FIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD IN THE CLASSROOM
The spring semester is in full swing and it seems like a new school year has started. Students are getting back into their classroom routines, life routines, sports, and gearing up for spring testing. Progress reports will soon make their appearances with how your child is faring so far this semester. Here are five ways you can support your child in the classroom.
1. Organization
For younger students, and let’s face it our older students too, make sure that your child is organized. It’s very easy for kids to shove important notes and assignments into their backpack creating a wrinkled mess. First, check their backpack with them to teach them how to be organized. Create accountability, such as a calendar, to keep track of assignment and project due dates. Teach your child to take the extra seconds to put important paperwork into an assigned folder so you can see it. Also, teach them how to keep a “To Do” list so you can prioritize and check off things as they get done.
2. Communication
Communicating with your child’s teacher on a regular basis will keep you in the know on what’s going on in the classroom and how your child is doing both academically and socially. Send a friendly check in email if you haven’t heard anything from your child’s teacher in a while. Teachers are extremely busy so it’s important to be proactive. Teachers have different ways of communicating with parents such as email, Class Dojo, or other classroom messaging apps. Find out which tool your child’s teacher uses so you can stay in the loop.
3. Make reading time, family time!
Read together as a family. Set aside 20 minutes each evening to read together. You can read a story together, have your child read to you, or have everyone read their own book. The goal is to show your child that reading is important to you as a family. Family time is extremely important, especially in a busy world.
4. Take a Deep Breath
Adults can get caught up in adult problems and issues which causes stress on ourselves and our kids. Kids are also under a lot of stress these days with grades, projects, sports/school activities, etc. Let your child know that academics are important but to also take a mental break every now and then. The less stress you and your child are under, the more likely they are to like school and perform better. According to the article Childhood Stress by Dr. Steven Dowshen on www.kidshealth.org, some signs of stress can be: mood swings, bed wetting, acting out, stomachaches, headaches, or changes in sleep patterns. Reduce stress by making sure your child is getting plenty of sleep, getting good nutrition, and be available for your child if they need to talk (Dowshen).
Source: “Childhood Stress,” Steven Dowshen, M.D., KidsHealth.org, accessed February 6,2020, https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html?ref=search#catfeelings
5. Seek intervention if your child is struggling
If your child is struggling in the classroom, talk to their teacher about possible interventions. Schools have different options in how they intervene whether it be RTI (Response to Intervention), RSP, after school programs, or outside tutoring. Get to know the options your child’s school offers so your child has the best opportunity to succeed. Here at Cullinan, we also have several options to help your child succeed in their education. Give us a call to see how we can help!
