Pic Credit: Pixabay
Children who have a supportive home environment are more likely to succeed in school. They might try harder to impress you if they know you have a keen interest in their education and knowing that they have you to fall back on if things don’t go their way will encourage them to take risks they might otherwise be afraid of. With this is mind, I have teamed up with a senior school in Hampshire to offer parents the following advice on how they can be more involved in their child’s education and support their academic journey.
Chat to your child each day about school but try and mix up the questions so they don’t become mundane conversations. You should also aim to ask open-ended questions so that your child can’t just give you a blunt yes or no answer. For instance, you could ask which of their lessons they enjoyed the most that day and why, who they spent their lunch break with and whether or not there are any events or extra-curricular activities they’d like to be involved in. It might be worth giving them some space straight after school and having these conversations a little later in the evening, so they can relax a little bit before going back into “school mode”.
Be sure to attend parents’ evening and try and communicate with teachers throughout the school year so that you can monitor your child’s progress and find ways to help them with any problem areas. The teachers will be able to recommend age-appropriate learning resources to look into, if necessary. You should also attend other events at the school, like school plays and sports day, to show your child that you care.
You might not be able to sit with your child each evening and help them with their homework, as other commitments can get in the way. However, you can still support your child’s home learning by providing with a suitable study space to do their work. This space should be well-lit, free from distractions and stocked with all of the appropriate equipment, like stationery and books.
No Comments