Let’s Get Ready with Cedar Valley Publishing

Listed below are suggestions how to encourage and motivate parents to become more involved in school:

• Ask your child’s teacher how you can help.
• Offer to read to your child’s classroom.
• Sign up for field trips.
• Offer to bake snacks or volunteer to help for school parties:  Halloween, Christmas, Valentine, the 100th Day of School, Easter, Last Day of School, etc.
• Volunteer to work the lunchroom.
• Volunteer to be a playground monitor.
• Join the Parent-Teach Association/Organization (PTA/PTO).
• Volunteer to write grants and raise money for your school.
• Ask if you can do work from home: trace projects; make copies; color posters; etc.
• Make it a point to know everyone’s name in your child’s class.  If you know their name, they are less likely to be a bully to your child.
• Ask your child about their day and be prepared to actively listen.
• Make unloading the backpack and going through his/her folder a team effort to keep you all on top of daily activities.
• Make sure your child completes all homework and if you have questions, write a note together to the teacher and place it back in the folder.
• Attend school board meetings.
• Network among the parents of other children in your child’s class.  If you become friends with the parents, it is easier for your child to develop long and lasting relationships too.
• Ask if your teacher is in need of extra supplies (i.e. cleaning supplies) for upcoming projects.
• Encourage your child to read by turning off the television and having mandatory reading time for the entire family.
• Make sure your child is getting 10-12 hours of sleep each night.
  • Make sure your child is eating a nutritious breakfast to start the day.
• Make sure your child understands that healthier choices at school mean more energy for play.
• Ask what you can do.
• Mingle and get to know other teachers or sit in a class to observe other teachers to help you and your child determine the teacher you would like your child to have for the next year.
• Ask if you can dress up as the Mad Scientist to help promote the Science Fair or dress up as a clown to help promote Fun Fair.
• Volunteer, volunteer, and volunteer!

Copyright 2008 Cedar Valley Publishing, Stacey Kannenberg; Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Have a story about how you or someone one else got involved and it improved your child’s learning experience, or lit a fire under other parents?  Please share it with us!