It’s “Back to School” time! For some students, it’s a time of excitement. They’ll see their friends soon and will get back in the classroom.
For some students, it’s a time of anxiety. They are not sure if they will be able to understand the lessons or do their homework. All kids are different, but here are a few tips for parents on how to help any kid succeed this school year:
1.Get involved. Read to your kids. Join the PTA or go to your school’s accountability committee meeting. Volunteer for field trips or other special events at school. Do whatever you can to understand what your children are doing in school and what your school’s policies are. Take advantage of one of our bills from last session (House Bill 1057) which encourages businesses to allow parents to take time off from work to attend meetings with school staff.
2.Talk with their teachers. Go to parent-teacher conferences and get a good understanding of whether your child is succeeding or slipping. Figure out the best way to stay in touch with teachers between these conferences: e-mail, phone, in-person meetings, or notes in the backpack.
3.Talk with your children (and listen)! Make sure they are learning, and listen if they are having problems. This will help you make sure their teachers are reaching them, and if not, for you to find ways to fix any problems before it’s too late.
4.Encourage them. Help your kids find their passions. Not every kid loves grammar or math. Maybe they love cars, or dinosaurs, or French artists. Find what they are passionate about, because that will be the key to their successful learning. Even involvement in extracurricular activities is positive.
But also, encourage their independence. Rewarding effort, self-discipline, and perseverance encourages kids to take on more challenging problems later in life.
5.Be sure that they read. Whether it’s a comic book, a blog, or The Denver Post – just keep them reading. Find books or magazines on subjects they are interested in and keep a dictionary close by for them to look up words they don’t understand.
6.Make sure they do their homework. It might not be fun, but find ways they can do homework so it is not so hard: with friends, with music, or in a quiet place – find what works best for them and be creative.
Be sure that they have all the supplies they need and access to people who can answer their questions (it doesn’t have to be YOU!). But also let them have time for play or recreation. Kids learn a lot from playing and interacting with other kids.
7.Get your kids involved in the community. Volunteering can help them meet other kids and feel like a part of their community. Not all learning is done in the classroom. You should be a good role model and do some yourself.
8.Get healthy. Your kids can’t learn if they aren’t healthy. Make sure your kids exercise and eat breakfast every day, not just on test days. This will help them focus on their lessons instead of their stomach. Exercise in particular has been proven to prime the brain for learning.
9.Value education. At the end of the day, your kids look up to you. In order for them to value education and learning, they need to see that it’s important to you.
10.Get in touch with your legislators. Write, call, or come to the Capitol. Let us know what we can do for your school or your community. That’s what we are here for!
Sen. Evie Hudak (senatorhudak@gmail.com) represents Senate District 19 in Westminster. She was a teacher for more than 20 years and served on the PTAs and accountability committees at each of her daughter’s schools. Sen. Hudak has also served on the State Board of Education, and last session she was a member of the Senate Education, Judiciary, and Finance Committees. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
