Helping Your Child Succeed in School
1
with activities for children
aged 5 through 11
By Dorothy Rich
Edited by Margery Martin
Illustrated by Betty MacDonald
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
Lamar Alexander
Secretary
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
Diane Ravitch
Assistant Secretary
Francie Alexander
Deputy Assistant Secretary
This book is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in
whole or in part for educational purposes is granted.
Publication of this book was managed by the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Listing of
materials and resources in this book should not be construed or
interpreted as an endorsement by the Department of any private
organization or business listed herein.
November 1992
The idea for this publication was suggested by Diane Ravitch when
she presented her vision of OERI to the education community. This book
was prepared under the direction of Francie Alexander; Cynthia Hearn
Dorfman, Chief, Publications Branch; and Theodor Rebarber, Special
Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary; with help from John B.
Lyons, Thelma Leenhouts, Gerard Devlin, Tim Burr, Liz Barnes, and
Elizabeth DeBra. The book is based on the award-winning design by
Margery Martin and Phil Carr.
Ordering Information
Many other federal publications on helping your child are available
through the Consumer Information Catalog. For the latest catalog, write
the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, CO 81009.
Foreword
This is the question we parents are always trying to answer. It's
good that children ask questions: that's the best way to learn. All
children have two wonderful resources for learning--imagination and
curiosity. As a parent, you can awaken your children to the joy of
learning by encouraging their imagination and curiosity.
Helping Your Child Succeed in School is one in a series of books on
different education topics intended to help you make the most of your
child's natural curiosity. Teaching and learning are not mysteries that
can only happen in school. They also happen when parents and children do
simple things together.
For instance, you and your child can: sort the socks on laundry
day--sorting is a major function in math and science; cook a meal
together--cooking involves not only math and science but good health as
well; tell and read each other stories--storytelling is the basis for
reading and writing (and a story about the past is also history); or
play a game of hopscotch together--playing physical games will help your
child learn to count and start on a road to lifelong fitness.
By doing things together, you will show that learning is fun and
important. You will be encouraging your child to study, learn, and stay
in school.
All of the books in this series tie in with the National Education
Goals set by the President and the Governors. The goals state that, by
the year 2000: every child will start school ready to learn; at least 90
percent of all students will graduate from high school; each American
student will leave the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades demonstrating
competence in core subjects; U.S. students will be first in the world in
math and science achievement; every American adult will be literate,
will have the skills necessary to compete in a global economy, and will
be able to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and
American schools will be liberated from drugs and violence so they can
focus on learning.
This book is a way for you to help meet these goals. It will give
you a short run-down on facts, but the biggest part of the book is made
up of simple, fun activities for you and your child to do together. Your
child may even beg you to do them. At the end of the book is a list of
resources, so you can continue the fun.
As U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander has said:
The first teachers are the parents, both by example and
conversation. But don't think of it as teaching. Think of
it as fun.
So, let's get started. I invite you to find an activity in this
book and try it.
Diane Ravitch
Assistant Secretary and Counselor to the Secretary
Contents
Introduction
The Basics
Where Our Children Learn
What Our Children Learn From Us
How Our Children Learn From Us
What Messages To Send
Activities
Can You Top This?
Listen Up
Time Marches On
Now You See It, Now You Don't
Start to Finish
I'm OK, We're OK
Where Did I Put That?
My Place
Well Done!
How Time Flies
Homework Made Easy(!)
Divide It Up
Help Wanted
How Can I Help?
TV Time
Parents and the Schools
Notes
Acknowledgments
Introduction
What is the earliest memory you have of being in school?
Excitement?
Fear?
Wonder?
Rejection?
Joy?
How do you feel about your years in school? If you have happy
memories, chances are you can help your children be excited about
learning and have good memories, too. If you disliked school, it's
harder, but you can do lots of things to help make school a better
experience for your children than it was for you.
The good news is that every child in every family has the power to
succeed in school and in life, and every parent, grandparent, and
caregiver can help.
But how do we help our children succeed? How do we give them the
power? The most important thing we can do is be involved with our
children's education even before they are in school, then stay involved
once they are in school.
This book is about what we can do in our own homes, right now, that
will help our children go to school wanting to learn. It includes:
* Basic information on what we know about success in school;
* Activities for children ages 5-11 to help them acquire the skills
to succeed;
* Questions and answers about when to talk to the teacher and how to
handle parent-teacher conferences.
Success in school takes hard work, planning, a few basic skills,
and the will to want to succeed. How do we pass these ideas on to our
children?
What we know about success in school is a combination of common
sense mixed with new ideas about learning.
We do know the following:
1. Where our children learn is important. We can find inexpensive and
easy things to do at home--where our children first start
learning--that will make them want to learn. We can also strengthen
our ties with the community and the schools, where learning
continues.
2. What our children learn from us is important. What we say and do
can build their maturity and self-confidence.
3. How our children learn from us is important. All of us teach our
children every day, whether we realize it or not. We can make sure
we show them a variety of ways to learn.
Now, how do we take these facts and turn them into ways to help our
children do well in school?
The Basics
Where Our Children Learn
At Home
It's no surprise to anyone that children need time with their
parents. And even though most parents are extremely busy, whether they
work outside of the home or not, they do find time to spend with their
children. But they want that time to count in helping prepare their
children for the world they will find outside the home.
What counts most is what we say and do at home, not how rich or
poor we are or how many years of school we have finished. When children
can count on getting attention at home, they have a greater sense of
security and self-worth. This will help them do better not only in
school, but also when they grow up.
If you think about it, school, while very important, does not
really take up very much time. In the United States, the school year
averages 180 days; in other industrialized nations, the school year can
extend up to 240 days, and students are often in school more hours per
day. So, the hours and days a child is not in school are important for
learning, too.
Communicating. This is probably the most important activity we can
do in our home, and it doesn't cost anything. Ask questions, listen for
answers. These are no-cost, high-value things to do.
Think of conversation as being like a tennis game with talk,
instead of a ball, bouncing back and forth. Communication can happen any
time, any place--in the car, on a bus, at mealtime, at bedtime.
When our children enter and continue school with good habits of
communication, they are in a position to succeed--to learn all that has
to be learned, and to become confident students.
Starting early. Here are some things you can do when your children
are young:
* Let them see you read, and read to them and with them. Visit the
library. If they are old enough, make sure they have their own
card. Keep books, magazines, and newspapers around the house.
* Keep pencils and paper, crayons, and washable markers handy for
notes, grocery lists, and schoolwork. Writing takes practice, and
it starts at home.
* Teach children to do things for themselves rather than do the work
for them. Patience when children are young pays off later.
* Help children, when needed, to break a job down into small pieces,
then do the job one step at a time. This works for
everything--getting dressed, a job around the house, or a big
homework assignment.
* Develop, with your child, a reasonable, consistent schedule of jobs
around the house. List them on a calendar, day by day.
* Every home needs consistent rules children can depend on. Put a
plan into action, and follow through.
* Give each child an easy-to-reach place in which to put things away.
* Set limits on TV viewing so that everyone can get work done with
less background noise.
* Watch TV with your children and talk about what you see.
Handling homework. These are the messages to get across to your
children about homework:
* Education is important. Homework has to be done. Let children know
that this is what you value.
* Try to have a special place where each child can study.
* Help your children plan how to do all the things they need to
do--study, work around the house, play, etc.
* Let your children know that you have confidence in them. Remind
them of specific successes they have had in the past perhaps in
swimming, soccer, cooking, or in doing a difficult homework
assignment.
* Don't expect or demand perfection. When children ask you to look at
what they've done--from skating a figure 8 to a math
assignment--show interest and praise them when they've done
something well. If you have criticisms or suggestions, make them in
a helpful way.
The time we spend exchanging ideas at home with our children is
vitally important in setting the tone, the attitudes, and the behaviors
that make the difference in school.
In the Community
In many parts of our nation, the ties among neighbors have been
weakened. For the sake of our children, they need to be rebuilt, and you
can help. Be sure to introduce your children to your neighbors. You
might even try a "child watch" program where adults who are home during
the day keep an eye out for children when they walk to and from school
and stand at bus stops.
Some schools are helping families connect with the community by,
for example, becoming centers for social services as well as for
education. Getting to know your child's school can help you, in a very
real way, get to know a major part of your community. It can also help
you build a network of wider community support for your family.
At School
Parents can become involved with the schools in several different
ways, by working with children at home, volunteering, sharing
information, and helping to make policy. We need to remember that what
works in one community (or for one family) may not necessarily work in
another.
It may no longer be possible for parents to volunteer as often for
school activities. However, working with children at home and sharing
information with the school are two things all parents can do.
The section after the activities, "Parents and the Schools," has
some suggestions on how to get the most out of talking to your child's
teacher. Many teachers say they rarely receive information from parents
about problems at home. Many parents say they don't know what the school
expects of their child. Sharing information is essential, and both
teachers and parents are responsible for making it happen.
With our help, our children can become confident students, able to
handle the challenges of school. This means:
* Talking with our children about the value of hard work and about
the importance of education;
* Talking about what's happening in school;
* Reading report cards and messages that come from school;
* Going to school and meeting with teachers;
* Taking part in school events when you can; and
* Finding out about resources in the community.
What Our Children Learn From Us
Sometimes we think that all our children need to know to be ready
to start school are the ABCs and how to count. The reality is that most
children can learn these things pretty fast once they get to school.
What they do need--and what you can give--is the message that education
is valuable: through education, people can shape their own future.
So, talk about learning, share the fun and excitement of new
skills. Show your children that you are always learning, too. Read
aloud, play games, and talk about events around the block and around the
world.
Children tend to follow the examples set for them. When we say one
thing and do another, children watch and learn. When we practice what we
preach, children watch and learn.
The bottom line is that when we give our children the support and
information they need, and expect them to do well, they do better in
school and in life.
How Our Children Learn From Us
Children need active, even noisy, learning as well as quiet
learning such as reading. Active learning includes asking and answering
questions (and trying to get more than just "yes" or "no" answers);
solving problems; and discussing a variety of topics.
Active learning can also take place when a child plays sports,
spends time with friends, or goes to a museum or zoo. The active
learning suggestions in the next section will help you think of even
more things for you and your children to do.
Limit TV watching. Watching TV is an example of a quiet activity
that children can learn from, but one that is a problem in almost every
home. We know that children who watch a lot of TV learn less and get
lower grades than students who watch little TV. And in international
comparisons, U.S. students rank high in watching TV, but are near the
bottom in doing homework. The result is that U.S. students know less
than those in other countries.
Encourage active learning. What can we do? We can listen to our
children's ideas and respond to them. We can let them jump in with
questions and opinions when reading books together. When this type of
give-and-take between parent and child happens at home, a child's
participation and interest in school increases.
What Messages To Send
Three of the important messages our children need about success in
school can be sent by:
1. Sharing our own experiences and goals with our children, because
children tend to adopt our ideals. They need to know how we feel
about making an effort, working hard, and planning ahead.
2. Establishing realistic, consistent family rules for work around the
house so our children can develop schedules and stable routines.
Children need limits set even though they will test these limits
over and over again. Children need to know what they can depend
on--and they need to be able to depend on the rules we make.
3. Encouraging our children to think about the future. Our children
need realistic, reasonable expectations, and they need the
satisfaction of having some of these expectations met. They need to
take part in making decisions (and to learn that sometimes this
means sacrificing fun now for benefits later) and they need to find
out what happens as a result of decisions they have made.
Throw a stone into a pool and the circles widen and overlap. None
of us lives in isolation. The circles of home, community, and school
overlap also. For our children to learn and thrive, they need the
support and encouragement of all of the circles in which we live. But
the circle in the center is the home and that's where it all starts.
Activities
There is no one "right" way of doing these activities. Make
changes, shorten or lengthen them to suit your child's attention span,
or think up some activities of your own. Above all, enjoy them. And
don't worry about what you might not have done in the past. Start where
you are now, with the resources you have now.
In a box at the end of each activity is information on why that
activity is important to your child's education. The suggested
activities all build skills, attitudes, and behaviors children need for
good study habits. They are designed to help develop personal maturity,
enthusiasm for learning, and the ability to concentrate.
But that does not mean the activities are hard to do and won't be
any fun. They are easy to do, cost little or no money, use materials
found at home, and don't take much time.
Work out your own schedule for the activities. Don't forget to try
them on vacation days or in the summer, too. If you've only used one
part of an activity, you can go back to it and find the ideas you
haven't tried. Experience indicates that all of the activities, in whole
or in part, will be useful. Ability in schoolwork is like ability in
sports: it takes practice to gain confidence, to become motivated, and
to win.
Age Levels
The activities are arranged by approximate age levels. But, of
course, you are the best judge of what your child may be ready to try.
Age levels of the activities are indicated by a symbol at the top of
each activity:
Ages 5-7
The activities for these early school years focus on helping
children get ready for schoolwork and get a head start on the habits and
behaviors important for ongoing success in school.
Ages 7-9
These activities help children become organized and build early
study skills and work habits.
Ages 9-11
These projects for children in the upper elementary grades continue
to focus on work and study habits, with more emphasis on making personal
decisions.
Remember:
* We can all be great teachers;
* Every home is a learning place;
* We don't need a lot of time to do a lot of good; and
* Everyone's abilities and skills can be improved.
Let's Go
Pick an activity and try it with your children. You will know they
are learning when they say, "Let me try it." And you'll know they
understand when they shout: "Let me do it! Let me! Let me."
Can You Top This?
Teamwork is important in school. In this game, children practice
taking turns and working with others. They also build language skills.
What you'll need
Imagination
What to do
1. Make up a story, with parents and children taking turns, one
sentence at a time.
Decide on a topic. You might begin the first sentence with "Once
upon a time a pirate lived in..."
Continue taking turns making up and telling parts of the story
until you decide to end it-maybe after 8 or 10 sentences.
2. Take turns beginning and finishing a story. Ask other family
members and friends to join in.
By making up stories, children can improve their language skills.
They can also start to understand how ideas flow from one to another,
and that everyone's ideas are important.
Listen Up
This game helps teach how to listen carefully and follow
directions, two things that are important in school.
What you'll need
Any small object you can hide Objects that make noise
What to do
1. Hide a small object. Give directions to find it such as, "Take five
steps ahead. Turn right. Keep the lamp to your left. Bend down and
look to the right." Take turns doing this.
2. All but one person close their eyes. The person with his or her
eyes open makes a sound (such as keys jangling, hands clapping, a
bell ringing, a spoon tapping against a glass). Everyone else tries
to guess what is making the sound.
3. Clap your hands to tap out a rhythm. Have another player listen and
then clap that same rhythm back to you. Do it different ways: slow,
fast, loud, soft. Make the rhythms harder as it gets easier to
repeat them.
4. When taking a walk, or any place where you can stop for a few
minutes, sit quietly for 30 seconds with your eyes closed, then
tell each other what you heard: a baby crying, an airplane, a bird
singing.
5. Take a walk. One of you tell the other person what to do--cross the
street, turn left, look down. Take turns following each other's
directions.
Through practice, children can learn to listen carefully, see and
hear details, and follow directions.
Time Marches On
This game will help your children see the difference between "a few
seconds" and "a few minutes," and can help them be on time in school.
What you'll need
Paper Pencil A timer of some kind (alarm clock, kitchen timer) Clock or
watch with all 12 numerals and a second hand
What to do
1. Ask your children to watch the second hand tick five seconds.
Together, count off the seconds.
2. Count off 30 seconds. How many times can your child clap hands
during this time? Take turns timing and watching each other.
3. Make guesses about how long ordinary things take:
How long is a traffic light red or green?
How long does it take to eat dinner?
How long does it take to get ready for school?
Test your guesses with the watch or timer. How close did you each
come to the right answer?
4. Read a book aloud with your child for 3 minutes. Time yourselves.
Then move up to 5 minutes, then to 10, and so on.
Learning that some things take longer than others will help your
child understand how long it takes to do a task and how to plan for it.
This activity will also help them increase their attention span.
Now You See It, Now You Don't
This activity teaches children to pay close attention by seeing how
long it takes different kinds of liquids to freeze and melt.
What you'll need
2 ice cube trays A clock Water Small bowls Paper Pencil Other liquids
What to do
1. Together, fill one ice cube tray to the top with water. Fill the
other tray only half full.
Put both trays in the freezer. Check the clock. In 2 hours, look to
see if the water has frozen (if not, wait until it has frozen).
How long did it take the water in each tray to freeze?
Did the smaller amount of water freeze faster than the larger
amount?
2. Take an ice cube from each of the 2 trays. Put them in separate
bowls to melt. Which cube melts faster--the larger one or the
smaller one?
3. Put one ice cube in a window and another in the refrigerator (not
freezer) and see how long they take to melt.
4. Try to freeze samples of liquids such as fruit juices. Compare
their freezing times to that of water.
This activity can help your child understand that things don't
happen immediately. It will also introduce the concept of change--liquid
to solid to liquid again--and the idea of having to wait to get the
result you want.
Start to Finish
Organization has to be learned. This activity lets children
practice planning, beginning, and finishing a job--important parts of
completing schoolwork.
What you'll need
Pencil Paper Items used to do a job around the house, such as watering
plants or setting the table
What to do
1. Together, select one job your child usually does around the house,
such as watering plants.
Ask your child to write down or tell you the "Plan," "Do," and
"Finish" steps needed to do the job well.
Look over these steps together and talk about possible changes.
2. See what happens if one plant isn't watered when it is supposed to
be. How long does it take for the leaves to start changing color?
3. List the "plan," "do," and "finish" steps of one or
two jobs you do
around the house. Ask your child to help you think of ways to
improve these steps.
4. When your children have a new task, help them plan the steps so
they can do the job well and have a sense of accomplishment.
Sometimes taking time to plan seems like "a waste of time," but it
has been shown that those who plan a job are usually more successful and
do it in a shorter amount of time.
Seeing the changes from not watering a plant can introduce the idea
of "cause and effect."
I'm OK, We're OK
All of us have ways in which we are special. This activity helps
children recognize and appreciate how they, and others, are special.
What you'll need
Pen or pencil Paper
What to do
1. Together, think of and write down at least 2 things you like about
yourselves (for example, I have a good sense of humor; I try to be
fair).
Write down 2 things you like about the others playing this game.
Now, take turns talking about what others say they like about you.
2. Write down 2 things you would like to improve. When will you start?
How long do you think it will take?
3. Think of some jobs around the house that both of you will feel
proud of, like fixing special food for the family, teaching the
family a new game, or fixing something that's broken.
4. Try to set a time every day, even a few minutes, when you can talk
about things that happened that day.
Find times to listen to each other and to chat. A ride to the
grocery store or a wait at the dentist's office can be a good time.
Self-confidence can make a difference in how much success a person
has, both at school and later in life.
Talking about what happened during the day lets children work out
problems early instead of having them pile up and become overwhelming.
Where Did I Put That?
Children need help getting organized. A special place for school
items helps make mornings smoother for parents and children.
What you'll need
Cardboard box Crayons or markers
What to do
1. Find a sturdy cardboard box or carton large enough to hold
notebooks and other school things. Let your child decorate it with
pictures, words, or art work, and his or her name. Each child in
the family can have a separate box.
Together, find a place to put the box. A spot near the front door
or the place where your child does homework would be good.
School things should go in the box as soon as your child comes home
from school. Later, all homework and anything else needed for
school the next day should go into it.
In the winter, hats and mittens can also go in the box when they
are dry.
2. Let your child make a rainy day box and put it in a different place
(or make it a different color). Fill it with "treasures"--games,
books, a new pencil. Invite other members of the family to put
surprises in the box (no snakes or flogs, please).
Keeping all school items in one place helps teach children how much
easier life can be when we are organized and plan ahead.
Show your appreciation when your child keeps things in order.
My Place
This activity gives each child a separate place to study or play.
What you'll need
Space--even a tiny area will do A small but steady table 1 chair 1 lamp
Small floor covering
What to do
1. Together, find a quiet study area away from the TV and radio for
each child (even those not old enough to have homework yet).
2. Cut down an old blanket, rug, or sheet to put on a small area of
the floor. Use this to mark off each child's private space. Put the
table and chair on the floor covering.
This space does not have to be in the same place all the time. If
the table is light weight, the floor cover can be put down any
place it is out of the way (such as near the kitchen if a child
needs help while dinner is being fixed). It can also be put away
when it is not being used.
3. If the study space will always be in the same place, try out
different arrangements of the furniture to see what works best.
Arrange the lamp so the study area is well lit.
4. Together, label items with the child's name.
Watch for improvement and show pleasure when quality of work
improves.
Children tend to argue over the same space (even in a big room). By
having an area of the floor marked off, each child has a place that
feels like his or her own. A special place also helps children focus on
what they are studying.
Well Done!
Children need the experience of doing chores. The following are
ideas to help children be more responsible and realize the importance of
people doing what they say they will do.
What you'll need
Helping hands
What to do
1. Talk about what happens when people do the things they are
responsible for (water the plants or feed pets, for example).
Think about what would happen if people did not do these things--if
the bus driver stayed home, or the movie projectionist didn't show
up for work. Together, think of more examples.
2. Decide together on jobs for each family member to do. Should people
be able to do only the things they like? Talk together about this.
3. Turn a household task into a game. Decide together how long it will
take to do the job. Time yourselves against the clock.
Listening to the radio or a record while you do the job makes it
more fun. This helps the work get done faster, too.
Children need to learn early how others are affected when
chores-are not done. Talk about why it is necessary to do things we
don't want to do, and why we should not expect others to do our work.
This activity also gives children an early lesson in how to make
good decisions.
How Time Flies
"I don't have time to do all I need time to do." Sound familiar?
Planning our time is one of the most useful things we can learn. Knowing
how long something will take can save time and tempers.
What you'll need
Paper Pencil Clock Calendar
What to do
1. Together, write down your estimates of how long it takes to do
certain tasks (such as getting ready for school or work in the
morning; fixing a meal).
Use a clock to time at least one of these tasks. Then take turns
timing each other. (But be realistic--it's not necessarily a race.)
2. See what part of a job can be done ahead of time, such as deciding
at bedtime what to wear the next day.
3. Talk about at least 2 places you and your children go where you
must be on time. What do you do to make sure you are on time?
4. Put a monthly calendar with large spaces where everyone can see it.
Each member of the family can use a different colored marker to
list appointments and social activities.
Being on time, or not being on time, affects other people. It is
important for children to understand their responsibility for being on
time--it's not just for grown-ups.
Homework Made Easy(!)
Homework without nagging is much to be desired. Have your child try
a homework chart.
What you'll need
Paper Marker, pen, or pencil Clock
What to do
1. Have (or help) your child do the following: Create a homework chart
out of a sturdy, large-sized piece of paper.
Attach a colored marker or pen so that it is always handy.
Each day after school, put a check mark in each box in which there
is a homework assignment.Circle the check when the homework is
completed.
2. Make a new chart for each week. Depending on how many subjects you
have, you may be able to put 3 or 4 weeks on each piece of paper.
3. Try to figure out how long it will take to complete homework
assignments so you know when you need to start working.
A homework chart can show exactly what needs to be done when, and
gives a feeling of accomplishment when an assignment is crossed off.
Talk to your child about homework. Does your child need or want
more time or help? Does your child want to devote more time to learning
about a certain subject?
Divide It Up
Just about anything is easier to do if it's divided into smaller
pieces. As assignments get longer and more complicated, more organizing
and planning skills are needed.
What you'll need
Homework assignments Jobs in and around the house Paper Pencil
What to do
1. Choose a big assignment to talk about, such as a geography project.
Decide together, and have your child write down, what he or she
needs to complete the job. For example:
Reference materials (books, maps) Can you complete the assignment
just using your textbook? If not, do you need to go to the
library?. If so, can you check out books, or will you have to allow
time to stay there and use reference books?
Notes Do you have a notebook? Pencils? Will you need note cards?
Illustrations If you need pictures, where will you get them?
Finished project Will it be a stapled report? A poster? A folded
brochure? What will you need to complete the job?
2. Decide the order in which the parts of the job need to be done.
Number the steps.
Try to estimate how long each step will take. Work backwards from
the date the paper is due in order to see when each part needs to
be started. Put start and finish dates next to these steps, then
put the assignment on a calendar or homework chart.
3. Together, think about a household job, such as gardening or
cleaning. Divide it up into smaller parts.
4. Talk about how adults divide work on their jobs or at home.
This trick of dividing big jobs into small pieces helps make all
jobs easier and can save a lot of wear and tear on everyone when it's
time to hand in a school assignment.
Help Wanted
Older students are interested in life beyond school. You can help
them have a realistic sense of what's out there.
What you'll need
Pen or pencil Paper Newspaper "help wanted" ads Friends and neighbors
What to do
1. Talk with your child: "What job do you think you would like to do
when you get out of school? What training do you think you will
need to get this job?"
2. Suggest that your child pick two adults he or she knows, such as
neighbors or relatives, to interview briefly about their jobs.
Help your child think of at least 3 questions to write down,
leaving space for the answers. Sample questions: What is your job?
How long have you held it? What kind of special training did you
need?
Have your child do the interviews. (You may want to help him or her
get started.)
After the interview, talk about what your child learned. Now your
child will be more comfortable doing the next step.
3. Read a page of the newspaper help wanted ads together. Have your
child find ads for three jobs that he or she might want in the
future. Talk together about the training needed for each job: Can
some of it be learned on the job? How much schooling is necessary?.
4. Have your child find people who already have these jobs and
interview them.
Remember that there will be many new kinds of jobs in the future.
What children--and adults, too-need to do is be flexible and keep on
learning.
How Can I Get Help?
We need to think about more than our own interests and ask "How can
I help others?"
What you'll need
Newspaper and magazine articles
What to do
1. Together, find newspaper articles about people who get involved.
Look for ways to help other people that involve your child's
interests.
2. What are some everyday good deeds? Ask your children to think back
and remember a time when they helped another person. Think big and
think small.
3. Discuss community food drives and volunteer tutoring programs.
Suggest that your children check with a local religious group,
community or recreation center, school, or library.
4. Explore the possibility of joining a young people's group that does
community service.
5. Ask your children to name at least two things they could do today
or tomorrow to help others. What will it take? Encourage your
children to make a commitment.
Taking part in community activity can not only help others, but can
also help your child make new friends and learn new skills.
TV Time
Decide how you are going to use TV. Watching television can be
educational or something we do in our spare time.
What you'll need
TV set TV schedule Pen or pencil
What to do
1. Decide together how much TV your family will watch. Read the TV
schedule. Have each family member decide what he or she would like
to watch. Put initials next to everyone's choices.
Decide what you will watch each day or week. Circle your choices.
If 2 people want to watch different programs at the same time, try
to compromise: take turns.
Your child's teacher may assign a TV program as homework: make
allowances if this happens.
2. Try to find time to watch TV with your child. Be sure they
understand what's real and what isn't.
3. Have board games, books, or projects handy so children can do other
things when TV time is used up.
4. If your children watch too much TV, try cutting down a little at a
time. Avoid leaving a TV set on all day.
Parents and the Schools
Q: When should I talk with my child's teacher?
Early and often. Contact the teacher at the beginning of the year
or as soon as you can. Get acquainted and show your interest.
Let teachers know what they need to know about your child. If your
child has special needs, make these known right from the beginning.
If you notice a big change in your child's behavior or attitude,
contact the teacher immediately.
The teacher should tell you before the end of a grading period if
your child is having trouble; keeping parents informed is an important
function of the school.
Remember, parents and teachers work together to help children want
to learn and to help them gain self-confidence and self-discipline.
[Graphic Omitted]
Q: How do I get the most out of parent-teacher conferences?
Be prepared to listen as well as to talk. It helps to write out
questions before you leave home. Also jot down what you want to tell the
teacher. Be prepared to take notes during the conference and ask for an
explanation if you don't understand something.
In conferences, the teacher should offer specific details about
your child's work and progress. If your child has already received some
grades, ask what went into them. Ask how your child is being evaluated.
Discuss your child's talents, skills, hobbies, study habits, and
any special sensitivities such as concern about weight or speech
difficulties.
Tell the teacher if you think your child needs special help. Tell
the teacher about any special family situation, such as a new baby, an
illness, or a recent or upcoming move. It is important to tell the
teacher about things in your children's lives that might affect their
ability to learn.
Ask about specific ways to help your child at home. Try to have an
open mind.
At home, think about what the teacher has said and then follow up.
If the teacher has told you your child needs to improve in certain
areas, check back in a few weeks to see how things are going.
Parents and teachers are partners in helping children.
Q: What if I don't have time to volunteer as much as I would like?
Even if you can't volunteer to do work at the school building, you
can help your child learn when you are at home. The key question is,
"What can every parent do at home, easily and in a few minutes a day, to
reinforce and extend what the school is doing?" This is the involvement
every family can and must provide.
The schools also need to take steps so parents feel good about what
they're doing at home and know they are helping.
What we as parents need to care about is involving ourselves in our
children's education outside of school.
Remember, you can encourage your child to work hard. You can give
your child the power to succeed in school.
Notes
This book is based on studies; on materials developed and
copyrighted by the Home and School Institute (HSI), MegaSkills Education
Center, 1201 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; and on the
MegaSkills book and program.
Text Notes
The Basics
The following are among the studies that provide documentation for
the text material in this publication. Up-to-date research on the
family's role in education is not easy to find in popularly accessible
libraries, even in bookstores. Selected below are some of the more
easily found sources.
For those interested in more information on these and other studies
in the field, it can be helpful to check with university and other
school libraries as well as with the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education.
Where Our Children Learn
Benjamin Bloom, (1981). All Our Children Learning. New York: McGraw
Hill.
Reginald Clark, (1983). Family Life and School Achievement. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
Alan Ginsburg and Sandra Hanson, (1988). Gaining Ground: Values and High
School Success. Washington., D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
Dorothy Rich, (1985). The Forgotten Factor in School Success: The
Family. Washington, D.C.: Home and School Institute.
S.G. Timmer et al., (1984). "How Children Use Time" in Time, Goods, and
Well Being. Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research. University of
Michigan.
James Coleman, (1991). Parental Involvement in Education. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
James Comer, (1988). "Educating Poor, Minority Children."
Scientific American, 259:42-48.
Ann Henderson, Editor, (1987). The Evidence Continues to Grow:
Parent Involvement Improves Student Achievement. Columbia, Md.:
National Committee for Citizens in Education.
Lynn Balster Liontos, (1992). At Risk Families and Schools:
Becoming Partners. Eugene, Ore.: University of Oregon, ERIC
Clearinghouse on Educational Management.
National Commission on Children, (1992). Beyond Rhetoric: A New
American Agenda for Children and Families. Washington, D.C.
What Our Children Learn From Us
Joyce Epstein, Editor, (1991). "Parent Involvement" (Special
Section). KAPPAN 72.
Educational Testing Service, (1989). Crossroads in American
Education. Princeton, N.J.: National Assessment of Educational
Progress.
Robert Hess et al., (1987). "Cultural Variations in
Socialization for School Achievement." Journal of Applied
Developmental Psychology 8.
A.M. Pallas et al., (1987). "Children Who Do Exceptionally Well
in First Grade." Sociology of Education 60.
Dorothy Rich, (1988, 1992). MegaSkills In School and In Life:
The Best Girl You Can Give Your Child. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin.
Herbert J. Walberg, (1984). "Families as Partners in
Educational Productivity." KAPPAN 65.
How Our Children Learn From Us
Educational Testing Service, (1989). A World of Differences: An
International Assessment of Mathematics and Science. Princeton,
N.J.: National Assessment of Educational Progress.
L. M. Laosa, (1980). "Maternal Teaching Strategies in Chicano
and Anglo-American Families: The Influence of Culture and
Education on Maternal Behavior." Child Development 51.
Harold Stevenson and James Stigler, (1992). The Learning Gap.
New York: Summit Books.
U.S. Department of Education, (1986). What Works: Research
About Teaching and Learning.
"Activities" Notes
All of the activities in this section have been adapted
from the following copyrighted home learning activity programs
of The Home and School Institute (HSI), MegaSkills Education
Center.
Learning is Homegrown, developed for First Tennessee Bank.
MegaSkills Workshop Program, HSI National Training Initiative.
Project ADD (Alexandria's Dynamic Duo), developed for
Alexandria City, Va. Public Schools.
Project PACT (Parents and Children Together), developed for
Arlington County, Va. Public Schools.
Parents and the Schools
All of the material in this section has been adapted from The
Parents Q and A Library, a copyrighted program developed by The Home and
School Institute under a grant from The Work in America Institute.
Acknowledgments
The following people were kind enough to review this book:
Dale Boatright and Lyn Klosowski, American Federation of Teachers;
Joyce L. Epstein, Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and
Children's Learning; Susan Hlesciak Hall, National Committee for
Citizens in Education; Patricia Henry, President, and Catherine Belter,
National PTA; Oliver C. Moles, Office of Research, Office of Educational
Research and Improvement, U. S. Department of Education; Paula Moser,
Consumer Information Center; Catherine Peterson, Capitol Hill Day
School.
Special thanks to Leo and Diane Dillon for their advice on
how to work with illustrators.
Dorothy Rich, Ed.D., is the founder and president of the Home and
School Institute in Washington, D.C. She has been designing programs for
families and teachers since 1964, and is the author of MegaSkills In
School and In Life: The Best Gift You Can Give Your Child. Ms. Rich is a
recognized expert on family learning and literacy. She developed the
MegaSkills Workshops for parents now sponsored by school systems and
businesses in 40 states, and the Classroom Management Through MegaSkills
training program for teachers. She also designed "New Partnerships for
Student Achievement" under a grant from the MacArthur Foundation; has
served on the National Assessment Governing Board; has testified before
the U.S. Senate and the National Governors' Association; and consults
with state and local school systems and business groups nationally and
internationally.
Betty MacDonald has studied at the Art Students League and The
Chinese Institute in New York, and at Columbia University. She has won
numerous awards and is in Who's Who in American Art. Her work has been
exhibited throughout the United States and the world in such places as
Italy, Brazil, the former Soviet Union, Kenya, Niger, and Botswana. Ms.
MacDonald's art is in the permanent collections of several museums
including the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian
Institution), the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Library
of Congress in Washington, D.C.; and the Museum of Modern Art, Buenos
Aires, Argentina. She has taught many courses for the Smithsonian
Institution.
What We Can Do To Help Our Children Learn:
Listen to them and pay attention to their problems. Read with them.
Tell family stories.
Limit theft television watching.
Have books and other reading materials in the house.
Look up words in the dictionary with them.
Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.
Share favorite poems and songs with them.
Take them to the library--get them their own library cards.
Take them to museums and historical sites, when possible.
Discuss the daily news with them.
Go exploring with them and learn about plants, animals, and geography.
Find a quiet place for them to study Review their homework.
Meet with their teachers.
Do you have any other ideas?
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