Helping Your Student In the New School Year

Since I was in education for a few years beyond forever, I guess I feel compelled to issue some words of wisdom and generic advice to parents of school-aged children now that a new school year has begun. No one needs to feel compelled to follow these guidelines. But as a teacher and parent, I have found that they have reduced stress levels for me by following them as well as I was able.  There are mountains of advice pages on the internet that give parents an idea of how to best navigate their child through the mazes they must navigate as a student. I will provide a couple  links of those I have found helpful at the end of this entry.

I had a pretty unique run as a teacher. I worked on the elementary, Middle School and High School level. Very few people can say the same. Most people who get into teaching are usually only comfortable with one particular age range. I know a 3rd grade teacher who would get a root canal procedure before she’d step foot in a High School classroom. I also know that most high school teachers want nothing to do with teaching at the elementary level. (Many of them I've talked with like to say it’s not challenging enough….little do they know HOW challenging it is!)

So, school has just started and here are a select few tips that might make your school experience run more smoothly:

Elementary:

Don’t be a “helicopter” parent. Drop your student off at their classroom, introduce yourself to the teacher if he/she is not busy and leave. Don’t unpack your kid’s backpack. Don't clean out their desk. Don’t wait to see if they will assimilate. They will. The teacher has work to do and lingering parents can delay important lessons.

Buy minimal supplies until you find out what the teacher wants each student to have. It will save time and money. (This approach works for grades 1-12)

If your child is having problems in the classroom, don’t talk to other parents first, don’t assume that the teacher is at fault and don’t over-react. Meet with the teacher and talk it out and come up with a plan that benefits your child the most.

Middle School: 

Be aware that cell phones may be confiscated. Warn your child that if that happens, you will side with the school. This presents a united front and they will get the phone back eventually. This is the age when social assimilation is of paramount importance to the kids and that is healthy. But they shouldn't be focusing on that in the classroom.

This is a controversial thought, but if your child's behavior is uncharacteristically erratic, unpredeictable or withdrawn to extreme degrees I suggest that you check their book bags and cell phone logs occasionally. There’s more drugs, illicit texts and sexting going on than we like to admit. This is the age when they are extremely susceptible to peer pressure.  Catching problems early and discussing it with your child shows them you intend to stay involved and interested in their welfare.

Don’t believe everything that your child says about your teacher because the teacher doesn’t believe everything they say about you.

High School

STAY INVOLVED! When I taught high school, the biggest mistake I saw parents make was to back off and assume that their kids were grown and could run their own lives. No, they can’t.

Resist getting them a car as long as you can. It keeps them on campus and they don’t get distracted by having to work and make money to support the car instead of focusing on their education.

Get to know their friends and talk with their friends as often as you can. (This works on all levels) On the high school level, it gives you a good indicator as to what direction your child is headed.

There’s obviously dozens and dozens more things parents need to do for their kids when it comes to schools and education. But the ones I have listed here are a healthy start. Always assume the best of your child. It's always healthy to trust your child and believe in them and to not make assumptions that make them distrust your motives. School can be confusing, difficult and challenging. If the child, family and teacher come together for the common good of the student, success is far more likely than failure.

For further reading, you may wish to try these sites:

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/education-and-parents/resource/3729.html

http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2011/08/advice-to-...