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!

As parents/caregivers, you can help your First Grader learn with ease and confidence by implementing these everyday tips:

• Communicate concerns and/or expectations with your child’s teacher.
• Foster independence by giving chores:  setting the table, dusting, putting silverware away, etc.
• Follow a daily routine to help your child transition smoothly from school to home each day. For example, empty his/her backpack together and review its contents.  Schedule homework, playtime, dinner/conversation, bathtime, shared reading time and bedtime.
• Write important home/school events on the calendar:  teacher conference, picture day, vacation days, early release days, etc.
• Volunteer in your child’s class/schoolroom or ask how you can help from home.
• Support your child by attending school functions.
• Praise hard work when completing projects and learning.
• Read various types of books, and discuss the author, illustrator and its content.
• Nurture, motivate and instill self-esteem in your child by listening to him/her. 

Take an active role in your child’s life and just watch him/her succeed at anything and everything he/she does!

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

What’s your favorite transition ritual that you perform with your child each day?  Why?

I would like to take this moment to thank all the parents…

• Who volunteer at school and help my child have a better day.
• Who smile and say, “been there” when it’s my child having a meltdown in the store.
• Who open the door when they see me struggling to carry multiple kids and an umbrella.
• Who offer to take a picture so the entire family to be in the shot.
• Who created the concept of drive thru services for pharmacy, dry cleaning, banking, car washes and food services.
• Who have invented products that only a parent could appreciate.
• Who coach our kids in sporting and club activities.
• Who drive our school bus and treat our children like their own.
• Who help at the cross walks to keep our kids safe.
• Who attend school board and Parent-Teach Associations/Organizations (PTA/PTO) meetings.
• Who make snacks and treats for the school bake sale.
• Who raise loving and responsible children.

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

It really does take a village to raise a child.  Have we forgotten something?  What would you like to thank other parents for contributing? 

At almost every single parent workshop I give, someone will ask me “Stacey, how did you decide between public, private, Christian or home school?”

My answer seems to shock many, yet inspire others. 

As a family, back in February of 2004, we visited all the schools in our area:  public, private, Christian, and even tried a few days of home schooling so we could make our decision as a family.  On our visits, we would ask to sit in and visit with every Kindergarten class.  Every principal commended us for making this a family decision and we were shocked when we found that we were in the 1% club—only 1% of parents ever actually do what we were doing.  I was shocked!

We walked the halls and ate lunch in every school cafeteria as a family. My husband was a strong supporter of his Christian Lutheran School that he had attended as a child. But, the 30-minute drive one-way was less appealing to me, especially during a Wisconsin winter, as I was the designated bus driver. 

I was a product of public school because I lived in a rural setting with no other options within 50 miles.  We discussed each school, looking for input from our soon to be 5 and 3 year old daughters.  It was a surprise to my husband and I, that we had unanimously selected the public school, three minutes from our home.  Heidi selected Mrs. Neitzke as her Kindergarten teacher, so we sent the school a letter for teacher request and completed her pre-Kindergarten screening and enrollment paperwork.

Because I was a stay-at-home Mom, I promised my family that I would embrace our new public school with a home school, Christian mentality:

• We would, as a family, become involved in the PTA.
• I would be the driver in charge of dropping off and picking up the kids.
• I would volunteer every month.
• I would travel and be involved in all class trips.
• I would get to personally know each child’s entire class because studies show children are less like to bully your children if you know their name.
• I would “do lunch” everyday of that first week of Kindergarten with my child and then plan a lunch “date” with them every quarter staying to play at recess time too.
• I would work with my school to help find funding and grant opportunities. It is much easier than it sounds. Simply search the Internet for “educational grants” and your city or your state. Then search “community grants” and your city or your state. Then, work with your teachers to write the grant or pass it to your school’s grant writer.
• I know that I am my child’s first and best teacher!

Whichever method you chose to school your children, as long as it is a family decision, you (as a parent) are armed with confidence, and are actively involved in the education process; your children will succeed academically, socially, mentally and physically.
Copyright 2007, Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Care to share the steps you took to select your child’s educational path?  Perhaps your ideas will help make the process easier for another family.

If two brothers can change the face of aviation, then I can tackle education!! This is my platform. 

I was a mom who was trying to get my own kids ready for school and was shocked at how advanced Kindergarten has become.  Starting the education process in Kindergarten is already too late. We need to empower kids at ages 2-4 to inspire parents and preschool teachers to all work together to be involved in education. 

A generation of children were taught to wear seat belts and they taught their parents and grandparents.  Teach children what they need to know and they will inspire their parents to become vested in education as well.  That’s the key!

A homework assignment for parents everywhere!!! Do these 6 things daily and your children will succeed!

1. Stop, Drop, and Listen.  Stop what you are doing, drop to their level and listen to your child talk about their day, daily!
2. Unload the backpack/ homework folder with your kids daily.  Be involved in helping them stay on track for the next day!
3. Read with your kids every night for 15 minutes.
4. Play a repetitive game with your kids for 15 minutes.  You could even do 10 pushups and 10 sit-ups as a family!
5. Ask open ended questions to help your kids learn to communicate effectively. 
6. Be involved in school activities and join your PTA/PTO!

Copyright 2007, Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Letting children know you care is one of the best ways to help them stay on top of their game.  What’s your favorite way to stay involved?

Parent Teacher Conferences are essential opportunities to find out how your child is doing in school.  It’s a time to ask questions and your opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher one-on-one.  Remember, as the parent, you are your child’s first and foremost teacher.  So if you have a question, ask it.  Find out how you can help and don’t be afraid of asking simply:  How can I help? 

Build a network of other parents within your child’s class and volunteer.  The easiest way to be involved is to just show up and make it fun.  Kudos to the Pigeon River Green Gang in Sheboygan, WI.  This group of parents, teachers and kids have been meeting for 6 years, every month and doing improvements to their school.  They have created walking paths, prairie settings, and pizza gardens by planting the basil, oregano, tomatoes, peppers and later having a pizza party or a salsa party for their school to eat the fruits of their labor.  WOW, and that was some yummy salsa they made!!! 

I was recently at Harvard, IL’s 4 year old Kindergarten to talk to parents, via an interpreter about how they can help their children be successful in school.  I told them that just by showing up and asking questions, they are showing their kids that they care.  I also talked about the importance of going through the backpack and folder every night, reading with their kids for 15 minutes and playing a repetitive game for 15 minutes, like jumping jacks and counting out loud as they go.  Stop, drop and listen to your child daily and ask open ended questions to help your child learn to communicate and be involved in school activities and functions and build a network of parents to make it a fun social experience as well.  It’s all about making it fun for the entire family!  If it’s not fun, you need to make some changes to make it fun.  Find new people that are fun and start networking!
 
Copyright 2007, Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Got some neat ideas to make it fun?  We’d all love to hear them!  Don’t stop with us. Share them with teachers, other parents and your local PTA/PTO too!  We’re all in this together!