With education being one of the most important parts of your child’s life, it’s natural for parents to want to play an active role in it. Even though children learn a lot at school, they also receive an education outside of school, meaning it’s a good idea for you to be involved in both. Not only do parents play a crucial role in supporting their child’s learning, but levels of parental engagement with the school and their teachers is often associated with better academic outcomes. Here’s some tips on ways you can play a more active role in your child’s education, both at home and at school.
Communicate and Build Relationships
It’s important for parents to communicate and build up a relationship with their child’s teachers and other school staff members. Having this open line of communication shows how invested you are in your child’s education and also means staff can reach out to you if they need your support or input. As you know your child best, you can also help teachers learn your child’s strengths and weaknesses and send a positive message that you’re there for support. Email communication is a great way to stay in touch, and even sending a short message introducing yourself, sending some kind words or helpful feedback will always be appreciated.
Monitor School Work
One of the most important things you can do when it comes to playing a more active role in your child’s education is to pay attention to what they’re learning in school and make sure they’re keeping on top of their studies. You can do this by keeping track of what subjects they’re studying by asking them what they’re working on and keeping an eye on worksheets, homework and other projects they need to complete. It’s easy for your child’s schedule to get very busy, so ensuring these additional learning tasks are prioritised is crucial.
Create a Helpful Home Environment
Even at a young age, your child will likely have homework. Help them succeed by fostering a good learning environment at home. This includes creating a regular routine at home, encouraging good homework habits, goal setting and having a calm study environment for children to work in. This help at home is invaluable for children and will mean teachers can really push students with this stable routine to achieve academic success and beyond.
Attend Parents Evenings
Parents evenings or school meetings are an excellent opportunity to meet your child’s teachers in person and find out first-hand how your child is doing and what you can do to support them further. Attending these meetings also shows that you’re actively supporting your child’s education, so make sure you introduce yourself so you can get in touch in the future.
Supplement School Curriculum
A fun way parents can play a more active role in making learning exciting is by planning activities around what your child is learning at school. For example, if your child is studying animals or a specific history era, there are lots of things you can do to make that even more interesting for them. This could include taking books out at the library or going on a family trip to a local history museum or zoo to encourage additional learning.
Help Your Child Set Goals
Goal setting is an important skill which can help kids stay focused, motivated, and productive in and out of school. Taking the time to work with your child to identify some educational goals and getting a plan in place to achieve them will do wonders for their education. Encourage them to pick two or three goals to focus on, help them set a timeline and break their goals down into smaller, manageable tasks.
Create Fun Learning Moments
Your child spends more hours away from school than in it, which is why it’s a good idea to help continue education when they’re away from a traditional learning environment. A great way to do this is to turn everyday events into moments where your child can learn something. For example, cooking is a great way to teach your child core maths skills such as measurements and time as well as improve literacy skills from reading and following a recipe. Alternatively, a simple walk through your local park can encourage your child to identify different plants and animals.
