This is a collaborative post.
Education is the one thing that never truly stops, and by the time you’re a parent, you soon realise that education continues for you as well. As a parent, you are the first person your child will look to when they need to know an answer to a question. No matter what that question is, they will look to you and your guidance first and foremost. You are the first teacher, the first shooter, and the first confident when they are stressed about learning. You have to be there for your child to ensure that you are with them through their educational journey. From that first day of primary school right the way through to the very last day of high school, you need to ensure that your child feels secure that you are part of it.
You could choose to be an online tutor this year and help your child and all of their friends with their learning, but not everything has to revolve around you being active within the school community. There is so much that you can actually be doing at home to ensure that your child is secure in their learning. You have to create good habits when it comes to school, as this will influence them to overcome any educational challenges later in life. When you are there for your child and you are guiding them through those processes, you’re going to see them become a much more involved human being. Here is how you can be more involved in your child’s education.
- Jump in and help with homework. One way that you can become very involved with your child’s education is to sit with them and do the homework with that. That doesn’t mean that you are doing it for them, but it does mean that you get to see how they think and how they solve problems. It’s also a great bonding experience for both of you because you’re going to be a part of the day that is insecure and full of uncertainty.
- Implement reading time. As a parent, you need to do what you can to encourage them to learn and to read. One of the best ways that you can do that is to sit with them every evening and read together. You could read to them, they could read to you. Reading together is a great way to bond and it can really help your child with their literacy skills. You will also help them to create healthy habits and build a good foundation for their education in the future.
- Debate with your child. If you want to raise a generation of critical thinkers, you need to debate with them on the subject they are learning. Not only will this help them to think better about what they are learning and develop their own opinions, you’ll be able to encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings about the things that they are learning in a passionate but measured way. You will also help them become more engaged in what they are learning and find it more appealing.
- Host your own field trips. Field trips are not just something that your child has to do with school. You can host by taking your child to educational places. Museums, zoos, and historical sites are all fun and educational places to go with the family. It will help your child to understand the importance of education and it will also help you to bring that educational understanding to a whole new level.
- Keep encouraging the love of learning. Whether your child loves to draw, paint or read, support that love of learning and encourage as much as possible. Expose temperature range of topics and make sure that they are also exposed to books and activities that will help them to explore their understanding and learning new things.
- Be involved with their teachers. You don’t necessarily have to join the PTA, or you have to attend every bake sale, but establishing open communication with the teachers in your child’s school is going to help you to stay updated on what’s happening in the classroom. It will also help you to voice any concerns that you may have with them in person.
- Attend school events. If you put yourself out there in front of other parents and other teachers will help you to become recognised in the school life of your child. Being involved in school events, whether that’s hosting a stall at the charity drive or making a point of involving yourself in the administration running, you will be able to be immersed in your children’s learning.
