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In this issue: How to Become the Most Engaging Parent You Can Be…
For the Sake of Your Student February 2009
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"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” What is on our blog and forum: Call the Helpline for Hot Tips! Preparing an ILP? Check Out the Resources for Parents on the IEM Website. More and more resources for parents are being added to the IEM website. You'll find information on many subjects, from how to approach and talk to teachers, to what to do if your child isn't fitting in. Want to join-in on the conversation about everything from the pitfalls of standardized testing to the benefits of ILPs? Check out Randy Gaschler's blog and an open forum at the Parent Driven Schools site. |
Parent Engagement: The Key to Your Parent engagement is a continuum: a continuous relationship that relies on stages that happen so gradually and seamlessly, it is impossible to say where one becomes the next. In the context of education the parent is the link between the child and the world of knowledge. Where to begin? Research: Take advantage of free resources that exist to really understand how you can be actively involved with your child’s education. As well, take a look at the activities that are already on your plate and see how you can incorporate them into your child’s learning. Slow Down: Instead of seeing errands or commitments as one more thing to do—slow down and create a learning moment. For example, going to the grocery store can be a fun learning experience about mathematics and counting money. Let learning and teaching be a fun part of every day life. Make Learning Fun: Think about this: What do you do when you need to figure something out? You talk to friends and colleagues, you Google information on the web, you read a book or you glance through a food magazine to get inspired to cook chicken in an exciting and new way for the 100th time. It is the same with your student – they are in ‘learning mode’ all the time. If school is a struggle for your child, make sure learning is a fun activity at home, rebuild the foundation, and set new expectations by being involved in what your student is learning in the home environment. Be Observant: The most important thing you can do as a parent is to be observant, support your child’s education, and build a communicative relationship with your child’s teacher. Send a note to the teacher. You will be surprised and amazed at how this will help your student and teacher communicate, work on issues and advance the love of learning. Everything a child a does they absorb and learn from it, and it’s your job to figure out the best way your child learns information. Synthesizing the information into an experience so that the learning can transfer is when a parent helps a student make connections and a transfer of information occurs. This is a great technique which can help your child excel tremendously. The student knows when you are involved and interested and it will make a difference. Right there at home. Don’t Give Up: Being involved in your child’s education will never go perfectly. Your middle school student might get the ‘groans and moans’, or your younger student might get frustrated and give up; however it is important to remember these are just attitudes that need to develop and be appreciated. Do not give up on yourself or your student just because things didn’t go perfectly the first time. Remember, if the parents model involvement in the learning environment, students gain understanding in the importance of continuous learning. Involvement takes time, and the return on investment is completely worth the patience, because it all boils down to your child’s future. Involvement now will possibly determine how your student will grow from loving learning to loving his/herself as a productive and satisfied member of this world. Make a choice to enhance your child’s education! The following resources are recommended for parents who want to get involved with their child’s education: Beyond Juggling: Rebalancing Your Busy Life, Sandholts, Derr, Buckner & Carlson ©2002. http://school.familyeducation.com/educational-issues/parents-and-school We love this site as on this page it tells you:
http://www.middleweb.com/eightlessons.html
http://www.biglearning.org/
http://www.googolpower.com/content/articles/50-encouraging-phrases-that-can-transform-your-childs-day
A School’s Mission Statement: Reading Both of my sons have had successes and failures in school. Yet, the struggles they experienced in school have not prevented them from believing they can succeed in life. They both assume that they can learn just about anything if given the right environment and the right presentation. This attitude was not obtained by mere chance. It was taught to them. My sons developed this mind-set by having instructors who cared enough to try to teach to the individual learning strengths of each child. These educators valued and encouraged their father’s and my participation, both inside and outside of the classroom. These teachers were also supported by administrators who looked for solutions to challenges both inside and outside of the school building. However, my sons were also exposed to educators and administrators who were not ideal. Some of their teachers were overwhelmed by the number of students in their classroom. Some seemed restrained by rigid rules and policies that no longer served individual students or teachers. Sometimes, it seemed as if staff and administration were perpetually in state of annoyance and irritation. Today I took a stroll down Memory Lane. I went to the website of each individual school that my boys have attended. We are a military family, and due to military orders my two sons had to change school systems many times. It takes more than ten fingers to count the number of schools the boys have attended. We are not alone in this experience. Many families experience new locations and new schools. Plus, the transition from elementary to middle school to high school, in itself, is a major move for a student. Our experience with different schools ran the gamut. Some seemed mediocre, some were less than cordial, and some were a dream come true. As I perused each website I began to take notice of each school’s different mission statements. At first glance, mission statements at all of the former schools looked just fine. But at a second glance, I noticed that the schools in which my sons and I had the most positive experiences each had mission statements that encourage community and parent involvement. The mission statements at the schools in which the teachers, administrators, and staff seemed full of vision, compassion, and energy include a sentence or two that welcomes families and communities into the education process within the school. These statements invite and encourage parents, and the community to be involved: “…We believe that all children can excel at academics, and that activities and citizenship are just as important. We welcome involvement from parents and the community.” “In partnership with families and community,...the mission is to provide all students with a strong academic foundation…while developing self-confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion, and a love of learning.” I have found that a school system that is open to those outside of the building such as businesses, community, and most of all parents, are the most positive environments for all. Students, teachers, staff, and administrators are energized by outside involvement. These schools have a broader definition of the term education. Some mission statements focus on what the school is going to provide, a quality education or a high school diploma. These goals are important but they fall short. They are in the category of schooling. Schooling mission statements sound short and hurried. The best schools had mission statements that appear as if it was crafted by many different minds. Ruth Ann Geron, 1/21/09 An Alarming Walk Down Main Street Everyone has their own opinions on how best to educate the next generation of students for the workforce. What educators frequently fail to take into account are the voices on "Main Street" - predominantly small employers and business people talking in their own words about the qualities they want in new employees.
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