How often do you talk to your child about school? Did you know that this simple act of engagement is one of the best things you can do to improve your child’s academic achievement and foster a positive attitude toward learning? And this is just one of many things that make a difference for student success.
In this blog post, I highlight parent engagement tips for student success at school. Please make sure to check out our other posts, featuring parent tips, school advocacy tips, and much more.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Education, research on parent engagement tells us that there is a direct connection between parent engagement and:
- Improved academic achievement
- More positive attitudes about school
- More success with homework
- Higher rates of high school graduation
- More consistent school attendance
- Fewer behaviour problems
- A brighter future for students at school and later in life.
Schools have a key role in supporting parent involvement by creating a welcoming atmosphere at the school and providing lots of opportunities for parents to be in the school or in contact with school staff. This can include open houses, literacy or numeracy evenings, or concerts where groups come together to learn what their children are doing and to meet teachers and other school staff. Parents can also volunteer in the school and help with special events, pizza lunch programs, or school trips.
All of these activities help parents develop relationships with the teachers and other school staff and allows parents to know more about what happens at school and in the classroom. The positive relationships with teachers allows for frequent conversations about their child and better understanding of what the child is doing at school.
All parents want to do their best for their child and not everyone can volunteer at school or attend every school event. So what else can parents do?
Four things that improve student achievement:
- Parents having high (but reasonable) expectations of their children
- Parents talking with their children, particularly about school
- Parents helping their children develop positive attitudes towards learning and strong work habits
- Parents reading to or with their children
This means you can help your child by:
- Telling them that you think they are capable and can succeed at school
- Helping your child to believe in themselves and that they can be successful at school
- Talking positively about school and the value of education
- Talking to your child about school (see “Make Time to Talk to Your Child” tips below)
- Helping your child to develop good work habits by providing a space to do their homework and making sure they have the supplies they need.
- Encouraging them to complete their work on time and ask for help if they get stuck
- Reading to your child, taking turns to read or listening to your child read
Parent Tip – Make Time to Talk to Your Child
- Talk to your child on the drive to school or at the bus stop
- Ask specific questions about the school day on the way home or at the dinner table:
- What book did the teacher read or talk about today?
- What was your favorite thing that happened today?
- What did you and your friends do at recess?
- How did you feel about the math test this morning?
- Talk to your child about their homework
- Ask your child if they need help or if they would like you to review their work
- Ask when assignments are due and if they need any special supplies, like colored paper, Bristol board or a report cover
- At the end of the day or bedtime ask what they are looking forward to the next day at school
I hope that you find these tips helpful in supporting your child’s success at school.