The Mystery of Parent Involvement in 21st Century Learning – Part One
This week, SharpSchool wants to address the mystery of how parents can be more involved with their child’s 21st Century learning needs. Part One examines how parents can take the initiative.
It is no secret that student with parents or guardians that show interest in their child’s education are the ones who tend to have greater success.
Let’s face it, not all parents show the interest that they should towards their child’s education. Some may not feel that their involvement will make a difference in how their child performs. The fact is, learning at home has the greatest impact on a student’s achievements, therefore when parents engage in a child’s learning, students do better in school, and parents will find it easier to help their child learn
There are many things that parents can do to be involved in their child’s learning experience. Here are some ideas:
Spend 30 minutes to an hour each night on homework
With many parents finding it very hard to find down time or the space to cram more activities into their already busy schedule, finding the time to sit down and tackle math equations every night may not the ideal way to spend you evening. The 30-60 minutes you and your child spend together on homework could be the best way for you to be involved in their learning experience.
Game Night
Schedule certain days in the week for some educational quality time. This is a fun way for you and your child to learn together. There are games that you can play that are designated for your child’s age group. For example, If you child is in the first grade, you may want to try games like, Connect Four, or “Guess Who”. The games played are not limited to old fashioned board games, there are many online games that are family friendly and educational.
Reading at Bedtime
Younger children enjoy story time, the best way to get your child into the routine of reading regularly as they get older is to keep the habit of daily reading going. For parents with children who have book reports, this is the perfect way to ensure that your child doesn’t fall behind.
How do you stay involved with helping your child learn? What are your strategies? Let us know by leaving us a comment or tweeting us @SharpSchool
Check back on Friday for Part Two of The Mystery of Parents Involvement, where we will touch on what teachers can do to get parents involved!