Ten easy things you can do to stay involved in your child’s education:
- Know who’s who. Introduce yourself to your child’s teachers and principal. Making these connections in person is always best, but if you already know the principal or the teachers, call to touch base. Also, at the start of each school year, contact the school and ask for the following information and keep it on hand so that when a need arises for parent teacher communication, you can go straight to the right person: school telephone number and school secretary’s name; principal’s email address; school’s Web Site address; school newsletter frequency; teachers’ email addresses and voice mail telephone numbers; Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president name, telephone number and email address.
- Get informed. Attend the parent or parent-student kickoff meeting that most principals and the PTA or home and school club offer at the beginning of each school year to orient families to the school and what’s new.
- Raise your hand. Participate in PTA or other home and school club monthly meetings.
- Get acquainted. Attend the Back to School night your child's school offers in September or October. During this event, teachers explain their course content, expectations for student learning and homework policies. While the event is not the time to express individual concerns about your child, it is a time to learn answers to questions such as: How much homework can my child expect each night? What kind of tests will my child be given? What kinds of essays will he be expected to write?
- Know the specifics. Go to the one-on-one parent-teacher conference, usually held in the fall, prepared to discuss your specific information and concerns about your child.
- Get her ready to learn. Make sure your child goes to school ready to learn by limiting television and mindless web surfing, ensuring she gets enough sleep on school nights and providing a nutritious breakfast before school.
- Know your child’s teachers. Meet parents of other students who have the same teachers. Ask your child questions about his teachers and listen to the answers. Observe your child interacting in the classroom.
- Make a plan. Sit down with your child’s teacher and make a plan for her learning.
- Be a model. Be a “poster parent” for learning. Let your children see you reading at home and learning new things. Speak positively about school, teachers, education and the opportunities knowledge can bring.
- Test your child’s school. Make sure that your child’s school is living up to your expectations.