When children are in school, these are the formative years that set the foundation for their future. As a parent, it is your job to make sure your children are well equipped with everything they need to be successful in their academic career. The lessons they’ll learn here will help them for the rest of their life. In order to help your children excel in the academic learning environment, there are a few things to put into practice. If you make the following points priorities for you and your children, you’ll see their academics soar in the classroom.
1. Daily Reading
You’d be surprised how beneficial reading to your child can help them. Many children thrive in an environment where there’s structure and specialized attention to specific areas of study. Set aside a special time that’s devoted to reading books aloud together. Many parents like to use bedtime as the perfect time for daily reading. Have a few staples that your child loves to read before bedtime. Repetition is good for helping them learn different words and meanings. It’s also important to add variety to the reading list. Visit the library every two weeks and enjoy free access to a wide variety of children’s books.
2. Creative Environment
The environment a child works in can make a major difference in sparking their interest to learn. Take a look at the standard elementary school classroom. It’s typically filled with lots of colorful stimuli. Large flashcards, the alphabet and numbers line the walls. If you have room in your home, create an interesting and fun workspace that’s just for your child to learn. A child-sized desk and chair are appropriate. Whatever subjects are the toughest, try to have visual reminders of that subject on the wall. For example, if your child is learning long division and is having a difficult time with it, find posters that have a few cues on how to get through different problems. If your child is in the beginning stages of understanding how to read, plaster flash cards with sight words on the wall. To include technology, consider using flashcard apps as well. If you contact your child’s teacher, they should be able to give you a list of sight words that need to be reinforced at home.
3. School Discussions
Always talk to your child about what’s going on in school. Many times, parents will ask their children how their day went. The typical answer is “fine!” Don’t stop there. Always dig deeper. In a non-intrusive way, try to get down to the details of what the teacher taught that day, who was sent to the principal’s office and who they sat next to during lunch. This helps you as the parent stay current and knowledgeable. It’s not considered to be nosy when it’s concerning your child. It’s your job as a parent to be your child’s greatest advocate and you can’t advocate for something you don’t know about.
4. Parental Presence
As previously mentioned, parental involvement is vital. To take it a step further, parental presence is important. School personnel should see and know who you are. The principal, teachers and other staff should be familiar with the parents of the children they’re teaching. Join the Parent/Teacher Associations and volunteer in the classroom when you can. If the teachers are asking for parents to assist with field trips, be one of the parents that attends field trips when possible. Make your presence in your child’s school a priority. Parents who are more involved are able to give a child a more balanced and cohesive educational experience.
Education is very important and when your child sees that you make their education a priority, they will too. This tradition is important to set from the beginning. Once the standard is set, it’s easier to understand and maintain. With this type of intention, your child will have a greater chance at excelling in their academic pursuits.