Kids whose parents are involved in their education do better in
school!
They
make better grades, score higher on standardized tests, and are more likely to
graduate from high school and college. Kids with involved parents also
have higher self-esteem, a more positive attitude, and better behavior.
So how can you get involved?
1. Listen and talk to your kids. Ask your child
everyday how was their school day was. Allow them to express their
feelings and opinions about school. Pay attention to what they say.
Are they happy at school? Do they say negative things about other children? Do
they have friends? Do they like their teachers? If you keep the lines of
communication open, your children are more likely to talk to you when a problem
arises.
2. Read to your kids. Get every member of
the family a library card and visit the library often. Also participate
in our Family Reading Night, which is held once a month during the school
year. Make time for pleasure reading. Ask your kids questions about
books they like. Talk about the characters and illustrations.
3. Help with homework, but do not do the work for your
kids. Make sure that your kids have a quiet place and enough time to do
their work. Turn off the TV and radio. If you have a good attitude
towards their assignments, it helps your children to have one too.
Acknowledge your child’s progress and hard work regularly
4. Talk to your child’s teachers. Don’t wait until
there is a problem. The more you know about your children’s teachers and
school, the more you can help them get a good education. Try to attend
school functions often.
5. Help out at school. Kids whose parents
are involved in some way at their school get the message that school is
something worth working for. There are lots of ways to participate:
volunteer in the classroom and for special events, field trips, join the PTO,
attend school board meetings, call the principal and ask how you can
help.