Published in the August 16 – August 29 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life

The involvement of parents in the academic life of their children plays a crucial role in the success of young people in school. Children who do well in school more often than not have the advantage of adults in their family life who are actively supportive of their educational endeavors. And with the school year beginning in Morgan Hill this month, it’s a good time to remember that a strong and positive start in the classroom for young people begins with mom and dad.

One activity education experts say is vital for parents to do to promote student excellence in their home is to get to know their child’s teacher and understand the classroom learning environment their child will experience more than 20 hours a school week. The up-coming back-to-school evenings at Morgan Hill’s public schools are a great way for parents — and members of the public who are concerned about education — to understand how children need to prepare for the new school year.

If you’re the parent of a child who is in kindergarten through twelfth grade, Morgan Hill Life encourages you to be actively involved with your child’s academic success. A big step in achieving this is by attending his or her back-to-school night.
Make a point to meet your child’s teacher and develop a mutually supportive partnership that demonstrates to your child that you truly care about him or her doing well in school.

Building a trusting partnership with the teacher also makes it clear that you want the instructor to contact you if a problem arises with your child in the classroom.

Back-to-school nights also give you the opportunity to chat with other parents in your child’s classroom and build an acquaintanceship with them. This can help you develop a network — and perhaps parent-oriented friendships — that will help foster a cooperative spirit between the classroom and home.

At the back-to-school night, take the opportunity to sit in your child’s seat so you can see the classroom from the perspective that he or she does every day. This will help to foster a bridge between you and your child because you better understand the school learning environment her or she faces.

Your child’s teacher will introduce herself and explain the students’ daily academic schedule and activities. Pay particular attention to the homework policy and disciplinary rules so you can help your child better deal with any difficulties regarding doing their classroom work or disruptive behavior issues.

The teacher will spend a lengthy part of the evening explaining the class curriculum and the strategies the students will go through to reach their academic goals. If the teacher provides you with a printed sheet of paper detailing what the child will learn throughout the school year, place this in a location where both you and your child can often see it — such as in a homework study area.

The paper will serve as a reminder that reinforces the learning goals. Also, the sheet should have contact information for you to reach the teacher through phone calls or emails if the need arises.

Children with parents who are actively involved in their learning performance and academic endeavors have a greater chance of succeeding in school — and being happier in life Taking time to attend your child’s back-to-school night is an excellent way for you to demonstrate the attitude that you take his or her education seriously.