G.I.V.E. Get Involved, Volunteer in Education

Parents As Partners in Education

By Donna J. Searle, Parents' Source, March 20, 1999.

Parents play a vital role in education. They share with teachers the responsibility for students' success. One key to student success is parental involvement in the educational process.

Meet your child's teacher early in the year and learn the expectations that teacher has for homework. If you understand the types of homework the teacher will assign, you can encourage your student. You will be able to help her persist until she finishes.

Parental support for homework is essential. Monitor the homework to make certain that it is completed, and that your child is able to do it. If she's having difficulty with homework, this may be an early warning sign of a problem which you should discuss with her teacher.

Parents can begin as early as kindergarten to help their students organize for homework in the following ways:

• Set aside a place for homework to be done. This can be as simple as the end of the kitchen table or as elaborate as a desk with a lamp in a special place (perhaps the student's room). Make certain the necessary supplies are available: pencils, eraser, paper, crayons, etc.
  
• Set aside a special time for homework each day. Don't wait until your student is nearly ready for bed; he'll be too tired.
  
• Insist that the television be turned off so that the student can concentrate. If your student is distractible and needs to have household sounds masked, try playing music at low volume. (Hint: Studies have shown that listening to Mozart improves students' math ability!)
  
• If there is much homework, structure the time for your child. Set a timer and have her take a stretch break of a few minutes, halfway through the time.

Homework is a window into the topics of study in the classroom. If you know what your child is studying, you can take advantage of opportunities in the community to extend the learning.

Math Give your child a portion of the shopping list the next time you go to the supermarket. Make him responsible for finding the best prices and getting all of the items on his list without going over the budget. This is a real-life activity which can be repeated many times, because we all need to use this skill as adults.

Nature Go to the woods, fields, pond, nature center, even the back yard with your child. Talk about details; pay attention to the sounds and sights and smells of nature. Notice things together! Then research a topic at the local library.

Geography Put your child in charge of the maps when you go on a trip. Talk about scale of miles, directions of travel, map keys, etc. Notice the physical features of the areas you
drive through.

History Talk about your family's history. Link it to the history of the town, county, country. Help your student see that they are living in history right now.

Find out who your child's heroes are. Discuss with your child the qualities that make a person "great". Give her models to imitate. Name your heroes, those well-known and those perhaps known only to you and a small circle of acquaintances. Tell why you admire them.

Visit local historical sites. We live in an area which has many museums and homes of famous people. Revisit places your child has seen on field trips, and let her be the expert for the day. She'll feel proud to show off her knowledge, and this will reinforce her previous learning.

Astronomy Go stargazing with your student. Find the constellations. Make charts of the moon's appearance over a month to observe the cycle of waxing and waning.

General Enrichment Get your child his own library card, and take him to use it. Information on many topics of interest will be found in the library. Let him see you reading for many purposes, including for pleasure. Library books are a great resource to extend the learning from the classroom. Public libraries also have videos available.

Pay attention to your child. Listen; observe. Watch for clues that will tell you how your child is doing. What does he talk about? Does he seem confident when he tells you about his work? What clues are there about what your student is learning? If it appears that he is having trouble, make an appointment to discuss the situation with his teacher as soon as possible. Teachers count on two-way communication with parents to add to teacher observations of a child's progress. Be persistent in advocating for your child.

Volunteer in school, if you have time during the day. Teachers welcome an extra pair of hands. This is often a source of pride for students, and it provides a first-hand look at the daily activities in your child's classroom.

Other educational tools besides books, videos, and field trips can help extend student learning. Home computers are used by many families. Available software can teach early keyboarding skills and drill in math, as well as presenting problem-solving situations. Also, a hand-held spelling checker is valuable once a child is able to tell when a word "looks right". In addition, students should be able to use a calculator -- another of those skills
for life.

Parents, as partners with students and teachers, you are a crucial ingredient in the educational recipe. Parents need to stay involved, communicate with the school, support and extend your child's learning, and advocate for your student tirelessly.

Donna J. Searle is a Reading Specialist with over 25 years of teaching experience. She has served as an elementary school principal and a high school assistant principal. She currently teaches third grade at Brecknock Elementary School, in the Eastern Lancaster County School District.

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