Research has found that children whose parents are actively engaged with their education are far more likely to perform well in school. This is possibly because if they think their parents genuinely care, they might try harder so as not to disappoint. It might also be because knowing they are supported gives them to confidence to take risks and try new things, therefore opening them up to new opportunities to learn and develop. Regardless, it’s certainly worth it for parents to try and get more involved with their child’s education and prove they’re invested. Here’s some advice from a private school in Oxford.
Talk About School
Each evening after school, try and find some time to chat to your child about their day. Ask open-ended questions so that they have to give you more than a one-word answer and try and mix it up a bit. In other words, don’t ask the same mundane questions day after day. Chatting to your child about school will show them that you are genuinely interested. Here are some examples of things you could ask your child:
- What was the best/worst part of your day?
- What was your favourite lesson today? Why?
- Which lesson did you find easiest/hardest today?
- What did you learn about in History/English/Science/Geography today?
- How did you spend your lunch break? Who did you spend it with?
- Who’s your favourite teacher? Why?
Chat to Teachers
Try and build a relationship with your child’s teachers so that you can keep in touch with them and monitor your child’s progress. At the start of term, it’s worth agreeing with the teachers a suitable way you should communicate, like email for example. Ask them what’s going to be coming up in the curriculum in the coming term and find out if there’s anything you can do to help at home.
Attend School Events
Of course, it goes without saying that you should attend Parents’ Evening to find out more about how your child is progressing and if there are any problem areas they need to work on. However, you should also try and attend other events, like sports day or school plays. Actions speak louder than words and attending these events should prove to your child that you are dedicated to their performance in school, both academically and in terms of their extra-curricular pursuits.
Have a Positive Approach to Learning
When it comes to your child’s education, try and be positive and show them that you really value learning. Stick their artwork or grades up on the fridge to show that you’re proud of it and praise/reward your child when you see them working hard on a piece of schoolwork. Generally, just aim to use positive terminology when talking about school.
*This is a collaborative post