How Can I Help My Student Succeed?

There are many easy things you can do to help your student succeed. Come back again, I'll be adding more tips as the school year progresses.
  1. Have a regular bedtime on school nights. Most elementary aged children need 10 or more hours of sleep to be at their best.
  2. Read to your child. Children appreciate and enjoy reading more when they are consistently read to. Even older children who are independent readers learn about expression and vocabulary when they are read to. If you don't have time to read to your child, listen to books on tape or CD as you are driving, or cooking dinner. Ask your child questions about what they hear in the story. Have the predict what will happen next. Have them retell parts of the story to you.
  3. Have reading time at home. Spend a quiet 20 minutes each day and read. Children should read their own books and parents should be reading to model the love for reading. If your child isn't reading yet, choose books with pictures to allow them to quietly "read" the story. If your child reads 20 minutes at home 5 days a week, they are getting the equivalent to an extra day of reading class.
  4. Practice counting different ways. This is a great activity in the car. Count by 2s, 3s, 5s, etc. You are working on number sense and beginning multiplication and division skills! Counting backward from different numbers helps develop subtraction skills (Let's count backward from 57.) Counting on from different numbers helps develop addition skills (Let's start at 28 and count 5 more.) Kindergarten children need to be able to count to 100 by the end of Kindergarten. Start working on it and add numbers until you reach the goal.
  5. Practice basic math facts. 1st grade & 2nd grade addition and subtraction (3 + 4 = 7, 10 - 8 = 2 ---work up through the teens), 3rd addition & subraction if they don't know them and multiplication, 4th & 5th multiplication and division (up to 12 x 12). Flash cards are available a most stores at very low prices.
  6. Limit screen time, especially on school days. TV, X-Box, Wii, PSP, Gameboys, Texting, computers, etc. can all be fun and even educational, but over-stimulation from the screen can affect student learning. Using small screens in the evening can disrupt sleeping patterns.
  7. Encourage your child to talk using complete sentences. One word answers may communicate some needs, but speaking in complete sentences will help with reading and writing. So when you ask "What do you want for dinner?" don't accept "chicken nuggets" have them say, "I would like to eat chicken nuggets." instead!
  8. Check Monday Folders each week. These will contain homework packets, completed student work, notices and classroom newsletters from teachers. Look over completed work with your child and ask them to explain what they did on the paper. When children are able to explain the process, they are making the learning "stick" in their brains.
  9. Have your child write frequently. Even beginning writers can helping write the grocery list, even if it is just the first letter of a word. Having them use that list at the store helps show a real reason for writing. Write a note or an email to grandma, (or another relative), have your child write down phone messages, leave notes for you about papers you need to sign for school, or just note to you telling about their day give realistic reasons for writing at home.  Some older students may enjoy keeping a journal or diary of their daily life. Whenever you a writing, try to make it a family writing time.
  10. Attend conferences with your child's teacher or make an appointment to meet with your child's teacher. This will show your child that you care about his or her success in school and that school is important to you. It will also keep you informed about your child's progress and classroom learning that is occurring.
  11. Make sure you child attends school. When students miss school, they miss important instruction. Every day, even half days,  Dower students are learning new skill and concepts.
  12. Visit the library. Pierce county library system is also available online. You can reserve copies of books, books on CD, etc. and then pick it up at the library when it is available. Libraries are free and a great source of exciting stories to read together as a family.
  13. Have you child help you cook. Measuring ingredients encourages counting, awareness of fractions, and works on the concept of time (how long to cook something.). For old students, have them double your favorite cookie recipe-- this will really build fraction skills. Ask your child, "If we put this in the oven now, what time will it be when it finishes cooking in ____ minutes?" This will build the skill of elapsed time.


 
Last Modified: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011
 
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