Research shows that children are more likely to succeed in school if parents or caregivers
take an active part in their education. A good education is important for finding a good job
and having a good future. It makes sense to help your child do well at school. A positive
attitude about school is perhaps the most important gift you can give your child!
Many times I am asked, " How can I help my child at home?"
My response is:
"I am glad you asked!"
Here are some ways you can help your child at home:
Pass on positive attitudes about school
Talk about your friends from school, your favorite teachers or your best subject. Help your
child have a positive attitude about school.
Help your child set education goals, both short term and long term.
Talk to your child about the future and plans for high school, technical school or college. Tell
your child you hope they will be successful in school because he or she is practicing for his
or her future right now.
Talk to your child about what he or she is learning at school.
It’s important to ask students about their school subjects. Ask open-ended questions and
avoid questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” For example, “Tell me about your
day,” or “What was the best part about today?” or “What are you learning in math now?”
Help your child get organized to do homework.
Create a space to do homework. Have a table and chair in a quiet place away from the TV,
perhaps in the corner of a bedroom. Add a clock to help your child manage his or her time.
Never do your child’s homework for him or her. Instead, write us a note to explain your
issues.
Create special place to keep the backpack and School Supply
We ask students to have their supply with them at home and at school. This
system will save the day as your child hurries to school. If everything is in the backpack the night before,
you can just grab the backpack and go and you won’t
have to think about if your child will have needed materials.
Make rules about homework.
Decide with your child on a good time to do homework and stick to that schedule. Look the
homework over and sign it when it is finished. The goal is for the student to be responsible
for getting it done in 40 minutes (or less) each night.
Help your child do projects at your library, museum or nature center.
Get your child his or her own library card. Take your child to the Public Library to look
up information. Let your child use his or her own card to check out the materials he or she
needs. Access to learning centers other than school introduces children to the world of
learning outside of school.
How to Help in Math
- Make it fun and practice, practice, practice!
- Have your child play math games on my website: www.guedes.educatorpages.com
- Choose the topic you are interested in. There are MANY games and
activities that will help your child
- Practice multiplication tables to Time Tables the Fun Way.
- Practice your math facts at www.xtramath.org
- Cook together. Try doubling or halving recipes with your child, and let
him figure out the correct measurements. This is a tricky way to learn
about multiplying and dividing fractions. Enjoy good food afterwards!
- Go shopping. Estimate the total bill. Round the price to the nearest
dollar. Try to figure out how much something will be at 50% off. Then
figure out 25% (half of 50%). Do you have enough money? How much
will be left over?
- Build or sew something. You’ll have to take precise measurements and
angles. You’ll need an exact amount of materials. And you have the
added benefit of the physical work and finished product!
- Play games. Most games have some sort of point system. Let your child
be the scorekeeper. Some great ones are Yahtzee (great for learning
multiplication, for adding, and probability), Monopoly (the child is the
banker), Scrabble (the child adds up the points and keeps score), or card
games like Cribbage in which you have to create totals of 15 and 31.
- Sing the times tables, watch or listen to “Multiplication Rock.”
- Purchase math workbooks and practice skills
- Give your child a calculator of their own to use.
How to help with Reading.
- Use our website to practice reading skills: www.guedes.educatorpages.com
- Choose books that are “just right” – not too easy and not too hard.
- Read to your child and let your child read to you every night. Talk
about the story.
- Talk about the meaning of words as they occur in the story.
- Get your child his or her own library card and let him or her use it
to check out books.
- Set a good example by showing your child that you read.
- Read out loud to practice reading fluency.
- Ask questions after your child reads
- Books make great gifts and rewards! Sign a personal note inside the cover.
- Use puppets and have the puppets retell the story
How to Help in Writing and Spelling
- Write often! Keep journals of trips you take.
- When your child writes, make sure he or she uses complete
sentences and paragraphs.
- See the examples of papers that passed the state writing
assessment. Students need “4s” to pass the state exam
• Ideas & Content
• Organization (beginning, middle & end)
• Word Choice
• Sentence Fluency
• Conventions (spelling, periods, capitals etc.)
• Voice
- When writing, students should pick a topic and use a graphic
organizer to help turn ideas and details into paragraphs.
- When editing, have your child read his or her work out loud. It
is a great way to catch errors.
- Work on learning to spell the 100 word spelling list
Practice the weekly spelling words.