Work with your child's teacher

Regular communication between parents and teachers is key to improving student achievement. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else—you know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Share your knowledge to help teachers adapt lessons to match your child’s interests and learning style. The more teachers know about your child’s daily life, language, and culture,the more they will be able to make lessons more meaningful and connected to your child’s experiences. When children can make connections between what they learn in class with their lives outside of school, they become engaged and enthusiastic students.

A parent-teacher conference is an ideal opportunity to provide valuable insight in how to motivate your child to become an active learner.Working together, parents and teachers can help students overcome negative social stereotypes and defeatist attitudes that inhibit academic success. When face to face meetings are not possible, parents should use e-mail, hand notes, or phone calls to communicate regularly with the teacher.Request a curriculum outline so that you can help your child prepare in advance for class. Inquire about after-school tutoring and counseling for students. Talk to your children’s teachers about individual learning plans so you can better monitor their progress.