Parents play an important role in helping their children do well in their studies both at home and at school. Children do better at school when parents are involved in their academic lives.

On the day of report card distribution, you often see many parents reprimanding their wards for not having performed well in their studies.  They assume that the greater portion of blame usually falls on the students (“You should study more”), and then on the teachers (“I am going to talk to the principal about the teacher.  How can my son be so weak in mathematics?  The teacher doesn’t give enough homework”).  If the reality were as simple as that, and we could simply wash off our hands by putting blame on others, we would have stellar students everywhere.  What these parents forget is their own role and responsibility in helping their children succeed at school.       

As a parent, after every parent-teacher conference and at the beginning of each new academic session, I always wonder how can I help my children in their studies at school and at home.  I have realized that when parents and families are involved in their children's schools, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school. In fact, many studies show that the family involvement with a child at home is more important to the child's school success than how much money the family makes or how much education the parents have. There are many ways that parents can support their children's learning at home throughout the school year. Here are some ideas to get you started.

At School

Meet the children’s teacher: It is important to meet the teachers as soon as the school year begins.  This will show the teachers that you are willing to be involved and want to help the children in their learning at school.  Communicate to the teachers that if they see any problems in their learning, you would want to be made aware of them.

Attend parent-teacher conferences: Most of the schools have at least one or two parent-teacher conferences each year.  When I go to my children’s parent-teacher conference I ask my children if there is anything they want me to discuss with their teachers.   My husband often asks the teachers what are the three good things about the children, and what are the three bad areas they need to improve on.  This helps us better understand how the children are doing in the classroom.  It could also be a good time to hear if the teachers have noticed any new changes in the behavior of students the parents may have overlooked at home.   Such meetings give both teachers and parents chance to share information and work together for the good of your children. 

But if you have pressing concerns about your children’s progress, you don’t have to wait for a parent-teacher conferences to talk to your children's teacher.  Nowadays, with the advancement of communication technology, you can easily send a note to the teacher through a mobile apps to set up an appointment.

Ask questions:  During parent-teacher conferences, I often I ask teachers how can I help my children do better in their studies.  It is also good to seek the advice of the principal or other teachers on your children's learning or behavior. You may ask questions such as: What specific problem is my child having in his studies? What can I do to help my child with this problem? How can I stop bullies from picking on my son? How can I get my child to do homework on time? Which reading group is my child in?

Help out at your child's school: Teachers appreciate it when parents help out at school.  This also gives you good opportunity to see how and what your children are doing in the classroom and in the school.   There are many ways you can contribute: you can volunteer in your child's class, in the school library, or accompany your child on a field trip.  Teachers usually appreciate the extra helping hands during busy times.

Learn what the school offers: It advisable to read the information sent by the school on the after school programs they offer such as the music class, sports, or tutoring programs that your children may enjoy.  For their overall development, in addition to academics, it is equally important for them to do well in other extra curricular activities.

Apply for special services if you think your child may need them: If your child is having problems with learning, ask the school to evaluate your child in his or her strongest language. That way if the school finds out that your child has a learning disability, he may receive help in time, and the teacher may be able to provide appropriate “accommodations” in class if needed.

 Reading habit is one of the best habits we can instill in our children for them to succeed in school and in life. The importance of reading simply can't be overstated. Reading helps children in all school subjects.

At Home

Make sure your child does homework: It is important to instill the good habit of doing homework everyday even if there is an event at home, or you all have to attend a social gathering elsewhere.  To be able to do that you need to:

  • set aside a special place for them to study,
  • establish a regular time for homework, and
  • remove any distractions, such as television, from the study area.

Find homework help for your child:  Sometimes as parents we may not always be in a position to help the children with their homework.  In such cases, finding a tutor or enrolling them in an after school programs could be helpful to the children. 

Monitor the children’s video game, television, and internet use: It is advised by the doctors that the maximum screen time (television, video games) for a child is two hours a day.  I often do not switch on the television when the children return from school.  I let them watch TV only if they have completed and shown me their completed homework.  It may be hard in the beginning, but will become easier as this routine becomes a habit.

 

Show a positive attitude about education to your children: Whenever my children come to me with a problem, I try to sit with them to try to solve it together.  I often say to my children, “I am learning new things with you everyday.”  They feel good knowing that even at this stage of life I am still learning.  This shows my children that I value education, and I try to use whatever I have learnt in my daily live.  Such positive attitude about education contributes greatly to their success in school.

Encourage your child to read: My husband often asks our children to read a paragraph from both Nepali and English newspapers before they leave for their school.  Reading habit is one of the best habits we can instill in our children for them to succeed in school and in life. The importance of reading simply can't be overstated. Reading helps children in all school subjects. More importantly, it is the key to lifelong learning.

Talk with your child: Talking and listening play major roles in children's school success. It's through hearing parents and family members talk and through responding to their talks that young children begin to pick up the language skills they will need if they are to do well later in their lives.  For example, children who aren’t exposed to much verbal or written communication and who aren't themselves encouraged to talk often have problems learning to read, which can lead to other school problems.  In addition, children who haven't learned to listen carefully often have trouble following directions and paying attention in class.  It's also important for you to show the children that you're interested in what they have to say, and to teach them to listen to what you have to say.  Listening can sometimes be a great way to show respect to anyone, including children. 

Encourage the children to explore other resources:  Children often believe that reading or studying their school text books is enough to help them in their learning process.  It is important to show them the importance of using other reference materials to help them learn and discover new things which could help them do better in their school.  It does not necessarily need to involve the internet; a regular visit to the library would be sufficient. 

Encourage active learning:  Active learning involves asking and answering questions, solving problems and exploring interests. Active learning also can take place when your child plays sports, spends time with friends, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument, or visits museums and bookstores. To promote active learning, listen to your child's ideas, respond to them, and allow him to jump in with questions and opinions when reading books together. When there is such type of give-and-take at home, the children's participation and interest in school are also likely to increase.

Remember that education is not necessarily only about what your children learn at school.  Children look up to you at home, and by helping them succeed at school through your greater involvement with them at home, often -- in some mysterious ways -- you also end up putting your own future on the pathway to greater success and happiness.