Parents are the Key

Research has proven time after time that parental involvement is a main ingredient for student success in school. Gone are the days where we send are children to school and just wait for the report card to come home . Parents today need to get involved in their children's education, are kids need to know that education is vital to their future and that we support them. At STRIDE we have been blessed with excellent parent involvement. If you want to be involved, if you want to actively participate in the relationship between your child and the school, there are some things you can do to make this relationship positive and productive.


Methods for Parents to Get to Know Their Child's School Better (ADPRIMA, 2009)

Go to the school; look around, talk to people.

Call or write to your child's teachers.

Talk to other parents about their experiences.

Be sure to read the minutes of the school board and PATHS , which are on the STRIDE website .

Take time to read the school newsletter.

It may not always be convenient, but try to attend school functions such as open houses and PATHS meetings.

Most importantly, let your child see you in school.


How Parents can Help with their Children's Homework
There are things you can do that will help your child do assigned homework and that result in learning, which, after all, is the reason for being in school.
Communicate with your child about school. This includes talking to him about his friends, activities, teachers, and assignments.

Show enthusiasm about school and homework. Set realistic goals for your child, and then focus on one at a time. STRIDE Academy sends home Target Scores for ALL 2nd-6th graders at the beginning of the year. Talk to your child about these targets.

Help your child get organized. Break down assignments into smaller, more manageable parts. Set out needed items (clothes, homework, permission slips, etc.) the night before to avoid last-minute rushing around in the morning.

Provide a quiet study corner in your home complete with paper, markers, a ruler, pencils and a dictionary.

Never do your child's homework!

Check with your child's teacher about correcting homework.

Expect, and praise genuine progress and effort. Don't praise or otherwise reward your child for doing what you and she know is expected. This practice leads you down a slippery slope, often with really bad consequences for you and your child.

Be specific when you do praise something. Focus on your child's strengths in school.

Build associations between what is taught and what your child already knows and understands.

Incorporate concrete materials and examples whenever possible, especially with younger children.

Try to help your child learn about the subject in more than one way, using as many senses as possible.

Separate your child's school weaknesses from your child. If your child fails a test, that is all the child fails. He or she is not a failure.


Questions to Ask at a School Conference
Is my child performing at grade level in basic skills? Above/Below? Math/Reading?
What are the objectives my child is supposed to attain?

How do these objectives lead to the overall goal for the course/grade?
What achievement, intelligence, or aptitude tests have been given to my child in the past year? What do the scores mean? (Be very specific and be sure you understand completely what the reported scores mean).
What are my child's strengths and weaknesses in major subject areas?
What subjects do my child enjoy most?
Can we together go over some examples of my child's class work?
Does my child need special help in any academic subject?
Who are my child's friends and how does he or she interact with other children?
Has my child regularly completed assigned homework?
Has my child attended class regularly?
Have you observed any changes in learning progress during the year? Has learning improved or declined during the year?



STRIDE is dependent on parental support. WE need your help in and out of school. Please volunteer at school by calling your teacher or contact Lynn at 230.5340.