As parents, we all know that we have a huge role to play in supporting our children’s learning. But what specifically can we do? Here’s some advice from Mr. Frenette:
- Encourage and support our children as they’re doing their homework
- Set aside focused time for reading. Have fun with it.
- Show children the value of reading for a purpose: to explore an interest, to find out information.
- Expose your children to household math: clocks, recipes, finances, counting, etc.
- Advocate for your children. Become engaged.
- Communicate with their teachers. Use the school agenda, read the classroom blog if there is one, send the teacher a note or ask for an appointment. Open communication and trust are key to success.
- Teach your children the concept of time and the importance of punctuality.
- Demonstrate your interest in school. Have a meaningful dialogue about what they’re learning.
- Use weekends and breaks to expose your children to new places, ideas and experiences.
And finally, says Mr. Frenette, parents, teachers and administrators alike must keep the big picture in mind. What is our vision for these children? It's that they'll become responsible, respectful, productive and happy adults.
I, for one, continue to be confident that Clairlea is setting our children’s feet firmly on that path.
