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Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Communication

Parent involvement in school can improve grades. Ask your child's teacher these eight essential questions at your first conference or, better yet, via email on the first day of school.

What Qualities Make a Good Teacher in K-12 Grades?

There are many qualities that make good teachers in K-12 grades. They are the teachers who cater to all learning types and who help your child achieve dreams. How can you find a good teacher? Look for some of the qualities li...

Rocky Student-teacher Relationships Make for Challenging Situations

When students feel their teachers hate them, it can cause a lot of anger in children. Intervene by offering suggestions on how to improve student-teacher relationships.

Teachers and Parent Involvement: Schools Need to Treat Parents as Partners

Teachers can help reduce parent stress and foster greater parent involvement in education by following these 20 tips from moms and dads who want to be partners in learning.

Parent Involvement in Education is Easy

Parent involvement in education is easy. Just look around for ways to assist teachers, administrators, and students, using your skills and time to help out.

Special Needs Resources: Do We Need a 504 Plan?

Dr. Brandi Roth answers one parent's question about the 504 Plan, one of the many special needs resources available for children of special needs. Find out more about what's available.

Parent-Teacher Communication: What Should I Ask at Conferences?

Bring a list of questions to conferences for the most effective parent-teacher communication. Start with this list. Who knows? You might help clarify your student's homework and see your child improve grades.

Better Parent-Teacher Communication at Conferences

Having a game plan for conferences can lead to better parent teacher communication. Learn how to get the most from parent involvement in education.

Conferences are Great Time for Parent-Teacher Communication

Make your parent-teacher communication as effective as possible. Follow these before, during, and after tips for discussing your student's homework, classwork, and behavior.

Parent Involvement in Education: Handling a Behavior Problem

Parent involvement in education is important when dealing with behavioral problems. Good parent/teacher communication will help us understand and solve behavior issues.

Family Ideas for Promoting Media Literacy

Commercialism can drown the unwary child. This article contains family ideas about how to use adolescent articles and television commercials to promote media literacy. Try some of these family home activities today.

Parent Involvement in Education Begins with Choosing the Right School

Choosing the best school for your child is the first step in parent involvement in education. Your child's personality, family values, and education priorities are all part of school choice.

Great Teachers Provide Educational Care for Students

The educational care of a great teacher can positive impact a student's school experience. Discover the qualities great educators bring to student teacher relationships.

Don't Let Fear Stop Parent Involvement in Education

Even if you didn't do well in school, your parent involvement in education shows your child you care. These family ideas will give you confidence to support your child.

With Parent Involvement, Schools and Children Succeed

Parent apathy is a grave threat to education, but with even a little parent involvement, schools and children can succeed. Here are several ways to get involved.

Balancing Public School Policy with Parents' Problems with Book Choices

Battles over reading lists and appropriate books for teenagers can cause major education issues between schools and parents. First Amendment principles and good parent-teacher communication can offer some solutions.

High School Questions: Can I Request a Teacher?

Getting the best education for your child often involves asking high school questions and making special requests. Approach principals before the school year begins, and keep your expectations reasonable.

Family Ideas for Lifelong Learning

Parent involvement in education extends beyond the classroom, helping children discover activities after school that help them learn and grow. Here are things to consider.

Nine Questions To Jump Start Parent-Teacher Communication

Preparing a list of questions can foster healthy parent involvement in education, especially at parent-teacher conferences. Here are some ideas for questions that can encourage parent-teacher communication.

Parent Involvement in Education: A Summer To-do List

Summer break doesn't have to mean a vacation from learning for your child. And vacation shouldn't be a break from parent involvement in education for you. This to-do list will help you stay involved.

Ten Tips for Parent-Teacher Communication

When the relationship with a teacher gets rocky, it may be time to hold a special conference. The tips in this article offer suggestions on how to have productive parent-teacher communication.

Advice for Teenagers Who Get a "Problem" Teacher

It's a fact of life: certain students and teachers just don't get along. Student teacher relationships can become strained, but can anything be done? The answer is sometimes it can!

Ease Stress in Children During the Middle School Transition

The middle school transition can be challenging for kids. The changes in junior high can cause teenagers stress and anxiety. Learn how to help your teen cope.

Defusing Tension When Advocating for Children of Special Needs

Good parent teacher communication is important, especially for children of special needs. One mother discusses how to avoid arguments with educational professionals and help her child.

Parent-Teacher Communication: What Teachers Wish Parents Knew

Teachers welcome parent involvement in education. There are things, though, that they wish parents knew so that they could be better partners. This article contains 20 pieces of advice that teachers have for parents.

What Parents Should Expect from Schools During K-12 Grades

When your child is in K-12 grades, you have a right to expect good parent-teacher communication, among other things. What else should you expect? Read this article from the National PTA.

Four Ways to Encourage Parent Involvement in Education

Parents should be involved in their children's education to improve student teacher relationships and parent teacher communication. Learn some ways to go about improving parent involvement in education.

Volunteering in the Classroom and in Activities After School

It's easy for working parents to feel pulled in a million directions nowadays. But just a little time volunteering at your child's classroom or in activities after school can go a long way.

You Benefit From School's Community Service Opportunities

Taking advantage of community service opportunities at your child's school doesn't just help the school--it benefits you as well. Read eight ways that volunteer community service will do you good.

Parent Involvement in Education and Art

Want more art in your child's school? Here's a free program! Try Reflections, an national PTA program that cultivates students’ creative artistic abilities and helps them achieve dreams.

Parents, Problems, and Advocacy: Effective School Solutions

When it comes to school, children's problems are parents' problems, too. Here are ten tips for advocating for your child when there are problems at school.

Parent Involvement in Education: Three Tips to Combat Noisy Classrooms

If your child can hardly hear him- or herself think at school, step up your parent involvement in education. Here are three tips to amp up parent teacher communication and help solve this problem.

The Key to an Individualized Education Plan Is Parent-Teacher Communication

The best way to make your child's Individualized Education Plan a success is to do the following: come prepared, let parent involvement in education benefit all and use parent-teacher communication.

A Teacher's Tribute to Parent Involvement in Education

They're often the unsung heroes of parent involvement in education, but parents who volunteer at school can help a classroom or field trip hum along. Kids and teachers both reap the rewards.

Parent and Community Involvement in Middle School Learning

Public school policy needs to promote parent involvement in education for the middle school classroom. The middle school transition marks a crucial time in the life of a student and everyone needs to be involved in making it ...

School Issues: Understanding Diverse Needs Promotes Student Success

Schools are discovering that social strategies promoting diversity are keystone to student success. Not only are they teaching character, but they're promoting cooperation.

Parent Involvement in Education: Choosing an Excellent School

Parents' problems include finding the best schools for their children. If you are not sure how to launch a school search, read the questions in this article and take them with you as you begin your research.

Moving in the Middle: School Transition Causes Stress in Children

When a student in high school questions making a mid-year transition, his parents found themselves working with schools to develop academic and social strategies that can work for anyone making a school move.

Parent Involvement + Schools = Student Success

As a parent there are many ways you can make a difference in your child's education. Parent-teacher communication is a must. Parent involvement in schools will have a very positive influence.

Parent Involvement in Education: Choosing the Right School

Child development research suggests that there are several factors to take into account when choosing a school for your child. These K12 grades guidelines can help you make the best decision.

Parents Involvement in Education Can Encourage Technology in Classrooms

Innovative parents of kids in K-12 grades recognize that technology is one of many major education issues. Parent involvement in education can inspire creative use of computers in the classroom.

School Quality Goals to Set

Parent involvement in education can make a huge difference. But how do you get started? This questionnaire covers major education issues and suggests plenty of goals to set.

Parent Involvement in Education: Build a Better Math Program

Parent involvement in education is crucial for your child's success, especially when it comes to math. Learn how you can help build a better math program at his school.

Community Service Ideas Abound for School Volunteers

Even if you have only an hour, there are plenty of community service ideas that can help you increase your parent involvement in education. Teachers need everything from clerical work, to readers, to parents' stories.

Family Home Activities Prepare Your Child for School

Is your child getting ready for preschool or kindergarten? This article contains suggestions for family home activities that prepare children for school, from toddler reading advice to an earlier transition to bed.

Parent Involvement in Education Includes Fathers

Dads can make a big difference in their kids' education. This study from the U.S. Department of Education shows fathers' role in parent involvement in education.

A Parent’s K12 Grades Bill of Rights

Being the parent of a child in K12 grades requires asking schools a lot of questions. How can you get the answers you need? Find out what information you're entitled to, and learn how to get it.

Preserve Parents' Stories in Diaries for Children

Diaries for children are great ways to preserve parents' stories about their kids. When they capture memories from all child development stages, the create a precious gift while connecting with their inner wisdom.

Parent Involvement in Education: Choosing Types of Schools

Parent involvement in education is key. There’s a great school out there for your child, where he can thrive, learn and be happy. Understand your many options and what you can expect from schools.

Choosing a School Begins with Smart Goal Setting

Smart goal setting can help parents prioritize what they want in a school and find one that will help their children achieve dreams and have a successful future.

Parents' Issues: Choosing a School

When researching the best school for their child, parents' issues should include looking at which school can best meet their child's educational goals.

With Parent Involvement, Schools and Students Thrive

Parent teacher communication is just one of the many ways parents can participate in their child's education. With parent involvement, schools and kids benefit.

Four Steps to Parent Involvement in Education

Parent involvement in education benefits all kids. Here are four ways parents can help: as teachers, supporters, advocates, and decision-makers.

Parent Involvement: Schools Need Partners

If you want your child to succeed in K-12 grades, you'll have to do more than just check student homework. Try partnering with your child's school through parent-teacher communication and volunteer community service.

Public Education Issues: Learning Communities Rely on Parents

Learning Communities put a new spin on public school policy and ways of designing parent involvement in education. For children in grades in elementary, this new model may enhance learning.

Parent Involvement in Education Can Improve Your School

To improve your child's education, foster parent teacher communication and student teacher relationships by getting involved in your school. Here's how to break the ice with teachers and administrators.

Parent Involvement in Education Helps Teachers Learn New Technologies

Parent involvement in education--especially technology education--can help teachers in K-12 grades shorten their learning curve. Read about ways your volunteer efforts can mitigate major education issues in technology.

Real Life Parents' Stories: You Are Your Child's First and Most Important Teacher

Developmental learning begins at home. It's why parents' stories about their child can help learning at school. It's also a great bridge to open up parent-teacher communication.

Parent Involvement in Education Continues in High School

Your child's arrival at high school doesn't herald the end of parent involvement. Schools need parent involvement in education more than ever before. Find out what you can do to make high school better for everyone.

Parent Involvement in Education Helps to Meet Differentiated Learning Needs

Parent involvement in education is crucial for children whose needs are outside the norm. Good parent-teacher communication can promote differentiated learning for all learning types.

Online Classes Reach Out to Students of All Learning Styles

Online learning offers new hope to parents of at-risk teens and for those looking for more home schooling resources. These online courses often appeal to students with learning types that struggle in traditional classrooms.

Elementary Classrooms Bring Local History to Life

Looking for a way to bring some local history into your child's classroom? Teachers welcome parents' stories that they can share with their students. Learn how you can participate.

Parent Involvement in Education: A Guide to Parent Teacher Conferences

So little time, so much to ask! That's the problem with parent teacher conferences. To lessen stress and make the most of the meeting, follow these tips for improving parent teacher communication.

Participate in the Search to Define What Are Vales and Standards for Schools

Schools are in the business of teaching character. How to define that character and how to teach it are major education issues that requires the involvement of parents and teachers.

New School Brings New Opportunities for Parent Involvement in Education

A new school offers new chances for parent involvement in education. These family ideas offer tips for parent teacher communication and getting to know your child's new school.

Responding to Troublesome Teachers: Report Kids' and Parents' Problems to the School

It can be heartbreaking to watch a child struggle with a bad teacher. When even parent-teacher communication fails to get results, what can be done? One mom shares what she did when encountering real parents' problems with a ...

School Issues: What Secret Ingredient Makes a Good Teacher?

When you're looking for high quality teachers in K-12 grades, the scores on school standardized tests aren't necessarily going to point you in the right direction. Only parent involvement in education will reveal which teache...

Beyond Parent Involvement, Education Benefits from Community Support

When it's school project time, the whole family gets involved. But sometimes, parent involvement in education isn't enough. That's when strangers can help.

Students Carry Unique Learning Styles, Dreams

Each child finds a different path to achieve dreams. Parents are the guardians of those dreams and need to nurture good parent-teacher communication so that the school can help those dreams grow.

Math and Science are Major Education Issues for Students in K-12 Grades

Any modern recipe for a student's success in K-12 grades is going to have as ingredients math, science, and parent involvement. Schools are finding new ways to teach and they need support from parents.

What's Your Public School Policy on Teacher Quality?

You want the best teacher for your child. Parent involvement in education is key. Check out your public school policy on teacher quality to make sure that your child is getting the education she needs.

Twenty Terrific Reasons to Fund K12 Grades Arts Education

Convince schools to spend K12 grades money on the arts, even in a budget crunch. Arm yourself with these reasons, which include primary grades ideas, middle school ideas, and upper grades ideas.

Teach Preschool Manners for Telephone Use

Preschool manners are great things to teach when explaining how to use the phone. Here are some family ideas for promoting toddler learning about a tool that can keep them safe.

Parents' Stories: A Conversation with Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm

Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm, is intimately familiar with child development research on childhood brain development. She shares how she uses that knowledge with her own family.

Solving Challenges with Student/Teacher Relationships

Student/teacher relationships can be challenging. Parent involvement in education is key to helping your child. Use this four step Teacher Trouble Shooter to overcome challenges.

Parent Involvement in Education: Are You a Problem Parent?

Parent involvement in education is great, but have you ever thought about how you come across to your child's teacher? Read on to find out if you fall into any of the traps described in this article.

Launch Parent-Teacher Communication with an Introductory Letter

Writing a letter to your child's teacher that shares parents' stories not only opens up parent-teacher communication, but it also eases your student into a new school year.

School Issues: Submit Letters Requesting a Teacher

Try writing a letter to the principal to request a specific teacher for your children in elementary or middle schools. Issues you can raise in it include academic needs and important social strategies for your children.

Survey Studies Parent-Teacher Communication

A 2004 survey studied parent-teacher communication from the viewpoint of the teachers. This article shares comments made by teachers about their hopes and fears of working with parents.

Math Learning After School: Making It All Add Up

Parents play an important role in encouraging sound elementary study skills, especially when it comes to math. Boost success with student's homework through clubs after school and family home activities.

Help Middle School Students Improve Writing Skills

In the middle school classroom, writing is often the key to success. Parent involvement in education can help students improve writing skills and boost grades on student homework.

Family Ideas for Parenting on a Busy Schedule

Even the busiest parent can take advantage of these family ideas to interact with their children. Take a look at these field trip ideas, suggestions for parent-teacher communication, and fun family activities.

Nine Questions to Guide Parent Teacher Communication for a Parent Teacher Partnership

To form a successful parent teacher partnership, ask the 9 questions in this article. Build parent teacher communication to make sure you get off on the right foot with your child's teacher.

Parents' Issues: Ready for Kindergarten?

Parent involvement in education often begins with parents' issues such as kindergarten readiness. Is your child ready for kindergarten? This list of questions can help you decide.

Education Current Issues for Parents of Michigan Middle Schoolers

Parents of Michigan middle schoolers need to understand the education current issues of the Michigan Merit Curriculum to help their kids succeed. Find out more.

Michigan Public School Policy Grades Middle School Students with the MEAP

According to Michigan's public school policy, the MEAP test grades middle school students on their academic progress. Read about how school standardized tests gauge middle school learning and find ways to help your child exce...

Michigan's Public School Policy Helps Michigan's Schools and Children Stay Ahead of the Curve

Michigan's new public school policy aims to make students competitive through content expectations, school standardized tests, and parent involvement in education.

Parent Involvement in Education: Kindergarten Questions

Often parent involvement in education begins with concerns about kindergarten. Here are the most frequently asked questions from parents of kindergartners, along with the answers.

Parents' Problems: Finding Trustworthy After-school Programs

Among common parents' problems is finding after-school programs for their children that are reliable, effective, and safe. This list of questions to ask about after-school programs can help.

What Is Cyber Bullying and How Can I Protect My Daughter?

Using computers and cell phones to torment others is putting teens at risk of cyber bullying. This article on cyber bullying is a must-read for every parent.

Bullying Information Resource List for Boys

Discover the best resources for helping boys deal with bullies and for schools and communities to stop bullying before it starts. You’ll find various resources, including books, Web sites, seminars, and curricula.

Real Life Story: Mean Girls Rule

Bullying can cause stress in children, especially when you’re in a group that bullies and are trying to get out. Here’s one girl’s struggle for freedom.

When Is Bullying Sexual Harassment?

Cross-gender bullying and sexual harassment are serious issues for kids. Flirting is normal teenage behavior, but what happens when teens cross the line?

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Topic: Parents and Schools