How we can help our students

Ideas are not listed in any particular order, try one or try them all:

1. Try having your child teach you the homework. The teacher always learns more than the student.
2. Constantly look for ways to tell your children what you like about them, that you love them. There is no age limit on this. "When I do something well, no one ever remembers. When I do something wrong, no one ever forgets." Those words were written by a high school dropout.
3. Look over your student's homework everyday. Praise good work. Your interest will encourage good work.
4. Be aware that your attitudes about school affect your child. If you hated math, be careful not to prejudice your child.
5. Talk with the school "in time of peace" before major problems develop.
6. How to make report cards a positive experience: Preparation. Ask, "What do you think your report card will tell us?" Getting ready is helpful. Perspective. Understand that a report card is just one small measure of your child. A child with poor grades still has plenty of strengths. Positive action. Find something to praise. Focus on how to improve.
7. Children need the 4 "A"s as well as the 3 "R"s: Attention, Appreciation, Affection, and Acceptance.
8. Every child is gifted-if we will just look for the ways. Helping a child see his/her giftedness is very motivating.
9. Help kids learn from problems, not be devastated by them. Even when something doesn't work out as they'd planned, successful people try to learn something from the experience.
10. Let kids overhear you praising them to others.

Free resources from The Parent Institute accessed from: http://www.parent-institute.com/educator/resources/

This information was prepared by Dr. John H. Wherry, President, The Parent Institute, "Education's #1 Source for Family Involvement Information," P.O. Box 7474, Fairfax Station, VA 22039-7474, 1-800-756-5525. Permission is granted for noncommercial reproduction of this material if this credit message is included.