FAQS+-+TIPS

=TIPS FOR PARENTS=

Please find below a series of tips to help you help your child succeed!

TIP 1: BE INTERESTED
 * Make sure your child knows his/her progress is important to you.
 * Attend open houses and parents’ nights.
 * Make sure you know when reports are sent home and that you see them.

TIP 2: DISCUSS CLASSES & SET GOALS
 * Help your child set realistic goals at the beginning of each grading period.
 * Make sure your child knows what your reasonable expectations are.
 * Recognize effort and improvement throughout the semester.
 * Consequences should be logical and implemented according to the plan developed.

TIP 3: OFFER TO HELP
 * Offer to go over instructions with your child and ask them questions about the work.
 * Offer to proofread with special attention to the writing conventions and the clarity of the written work.
 * Don't confuse helping with doing. Your child’s work is his/her responsibility.

TIP 4: LISTEN
 * Talk about school and the day’s events. Listen to the responses and how they are said.

TIP 5: ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT
 * Encourage involvement in one or more activities at school.

TIP 6: MONITOR ACTIVITIES & JOBS
 * Watch the amount of time your child spends watching TV, playing computer games,“surfing the net”, or talking on the phone. If school work is suffering too much time is being spent on these activities.
 * Working too many hours at an after school job or too late at night can also hurt academic progress. Establish a reasonable balance and monitor.

TIP 7: AVOID THE "DON'TS"
 * Don’t nag about school or marks. Your child will tune you out.
 * Don’t allow your child to miss school unless s/he is really sick. Otherwise, your message is that school is not important.
 * Don’t criticize a teacher in front of your child. Your message will be that the teacher does not deserve anyone’s respect.
 * Don’t make your child’s failures or successes your own. Your child may see getting poor grades as a way to rebel.
 * Don’t set unrealistic expectations which will set up your child for failure.

TIP 8: WORK WITH THE SCHOOL
 * If you don’t see a report card or if you have questions/concerns, call the school or teacher.
 * Let the school and the individual teachers know of health concerns, a death in the family, extreme family stress such as impending separation or divorce as all of these events can drastically affect school performance.
 * Don’t assume that telling the school’s secretary or vice-principal will mean the classroom teachers will know of your concerns, comments or questions. Leave messages directly for individual teachers.