Sonia M. Rompoti, MSc, Bsc

A parent is their child’s first and most influential instructor. Children do better academically and have more positive attitudes toward school when their family are actively involved in their education. The actions of the family have been shown to have a greater impact on academic achievement than either parental income or parental education. Parents may do a lot to help their kids succeed academically at home and at school. Take a look at these suggestions to get the ball rolling.

1. The first step in forming a cooperative relationship with your child’s instructors and other school employees is to introduce yourself to the classroom teacher. Indicate that you’re interested in assisting in the educational process. Make it clear that you expect to be contacted if any issues arise. It is important to work together with your child’s teacher for a holistic approach to your little one’s school experience.
2. Follow up by getting to know the staff at your kid’s school. A great deal of support staff is available to facilitate their academic success, personal development, and smooth transitions.
3. Stay in touch with your child’s teacher and make an effort to attend parent-teacher conferences. If you need to talk to the instructor about anything but don’t have time to see them in person, write them a quick letter or schedule a phone call.
4. Check in on your kid’s progress. Get a sense of how your child is faring academically by inquiring about his or her class standing. Additionally, each time a report card comes home, make sure to go through it with your child.
5. If you think your kid may benefit from special services, apply for them. If your child is struggling academically, you can request an evaluation. Your child’s teacher may be able to make adjustments to the classroom environment to make learning easier for him or her.
6. Don’t forget to check on your kid to see if he or she finished their homework. Showing interest, assisting with organization, providing materials, asking about daily assignments, checking in to make sure work is completed, and praising all of your child’s efforts are all ways to help with homework.
7. Participate actively in your child’s educational process. Discover the academic opportunities available at your institution. Find out what extracurricular activities your child may participate in by asking around amongst other parents. Perhaps there’s a group or club your kid might like joining, whether it’s a sports team, a musical ensemble, or a tutoring service.
8. Show your kids that you value education by supporting theirs at home. The things we say and do on a daily basis have a significant impact on our children, laying the groundwork for a love for learning. The success of our children in school is tremendously aided by the examples we set for them in how much we value education and how we use it in our everyday lives.
9. Have a chat with your kid. Children learn the linguistic skills they will need for success by listening to and interacting with their parents and other family members. For instance, youngsters who aren’t exposed to and encouraged to engage in conversation may struggle to learn to read, which can then lead to additional difficulties in the classroom. Moreover, kids who haven’t learned to listen attentively have a hard time following orders and staying on task in class. Similarly, you should show your youngster that you value his opinion by actively listening to him.
10. Teach your kid the value of responsibility and individual effort. Self-reliance and the ability to work without supervision are traits that contribute to academic achievement. Establishing reasonable rules that are consistently enforced, emphasizing to your child that he is responsible for his actions at home and school, modeling how to break down a task into manageable chunks.

Overall, learning in a peaceful setting, reading or doing schoolwork is important, but children also need to be actively learning as well. Questions, problems, and new areas of interest are all part of the active learning process. Playing a sport, hanging out with friends, participating in a school play, learning an instrument, or going to cultural institutions like libraries and museums all provide excellent opportunities for your child to engage in active learning. Encourage your child to participate in their own education by giving thoughtful responses to their questions. If you read aloud together, encourage him to interject with questions and comments. Your child’s involvement and enthusiasm in class will likely rise if you model those behaviors at home.