Counseling Corner

Ten Ways for Parents to Help Teachers & Students

Here are Ten Tips for Parents on how you can help teachers and your student in their efforts at school.  These are summarized from the PTA website- www.pta.org

1. Be sure to give your child a strong “Goodbye” each day.  Be sure to hug her and tell her how proud you are of her. 
2. Create a happy landing at the end of the day.  Spend at least 10 minutes each day listening to your child talk about his day-before checking messages and mail.  That way you are fully present to listen.
3. Help your child get a healthy breakfast each morning.  This will help your child maximize their learning potential.
4. Include calm, peaceful times in your child’s afternoons and evenings.  Maintain a schedule that allows them to go to school rested.
5. Remember it’s your child’s homework, not yours.  Help your child create a clutter-free, quiet homework space.  Encourage your child to proofread work but allow them to make mistakes because this is how teachers assess whether or not they understand the material.  Homework is a great way to teach responsibility for work quality.
6. Encourage your child’s efforts and respect his questions. “It looks like you’re working carefully on your homework.” Model your own curiosity and love for learning. “What you’ve learned in science is interesting.”
7. Make sure that there are lots of reading materials around the house.  The public library is a great resource.
8. Be a partner with your child’s teacher.  When you need to speak to him or her in reference to a specific issue with your child, do it privately, not in front of your child.  Make a point never to criticize your child’s teacher in front of your child.
9. Create a central location to store backpacks, signed notes, shoes, etc.  Help your child learn to place important items in this location before bed so that they are easy to find in the morning.
10. Hide a “love note” in your child’s bag to let him/her now how special he/she is.