10 Ways to Assist Your Child in Elementary School

Parental support is essential for children to succeed academically. Here are ten ways parents may help their children succeed in school.

1. Participate in parent-teacher conferences and back-to-school night

When parents are interested in their children’s academic lives, they perform better in school. Attending back-to-school nights at the beginning of the school year is a terrific way to meet your child’s instructors and learn about their expectations. School administrators may also talk about school-wide programs and procedures.

Another approach to staying informed is to attend parent-teacher conferences. Typically, these are held once or twice a year during progress reporting periods. The conferences are an opportunity to start or continue conversations with your child’s teacher and explore ideas to help your child accomplish his or her best in class. Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that what happens at school will be discussed at home.

If your child has unique learning needs, further sessions with teachers and other school personnel can be planned to discuss creating or amending personalized education plans or gifted education plans.

Remember that any time during the school year, parents or guardians can seek meetings with teachers, principals, school counselors, or other school personnel.

2. Visit the School and Its Website

You can better connect with your child when you discuss the school day if you are familiar with the actual layout of the school facility and surroundings. Knowing where the main office, school nurse, cafeteria, gym, play areas, sporting fields, auditorium, and special classes are located is a good idea.

You can learn more about:

• On the school website.
• The staff members’ contact information.
• Scheduled activities including field trips, and test dates.

Many teachers keep their own webpages where they include homework requirements, test dates, and activities and outings for the class. There are frequently additional unique resources for parents and kids on the district, school, or teacher websites.

3. Encourage Homework Expectations

Homework in elementary school enhances and extends classroom learning while also allowing students to practice critical study skills. It also assists students in developing a sense of responsibility and a work ethic that will serve them well outside of the classroom.

You can assist your child by setting a productive study environment, in addition to ensuring that your youngster understands that homework is a priority. Any well-lit, comfortable, and peaceful workspace that has all of the necessary supplies would suffice. Avoiding distractions (such as a TV in the background) and establishing a start and end time might also be beneficial.

For a successful homework and/or study period, allow 10 minutes for each elementary grade level as a general guideline. For instance, fourth-graders can anticipate having around 40 minutes of homework or study time each night. If you discover that it frequently takes much longer than this recommendation, speak with your child’s instructor.

Be ready to help your child with their homework by interpreting the directions, providing directions, responding to inquiries, and reviewing the finished product. But avoid the impulse to finish the assignments or give the right replies. You don’t want to deny your child the opportunity to learn from mistakes because this is an important part of the process.

4. Enroll Your Child in School Prepared to Learn

A good breakfast nourishes children and prepares them for the day. Breakfast eaters have more energy and perform better in school. Breakfast eaters are also less likely to be absent and to visit the school nurse with stomach symptoms due to hunger.

Breakfast meals high in whole grains, fiber, and protein that are low in added sugar will help improve your child’s attention span, concentration, and memory. Send fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, or half a peanut butter and banana sandwich if your child is running late some mornings. Before the first bell, many schools serve wholesome breakfast alternatives.

Children also require adequate sleep in order to be aware and ready to learn throughout the day. Most school-age children require 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night. Bedtime problems might occur at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports, and after-school activities, as well as TVs, computers, and video games, can all contribute to children not getting enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation can result in angry or hyperactive behavior, making it difficult for children to pay attention in class. A consistent sleep routine is essential, especially on school evenings. Allow enough time before night for your child to unwind before turning out the lights, and restrict stimulating diversions such as TV, video games, and Internet access.

5. Teach Organizational Skills

When children are structured, they can focus instead of wasting time looking for items and becoming distracted.

What does being organized at the primary level imply? For schoolwork, which includes keeping track of assignments and projects in an assignment book and homework folder (which many schools provide).

Check your child’s assignment book and homework folder every night after school to ensure that you are familiar with the tasks and that your child does not fall behind. Make a bin for papers that need to be checked or signed. Keep a separate box or container for completed and graded work, and discard any papers you don’t need to keep.

Discuss with your child the importance of keeping his or her school desk neat so that papers that need to be brought home do not get misplaced. Teach your child how to keep organized by using a calendar or personal planner.

It is also beneficial to teach your youngster how to build a to-do list in order to prioritize and complete tasks. It can be as easy as:

• homework
• soccer
• clothing storage

Nobody is born with excellent organizing abilities; they must be developed and exercised.

6. Teach Study Skills

Studying for an exam can be intimidating for young children, and many educators anticipate that parents will assist their children during the elementary school years. Introducing your youngster to study techniques now will pay dividends in the form of lifelong learning habits.

End-of-unit assessments in arithmetic, spelling, science and social studies are common in elementary education. Make sure you are aware of when a test is set so that you can assist your child in studying ahead of time rather than simply the night before. You may also need to remind your child to bring appropriate study resources, such as notes, study guides, or books, home.

Teach your child how to divide large chores into smaller, more manageable parts so that studying for a test does not become overwhelming. You can also teach your youngster skills like mnemonic devices to aid in memory recall. Remember that taking a 45-minute break after studying is a vital approach to help kids digest and remember information.

In primary school, your child will most likely be exposed to standardized testing. While students cannot truly prepare for standardized examinations, some teachers do provide mock tests to help students relax.

In general, if studying and testing become a source of worry for your child, talk to the instructor or school counselor about it.

7. Understand the disciplinary rules

Student handbooks typically contain references to a school’s disciplinary procedures, sometimes known as the student code of conduct. The regulations encompass standards for topics like student conduct, appropriate language, dress guidelines, and technology use, as well as penalties for not upholding the standards.

Information about attendance, vandalism, cheating, fighting, and firearms may be included in the policies. Additionally, several schools have distinct anti-bullying rules. Knowing the school’s definition of bullying, the sanctions for bullies, the assistance provided to victims, and the reporting protocols is important.

Your child needs to understand what is expected of them at school and that you will support the school’s disciplinary measures if those expectations aren’t met. Kids perceive both environments as secure, nurturing places where they can collaborate well. This is made easier for them when school norms are consistent with those at home.

8. Get Involved

There are many compelling reasons for parents to volunteer at school, regardless of whether their children are just starting kindergarten or are in their last year of elementary school. It’s a fantastic method for parents to demonstrate their involvement in the education of their children.

Young children like seeing their parents at school or during extracurricular activities. But pay attention to your child’s cues to determine how much interaction is beneficial for both of you. Consider adopting a more covert strategy if your youngster looks uneasy about your attendance at school or your participation in an extracurricular activity. Clearly state that you are not there to spy; rather, you are merely attempting to support the school community.

Parents can participate by:

• being a classroom helper or homeroom parent
• organizing and/or working at fundraising activities and other special events, like bake sales, car washes, and book fairs
• chaperoning field trips
• planning class parties
• attending school board meetings
• joining the school’s parent-teacher group
• working as a library assistant
• reading a story to the class
• giving a talk for career day
• attending school concerts or plays

To find volunteer activities that meet your schedule, visit the website of the school or the teacher. Even a few hours during the academic year can have a big impact on your child.

9. Take Attendance Seriously

If a child has a fever, is nauseated, vomiting, or has diarrhea, he or she should stay home from school. Children who lose their appetite, are clingy or lethargic, complain of pain, or simply do not appear to be being “themselves” may benefit from a sick day.

Otherwise, it is critical that children arrive at school on time every day, as catching up on classwork and homework can be stressful and interfere with learning.

If your kid is absent from school for an extended period of time due to illness, make sure to check with the teacher about any work that needs to be completed. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with the school’s attendance policy.

Students may wish to stay home from school due to issues with peers, homework, grades, or even teachers. This can cause actual symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches. If you suspect a problem at school, speak with your child — and possibly the instructor — to learn more about what’s causing the worry. The school counselor or psychologist may also be able to assist.

Avoiding late bedtimes might sometimes result in delayed and fatigued students. A regular sleep routine can also aid students.

10. Make Time to Talk About School

It’s typically simple to discuss what’s going on in class and the newest school news with elementary pupils. You presumably know what books your child is reading and what math problems they are working on. However, parents sometimes become distracted and neglect to ask simple questions, which can have an impact on their children’s academic progress.

Make time to communicate with your child every day so he or she understands how important what happens at school is to you. When children feel their parents are involved in their academic lives, they are more likely to take school seriously.

Because communication is a two-way street, how you communicate to and listen to your child can have an impact on how well he or she listens and reacts. It is critical to listen intently, maintain eye contact, and avoid multitasking when speaking. Make sure to ask questions that go beyond “yes” or “no.”

Aside from family dinners, good opportunities to converse include car rides (though no eye contact is required), walking the dog, making meals, and standing in line at a store.

These early years of schooling are critical for parents to be knowledgeable and supportive of their child’s education, as well as to lay the groundwork for children to develop and flourish as young learners.