We are in uncharted territories as a nation as we battle and come to grips with the rippling effects of Covid-19. Even though "how" and "where" your child's instruction will be delivered from your child's teacher as we live in our new norms of Covid might be still "up in the air" your child will still be required to turn in assignments and assessments for grades and complete academic work this 2020-2010 academic school year.
So plow through the noise and get settled in on a plan for your child to soar and academically succeed this year in spite of the chaos surrounding education this fall. Our children deserve stability and calm to focus on their academics that lie ahead of them this year!
1. Partner With Your Child's Teacher.
At the beginning of the school year be sure that you have your child's teacher school email address. Virtual back to school nights or whatever new creative way your school will be communicating expectations would be a perfect time to save your child's contact information. Immediately email the teacher introducing yourself, share your hopes and desires for a successful school year for your child, request results of beginning of the year assessments so that you can be proactive with getting help (if needed) for your child to be on grade level by the end of the year. Begin with the end in mind.
2. Set a study/homework schedule.
Does your schedule allow for homework to be completed immediately afterschool? Or is your child more attentive after dinner? Do you need to break up study time in blocks of time? Do you have a designated 'homework" space that your child understands is reserved for homework only. Find a system and routine that works for you and your family but remember to stick with it.
3. Set goals.
Goal setting is a great way to If you want to succeed at anything. You need to set realistic goals for your child. If not they will lose focus and direction. Goal setting not only allows you to take control of academic success but it is a great accountability system. Even children in the earliest grades can rise to this challenge. The goal might be to read every night for 30 minutes or to earn an A in math this year. Write the goal and identify ways to achieve that goal and track it. Google "smart goals templates for children" or "smart goals templates for students" and personalize it for your child's goal.
4. Ask Questions About Class Routines.
Don't be afraid to send notes or emails if you have questions about a class assignment, class routine, daily schedule or any other concerns weighing on your mind. Teachers get busy and might have failed to make things clear in a newsletter or email. Also, encourage your child to speak up and ask questions in class when learning. Praise him or her for raising their hands in class when they don't understand a concept.
5. Inquire About Dates, Types, Frequency of Assessments.
Assessments are meant to inform and support your child’s learning and development. Inquire about the grading system. Will it be based on your child’s ability to commit material to short-term memory such as weekly quizzes over material to be studied? Or is it based on group participation in cooperative groups? It could be combination of the above. Either way you need to be knowledgeable in how grades are calculated to help prepare your child to be ready on assessment days.
6. Discuss Your child's Strength and Weaknesses.
Share at least three things your child is great at doing and areas he or she might need improvement on for the year. With a full class of students and the teacher might miss subtle characteristics that helps informs teacher's decision-making if behavior problems occur or drop in grades happen. Once you provide important information about your child it will provide context if problems arise later on in the school year. Conversely, making your child's teacher aware of academic or social strengths will encourage the teacher to build on those attributes for your child in instances such as leadership roles, book selection, or when selecting teams for cooperative group work.
7. Talk about academic expectations.
The beginning of the school year might seem to early to ask about specific concerns the first few weeks of school. However, it is never to early to be proactive and inquire about the teacher's academic expectations for the school year. Does the teacher think your child will be able to handle the work? The answer may give you an idea of what you can work on at home with your child. It’s also important to give your input about your child’s academic strengths and challenges from the previous year. That information can help the teacher set priorities. Shared expectations helps provide clarity and a mutual understanding between you, your child, and the teacher.
8. Encourage. Encourage. encourage.
Remember to always stay positive with your child throughout the school year. Every child learns at a different pace and and in different ways. Talk to your child not only school related issues, academic struggles, and how to overcome those challenges. It’s good for your child to hear you, the parent, talk about how you value your own strengths, while also acknowledging how you address and overcome your weaknesses.
9. Foster a Growth Mindset.
As your child advances in his or her formal schooling years the content and work will become much harder. However, developing an attitude that "I can do this" and this task is achievable will positively affect their academic achievements. It's important to train your child to understand that one failure does not define their future success. So when your child says "I can't do this!" remind them that yes we can do this and conquer this TOGETHER!
10. Always Praise Effort.
It's so vital to praise your child. Always praise your child's journey and resilience that it takes for your child to get to the end result of an assignment or task. Rather than just focusing on the end result, praise how your child's efforts and tenacity. By acknowledging the approach kids take to tackling challenges, you help them learn that they’re capable of overcoming obstacles. Specific and honest praise is key to building positive self-esteem that extends beyond the four walls of classrooms but rather skills that are lifelong.
About the Author
Shauntelle is a former classroom teacher turned homeschool mom and now business owner. She is a reading specialist who teaches students how to discover the joy and power of reading and learning as director of the Ahead Of The Curve Homeschool Academy that offers affordable live virtual classes that are taught by certified and experienced teachers who challenges, loves, and build stronger children prepared for higher education. Her Ph.D. research is the role of Parental Involvement and Literacy achievement. In Shauntelle's spare time she is reading, watching basketball, and laughing with her husband and daughter Author Madelyn Grace.
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