*This is a collaborative post
In order to help your child succeed in school, you will need to regularly demonstrate your commitment to their performance; actions speak louder than words when it comes to their academic progress. In fact, research has concluded that parental involvement has a huge, positive impact on a child’s overall achievements, which might be because they want to try harder to impress you or may just be because knowing that they have your support will encourage them to take more risks and have confidence in their abilities. Whatever the reason, it’s something that parents should pay attention to. A primary school in Somerset have put together the following advice to help you prove your dedication and involvement in your child’s education.
Chat to your child each evening about their experiences at school but try and mix it up and vary your questions to show them that you care about all aspects of their education, not just their grades or a particular subject. For instance, you could ask “What was your favourite lesson today?”, “How did you spend your lunch break?” or “Are their any upcoming events or activities at school that you’d like to attend?”. Monitor the school’s social media channels and stay up to date with the newsletters, as they will provide you with various topics of conversations that you can raise when talking to your child and will show them that you are genuinely interested in what’s going on at their school. It might also help if you have a copy of their timetable so that you know what lessons are coming up and what homework they might have.
Try and be present as much as possible, both when your child is completing homework and also when they are taking part in any events at the school, like a play or a music recital. Not only will this enable them to ask for support should they need it, it will also show that you care and that you prioritise their academic and extra-curricular endeavours. Parents’ Evening is obviously a given, but it will also help if you can stay in touch with the teachers throughout the year so that you can monitor their progress and deal with any issues as and when they arise.
You could even consider volunteering at your child’s school, especially if they’re younger because it will demonstrate that you have an active role in their school life. Lots of schools need extra support on school trips or for after school clubs, so you don’t necessarily have to join the PTA. Just let the teachers know that you are available to help from time to time.
It’s essentially all about your attitude; are you enthusiastic about school and learning in general? Do you use positive terminology when talking about your own experiences of school? If you require so more advice on how to demonstrate your involvement, don’t be afraid to ask the school for a copy of the curriculum so that you can understand what your child is going to be learning about so that you can explore similar topics at home.
