September
According to the US Department of Education, "For children to be successful in school, parents must be actively engaged in their children's learning. Many studies show that parents' involvement in school is more important to their children's academic success than the parents' level of education or income. By showing interest in their children's education, parents can spark their children's enthusiasm, showing them that learning, both inside and outside of school, is enjoyable and rewarding."
Some ways that the US Department of Education suggests parents can help their child be successful in school are:
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Encourage your child to read. It's the single most important thing that you can do to help your child succeed in school. Read with your child right from the start, and make sure there are lots of reading materials in the house.
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Talk with your child. Talking and listening are major components of children's school success. By having many opportunities to use and hear spoken language, children are given a tremendous advantage, picking up the language skills they will need to do well in school.
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Monitor homework, and how much time children spend watching television, playing video games, and using the Internet. Help your child get organized and provide a quiet place in the home for him or her to study. Limit the amount of time your child spends watching television, surfing the Internet, and playing video games. Help your child learn to properly and effectively use the Internet.
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Encourage your child to be responsible and work independently. Make it clear to your child that he or she has to take responsibility for actions both at home and at school.
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Encourage active learning. Listen to your child's ideas and respond to them. Active learning also can take place when your child plays sports, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument, or visits museums and bookstores.
August
- Getting back in to the swing of school days is a great way to help your child this month. According to WebMD children who are 9-12 years old need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep per day.
Getting enough rest each night is helpful not only to a child's growth and development but research has shown that children who are poor sleepers have more academic difficulties than children who are good sleepers.
- Creating a place for your child to complete their homework each night would also be a great way to help your student this month. Here are a variety of websites that may help you when creating this space for your child.
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Organize_a_Homework_Space/
http://primaryschool.suite101.com/article.cfm/create_a_homework_area_to_match_learning_style