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Tips for Raising a Successful Student

Encourage educational habits

Tips for Raising a Successful Student

Numerous factors contribute to a child's success in school, but research groups such as the Harvard Family Research Project agree that parental involvement and influence weigh heavily among them. Knowing how to wield your influence is very important, because you don't want to put too much pressure on your child or overemphasize the importance of grades. The key is to make learning an enjoyable activity rather than a chore.

Develop educational habits outside of school

It's important to remember that learning is not something that happens exclusively within the walls of schools. Educational experiences can arise anywhere, and can be fun and informal. Remember that children learn everywhere. Heather Weiss, director of the Harvard Family Research Project, says, "Parents provide a strong influence and help children make choices on how to spend out-of-school time." Think about productive and beneficial ways your child can spend his time, and develop habits within your household that provide intellectual stimulation.

Integrate some of these healthy habits into your regular routine:

1. Make reading an integral part of your home life. Read aloud to your children or set aside quiet time each day in which your family can sit together and read silently. Instead of flipping on the television, turn to books during downtime.
2. Use your daily time with your children wisely. When you are in the car or walking to the school bus, talk to your kids about what they are learning in school, or prompt a conversation about a topic that they find interesting and intriguing.
3. Know what interests your children, and encourage them to explore those subjects. According to Weiss, "You should know what your child likes, and orient him toward the activities he enjoys, so that as he progresses his interests will build."
4. Provide a quiet and comfortable learning environment for your children. The discord of raising kids, preparing meals, tending to scrapes, and cleaning spills can make any home environment pretty chaotic. Try to find some space where your children can do homework, read, study, or think in comfort and without distraction. If this is impossible, then become a regular at your local library or community center, and teach your children to use community spaces to be productive.
5. Keep a positive attitude about school. Never refer to school as a drag, or make it seem like attending class is a chore. Keep your kids excited about learning, and eager to share their daily discoveries.
6. Encourage your children to register for educational extracurricular programs. "Parental encouragement makes a huge difference in whether children go to [educational] out-of-school-time programs," says Weiss. Find out if your school or community offers an after-school activity that would interest your child.

Get involved

Get involved with your children's school

Overwhelming evidence suggests that students' success stems in part from their parents' involvement in their school. Weiss stresses, "There is a responsibility on the part of the parents to be proactive and to look for opportunities to connect with the teachers and school." Research shows that when parents and teachers are in touch, children are more likely to do well in school. And when parents are heavily involved with schools, children's academic performance vastly improves. Find ways to become comfortable in your children's school and build lines of communication with teachers and administrators. Think about how you can involve yourself in the academic community. Even working parents and parents with little spare time should get involved.

Here are some ways to get involved with your child's school:

1. Join the PTA or a parent advisory board. Participate in shaping program policy so that you have a say in how your children are affected, and you can help guide academic programs in a beneficial way.
2. Volunteer. Contact your children's teachers and ask if you can help out during class time by passing out snacks or assisting with experiments and presentations. Get in touch with the school's administrative office to sign up as a chaperone for field trips, dances, and other events. Find out if the school needs volunteers for assemblies or lunchtime.
3. Chat with the teachers. When you drop your children off or pick them up, say hello to the teachers and talk for a few minutes. Developing a casual rapport with your children's instructors may seem like a minor way to help your kids, but it's actually very important. Doing so opens the lines of communications and makes a teacher more likely to contact you about your child's performance. If you can't visit the school, write notes to send along with your children, or phone teachers to check up on your kids.
4. Help at home. When your child has a project or needs assistance with homework, make yourself available to help. Don't take over or do the work for your children, but act as your child's assistant and let him take the reins. Stay aware of your children's assignments and knowledgeable about what they are learning.
5. Support the school or academic program. Get involved in fund-raisers and bake sales. Offer to help sell items, or to find advertisers for school yearbooks and newspapers. Make the goals of the school your own goals.
6. Stay in touch with the parents of your child's classmates. Create a network of parents, so that you all are kept apprised of what is happening in the classroom. Other parents can be a very useful resource, so share information and advice.