At Home

It's no surprise to anyone that children need time with

their parents. And even though most parents are extremely busy,

whether they work outside of the home or not, they do find time

to spend with their children. But they want that time to count

in helping prepare their children for the world they will find

outside the home.

What counts most is what we say and do at home, not how

rich or poor we are or how many years of school we have

finished. When children can count on getting attention at home,

they have a greater sense of security and self-worth. This will

help them do better not only in school, but also when they grow

up.

If you think about it, school, while very important, does

not really take up very much time. In the United States, the

school year averages 180 days; in other industrialized nations,

the school year can extend up to 240 days, and students are

often in school more hours per day. So, the hours and days a

child is not in school are important for learning, too.

Communicating. This is probably the most important

activity we can do in our home, and it doesn't cost anything.

Ask questions, listen for answers. These are no-cost,

high-value things to do.

Think of conversation as being like a tennis game with

talk, instead of a ball, bouncing back and forth. Communication

can happen any time, any place--in the car, on a bus, at

mealtime, at bedtime.

When our children enter and continue school with good

habits of communication, they are in a position to succeed--to

learn all that has to be learned, and to become confident

students.

Starting early. Here are some things you can do when your

children are young:

* Let them see you read, and read to them and with them.

Visit the library. If they are old enough, make sure they

have their own card. Keep books, magazines, and newspapers

around the house.

* Keep pencils and paper, crayons, and washable markers

handy for notes, grocery lists, and schoolwork. Writing

takes practice, and it starts at home.

* Teach children to do things for themselves rather than do

the work for them. Patience when children are young pays

off later.

* Help children, when needed, to break a job down into small

pieces, then do the job one step at a time. This works for

everything--getting dressed, a job around the house, or a

big homework assignment.

* Develop, with your child, a reasonable, consistent

schedule of jobs around the house. List them on a

calendar, day by day.

* Every home needs consistent rules children can depend on.

Put a plan into action, and follow through.

* Give each child an easy-to-reach place in which to put

things away.

* Set limits on TV viewing so that everyone can get work

done with less background noise.

* Watch TV with your children and talk about what you see.

Handling homework. These are the messages to get across to

your children about homework:

* Education is important. Homework has to be done. Let

children know that this is what you value.

* Try to have a special place where each child can study.

* Help your children plan how to do all the things they need

to do--study, work around the house, play, etc.

* Let your children know that you have confidence in them.

Remind them of specific successes they have had in the

past perhaps in swimming, soccer, cooking, or in doing a

difficult homework assignment.

* Don't expect or demand perfection. When children ask you

to look at what they've done--from skating a figure 8 to a

math assignment--show interest and praise them when

they've done something well. If you have criticisms or

suggestions, make them in a helpful way.

The time we spend exchanging ideas at home with our

children is vitally important in setting the tone, the

attitudes, and the behaviors that make the difference in

school.

In the Community

In many parts of our nation, the ties among neighbors have

been weakened. For the sake of our children, they need to be

rebuilt, and you can help. Be sure to introduce your children

to your neighbors. You might even try a "child watch" program

where adults who are home during the day keep an eye out for

children when they walk to and from school and stand at bus

stops.

Some schools are helping families connect with the

community by, for example, becoming centers for social services

as well as for education. Getting to know your child's school

can help you, in a very real way, get to know a major part of

your community. It can also help you build a network of wider

community support for your family.

At School

Parents can become involved with the schools in several

different ways, by working with children at home, volunteering,

sharing information, and helping to make policy. We need to

remember that what works in one community (or for one family)

may not necessarily work in another.

It may no longer be possible for parents to volunteer as

often for school activities. However, working with children at

home and sharing information with the school are two things all

parents can do.

The section after the activities, "Parents and the

Schools," has some suggestions on how to get the most out of

talking to your child's teacher. Many teachers say they rarely

receive information from parents about problems at home. Many

parents say they don't know what the school expects of their

child. Sharing information is essential, and both teachers and

parents are responsible for making it happen.

With our help, our children can become confident students,

able to handle the challenges of school. This means:

* Talking with our children about the value of hard work and

about the importance of education;

* Talking about what's happening in school;

* Reading report cards and messages that come from school;

* Going to school and meeting with teachers;

* Taking part in school events when you can; and

* Finding out about resources in the community.