“I’ve asked you twice to read your book. If you don’t finish that chapter in the next 10 minutes, Maria can’t sleep over tonight.” Many parents explain consequences this way—and that’s fine. But remember that it’s important for parents to mean what they say. If you know that Maria will be spending the night—no matter[…]
With so many parents working outside the home these days, it can be difficult to get them involved in their children’s education. Be sure to: Consider parents’ work skills. Parents who work in office settings are likely to have computer skills. Ask them to volunteer for jobs that can be done via email at any[…]
Q: What can I do to make sure my child behaves properly in school? I try hard to monitor his behavior at home. But I can’t be sure about what happens when he arrives at school. A: What happens at home affects what happens at school. And although you can’t be with your child[…]
You’ve knocked down every barrier to parent involvement, but they still won’t come. What’s the solution? Take involvement to parents. Many schools have set up a program of home visits as a bridge between home and school. For a variety of reasons, some parents are not able to get involved. Others are simply not comfortable[…]
The best lessons about respect for authority figures—especially teachers, coaches and other adults at school—can be taught right at home. As you talk with your child about respectful behavior: Explain why rules are important. Tell your child that teachers have rules because they care about their students. Disrupting the class when the teacher is trying[…]
Missing school every now and then doesn’t seem like such a big deal. But being absent even part of a day can affect a student’s academic achievement in many ways, resulting in: Lower grades. Students who arrive after class begins miss important elements of a lesson. Missed information. Tardy students often miss hearing announcements and[…]
Do you ever hear, “You’re not my parent!” when disciplining your stepchild? There’s a reason he’s using those words—they hurt. And if he’s upset, he may be hoping to get you just as upset. But don’t take the bait. Instead, when you respond: Say, “You’re right. I’m not your parent. But I do care about[…]
There are some stories that parents would love to hear. These are things that take place in your school, sometimes without much notice. A student wins a 4H competition. A teacher tries out a new software package to make history come alive. Here are five stories parents want to hear about your school: Stories that[…]
As you look through your grade book, you can probably already pick out students who are in danger of failing. Now is the time to put in place a process to get these students back on track. Here are some ways teachers can help students before they end up failing at the end of the[…]