School-home-community

Returning to school can be an exciting time for students and certainly for parents! As you prepare to send your students back to school, keep some of these tips in mind:

• Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep before school starts.  During the summer, children tend to stay up late and are not on a schedule.  A few weeks before school starts back, get your child back on schedule with a set bedtime and wake up time that resembles that of when school is in. 
• Establish positive relationships with your child's teachers early. Be available when they need you and communicate concerns you have with the teacher.  However, do not overly communicate.  I have had my experience with parents who call or text several times during the day, and this can be overwhelming.  Remember that your child is only one of several students that this teacher is responsible for, and although your concern is only for your child, your child's teacher is responsible for many others.
• Get an understanding of the content that your child will learn for the year and be aware of it throughout the year.  Teachers often post this information in newsletters, class message boards (such as Class Dojo), and in Google Classroom. Your state department of education also has information on the content your child is responsible for mastering during the year.
• Get in a habit of talking to your children aout what they learned in school that day. Don't accept general answers like, "I learned math." Ask them what math concept they learned and to show you an example. When students have to recall what they did, they are more likely to 1) pay attention in class knowing you will ask about it and 2) commit the information to long-term memory.

As a 25-year educator, I can attest to the fact that students whose parents stay connected with the school have better school experiences.  Nothing is more frustrating than an absent parent - one who never attends school functions, seldom picks up the phone when you call, rarely responds to e-mails or texts you send, or avoids parent conferences like the plague.  When students who have parents who stay abreast of the students' academic performance, attend meetings, have established two-way communication with the school and attend school events, those students are likely to be successful in school.

Throughout the year, parents should know where their children are standing academically.  They should communicate with their childrens' teachers regularly about their children's progress and be aware of what is coming up the remainder of the school year. Parents should not wait until the spring to try to determine if their children are passing or failing. 

Most schools have newsletters or platforms like Class Dojo with which they keep families informed of what is going on at school.  Parents should make sure that they are on the school's list serv or connected to Class Dojo or whatever the platform may be.  In this age of communication, there are so many ways to be connected. So, get connected and stay informed.