As a parent that has already made the decision to give your child a private education, your goal is to give your child a successful foundation for learning. Here are 8 parenting tips for accomplishing this:
1. Attend school orientation and teacher conferences
These meetings and conferences are a great way for you to stay informed with what your child is learning and how he or she is progressing. This is also the perfect opportunity for you to speak to your child’s teachers about strategies to increase performance.
By making yourself familiar with the school grounds and regularly checking the school’s website, you’ll be able to create a better connection with your child when talking about his or her day at school. This can also make you aware of upcoming school events such as a field trip or testing that you can be talking to your child about.
3. Make homework a priority.
Homework assignments not only help to cultivate strong study skills in your child, but also will help him or her to develop a strong work ethic that will benefit him far beyond the classroom. Dedicate a space in your home for completing homework that is well-lit, comfortable, and quiet. Make yourself available to answer questions and review your child’s homework assignments.
4. Fuel your child with a nutritious breakfast.
Help your child prepare for a successful day of learning by starting his or her day with a nutritious breakfast. By incorporating whole grains, fiber, and protein into his diet, you’ll help to boost your child’s attention span, memory, and ability to concentrate.
5. Teach organizational skills.
Instilling organizational skills in your child at a young age can help to increase the ability to focus on the task at hand versus being distracted by having to hunt items down. For example, have a separate assignment book and homework folder to keep track of assignments and projects in an organized way. Another good practice to teach your child is how to create “to do” lists to prioritize his tasks.
6. Teach study skills.
Teach your child to proactively review skills and lessons learned at school versus having to cram all of this information in the night before a test. By breaking down the information learned into small chunks, you can make it easier for your child to comprehend the information and remember it.
7. Make yourself aware of the school’s disciplinary policies.
One of the smartest parenting tips is to read over the school’s code of conduct with your child and make him or her familiar with what is expected. You can also have your own expectations of behavior at home mirror those outlined in the school’s student handbook.
8. Be an involved parent.
When parents volunteer at school, they are showing their children that they truly care about their education. See if your child’s school offers a parent advisory council, which will have plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in your child’s school.
These early years are so important in your child’s education, and hopefully these parenting tips will help you to give your child a successful foundation for learning.Our mission is to challenge each student in a supportive environment that promotes academic excellence, sound moral values, and high self-esteem within a framework of God’s love.
