Three Easy Ways for Parents to be Involved in the Educational Experience

As the school bells rang out for the first time yesterday morning, it is hard to imagine that another summer has come and gone.

I am now in my fourth year of teaching in the St. Paul Public Schools, and closing in on my first full year on the Inver Grove Heights School Board. While many of us feel that summer was too short, others are happy to see their child(ren) getting on the school bus to start the process all over again for a multitude of reasons!

The educational landscape many of us grew up with is changing every day, and will continue to evolve in the next decades to come, but that does not mean that the tried, tested and true techniques of being involved in your child’s education are outdated. In fact, we may have more opportunities to implement these tried, tested and true techniques than ever before.  

Here are just a few things I wish that all parents would do to ensure that their child(ren) have great educational opportunities.

Communicate.
Take the time to email or call your child’s teacher(s) and let them know who you are. Build a relationship with the teacher(s) so they know you have a vested interest in their education. Ask if there are ways to follow what your child is learning in the classroom, such as blogs, wikis or class websites. Find out how you can access your students records on line through a parent portal, and encourage your own child to show you how their student portal access works. This will help you see what your child(ren) need to complete, but also show you where they are excelling and/or struggling.

Participate.
We encourage our sons and daughters to take an active role in their education and encourage them to try new things that could lead towards adventure. However, I encourage you to look at your participation within the schools. Join a booster club or an organizational group at your child’s school. You will become better informed about what is going on in the school and will in turn, feel more vested in making sure that the school provides opportunities for not only your own child, but for all the students. One of the best ways to get involved is by joining the PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association).

There is another reason to participate at your child’s school: sanity. All too often, we try to deal with the stresses and rigors of school life by ourselves. By being involved with a group or a school organization, we allow ourselves to be introduced to other hard working parents who are enduring the same challenges, like time management struggles or other stresses often associated with being the parent of a student.  You are not alone, but you may feel that way if you don’t get involved. 

Encourage.
You may find that your son or daughter struggles in one subject, and succeeds in another. Encourage them to explore avenues to enhance their strengths even more, while encouraging them by showing your desire to help them overcome the obstacles, that for whatever reasons, are placed in their path.