10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in School
This is the second article by Kara Zentgraf, a teacher and mother, outlining ways to help your child succeed in school. See Kara’s other article here.
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The education world was very different pre-Covid pandemic. While parents and teachers are doing their best to get schools and education back on track, there is still a long way to go before our schools will be back to “normal” again. As a parent, here are some simple tips to follow to help in that process:
1: They have to be at school. This sounds simple, but attendance is so important, especially after the setback in education due to the pandemic. A big piece of that is being on time. Being late a couple of times a school year is no biggie, but students that are an hour or even 30 minutes late continuously miss out on a lot of instructional time.
2: Communicate with your child’s teacher. Every teacher I know would prefer having a student’s parent that communicates too much rather than too little. If you feel frustrated about something that happened, please let your child’s teacher know. Oftentimes it is something that they had no idea is going on. If you are not getting what you need by communicating with the teacher, the next step is the principal or school leader.
3: Read! Read with or to your child every night. Even one story before bed can have a huge impact.
4: Ask for help. Math has NOT changed. However, teachers are continuously finding new ways to teach it. So if you are confused by a concept, ask your child’s teacher for a reference sheet, or other resources that may help you to understand. There is NO SHAME in asking for help.
5: Have realistic expectations of your child’s teacher. I am sorry, but no human being can keep track of 24 student’s individual gloves. It is never going to happen.
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6: Practice challenging tasks for your child at home. Before your kiddo goes to school, teach them how to put on their own jacket, or practice eating a cold lunch at home.
7: On that note: teach your kids how to tie their own shoes and to zip their own pants, jackets, and coats.
8: Do not talk badly about your child’s school, teachers, or peers in front of them. These conversations are not helpful unless you are working through a difficult situation with your kiddo. Also, 9 times out of 10 your child tells their teacher exactly what you have said, so you might as well call the teacher and tell them how you are feeling instead.
9: Please remember that when a teacher sets a goal for your child, academically or behaviorally, it is because they want them to achieve it and succeed. If a teacher sets a goal for a student, it is not an attack on them, but recognizing what they can improve to be their best self.
10: Communicate. Oh, did I mention that already? Remember that your child’s teacher is on the same team as you and your child. On the whole, teachers want the best for each of their students and work tirelessly to achieve that goal. If you are upset, happy, worried, anything…please communicate with your child’s teacher. They will be so appreciative and overall it will make school a more positive place for your kiddo.
