidence and reinforce communication. Unkind words can tear down your child, teaching him or her that he or she just isn’t good enough.
• Use conversation starters that invite your child to say more about an incident or his or her feelings. Say things such as “Tell me more,” “No kidding,” or “Really!”
• Say “I love you.” Your children will never be too old to be told that he or she is loved.
• When your child wants to talk to you, give him or her your undivided attention. Don’t read, watch TV, fall asleep or busy yourself with other tasks. Likewise, when you want to speak with your child, demand the same courtesy by asking that he or she stop whatever else he or she might be doing and listen to you.

Successful Parent-Teacher Interviews:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three

The Parent-Teacher Interview. Those four words can raise anxiety levels among both students and parents. However this interview can be highly beneficial to your child-s school year success. By following our key steps to success, parents can make the interview a more informative and rewarding experience.

Hopefully you’ve read our previous posts about preparing for the parent-teacher interview and getting the most from the interview itself. But, all of this effort may go for naught unless you have a plan to follow-up.

The Follow-up Action Plan

Agree on an action plan

Before you leave, summarize the key learnings and identify next steps. It is important that you and the teacher agree on the same goals for your child and outline the next steps that need to be taken. Successful goal setting means that goals are achievable, measurable and believable.

• Achievable: Goals need to be set at a level that is more advanced than the level the child is currently working at, but not so advanced that they are unachievable or beyond reach.
• Measurable: Goals need to be measurable so that parents, students and the teacher are able to track progress and success.
• Believable: Children must believe in the goal and believe in their ability to achieve it for success.

Set a date for you to follow up

Once a plan of action has been established, ensure this is monitored.

Monthly reviews of how your child stands against these goals are a great way to keep the momentum moving forward. It’s also a great way to measure your child’s success and progress in achieving his/her goals because it gives him/her a timeline to work towards.

Most importantly, before leaving the interview, set a firm date to follow up and meet with the teacher again so you can review your child’s improvements and ensure he/she is on track (for example, if the interview is in November, schedule a follow-up just before the holidays).

Ask about alternative help

Ask about alternatives. Do not be afraid to ask if extra help, such as a supplemental educational program from Oxford Learning, would benefit your child. You can also talk to student services or the principal about meeting with an education expert for advice and guidance.

“Nothing motivates a child more than a home where learning is valued,” says Kelley McGregor, Director of Training and Operation, Oxford Learning. “If parents show a close interest in their children’s school progress, help with homework and home projects, and attend their children’s school performances and sports events, their children are more likely to have higher student achievement, higher aspirations, better attendance, and a more positive relationship with their teachers.”

Successful Parent-Teacher Interviews:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three

The Parent-Teacher Interview. Those four words can raise anxiety levels among both students and parents. However this interview can be highly beneficial to your child’s school year success. By following our key steps to success, parents can make the interview a more informative and rewarding experience.

Hopefully you’’ve read our previous post about preparing for the parent-teacher interview. Now’’s it time to get the most from the interview itself.

The Interview Itself

Take a note pad with your questions and take notes

Taking notes lets the teacher know you are interested and serious about your child’s education. You also have a better chance of remembering what you have discussed and agreed upon

Don’t be confrontational

Nothing positive is accomplished if you are hostile or confrontational. This is a time to exchange information about your child and agree on a plan of action.

If you do not agree with the teacher’s opinion, stay calm. Ask the teacher to elaborate on his/her view point and assure the teacher that you are not there to criticize but rather to work closely and foster a team approach to your child’s education.

Ask for suggestions

Encourage the teacher to provide you with suggestions on how you can improve your child’s skills. If you pose the question “Do you have concerns about my child’s reading skills level?” and the teacher responds with “He/she’s coming along, give him/her time.”, then counter with “What can I be doing at home to help him/her along? Can you recommend materials?”

Don’t waste time with broad questions

Due to the short amount of time you have with your child’s teacher, bring a list of prepared questions and avoid the broad “How’s my child doing?” question. You want to ensure you are maximizing this valuable time by seeking out as much information as possible that will help your child reach their full potential.

In our next post, we’’ll discuss the third step for a successful parent-teacher interview, making a follow-up action plan.

Successful Parent-Teacher Interviews:

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three

The Parent-Teacher Interview. Those four words can raise anxiety levels among both students and parents. However this interview can be highly beneficial to your child’s school year success. By following our key steps to success, parents can make the interview a more informative and rewarding experience.

Parents’ Advance Work

Review your child’s most recent report card, together with past report cards

Report cards can actually tell you a lot more than a first glance may indicate. Take out a highlighter and mark the areas of concern. Look for any trends or common themes that are repeated from the previous report card. Look to see if the same challenges exist or new challenges have developed.

Review your child’s most recent school work

By reviewing the report card first, you can now review your child’s school work with more background information. Is the work organized? Does the work generally look complete and accurate? How is the spelling and grammar? Think about the grades and comments on the report card and check if the school work reflects this view. If you have concerns, write them down and ask the teacher.

Discuss your upcoming parent-teacher interview with your child

Interview your child before the parent-teacher interview! You will be amazed at what you learn! Sometimes our perceptions as a parent are not aligned with our kids. Ask your child:

• What is your teacher going to say about your work?
• What will the teacher say about you?
• What do you think you do really well?
• What do you need to focus on?
• Do you want me to ask the teacher any specific questions?

Come with prepared questions

While there is no time limit when it comes to a parent’s love for talking about their children, there is a definite time limit to every parent-teacher interview. The meeting is usually no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

In order to maximize the time, make your questions specific and organize them in order of importance. Here are examples of good questions for a parent-teacher interview:

• Do you have any concerns about my child’s skills level?
• Does my child have difficulty listening to and/or following instructions?
• Does my child have difficulty staying on task?
• Does my child have difficulty organizing notes, work, stories, etc.?
• Does my child have difficultycompleting assignments?
• Does my child read with comprehension?
• How well does my child read and understand words?
• Does my child actively participate in your class?
• Does my child hand in assignments on time, complete and at an acceptable level?
• What work areas does my child like best?
• What areas are more difficult for my child?
• What are my child’s learning strengths?
• Are there things we can do at home to help my child?
• Do you have suggestions for me to discuss with my child?
• Does my child seem to enjoy coming to your class?
• Is there anything about my child’s behaviour or performance that you would like to share?

In our next post, we’ll discuss the second step for a successful parent-teacher interview, making the most of the interview itself.