For Parents: Ways to Enhance Your Child's Education

When parents send their children on the first day, especially for the first time, they can experience a wide range of emotions including a bit of helplessness. After all, they're leaving their kids in the hands of someone else all day.

But parents have the power to be a major influence in the educational lives of their children throughout their school career.

"That's really when life happens, beyond the first day of school," said Dr. Faye Brady, director of Special Services in Warren.

Parents can start making a difference in their children's education by reaching out to their teacher or guidance counselor.

"The partnership between the parent and the school community is critical for the best student progress and achievement," said Brady.

At the elementary school level, parents might talk with their child's teacher or a guidance counselor. In the middle school, with students assigned to several teachers, the guidance counselor can be a parent's "point person," she said.  In the Warren School District, there is a full-time guidance counselor at each elementary school and a full-time guidance counselor for each grade level in the middle school. Brady also is the district's Anti-Bullying Coordinator.

If parents have a question or concern, they can reach out to school staff. It could be anything from relating that the student isn't a morning person to notifying the staff of a life change that could affect them, such as a death in the family.

"Parents know their children in a way that school will never, ever know," said Brady. "Teachers may know a perspective of a child that parents might not know. We need to share those perspectives."

She cautioned that Back to School Night is a chance for the teacher to share classroom routines and plans for the school year and not the forum to bring up individual concerns. Parents should instead try to set up a meeting by phone or, even better, in person.

"Don't sit on things. Share it with us," she said. "I think it's always best to be proactive rather than reactive."

One concern that many parents have with their children is homework, said Brady.

"Parents need to plan for homework that suits your family life as well as your individual child," she said. "The parent's involvement in homework should not be sitting there and doing the homework for them."

Brady said a cookie-cutter approach won't work for every child but generally younger children tend to do better with homework when a parent is nearby to offer assistance. Older students might work better alone in a quieter setting away from other siblings.

She said many kids also benefit from a gradual transition from school to home to homework. Providing a child with a quick, healthy snack might just be enough of a transition, and give an energy boost, for the student to be able to tackle homework.

Brady said she's also found that starting with the most difficult subject first can help because the child won't be as tired.

But parents don't have to do it all alone. Help is always there if parents feel they need it, Brady said.

"If you're finding that you're having many struggles, that's when you pick up the phone and call the teacher or the guidance counselor before it's a crisis," she said.

With homework or any other issues relating to students and their education, Brady said one of the best and hardest things to do is to strike a balance.

For example, many children tend to be involved in too many activities, which can be stressful for the child and the parent.

"Extracurricular activities and fun things are vital in a child's life," she said."Sometimes if you overdo it takes the joy out of it."

Brady suggested parents decide what activities are non-negotiable and negotiable and sit down with their children to discuss the negotiable ones and prioritize. She recommended starting slowly with perhaps two extracurricular interests that are the child's top picks. Parents can help their children select activities for the fall and possibly different ones for the spring.

"We don't have to do it all, all at once," she said.

The social aspects of children's education can't be ignored either, especially with technology playing an increasing role, whether it is used for classroom instruction or kids are texting their friends.

"Social growth is also part of education. This is all part of a child's growing up," she said. "Social media has become an accepted mode of that."

Brady believes that technology is a very positive thing and is beneficial to education but with everything else, it should be used in moderation.

"People are very busy these days and sometimes it's easier," she said. "It is part of the norm but you want to be careful not to have it become part of the 'all.'"

One way parents can maintain a connection with their kids is to have family meals together, even if they're just a few times a week. And parents need to lead by example, she said, by limiting their computer, texting or television time as well.

"Turn the TV off and talk," she said. "Keeping that real, human direct interaction whether it's social with peers or with family, is something to not lose sight of."

Parents, want another great way to encourage your children's education and reinforce social bonds? Brady said it's as easy as taking a few minutes to read to or with your child every night.

"Sitting with your child at night reading a book, nothing will ever replace that," she said.