Secrets of School Success Part 1

If you haven't been serious about your children's education, now it's time to do so. 

Here is the question: Why do some students succeed in school and others struggle? 

The answer lies in the student’s attitude towards learning both at home and school. 

Learning begins at home and parents are a child’s first teachers. In one sense all children are home schooled, even those who attend school. 

With that in mind, here are 2 ways that parents and other educators can help children become academic achievers.

1. Implant a love of learning

Not surprisingly, research shows little correlation between IQ, economic status, a privileged childhood, or even preschool and later academic success. 

The most influential factor in children’s academic success was parents who instill the love of learning early on. Learning is rooted in curiosity. 

Kids are naturally curious and from early infancy onward, parents, as teachers, act as facilitators, guiding those curious, exploring hands and eyes towards interesting objects. This doesn’t necessarily mean lots of educational toys. 

Babies learn a lot riding in a baby sling, where they can be in all of the conversations and see the world near adult eye level. 

Learning tools for toddlers can be as simple as a kitchen drawer or cupboard for the pots and pans, paper towel rolls, and plastic dishes that the child is allowed to play with. Basic balls and blocks are also great toys for stimulating and satisfying curiosity.

2. Foster Free Play

Let children play, for this is how they learn. While one-on-one time with parents are certainly important to facilitate early learning be sure to give your toddler and older child ample time alone to simply mess around with toys and safely explore the environment. 

Preschool children do not need to have every minute of the day filled with one planned activity or one lesson after another. Childproof your home and allow your child to take reasonable risks. 

Don’t constantly supervise your child by adult warnings such as “Be careful” and “Don’t Touch.” Learning usually involve some risk-taking.

Go to Secret of School Success Part 2 for more information.

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7 Ways to Become Involved in Your Children's Education

Teach a Love for Learning

According to a study published in the American Educational Research Journal, parental involvement has been shown to influence children's achievement in language and mathematics, their academic persistence, and their behavioral problems.

As a single parent, parental involvement falls solely upon your shoulders. If doing this is a struggle for you, admit to it and ask a relative, a friend, your neighbor, or a pastor for help in keeping close tabs on how your children are doing and working with the school to implement an action plan for improvement.

However, if parent involvement is not a struggle for you, here are 7 Ways to Become Involved in Your Children's Education:

1. Establish and maintain an ongoing dialogue with your children's teachers. Learn how to make sense out of your children's report cards. Determine what type of question to ask at parent-teacher conferences. And, make sure you know what your child should be studying and the tests they are required to pass.

2. Set up regular time for homework completion. Establish appropriate routines at home like creating quiet time for homework as well as for recreational reading. Limit the amount of television they can watch or video games they can play.

3. Set a good example for your children. Let the children see that you value reading and lifetime learning by enrolling in classes yourself, and taking part in study groups, and just reading at home.

Moreover, if you have younger children, read to them and with them.  Don't forget to let them see you reading. Keep a close enough eye on them to know if they're doing it themselves.

5. Establish a relationship with other like-minded parents and community groups to strive for excellence in the school.

6. Expose your children to a variety of learning experiences. Get up on Saturday mornings and take your children to the museums or the library. Help them to turn their favorite hobbies into enjoyable learning experience.

7. Volunteer, if possible, in the classroom and accompany your children's classrooms on field trips. Go to the PTA meetings or other similar meetings and meet all your child's teachers.

The fact of the matter is your active involvement is your first step in creating a level educational playing field for your children. Parental involvement in the school can turn it from a failure into one of excellence. 

You can influence the choice of the principal, the type of curriculum, the quality of teaching, the expectations of teachers, and the security and safety of the classrooms.

Leave your comments below. What do you think about parental involvement?

Are You a New Single Parent? Here's What to do

The key to successful single parenting is being sensitive to what your children need. To boil it all down, they need to be listened to, to be understood, and to be valued.

They need a parent who will take time to show them, teach them, help them, and nurture them.

They need to be made a priority even when it is inconvenient.

Making Time for Your Children
Realize that it is important to make time for your children and to view it as a matter of priority. Your children will quickly perceive and appreciate this.

Until a few years ago parenting wasn't even a word we use. Now it is treated as a science, art or at least a set of sophisticated method or technique. However, it is none of these. It is not a science. It is not an art. And, it is not a sophisticated method or technique.

The Definition of Parenting
Parenting is simply the raising of a child by its parents with the child's needs being uppermost in thought and action. Besides meeting their basic survival needs, all children need a long-term commitment of quantity time rather than the quick fixes of quality time.

Rather than being concerned about techniques, the most important thing for a single parent is always to be there for your children when they need you. While discipline is equally as important as love, it is essential you let your children see your human side.

Even though you are busy, it should be clear that you enjoy playing with them when they are young. And, teaching them, through your relationship, to evolve to best meet their needs as they progress through the developmental cycle and become adults.

The time you spend with your children passes fast. It’s like playing a tape that can’t be rewound. So enjoy these precious moments while they last.  

The more you are there for your children, the longer they will be there for you. What they need it not just your experience, it’s mainly your attention. Ability is not the key, its availability.

Do you agree with these points? Leave your thoughts below.