Here are 10 things you should expect from your child's school:
As a parent, you have the right ...
- ...to be kept informed. Written notes should be sent home for special events, especially in grades K-5. Middle school and high school students should copy down information to bring home.
Homework should have clear, written instructions. Again, older students are capable of copying down instructions. Some schools offer Homework Hotlines. If a student is absent, he or she calls the teacher’s extension for a recorded message of the day’s work. For students whose grades are dropping due to missing homework, parents can call to check that their children are current on all assignments.
Finally, you should be contacted personally if the teacher notices changes in your child’s academic performance, behavior and/or attitude.
- ...to a conference if requested. Whenever you have any questions or concerns, contact your child’s teacher. Sometimes a situation can be handled with a note or phone call. Sometimes it requires a parent-teacher conference. How should you prepare in order to bring about the best conference results?
- First, be ready to explain the situation clearly. If it’s an academic concern, samples of your child’s work may help to pinpoint or to clarify the type of difficulty your child is experiencing. This also applies to questions about emotional behavior, since your child’s artwork (and written work with an older student) can sometimes provide clues in this area.
- Second, offer any suggestions you feel would be helpful, including steps you are able to take at home to get your child moving in a positive direction.
- Third, be ready to listen with an open mind. While the teacher will certainly view your child as an individual, s/he has usually dealt with similar situations and will often be able to offer unique insight.
- Next, decide on a plan together with the teacher. If your child is old enough (perhaps fourth grade and up) and mature enough, s/he should be invited to be part of the planning process. This, of course, does depend on the particular situation.
- Finally, give the plan time to work. You may need to adjust the plan over time, but give your child a chance to meet the new expectations.
- ...to make your voice heard. One of the best ways to do this is to join the PTO/PTA. When you see a school that is running smoothly and seems motivated to try a variety of interesting programs, chances are that the school is supported by an enthusiastic PTO. There are many ways you can help, depending on the amount of time you have to offer. In addition, attending the monthly meetings will provide a place to ask questions, offer suggestions and keep informed of upcoming events and changes.
- ...to a backpack that does not weigh more than 15 percent of your child’s weight. For example, if your child weighs 100 pounds, the backpack should weigh no more than 15 pounds. According to Dr. Maria Tasso, a physician with Pediatric Associates of Connecticut, this is important in order to avoid back injuries.
“Many back problems can be avoided by following the 15 percent rule and by wearing the backpack as it was meant to be worn, i.e., keeping the support on the shoulders, not low on the back, and tying the waist strap,” Tasso said.
For older students with heavy textbooks, Tasso said lockers should be provided and the students should be permitted to go to those lockers several times during the day.
If you find that the backpack is consistently too heavy, work with the PTO and administrative staff on developing a written policy. One suggestion you may wish to offer is having the students bring home copies of text pages needed for an assignment, rather than two or three heavy textbooks.
- ...to homework that reinforces your child’s skills and challenges his or her intellectual ability. At the same time, your child should not receive so much work that s/he becomes overly stressed. In elementary school, both the quality and quantity of homework is most often adequate since your child is usually taught by only one or two teachers.
It becomes more difficult to control, especially with regard to quantity, as your child advances through the grades. S/he is then exposed to numerous teachers with various homework policies. When your child has more than one teacher who is apt to give extensive homework, you need to observe your child for signs of stress and/or lack of needed sleep. If speaking with the teachers involved doesn’t help, you may again need to work with the PTO and administrative staff to develop satisfactory homework guidelines.
- ...to be welcomed in the classroom, especially in grades K-5. When I taught kindergarten, I felt the best way for parents to understand our program was to spend a day in the classroom. Some parents who were available came in as often as once a week. Those who worked full-time sometimes arranged to go into work an hour or so late one day in order to visit and see school as their children see it.
Be aware that many schools do require written notice prior to a visit, but this is necessary to ensure your child’s safety. You wouldn’t want anyone to simply be able to walk into the school and into your child’s classroom. Also, different teachers have different ways of organizing volunteer help, but you should be permitted to share in your child’s school day in some way. As a teacher, I’ve had parents volunteer to read a story, teach a special craft, talk about a job, share photos from another country they've visited, teach us words in sign language and simply come to observe our routine. All of these experiences will enhance your child’s education and should be welcomed.
For middle school and high school, it's more difficult to help in the classroom because you need to know that particular subject, but you may be able to come in as a guest speaker. Check with individual teachers about ways to volunteer your time.
- ...not to have your child exposed to known illness. Students pass germs to one another; that’s just a fact. However, when a child is sent to school with an illness that is known to be contagious, it is not fair to others. This includes strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), stomach viruses, and fevers.
As a working parent, I understand how difficult it can be to rearrange your schedule in order to keep a sick child home, but it is the best way to help your child get better and the best way to keep illness from spreading to others.
- ...to a clean, pleasant learning environment and adequate materials to aid the learning process. This is not entirely up to the teacher or school because it takes money to purchase materials and keep some things clean. How can you help? Vote! Many parents do not realize the control they are letting slip through their fingers by letting someone else vote in millage and school board elections, someone who may not share your view of what is best for your child and other students. This is your chance to make your opinion count. When a school budget is cut because it did not have enough votes, fewer dollars are spent on your child’s education.
- ...to a teacher who encourages, not discourages, students. Teachers employ various methods to motivate students and some are stricter than others. The problem arises when a teacher makes a student feel like s/he isn't capable of learning. Unfortunately, due to circumstances such as stress, illness or even a personality conflict, a teacher may not treat each student in a kind and fair manner. If speaking to the teacher does not improve the situation and the teacher’s attitude toward your child is interfering with learning or self-esteem, you should request that your child be placed in a different class. If your request is not honored or the teacher is consistently demonstrating rudeness, a complaint needs to be filed with your Board of Education.
- ...to expect your child to make progress in academic, emotional, and physical areas. All children are capable of growing and learning and becoming even better people than they already are. Remember, though, each child is an individual and will develop skills at a different rate. Expect progress, but at your child’s own developmental level.
As with most things in life, communication and involvement are essential to success. Remember that you, as a parent, are your child’s first and best advocate. Show him or her that you value education by knowing your rights and becoming a part of your child’s success. It’s one of the best decisions you will ever make!
Donna Marie (Pitino) Merritt has written 15 math and science books for childen (pre-K to grade 2, fiction and nonfiction), as well as 38 teacher's guides, educationoal columns and newsletters, magazine articles, poetry, and numerous fiction and nonfiction stories to motivate readers, grades 2 - 12. Visit www.DonnaMarieBooks.com for details.