TOP TEN TIPS for SCHOOL SUCCESS

The following tips are designed to help parents promote their child’s school success. Remember, being consistent with your message is key to it becoming a family value. If you had a negative experience in school, try not to project this on to your child by making excuses and remarks that de-value school.

1. KNOW YOUR SCHOOL
Explore your school’s web page, read the calendar and put Back to School Night and Open House on your schedule. Attend parent conferences and visit your child’s classroom. Know your school’s overall test scores, demographics and the name of the principal. At functions, introduce yourself. Let it be known you’d like to be called or notified of any conce
s.

2. KNOW YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER(S)
If your child is in elementary school, introduce yourself to the teacher, exchange phone numbers and email addresses and have a brief conference so you can share your child’s goals for the year. If your child is in middle or high school, read the syllabus from each class. Locate the contact information and share with them your email and phone number. Target classes that your child may have difficulty in and let them know you’d like to hear from them regularly.

3. SET UP A REGULAR HOMEWORK TIME
Beginning around third grade, your child should have a regular agreed upon homework time ranging from a half hour to an hour and a half. It is usually best to have it start around an hour after school ends and after your child has had a snack. If your child says they are finished or they do not have homework, the remaining time should be used to practice spelling or for reading time. The homework place should NOT be in front of the TV or in a loud part of your home. Homework time should not be disturbed.

4. HELP YOUR CHILD WITH ORGANIZATION
Children need guidance when learning organization skills. They usually toss all papers and assignments into their backpack and do not keep track of when things are due. In middle and high school, the number one reason student’s fail a class is due to missing assignments. Help your child develop organizational skills by helping them go through their backpack each night. Have a folder for homework assignments and a calendar to write down when assignments are due. Learning these skills early on will greatly help them in high school and college.

5. DON’T ALWAYS BELIEVE YOUR CHILD
Does this scenario sound familiar? How was school today? “FINE” What did you learn today? “NOTHING” Do you have any homework? “NO, I DID IT AT SCHOOL” Our children figure out pretty early on in life what we want to hear and are more than happy to tell us a few half-truths. Ask your child’s teachers about their homework load and schedule. Ask if you can have a progress report each Friday or an email letting you know if your child failed to turn in any assignments for the week.

6. BE INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING
Remember when your child was young? While learning their A,B,C’s, colors and shapes, you probably made up games and songs about learning and had regular conversations about the world we live in. Your child was eager to learn and to show you how much they knew. Now that they are older, they still seek your interest and approval. Take the time to talk about the things they are learning, link family activities to academic subjects, have dinner conversations about current events and ask your child’s opinion. You’ll be surprised by the fact that your approval still matters.

7. KNOW YOUR CHILD’S FRIENDS
Your child’s friends may be correlated to their school performance. If your child’s friends value school, the more likely it will be that your child will continue to value school. Pay attention to new friendships, especially in middle school or high school. Skipping school, experimentation with drugs or alcohol or a change in your child’s appearance are all indicators of what “group” they are trying to identify with. Talk to your child about your expectations and values. Let them know early on what is acceptable and what is not.

8. PAY ATTENTION TO PROGRESS REPORTS, TEST SCORES, GRADES and CREDITS
It’s amazing how many parents do not understand our public school’s system of assessment. You should understand what grading system your school uses and know when to expect grades and report cards. If you see a pattern of declining performance, call your child’s teacher and ask for a parent/teacher conference. Your child’s cumulative file contains their test scores, grades and report cards from kindergarten though graduation. It is your right to view this file at any time. Once high school begins, meet with your child’s counselor so you both understand how many credits are needed to graduate. Know the difference between required courses and electives. Understand what colleges expect from their incoming freshman. If your child gets behind in credits, find out your school’s plan for credit recovery. By 11th grade, students deficient in credits are usually sent to continuation school or county programs and do not graduate from their home school.

9. USE YOUR SCHOOL’S RESOURCES
If your child is struggling with school, ask what resources are available at your school site. Many schools have after school homework programs, tutoring, libraries and study groups. Reading and math labs are often available as electives to students struggling in these areas. Meet with a school counselor or school psychologist to discuss options. If your child is having problems with a particular teacher, ask a counselor or administrator to assist you with a parent/teacher conference. Often, school districts partnership with community resources like Boys and Girls Clubs or YMCA’s and have after school programs or counseling available as well.

10. IF YOU NEED IT, ASK FOR HELP
Remember, you are not alone. We all struggle with parenting issues and with trying to make the best decisions for our children. If you need help, ask. Sometimes the best resource is finding another parent who has already gone through the situation. Your school’s CAC Chair may have a list of parent mentors. Remember, your school’s student study team is an excellent way to begin problem solving if your child is struggling.
Having a child with learning disabilities or special needs can make parenting even more challenging. Visit my site http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com to learn what every parent needs to know about the
special education process.