As a parent, are you satisfied with your child’s progress in school? Do you feel like you have an active role in your child’s educational experience? Or do you sometimes feel that you have no control over your child’s education? I want to assure you that you have control over the setting and circumstances of your child’s education. You are in the best position to influence your child. My purpose is to persuade you to use that influence and the steps I will explain to you to take an active role in your child’s education and ensure their success in school.
How can you influence your child to be successful in school? It begins with your attitude about education. Mark Twain said, “Never let your boy’s schooling interfere with his education.” Do you talk about school as a required event or as an opportunity to learn? Is attending school the goal? Or is learning the goal? Does your child see you read? Do you read to your child? Does your child hear you talking excitedly about something you have learned? A new skill you are developing? How learning has enhanced your life? Or allowed you or someone you know to get a better job? Become more confident? Do you value learning? And does your child know you value learning? Does your child know you like their teacher and appreciate them? Does your child see you and their school as a team, a united front? Or has your child figured out how to play one against the other?
Did you know you can choose your child’s school? Most parents automatically enroll their child in the local public school and for most families, it is the best option for their child. But is it for your child? Does it have the right atmosphere? Equipment? Approach to learning? Teachers? Does it provide the teaching style that matches your child’s learning style? How effectively can you communicate with the educators? How do they address parent concerns? Take some time to visit the school, feel the atmosphere, meet the professionals and decide if it is the best setting for your child. The school your child attends does matter. Some families moving into a new area will choose the school first and then find a house within its boundaries. You don’t have to move, though. We have far more school choice now than we did 20 years ago. Are there any charter schools in your area? A charter school is a public school with a focus and contracted agreements. You will need to provide the transportation, but if it provides a concentration that matches your child’s interests and talents, it could mean the difference between excelling or just barely passing. What about online schools, private schools and parent co-ops or homeschool? Consider your family’s resources, your child’s unique needs and evaluate all of the options. Make sure you are providing your child with the best educational setting possible.
Once you are satisfied that you have secured the best setting for your child, become an active participant. Attend the back to school night with all the positive energy you possess. This is your child. Demonstrate that you are willing to do whatever it takes to take the lead on the team that will provide this education. You are not taking over the classroom. Your child’s teacher will have many other people’s children in their class as well. You are delegating the role of teacher to this professional, but you will be supporting them in any way you can. Introduce yourself, express how excited you are to have them as your child’s teacher and volunteer to help. Most teachers welcome parent volunteers. If your work schedule does not allow you to come in during the school day, offer to take the laminated material home to cut out or some other task that can be done at home. Build a positive rapport with this person. Of course teachers want to help all of their students, but it is human nature to go above and beyond for the child of a friend. And if you offer to take off work to supervise a field trip, you will become this teacher’s best friend. Help the teacher out by bringing a half page written document of the most helpful information for working with your child. Most importantly, include your contact information, the best method of communication and make it clear that you welcome this communication to benefit your child.
