NEA/PTA Parent Guides

Practical Information that Parents Can Put to Use

Developed through a joint effort between NEA and National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), these guides provide parents and caregivers with fundamental tools to encourage their children's success in school.

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	A Parent's Guide to Preparing Your Child for School 4-color brochure ( 395 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 60 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to a Successful Kindergarten Transition 4-color brochure ( 384 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 61 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teen Get the Most Out of High School 4-color brochure ( 275 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 56 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Raising Ready Readers—and Keeping Them That Way 4-color brochure ( 299 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 56 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Child Learn to Read 4-color brochure ( 287 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 62 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Child with Today's Math 4-color brochure ( 285 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 62 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Raising Scientifically Literate Children 4-color brochure ( 285 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 63 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide: Hey Mom, I Want To Be An Engineer! 4-color brochure ( 256 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 14) B&W plain text version ( 89 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 14)
	A Parent's Guide to Testing at Your Child's School 4-color brochure ( 278 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 63 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)
	A Parent's Guide to Choosing Supplemental Education Service Providers 4-color brochure ( 296 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11) B&W plain text version ( 60 KB, 2pp, 8½ x 11)

Halloween Resources

• Ben & Jerry's Halloween
• Halloween Safety
• K-12 Unit on Bats
• Halloween treats, party and costume ideas
• Crafts projects for pre-K-5
• Pumkpin Farm: Pumkin Carving templates

Halloween Safety Reminders

Know where your children will be on Halloween

The best time to trick-or-treat is early evening. Preschool through third grade youngsters should be accompanied by an adult or responsible teenager. Older children should go with friends. Parents can help plan a route map for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. And remind them only to visit homes or apartments where the lights are on.

Set time limits with your children

How about tucking an alarm clock in the bag of older trick or treaters to signal when it's time to come home?

Review pedestrian rules

Cross streets at corners; watch for traffic in all directions; stick to sidewalks if possible; don't walk between cars or cut through vacant lots. Give kids a flashlight with fresh batteries.

Emphasize that all goodies need to be brought home for inspection before eating

Any doubt about something in the bag? Throw it out! Allow your child to eat only those treats that come in original, unopened wrappers. To avoid squabbles, combine all the food into one bag or bowl!

Costumes should be white or light

Decorate with reflective tape so motorists can easily see small ghosts and goblins.

Make-up or grease paint is better than a mask

Most make-up kits are non-toxic. Use liberal amounts of cold cream to remove.
If your child does wear a mask, enlarge the eyeholes until he/she can see clearly.

Try on costumes before Halloween

Ask your child to walk around the house a bit. That way you can fix anything that might cause a fall or is constrictive.  If the weather turns very cold, will it fit over a sweater or sweatshirt?

Strange costumes may frighten house pets

Instruct children to stay clear of cats and dogs while in costume. A strange costume can make even the tamest dog aggressive.

Thinking Skills: How Parents Can Help

Thinking and being aware of our own thoughts are skills that make us human. Thinking is an active process. It encompasses events that range from daydreaming to problem solving. It is a kind of ongoing, internal dialogue that accompanies actions like performing a task, observing a scene or expressing an opinion.

What Does "Teaching Thinking in School" Mean?

The "teaching thinking" movement goes beyond the learning of facts. It encourages students to ask questions of the information and ideas presented in class. It helps students learn how to identify unstated assumptions, to form and defend opinions, to see relationships between events and ideas.

There are many approaches to teaching thinking. Some educators teach students to use a set of identifiable skills — such as discriminating between relevant and irrelevant points in a particular argument, or generating questions from written material. Others try to involve students in classroom experiences that will help them think more actively — such as a classroom debate or a mock court case.

What Are Some Examples of Thinking Skills Instruction?

• In an American history class, students might use a simulation exercise to understand the points of view of the colonists and the British at the time of the Revolution. That is, after studying background information, students would play roles of persons on both sides of the conflict, debating the issues as they reflect their imagined families, work and community.

• In a mathematics class, students might work together in pairs. While one student acts as problem solver, talking aloud his or her thinking on how to solve a problem, the other student is an active listener, asking questions and helping the problem solver think through the process. Later, these students would exchange roles.

• In a first grade classroom, the teacher might engage students in a discussion of the reliability of evidence after reading them the story of Chicken Little. The teacher might lead this discussion by asking students whether the other animals should have trusted Chicken Little, and how they could have determined the truth or falsity of her story.

• After viewing a film on the Lewis and Clark expedition, a fifth grade teacher might ask students to work in pairs, listing the steps involved in planning and carrying out the expedition.

• Children of all ages can do team research. For example, elementary school children might investigate the effects of the gold rush on westward expansion, while secondary students might study the traffic flow in a major intersection of their community.

• Thinking skills can even be taught in performance courses, such as band or woodworking. In band, students might be asked to think about how a piece would sound if the tempo or volume were changed. They might mark their scores with different tempos and volumes, then play the re-marked scores to hear the resulting differences in the music. Woodworking can be seen as a series of problems requiring solution. For example, instead of constructing a table by following a preset model, students might be encouraged to draw several ways of making a table (such as differing arrangements of legs or other supports, various tabletop shapes), and experiment with each design on small models, determining which are the most stable, pleasing to the student and so on.

How Can Students' Thinking Skills Be Evaluated?

First, it's important to say that evaluating thinking skills is not the same as evaluating the number of words students spell correctly — students are not graded on how well they do, and there is generally no "right" answer. The teacher evaluates students' thinking skills to see where they are at a given time, and to see where they may need extra work.

Students' thinking skills might be evaluated orally or with a paper-and-pencil test. For example, a teacher might be interested in evaluating students' skills in analysis — a breaking-down process to find out how parts fit together to make a whole. Students might be asked to list the steps involved in solving a particular problem, or to break down a task (such as making a bed) into its component parts.

How Can Parents Help Their Children Think More Actively?

As a parent you can:

• Encourage your children to ask questions about the world around them.

• When reading to or with young children, ask them to imagine what will happen next in the story.

• Actively listen to your children's conversation, responding seriously and non-judgmentally to the questions they raise.

• When your children express feelings, ask why they feel that way.

• Suggest that your children find facts to support their opinions, and then encourage them to locate information relevant to their opinions.

• Use entertainment — a TV program or a movie — as the basis of family discussions.

• Use daily activities as occasions for learning. For example, instead of sending a child to the store with a simple list of items to purchase, talk with the child first about how much each item might cost, how much all the items might cost, how much all the items might add up to, and estimate how much change she should receive.

• Reward your children for inquisitive and/or creative activity that is productive.

• Ask your children what questions their teachers are raising in class. For example, a history class might be "asking" how American westward expansion began.

Remember, if your children are active participants in a home where there is talk about the why and the how of things, they are more likely to be active thinkers both in and out of school.

Motivation for Learning: Parents Can Help

As parents, we want our children to learn. We know the benefits of being able to read well, to write clearly, to solve problems and to communicate effectively. Not only do these abilities allow us to earn a decent living, but they also help us to enjoy life and to appreciate its wonders and beauty.

So, as many generations before us, we preach the benefits of a good education and try with deliberate effort to uphold, at least verbally, the values of studying, of "hitting the books and burning the midnight oil." But with our sermonettes, cajoling, and in some instances, begging and threatening our children to study and learn, many of them seem to turn away and perceive us simply as nagging parents with little impact on their daily learning. We, in turn, often feel guilty and fatigued by these constant battles for our children's benefit, and resent our roles as minister-wardens in the service of modern education.

What Can Parents Do?

There is much that we can do. What follows is a checklist of parental behaviors that can facilitate the motivation of our children to learn. None of these suggestions in and of itself is enough to spell the difference between a child who studies and one who does not. Rather, it is their combination and employment as a totality that can realistically help our sons and daughters to consistently involve themselves in the pursuit of learning at school as well as at home.

• Actively demonstrate your value for learning. The basic question here is "Can your children see that you are still a learner?" Do you read books, go to the library, watch educational TV programs, write letters, or attend local school functions? Do you discuss ideas at home, share opinions on social and political change, or wonder out loud about new scientific and aesthetic discoveries? Do you read to your children, play educational games like Monopoly and chess with them, or facilitate their involvement in creative projects?

  Our modeling is a powerful incentive to our children's learning. If they see us doing it, then they know it's worthwhile and can identify with us. If they don't see us enjoying learning, they can dismiss our support for learning as another example of "not practicing what we preach."

• Show a non-threatening interest in your child's learning. This means that you care and want to know what your child is learning, but not for purposes of criticism or surveillance. In this manner you might ask about what he is learning in school or indicate your desire to see papers and projects he is creating.

  The dinner table is an excellent setting for exploration of new things your child has learned at school. On these occasions your disposition should be to understand and share in the enjoyment of your child's learning. They are not situations in which to criticize or be demanding of the child to improve or to show superior work. Such reactions will usually cause the young person to avoid discussions of this nature — or worse, to resent schoolwork for the oppression it brings to homelife.

• Consistently offer your child a sincere expectancy that she can learn effectively. In order to learn, children must believe that they can learn. Much of this attitude is influenced by the work they do in school and the expectations and feedback they receive from teachers and other students. You as a parent, however, are the most important adult in your child's life. Whatever you say or do regarding her ability to learn will have a major impact on the child's self-concept as an effective learner.

  By acknowledging effort as well as success, you tell the child that the intrinsic act of learning is valued. This approach builds an appreciation of learning for the sake of learning.

• Get involved in your child's school. At one time it was believed that students did not learn because they were lazy or stupid. We now know that this is a misleading and injurious fallacy. At least two other erroneous beliefs continue to misguide us, however — one, that students don't learn because their teachers are not effective; the other, that students will not learn because their parents don't care and therefore don't prepare them to learn. Both may have some partial truth, but both are far too simplistic to explain the causes behind poor student motivation.

  It is far more likely that the student, the teacher and the parent all play significant roles in determining how motivated the student is to learn. As parents, we can do our part by being involved in the life of those schools that educate our children. By knowing the teachers, by being aware of the curriculum, and by supporting the school itself, we ourselves can be more knowledgeable and, indeed, motivated to facilitate the motivation of our children to learn.

Doing laundry can be more than just a chore. It can also be a time when you teach your child science skills.

Here are some of the skills you can teach while you are sorting and folding.

Observing

Scientists notice tiny details. Ask your child questions like, "Does this sock feel different from that one? Why could that be?"

Classifying

Scientists put things in groups, based on their characteristics. You can help your child classify as you sort the laundry.

For example, you could sort clothes by color. You could sort them by family member. Or you could challenge your child to come up with a new way to sort the clothes.

Quantifying

Ask questions like these, "Who has the shortest feet in the family? By how much?" "How many T-shirts did you have in this load of wash?"

By Dr. Dorothy Rich
President, Home and School Institute

To judge whether a teacher is good, bad, or in between, you don't need to be an expert on education. As a teacher, I give parents clues on how to look at and grade my work when they visit my classroom.

That's why I tell parents to visit their children's school and classroom as soon as possible in the new school year.

Parents should schedule a visit and expect to spend a few hours in the classroom. They have to see the teacher and classroom in action to really know how to grade it.

Here are my basic clues for parents. You'll have your own to add.

• Don't be impressed with my bulletin boards or with whether the desks are neat and the room is quiet. Some of the best learning in my classroom goes on with students making noise or even laughing.
• Assess: Is there a feeling of security among the students? Do I encourage divergent opinions and answers, or am I "answer pulling," looking for the exact one I have in mind?
• How do I treat "wrong" answers? Do I discard them? Do I try to point out reasons why one answer is better than another?
• How do I treat "difficult" children, and what do I define as "difficult." It's possible that your children, on their problem days, may get similar treatment.
• Look carefully at my personality and me. I need not be beautiful. Yet like all good teachers, I need to convey to students qualities of optimism and encouragement.
• Try to come back to see me more than once. If you come away pleased with what you've seen, tell me. We teachers need praise, too. If something upsets you, discuss it with me first.
• Try not to tear down teachers in front of your children. This doesn't mean you need to whitewash the school and blame children when they come home complaining about something. Yet, agreeing with the children that teachers are "stupid" or "dull" defeats any good purposes.
• Watch out especially for phone conversations, when children can overhear parents complain about the "boring" homework they have been assigned. Instead talk to someone at the school, where it can do some good.
• For the best evaluation, look to your children. Are they interested in learning? Are they eager to go to school? When this is happening, the school year is good. When it isn't, there is trouble…trouble that all of us - students, parents and teachers - need to pay attention to.

Dr. Dorothy Rich, founder and president of the nonprofit Home and School Institute, is the creator of the trademarked MegaSkills programs for character and academic development used by the National Education Association and school districts in more than 4,000 schools.

Discipline that Works

The hope of every parent is to have children who are responsible, concerned members of society. Discipline is, of course, part of this effort. Research has repeatedly shown that, despite the importance of the peer group, parents usually have much more influence than they realize. Disciplining children takes a great deal of effort, but the main idea is that children and parents can change.

Changing behavior requires much time and well-thought-out reactions. Some parents simply do not have the time, energy or patience to attempt to motivate change in the child or even in themselves. It is not easy, but read on. You will be convinced that it can be done. You can do it!

Positive Steps Toward Better Discipline

Let your children know you like them. Tell your children how much you admire their good qualities. Don't take their good behavior for granted. Remember to reward them once in a while. These rewards may take the form of extra time reading to your child, time spent in an activity chosen by your child, or even something as simple as a hug.

Listening to your children, hugging them, smiling or talking with them are all rewards, the kind that you can give hundreds of times every day. One of the most powerful rewards for children is the love, interest and attention they receive from their mother and father.

Let your children know exactly what you expect of them — set limits. Youngsters, who would be the last to admit it, find too much freedom frightening. Set limits for the actions that your children are not ready to control themselves. Children need to know exactly what parents expect of them and also how parents will react to their behavior.

It is important to state your requests clearly. For example, it is much easier for the child to follow the direction, "Please put your glass in the center of the table" than "Be careful with your milk. It's so close to the edge of the table it will fall off." Set rules that you think are important and be firm in seeing that your children follow them. Above all, do not make rules you have no intention of enforcing.

Encourage responsible decision making. Whenever possible, find areas in which you know your children can make decisions for themselves. If your child approaches you with a request you feel you should deny, try saying, "What would you say if you were in my place? What should I say? What would be my reason?" You'll find that if you treat children as responsible individuals, their level of responsibility increases rapidly.

Set a good example. Remember that children are great imitators. While you are telling your children why you think they should not steal, cheat or be cruel to others, be sure they cannot cite some example of your behavior that contradicts these values. Be honest yourself — hypocrisy shows.

Encourage your children to respect proper authority. At home, in school and in other areas of their lives, your children need to know the importance of respecting authority. It is a simple fact that some things cannot or will not be changed. Certain rules must be followed. Help your children understand that it is harmful to them, as well as to everyone else, to have constant arguments, fights and problems with peers and adults. Let your child see how his or her misbehavior affects other people.

Have fun with your children. Young people need to interact with adults. Try choosing a regular time each week to do things as a family. Engaging in sports, playing games, sharing hobbies, visiting museums are some of the many activities that parents and children can enjoy together. In addition, initiate your children to join you in some activities in which they may not usually be asked to participate. Also encourage your children to ask questions and to express their own points of view.

What About Punishment?

Thus far, we have approached the subject of discipline from a very positive standpoint. Changing behavior with positive methods is the best way. But it is a rather slow process, and you may find some behaviors of your child that you need to change more quickly.

Punishment, if used properly, will produce rapid changes in behaviors that disrupt the family. It is strongly recommended, however, that you use punishment sparingly. It does encourage the child to refrain from certain behaviors, but your real task as a parent is to teach the child to be a person. By using the more positive methods described earlier, you can teach the child positive ways of behaving.

Effective punishment relies on withholding rewards or privileges and provides a clearcut method of earning them back. Before punishing, it is a good idea to give a cue (a physical or verbal warning that the behavior is to stop at once). Then punishment should follow immediately after the offense so that the child understands the association between the misbehavior and the punishment.

Avoid physical punishment because other forms of discipline (short periods of isolation or withholding privileged activities) focus more on the behavior and less on the self-concept of the child. Hatred builds quickly when punishment hurts the child physically.

Realistically, however, because some physical punishment is likely, care should be taken that it is neither severe nor prolonged. Physical punishment can be harmful to a child and does not accomplish the goal. Besides, no parents want their children to fear them. If a parent slaps or hits a child in anger, the undesirable behavior may stop, but two things are wrong with this method:

• both parent and child are likely to be upset for some time
• no parent can hit a child every time he or she does something undesirable.

Don't Give Up

Consistency will determine the success of whatever discipline methods you use. Each time you ask your children to do something, you also have a job. Be predictable — follow through. Remember, too, that your children may have been misbehaving for some time. If this is the case, when you start to correct them, they may not think you mean it. They will learn that you mean business when you continue to follow your program consistently.

If you see your children slipping into behaviors you cannot correct by yourself, it may be time to seek outside assistance. When you feel you have exhausted your own efforts, your child's teacher, school counselor, or principal, your pastor or rabbi, or a child or adolescent psychologist may be able to suggest some helpful ideas and strategies.

Remember, changing or establishing parental discipline is a long, slow, often tedious, process. The important thing is to form a clear objective, then take a few steps at a time in that direction.

Do you know what PAW means? How about LUWAMH? It’s hard to keep an eye on your kids online when you don’t speak the same language.

Teenangels.org, a division of WiredSafety.org, offers a downloadable chat lingo translator and an updated list of common acronyms used in instant messaging and text messaging. Netlingo.com is another source for the shorthand and acronyms used in online communication.

As a parent, you're concerned about your child's progress in school. Does your daughter get along well with her peers and teachers? Is your son struggling with math? What exactly do grades measure?

One way to find out is a conference with your child's teacher.

Typically held two or three times a year, parent/teacher conferences allow both parties to share their observation about a student's school work.

Like anything else, the more effort you put into the conference, the more you'll get out of it.

Here are some suggestions from Association members:

Before the conference . . .

• Ask your child for his/her opinion on how school is going. Compare his/her views with the teacher's evaluation during the conferences. Any misperceptions your child has could lead to significant surprises when report cards arrive.
• Write down your questions in advance to keep the conference on track and professional.
• If possible, both parents should attend. Having both present builds a stronger partnership, and better communication between home and school. If one parent can't attend, be sure the other one writes down any concerns to raise during the conference.
• Communicate any goals and expectations you have for your child with the teacher.
• If the teacher says something you don't understand, ask. Don't be embarrassed if you don't understand education terminology.
• Ask questions about your child's academic work and social skills. These areas are important. From there, ask about specifics on curriculum, grading, discipline policies and procedures, homework expectations and special projects.
• Find out what you as a parent can do at home to help your child do well at school. Before you leave, summarize the plans you and the teacher made to help your child. This eliminates the chance of misunderstanding.
• Be prepared to talk about your child as a whole person, including his or her interests, activities and strengths outside school. You might also bring up significant family situations that could affect your child's school performance.
• Remember to be on time, and recognize the time limitations at conferences. If you need more time, arrange for it at a later date.
• Be positive. Approach the conference with a cooperative attitude.
• If you have questions and concerns after the conference, contact the teacher. Make sure you discuss the conference with your child so he or she knows what to expect.
• Stay informed regarding your child's school work, and talk with your child about it. Remember, keep in touch with the teacher. If you need to meet with the teacher before the next scheduled conference, set up an appointment.

Ask your child about the school day.
Begin your child's day with a nourishing breakfast.
Congratulate your child for doing well.
Discuss homework with your child.
Encourage your child to read.
Find a quiet place for your child to study.
Give your child responsibility.
Help your child to build self-worth.
Include your child in making simple family decisions.
Join a library with your child.
Keep your child on a schedule that includes exercise and sleep.
Limit TV viewing by selecting programs with your child.
Make the time you spend with your child special.
Notice and discuss changes in your child's behavior.
Offer to help your child organize school papers.
Provide your child with good role models.
Question the activities your child shares with friends.
Respect your children's right to have their own opinions.
Share an interest or a hobby with your child.
Take time to listen to your child.
Urge your child to say "No" to drugs.
Visit places of interest with your child.
Work with your child to set up rules of behavior.
Xerox (or copy) and save records or articles that benefit your child.
Yield results by encouraging your child to do better.
Zoom through these activities one more time.

A child's school success can be linked to every important adult in his or her life. Parents and grandparents who are active in their children's schools are valuable assets to the health and vigor of those schools. Not only do teachers appreciate their efforts, but the whole school family does as well.

Be involved in your children's education. Parents' involvement helps students learn and improves schools. Here are some tips:

1. Provide resources at home for reading and learning. Parents should have books and magazines for their children and read to or with their children each day.
2. Set a good example. Parents should show their children that they believe reading is enjoyable and useful. They shouldn't spend all their time in front of the TV either.
3. Encourage children to do their best in school. Parents must indicate that they believe education is important and that they want their children to do the best they possibly can.
4. Emphasize academics. Too many parents get caught up in athletics when academics should be their first concern.
5. Support school rules and goals. Parents should take care not to undermine school rules, discipline or goals.
6. Use pressure positively. Parents should encourage children to do their best, but they should not apply too much pressure by setting unattainable goals or by involving them in too many activities.
7. Call teachers early if there is a problem. Don't wait for the teacher to call you. By alerting your child's teachers to a potential problem, you still have time to improve the situation.
8. Accept your responsibility as parents and don't expect the school and teachers to take over this job. For example, parents should make it their responsibility to teach children basic discipline at home rather than leave this task to teachers.
9. View drinking by underage youth and excessive partying as a serious matter, not a joke. Drinking, partying and staying out late take a toll on students' classroom performance. While parents are concerned about drug abuse, many fail to recognize that alcohol is the drug most frequently abused by youngsters, as well as adults.

Excerpted from The National PTA Talks to Parents: How to Get the Best Education for Your Child.

Bridging the Great Homework Divide:

A solutions guide for parents of middle school students

In a recent survey, parents and middle school students reported that they are challenged by the demands of homework. Responses to the survey, titled The Great Homework Divide, indicate that students and their parents are struggling to adjust to the middle school workload, which can be both heavier and more varied than previously experienced by these students in a typical elementary school:

• Two-thirds of parents (66 percent) say that their middle school student seeks their help with homework.
• More than half of middle school students (57 percent) and their parents (59 percent) report that parents spend at least one hour a night helping with homework.
• Parents also report helping middle school students with homework, on average, two and one-half nights a week.

In cooperation with LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., the National Education Association has developed a solutions guide, titled Bridging the Great Homework Divide: A Solutions Guide for Parents of Middle School Students, to help parents and middle school students meet the homework challenges they may face.

REASONS FOR HOMEWORK

Teachers assign homework for many reasons—to give students an opportunity to review class lessons, to measure students’ understanding of those lessons, and to help students extend their learning by finding and using new information on a subject. Homework can be an extension of the classroom; it allows students to practice applying skills they have already learned.   Homework also can benefit parents because it offers them a chance to learn what their children are expected to accomplish during the school year.

A HEAVIER MIDDLE SCHOOL HOMEWORK LOAD

Frequently, middle school teachers in all subjects assign nightly homework—and some teachers may add longer term projects, such as research papers, projects, and reports. The Great Homework Divide survey found the average sixth grader has 60–90 minutes of homework per night, and seventh and eighth graders can have homework that requires them to devote as much as two hours. More homework from more teachers requires students to develop organizational and planning skills. Parents can play an important role in their children’s success by providing a support system for meeting homework requirements.

STRICTER HOMEWORK POLICIES

Middle school students often face more exacting standards about how homework should be completed and the effect of homework on final grades than they previously experienced in elementary school. Many middle school teachers mandate that assignments be turned in on time and in a specific style or format. It is not uncommon for a teacher in middle school to give zero credit for late homework or to grade down for not following homework guidelines.

It is important for parents and teachers to work as a team when it comes to students' completing homework and receiving a quality public education and life-long learning experiences. Ensuring students' success is a shared responsibility. We have compiled some tips to help ease the challenges of the homework transition for middle school students:

1. Be prepared

• Assume your child will have studying to do every night. Even if they do not have a specific assignment to complete, establish and maintain regular homework time. If students do not have any homework on a particular night, suggest that they study for upcoming tests, do background research for long term assignments, review notes from class, or read a book.
• Set up a comfortable location for doing homework. Students need a distraction-free place to do homework. The kitchen table, provided there is proper lighting, a clean work surface, and a supportive chair, can be an ideal place. If other family members are using this common area, setting up a desk in your child's room may be the answer. You and your child can pick out lighting, a seat cushion, and other accessories together. Avoid letting your child do homework in an environment that is too comfortable, such as on a bed or a couch.
• Make sure your child has the necessary supplies.Many middle school teachers require specific tools, such as red pens, highlighters, graph paper, calculators, and three-hole punches. They may also expect students to have access to a computer and the Internet, which most school and public libraries make available for everyone's use.
• Work with your child’s outside activity schedule and preferences when setting up a regular homework time. Many middle school students have an assortment of outside activities that may leave them few opportunities for doing homework. Try to make it easier by establishing a routine homework time. Some children have a better attention span in the afternoon or evening and can order their priorities based on their family schedules.
• Help your child get organized. It is a good idea—and often a teacher's requirement—for your child to keep a schedule planner. Encourage your child to write down all assignments daily and even use the planner to maintain a longer-term "to-do" list. Students may enjoy checking off assignments as they are completed, allowing them to easily see the progress made over time in keeping up with their work.

2. Understand teachers' policies and expectations

• Ensure that your child knows each teacher's homework policy. Most middle school teachers either hand out a printed summary of homework expectations or post it on the class Web site at the beginning of the school year or new semester. Review the expectations together and have your child keep the summary in a personal binder or in a safe place at home that is easily accessible.
• Encourage your child to ask questions.Some middle school students are nervous about asking their teachers about assignments or instructions they don't understand. Reinforce the notion that teachers want students to ask questions before leaving the classroom or school for the day so that they have the information they need to complete assignments properly.
• Remind your child to visit teachers if needed.Teachers often make a point to be in the classroom before school, at lunch, or after school. If students are still having trouble understanding homework assignments, encourage them to take a few minutes to discuss homework questions with the teacher when they can talk one-on-one.

3. Be available and teach by example

• Make yourself available during homework time. While you've probably had a long day, just like your child, and may want to watch a TV show or run errands, it can benefit you both if you are nearby while they do homework. You may consider using this time to read, pay bills, or do paperwork that you can easily set aside if your child needs assistance with homework. Once everyone's work is done, maybe that walk outside or favorite family activity can be a treat for you all to share.  
• Stop by and check in while your child does homework, offering your support and advice. Teachers believe parents are the best source of motivation for students. You may serve as a sounding board as your child works through interesting ideas or challenging problems.
• Show interest in your child's schoolwork and discuss what your child is learning.Although they might not admit it, middle school students still like to know that their parents are interested in what they do. Ask questions about school that day, new homework assignments, or what your child likes or does not like about a particular lesson, class, or subject.
• Watch for signs of failure or frustration. If you sense that your child is getting frustrated or discouraged, try to provide guidance without necessarily providing answers. Sometimes suggesting that your child take a short break can be the best advice you can give. Offer to talk through the problem following the break. Your positive attitude about working through frustrations also can be part of the learning process. You will be helping your child to develop a healthy ability to stick with problems until they can be solved.

4. Identify other resources

• Don't hesitate to line up extra support if needed. If your child is having regular problems completing the homework for a certain subject, it may be time to schedule a conference with the teacher for you and your child. A teacher may be willing to offer suggestions for tutors or small-group study sessions in your area. Some schools offer peer tutoring or, in some instances, local high school students or community members may volunteer as tutors at the middle school.
• Get to know the guidance counselors and other school employees. Education support professionals generally know all of the students in the school, and their relationship with your child will continue as they advance from one grade to the next. In addition to teachers, other school employees can be great resources for homework assistance.
• Encourage your child to find homework buddies.It is always a good idea for children to identify a homework buddy in each class, someone they can call with questions or if they miss class.
• Consider providing technology aids to boost homework help.You may want to take advantage of the many technology-based tools now available. Today, parents can choose from a variety of educational software programs, a vast array of online resources, and even a new technology such as LeapFrog's FLY™ Pentop Computer, which serves as a homework coach for difficult subjects.

5. Stay in touch with your children's teachers

• E-mail can be an effective way to maintain regular contact with middle school teachers. The typical middle school teacher has about 150 students, many more than grade school teachers have. While this may limit the time teachers are available to talk with you by phone or meet with you in person, e-mail can be a great way to catch them during their daily breaks and in the evening. Check to see whether your child's teacher has access to e-mail.
• Let teachers know of any significant changes at home.Especially because they have so many students, middle school teachers need to have all the information possible regarding things that are going on with your family that may affect your child’s school performance.
• Get involved where you can. Unlike elementary school, parents in middle school are not often requested to help in the classroom. But you can make an effort to participate by offering to assist in the classroom for special projects, to drive and chaperone on field trips, or to share some relevant expertise.

6. Nurture your child's interests

• Inspire learning outside of school.Children who see opportunities for learning everywhere are more likely to view schoolwork as an extension of their interest in the world, rather than as a burden. If they enjoy sports, encourage them to hunt for articles in the paper or magazines about their favorite teams. If they love the arts, share reviews of movies or plays from newspapers and magazines. If you have a budding scientist, explore local parks and look for interesting plants to identify and study.
• Find activities that parallel what your child is studying in school. Learning expands for children who live what they learn in school. If your child is studying a foreign language, check out a popular teen movie in that language from the library or find a cookbook with recipes from that country to prepare together. Visit a museum exhibit on mummies if your child is studying ancient Egypt. Encourage your child to use new math or writing skills to balance an allowance budget or to write a poem or essay for a local contest.  

LEAPFROG, the LeapFrog logo, and FLY are trademarks or registered trademarks
of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. © 2006 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
© Copyright 2002-2006 National Education Association.

National Summer Learning Day—July 12

Summer is a time when kids relax and recharge their batteries for the coming school year. On the downside, it's often accompanied by 'summer slide'—a loss in knowledge and academic skills. In the fall, teachers typically spend six weeks (or longer) revisiting material that students covered the previous year, just to bring them up to speed. How can parents help their kids retain learning, and still provide the relaxation they need?

With a little planning, parents can structure a summer vacation that balances work and play. Here are some ideas:

• Learning camps are a great way for kids to have fun and stay intellectually engaged. From crafts to computers, there's a camp for every avocation. And since many cities offer free or low-cost camps, more families can take advantage.

• Plan family outings to museums, zoos, and cultural attractions. Nearly every major city has a natural history museum—a perennial favorite with kids. Also, exploratoriums offer the allure of hands-on fun while teaching science.

• Make regular trips to the public library. If they don't already have them, get library cards for all family members—and use them often. Let children see that reading for pleasure, as well as information, is an important part of your life. You can use our reading lists to choose books that will keep kids turning those pages!

  • Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
  • Kids' Top 100 Books
  • Asian-American Booklist
  • Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist
  • 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
  • Celebrity Book Picks
  • 50 State Booklist
  • Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
  • Native American Booklist
  • African American Booklist
  • Authors' Favorites Booklist
    

• Introduce kids to educational Web sites that can help keep their skills sharp. Check out the American Library Association's links to Great Web Sites for Kids.

For more information on National Summer Learning Day, and about keeping kids engaged in learning throughout the summer, visit www.summerlearning.org/summerlearningday/.

Check out these sites to help you help your kids get the most out of school.

(Please note that the WEA does not control the content of the sites pointed to below--they are entirely the responsibility of the respective webmasters. While we believe these sites to be generally of high quality, parents should carefully monitor their children's use of the Internet to ensure that specific sites do not contain links to more questionable content.)

• National Education Association
  A look at the issues that shape the future of education in America.
• Wyoming Department of Education
  All you need to know about education in Wyoming.
• PBS Parents
  Check this site out for tips on fun parenting along with issues and advice.
• U.S. Department of Education Family Involvement Initiative
  Lots of well-organized and useful information for parents PLUS links to other interesting education-related web sites.
• Ask Dr. Math
  If you have a question related to math, then it's most likely been answered here!
• Yahooligans!
  The first web guide for kids, this handy resource leads users to content appropriate for children. The Yahooligans! interface retains the familiar look and feel of the popular Yahoo! site while integrating more youth-oriented graphics.
• Family Education Network
  A unique membership-based online service designed to help families get more involved in their children's education.

Family Fun
Check out this award-winning Web site which focuses on innovative activities for families and practical ideas for busy parents.

Wyoming PTA
Find out how to get involved in your school.

National PTA
Click here to see how parents can be educational partners.

Keep your kids safe online

WiredSafety.org offers a large collection of resources on keeping kids safe online. Learn about cyberbullying, online scams, spyware, safe surfing, and good e-mail practices. You'll find parent's guides to understanding online safety issues, links to safe sites for kids of all ages, and tips to protect your family's privacy online.

Translate your kid's cyberlanguage

Do you know what PAW means? How about LUWAMH? It's hard to keep an eye on your kids online when you don't speak the same language. Teenangels.org, a division of WiredSafety.org, offers a downloadable chat lingo translator and an updated list of common acronyms used in instant messaging and text messaging. Netlingo.com is another source for the shorthand and acronyms used in online communication.

How to talk to your child's teacher

Your child receives a bad grade, and you want to discuss it with her teacher—without either of you getting defensive. The right words can make all the difference. Author Sam Horn has simple tips for talking with teachers and principals that'll help you raise concerns effectively and work together on solutions.

Discipline problems hurt student learning

Teachers and parents believe that a few persistent troublemakers cause most discipline problems in schools -- but that those few are interfering with other students' learning and causing teachers to leave the profession, according to a new study from Public Agenda. Eight in 10 teachers say students are quick to threaten to sue over being disciplined. The study found that parents and teachers generally support the same remedies for restoring order in classrooms. Read more about the study , "Teaching Interrupted." 

Give kids good schools

Here's an easy way to help put a quality teacher in every classroom. At GiveKidsGoodSchools.com, a new national campaign from the Public Education Network, you can send an e-mail to your governor demanding that good teachers be a top priority in your state.

Preparing your child for Kindergarten and beyond

Children's earliest experiences can make a big difference in how their brains develop and how well they do in school. That's why finding good child care and preschool programs that help children to learn and grow is so important. Parents' Action for Children offers tips for finding quality child care and preschool programs, as well as advice to help you decide what type of arrangement is best for your child.

Reading tips for spanish-speaking parents

Reading Rockets, a multimedia initiative of PBS station WETA, created Colorín Colorado! , the first major Web site specifically for Spanish-speaking parents to help their children learn to read. Featuring beautiful illustrations from Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz and entertaining video clips of celebrities such as the late Celia Cruz, Miguel Varoni and author Pat Mora, the site also includes downloadable resources for teachers and librarians to distribute to parents in their own communities.

Web site points Hispanic students to scholarships

Get easy access to more than 1,000 sources of college financial aid at the Hispanic Scholarship Directory Web site. Sponsored by NEA and the National Hispanic Press Foundation, the site includes college application guidelines and a scholarship database searchable by state, college, and field of interest.

Develop MegaSkills!

MegaSkills programs, now in over 3000 schools in 48 states, serve diverse communities by training teachers to conduct workshops and provide home learning "recipes" for families. Evaluation indicates higher achievement scores, decreased TV watching, increased homework time, higher attendance and decreased discipline incidents.

Math help: go figure!

The Figure This! Mathematics Challenges for FamiliesWeb site offered by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics provides interesting math challenges that middle school students can do at home with their families. Looking for more math resources? NEA has compiled a list.

PBS's award-winning 'Between the Lions'

NEA has endorsed the "Between the Lions" TV show for kids 4-7. The series offers educationally sound reading instruction that combines phonics and whole language. Airing weekdays on PBS, Between the Lions is set in a magical library run by a family of big "cats" lions Theo, Cleo, Lionel and Leona who run a library where characters pop off the pages of books, vowels sing and words take on a life of their own.

Public Agenda studies child-rearing challenges

Public Agenda has conducted a number of research reports on family and education topics. The latest, "All Work and No Play?" explores what parents and kids want from out-of-school time. "What Parents Are Saying About TV Today" outlines parents' concerns about sex, violence and profanity on TV, while questions about pop culture, drugs and crime figure in "A Lot Easier Said Than Done: Parents Talk About Raising Children in Today's America". "Playing Their Parts: What Parents and Teachers Really Mean by Parental Involvement" looks at the ways parents and teachers agree -- and disagree -- about what parents should be doing in their kids' schools.

Join the Public Education Network

The non-profit Public Education Network (PEN) believes "that equal opportunity, access to quality public schools and an informed citizenry are all critical components of a democratic society. PEN's goal is to ensure that the availability of high-quality public education is every child's right and not a privilege."

PTA has To say

The National PTA , the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States, offers parents substantial resources to help them ensure "the success of your child in school, with friends, and in life."

PTO Today focuses on parent group leaders

Founded in the Spring of 1999, PTO Today, Inc. is a resource for parent group leaders and serves as a connection between those leaders and parent group marketers. Their Web site, www.ptotoday.com , is intended "to facilitate sharing among parent leaders."

Librarians' picks

The American Library Association recommends quality booklists and Web sites for parents, kids, teens and families, as well as tips for keeping kids safe online.

Family-school partnerships pay off for kids

The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education "advocates the involvement of parents and families in their children's education, and fosters relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education of all our nation's young people."

Reading Rockets, a multimedia initiative of PBS station WETA, created Colorín Colorado! It’s the first major Web site specifically for Spanish-speaking parents to help their children learn to read. Featuring beautiful illustrations from Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz and entertaining video clips of celebrities such as the late Celia Cruz, Miguel Varoni and author Pat Mora, the site also includes downloadable resources for teachers and librarians to distribute to parents in their own communities.

Parent’s Guides Available in English and Spanish

NEA’s popular guides for parents, available in English and Spanish, cover a variety of topics and offer tips and advice to help you help your child succeed.  All resources listed are at nea.org/parents.

• A Parent’s Guide to Testing at Your Child’s School -- Guía de padres de familia sobre los exámenes de sus hijos en la escuela 
• A Parent’s Guide to Raising Ready Readers (A joint project of NEA and National PTA) -- Guía de padres de familia para incentivar a sus hijos a leer
• A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Learn to Read (A joint project of NEA and National PTA) -- Guía de padres de familia para ayudar a sus hijos a aprender a leer
• A Parent’s Guide to Choosing Supplemental Service Providers (A joint project of NEA and National PTA) -- Guía de padres de familia para escoger proveedores de servicios suplementarios 
• A Parent’s Guide to School Involvement (A joint project of NEA and National PTA) -- Guía para la participación de los padres de familia en las escuelas de sus hijos
• A Parent’s Guide to Supporting School Success -- Guía de padres de familia para ayudar a sus hijos lograr el éxito escolar

Web Site Points Hispanic Students to Scholarships

Get easy access to more than 1,000 sources of college financial aid at the Hispanic Scholarship Directory Web site . Sponsored by NEA and the National Hispanic Press Foundation, the site includes college application guidelines and a scholarship database searchable by state, college, and field of interest.

TV can be a family affair.

Parents: Are you wondering what you can do to keep TV from having a harmful effect on your kids? Try some of these tips:

Watch TV with your children

• Help them select the right TV programs by checking the TV listings in advance.
• Watch programs that are fair in their treatment of people.
• Watch programs that are not violent or too sophisticated in content.
• Plan with children what shows they can watch - whether you are home or away.
• Be aware that public television has special programming.
• Watch for programs especially geared to children.

TV - Keep it under control.

• Insist on a limit to TV time.
• Discuss what's "real" and what's "unreal" on TV and in life.
• Talk about how violence can be harmful - real people hurt when injured.
• Provide adequate light in the TV area.
• Watch for tiredness, listlessness, glassy eyes, trance-like states- signs of poor health or too much TV.
• Talk about other ways problems could have been solved than the way they were in the TV story.
• Make meals a family event - don't eat in front of the TV set.
• Select food carefully - not what a TV character urges kids to eat.

Parents ask, "What can I do?"

TV time takes time from other activities that are very important to a child's development - homework, physical activity, creative expression, learning individual skills. TV does not have to be watched all the time.

Here are a few things that can be done instead:

• Read to your children, or encourage them to read for the same amount of time they watch TV.
• Encourage children to finish their homework before watching TV.
• Plan enjoyable mental and physical activities both indoors and outdoors.
• Avoid using TV as a baby-sitter; help your children learn to entertain themselves.
• Avoid excessive or violent TV viewing in your home.
• And remember there's another choice - turn the set OFF.

Is TV harmful to children?

Examine these facts . . .

• The average child sees 11,000 television murders by age 14.
• Violent behavior on TV may cause aggression in children. Horror is damaging.
• Children copy what they see or hear. They don't know real vs. unreal, violent vs. non-violent, bad vs. good behavior. They become confused. Some have been hospitalized after trying to imitate TV characters.
• Children eat too much junk food while watching TV and don't get enough exercise.

• Children who watch TV late at night often don't do their homework, are sleepy in school the next day and have a shorter attention span.
• Reading skills do not develop when the child watches TV excessively instead of reading.
• Children who don't play with friends haven't learned the social skills necessary for classroom interaction.
• Two or more TV sets split families. Family life is sacrificed.
• Children need "time out"- a quiet time to think - for better mental health.

We care about your kids

Your caring makes a teacher's caring mean so much more. Caring is more than a matter of love and dedication. Your children's' teachers have plenty of both. But a teacher's caring alone is not enough. Your children should know you care, too.

Be involved, interested and concerned. Then and only then can your children get the most out of the caring their teachers give them.

Teachers and parents ... the more we work together, the more we'll help your children.

The tragic acts of terrorism, the violence shown on television -- these are unprecedented in the American experience. Children, like many people, may be confused or frightened by the news and will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and schools can help children cope first and foremost by establishing a sense of safety and security. Adults can help children work through their emotions and perhaps even use the process as a learning experience.

Here is some useful information.

- What All Adults Should Do
- What Parents Can Do
- What Schools Can Do
- For More Information

All adults should:

1. Model calm and control. Children take their emotional cues from the significant adults in their lives. Avoid appearing anxious or frightened.
   
2. Reassure children that they are safe and so are the other important adults in their lives. Explain that these buildings were targeted for their symbolism and that schools, neighborhoods, and regular office buildings are not at risk.
   
3. Remind them that trustworthy people are in charge. Explain that the government, emergency workers, police, fireman, doctors, and even the military are helping people who are hurt and are working to ensure that no further tragedies occur.
   
4. Let children know that it is okay to feel upset. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy like this occurs. Let children talk about their feelings and help put them into perspective. Even anger is okay, but children may need help and patience from adults to assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.
   
5. Observe children's emotional state. Depending on their age, children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can also indicate a child's level of grief, anxiety or discomfort. Children will express their emotions differently. There is no right or wrong way to feel or express grief.
   
6. Tell children the truth. Don't try to pretend the event has not occurred or that it is not serious. Children are smart. They will be more worried if they think you are too afraid to tell them what is happening.
   
7. Stick to the facts. Don't embellish or speculate about what has happened and what might happen. Don't dwell on the scale or scope of the tragedy, particularly with young children.
   
8. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate. Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that the daily structures of their lives will not change. Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. They will be more committed to doing something to help the victims and affected community. For all children, encourage them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Be a good listener!

What parents can do

1. Focus on your children over the next day or so. Tell them you love them and everything will be okay. Try to help them understand what has happened, keeping in mind their developmental level.
   
2. Make time to talk with your children. Remember if you do not talk to your children about this incident someone else will. Take some time and determine what you wish to say.
   
3. Stay close to your children. Your physical presence will reassure them and give you the opportunity to monitor their reaction. Many children will want actual physical contact. Give plenty of hugs. Let them sit close to you, and make sure to take extra time at bedtime to cuddle and to reassure them that they are loved and safe.
   
4. Limit the amount of your child's television viewing of these events. If they must watch, watch with them for a brief time; then turn the set off. Don't sit mesmerized re-watching the same events over and over again.
   
5. Maintain a "normal" routine. To the extent possible stick to your family's normal routine for dinner, homework, chores, bedtime, etc., but don't be inflexible. Children may have a hard time concentrating on schoolwork or falling asleep at night.
   
6. Spend extra time reading or playing quiet games with your children before bed. These activities are calming, foster a sense of closeness and security, and reinforce a sense of normalcy. Spend more time tucking them in. Let them sleep with a light on if they ask for it.
   
7. Safeguard your children's physical health. Stress can take a physical toll on children as well as adults. Make sure your children get appropriate sleep, exercise and nutrition.
   
8. Consider praying or thinking hopeful thoughts for the victims and their families. It may be a good time to take your children to church or the synagogue, write a poem, or draw a picture to help your child express their feelings and feel that they are somehow supporting the victims and their families.
   
9. Find out what resources your school has in place to help children cope. Most schools are likely to be open and often are a good place for children to regain a sense of normalcy. Being with their friends and teachers can help. Schools should also have a plan for making counseling available to children and adults who need it.

1. Assure children that they are safe and that schools are well prepared to take care of all children at all times.
   
2. Maintain structure and stability within the schools. It would be best, however, not to have tests or major projects within the next few days.
   
3. Have a plan for the first few days back at school. Include school psychologists, counselors and crisis team members in planning the school's response.
   
4. Provide teachers and parents with information about what to say and do for children in school and at home.
   
5. Have teachers provide information directly to their students, not during the public address announcements.
   
6. Have school psychologists and counselors available to talk to student and staff who may need or want extra support.
   
7. Be aware of students who may have recently experienced a personal tragedy or a have personal connection to victims or their families. Even a child who has been to visit the Pentagon or the World Trade Center may feel a personal loss. Provide these students extra support and leniency if necessary.
   
8. Know what community resources are available for children who may need extra counseling. School psychologists can be very helpful in directing families to the right community resources.
   
9. Allow time for age appropriate classroom discussion and activities. Do not expect teachers to provide all of the answers. They should ask questions and guide the discussion, but not dominate it. Other activities can include art and writing projects, play acting, and physical games.
   
10. Be careful not to stereotype people or countries that might be home to the terrorists. Children can easily generalize negative statements and develop prejudice.
    
11. Refer children who exhibit extreme anxiety, fear or anger to mental health counselors in the school. Inform their parents.
    
12. Provide an outlet for students' desire to help. Consider making get well cards or sending letters to the families and survivors of the tragedy, or writing thank you letters to doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals as well as emergency rescue workers, firefighters and police.
    
13. Monitor or restrict viewing of this horrendous event as well as the aftermath.

For more information

For information on helping children and youth with this crisis, contact NASP at (301) 657-0270 or visit NASP's Web site at www.nasponline.org

National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 657-0270, Fax (301) 657-0275

Helping your teenager get the most out of school

For many parents, dealing with a teenager is perplexing. Teenagers require special patience and wisdom. Here's help with some of the common concerns - particularly how parents can help make the school years more productive.

Letting teenagers know you care

The fundamentals of good discipline include:

Setting standards

Don't assume children know what you expect. Tell them.

• Apply those standards consistently
• Show concern for the child 's self-esteem

The behavior may be unacceptable, but the child is still a worthwhile, loved human being. Make sure you say that. The particular needs of teenagers include:

Reasonable academic standards

The assumption is that teenagers need to be pushed, that they're not performing to ability. That's true for many. But others push themselves too hard, and that's just as damaging. You need to be sensitive to your child's abilities and attitudes.

Responsibility for their own actions

Painful as it may be for both children and parents, teenagers must accept the consequences of their behavior.

When children have problems, it is tempting to rescue them. But teenagers are becoming adults; they must learn firsthand that we're all accountable for our actions.

If a teen is in trouble parents often ask, "Where did we go wrong?" That question can only lead to blame and self-doubt. A healthier question is, "How can we help our child to go right?"

Sensing that their parents respect them

Even when you "know" your children are wrong, you must listen to them. Sharing feelings and reasons is essential to their well-being as well as to our understanding. If you stop listening, they'll stop talking.

Recognizing the impact of peer pressure

To many teenagers, their friends' views are more important than their parents' views. Downgrading those friends or their views usually drives the teenager even further away.

On the other hand, don't relinquish your role and become "one of the gang." Children need responsible adults with high standards who care about their welfare. Respect the fact that peer pressure exists, but tell your children when you think that pressure is leading them in the wrong direction - and why.

Discipline and school:
How parents can help understand the school's discipline code

Most districts have a written policy on discipline. It outlines unacceptable behavior and establishes penalties. Ask your child, or the school, for a copy. Read it. You gain the respect of your teenager and the school staff when you take an interest in the rules of behavior. Stress the importance of an orderly school environment.

If your teen has a problem, contact the school. Both you and the school staff want what's best for your child. Be positive. Ask how you can help.

Encourage regular attendance

Understand the policies of the school. Sometimes academic standing is affected by absences. The school needs to know if there is a special problem. Check to see that your child makes up the work he missed when absent.

Let your child know that his record will follow him and that employers put a high premium on regular attendance. Teachers recognize that frequent absences are often a sign of other problems. It's better to consult with both your teenager and the school before there's a need for them to contact you.

Attend parent-teacher conferences

Virtually every school conducts regularly scheduled conferences. Unfortunately, parents of teenagers often neglect these conferences. Don't. Look at conferences as an opportunity to:

• Learn what will be happening in class that year and how you can help.
• Provide information that will help the teacher work with your child.
• Ask about the evaluation system. What do grades mean? How are they determined?

Work with teachers

Sometimes a particular concern arises and you would like to talk to an individual teacher. Do so! KNEA teachers welcome the interest and help of parents. Whether you or the teacher arranges that conference, remember:

• Contact the teacher first. If you feel the problem has not been resolved, ask for a joint conference with a guidance counselor or the principal. If you go over the head of the teacher, you are sending the wrong message to both the teacher and your child.
• A decision to include the child, or anyone else, should be a mutual one.
• Listen with an open mind. Share your feelings and concerns calmly.
• Remember that the goal is to resolve the problem, not to assign blame.
• Working with teenagers is a challenge. Cooperation between the school and parents makes that job easier for everyone!

Summer solutions

When classes end for the summer, your middle grader's mind doesn't have to go on vacation. Consider the following activities. Like these families, you can combine fun and learning.

Regular reading.
"My son volunteers in the library's 'Book Buddy' program. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the librarian matches him with a first-grader. Sometimes he reads aloud; sometimes the child does. My son's reading has improved, and I'm surprised at how patient he is with his younger buddies."

Backyard business.
"Every year my granddaughter and her best friend pass out flyers to family, friends, and neighbors. They offer to pet-sit, garden, and baby-sit. Business is great! The girls have to put half the money they earn in the bank. Not only are they learning to budget, they're also learning how to market a business and schedule their time."

Community central.
"The local recreation center offers lots of free or inexpensive programs. Every week we check the paper to see what's scheduled. My daughter really enjoys the art programs and slide shows about different places and animals. She and her friends also attend the sports programs, movies, and supervised teen parties."

While kids need some time to relax over the summer, they can't stop reading. Kids who don't read through the summer may slip far back in their learning by fall.

Here are some fun ways to keep your kids reading:

• Read it, then do it. Does your child want to learn magic tricks? Juggling? Computer games? There's sure to be a book that can help him. Have your child read the instructions and then give it a try.
• Look it up. When your kids ask questions you can't answer, write them down. The next time you're in the library, choose one or two questions. See if you can be "detectives" and find the answers.
• Read magazines. Especially in the summer, magazines are a great way to keep reading. They can be rolled up and stuffed into beach bags or backpacks. The articles aren't long and usually have pictures.
• Look for lighter reading. Ask the librarian to recommend books kids love. Try joke books or other books that will make your child laugh.
• Set a schedule. Each day, make sure there's some time for everyone in the family to read. When your kids are quietly reading, you can curl up with a book yourself.

It's smart and easy to keep kids learning all summer long. They can go to museums, the library, the zoo and more.

But there are many other places to learn in your community that you might not think of.

They are familiar places. But when you take children there to learn, they'll see their community in a whole new light!

To make learning an adventure, consider taking children to:

A garden store or nursery. This is where you can find some hands-on science. Observe nursery workers planting and pruning. Introduce children to "natural pest controls" - lady bugs and praying mantises.

The mall. Instead of buying, go on a treasure hunt. Give each person an imaginary $30 to choose something the whole family would enjoy. Discuss value, quality and trends.

A fast food restaurant. What's behind the scenes at your local burger or pizza place? Call the restaurant manager to schedule a tour to find out. Check out the machinery. Talk about nutritional choices.

The ballpark. Here's a place you can reinforce math skills. Help children keep score. Figure batting averages and RBI's. Keep time.

Hometown tour. Imagine you're from another place. Visit local sites including monuments, and natural as well as human-made wonders.

In middle school, even popular and confident kids feel shy at one time or another. But if students are afraid to ask questions, grades may suffer. And shy middle graders are often too embarrassed to meet new friends. Share these facts to help your child understand and cope with shy moments.

• Not everyone is judging you. Shy people often think that everyone is judging them. Some people do judge, but most people are too worried about themselves to worry about anyone else.
  
• Good things can happen if you try. People who are shy usually expect to fail, so they don't try. For example, your daughter wants to try out for the summer play but doesn't because she thinks, "I'll blow it." Encourage her to audition with a friend.
  
• There are alternatives. If your son is too shy to ask questions in class, he could ask at lunch or before school. If your daughter doesn't want to appear onstage, she could still work behind the scenes and meet new people.

Working together to provide your child a quality education

Behind the scenes it takes a lot of good people to make a good school.

It takes a lot of good people, working together. The first person who comes to mind is your child's teacher, but it's important for you to know everyone who is important to your schools, and therefore, to your child's education. We want to be sure you meet and get to know them. We realize that we'll never fully describe all the things these people do (so we'll just mention some highlights), and we understand that some of these people may not be a part of your specific district. On the other hand, you may have people in important jobs that aren't covered here. But in general, these are a few of the key support people at your school--and what they do.

Secretaries

If ever the term "jack-of-all-trades" applies, it applies to the secretaries. They do all the things that secretaries in most businesses do. But they also do a lot of jobs that nobody else in the school does. They are the key people to whom everyone comes for information. Students ask them everything. Parents phone constantly. Teachers ask about all kinds of rules and records. They type correspondence and tests. They make sure attendance records balance. They help find lost books and soothe over little hurts. They register all visitors and new students. They occasionally find lunch money when someone loses it. And sometimes, they keep track of their school's budget.

Custodian/Maintenance

The custodian keeps the school running. The school, with all its different parts, is like a big machine, and the custodian must know everything about running it. Operating the boilers that keep the school warm requires special training and a special state license. It's a big, vital job. Who fixes the broken oven in the kitchen so your children can have hot lunches? The maintenance staff. Who fixes a stuck window so the class can get fresh air? The maintenance staff. Who remodels a classroom so it can be used more effectively? Who fixes the roof and the boilers? The maintenance staff.

Transportation Service

These are the folks who take your children to and from school and take them on those special field trips. In some districts, each one is responsible for driving as many as 400 children a day! And that means knowing them all well, so that everyone is safe and well-behaved. What does the bus driver do when the bus driver isn't driving the bus? Good question. Bus drivers are responsible for the safety and cleanliness of the buses. They make necessary safety checks and keep the buses ship-shape. Occasionally, the bus drivers will do "courier" work, delivering important messages within the school system. They are important people indeed!

Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals

These are really very special people and they help in many different ways. There are teachers' aides who help the teachers and let them spend more of their time in direct instruction. Some schools have library aides, some have cafeteria aides. In some schools, there are clerical aides, playground aides, or even bus aides. If there's an important job in the school that really needs some help, aides help.

And that's just the beginning

It's important to reemphasize: a good school includes all of these people--and others--people who work, as a team, to keep your schools running efficiently and your children learning better. For example, in some schools it is tremendously important to have security personnel who help reduce the costs of vandalism, remove any threat of violence, or simply ease the occasional anxiety of a young child walking to school. How can you measure the value of a school nurse who's always there to bandage a sore thumb or take a temperature? School nurses teach and heal in many ways. And the librarian who helps uncover a vast new world that the children will explore for a lifetime? And the people who work in the cafeteria making sure your children get balanced, nutritious meals? And the counselors who guide them in making important decisions? And, of course, there's the principal who tries to help all of these people work together, so your children get a better education.

By mentioning these people, we're sure we've left out others who deserve to be cited. The point is this: your children's classroom is certainly the focal point of their education. But it is the whole school staff family that supports learning and makes it possible for your child to get a good education.

1. Your child's health is reflected in most areas of schooling and should be cared for by you and your physician and dentist. Any condition of a serious nature should be reported to the school. You should continue to emphasize personal hygiene and cleanliness. Diet is of prime importance. A good breakfast to start off each day is important. Follow through on eye and ear screenings and routine immunizations. Consult your child's physical education teacher concerning physical development and coordination and how you may assist.
2. See to it that your child has enough sleep each day and is properly dressed for weather conditions. The child should be kept home from school if definite signs of illness such as a rise in temperature, a suspicious rash or a severe cough are noted. Send a note to explain an absence when the child returns to school. Be alert for signs of poor vision, such as squinting, frowning or red, watery eyes. Faulty hearing can be indicated by earaches, chronic inattention or by frequent requests that statements be repeated.
3. Encourage the habit of vigorous daily activity. Active play builds strong muscles, which are basic to good health and posture. Join your child in active games and stress good sportsmanship. Encourage participation in creative activities and individual and team sports.
4. Children should be taught their full name, address and telephone number at an early age. Select the safest, most direct walking route to school and check to see that your child uses it. Explain any traffic hazards along the way. Teach your child to stop at the curb or at the side of the road; to look in both directions to be sure there is no traffic or that traffic has stopped before crossing; to WALK across the road in the crosswalk: and to obey a student patrol or adult crossing guard if there is one. Warn your child never to get in a car or accept a ride with a stranger.
5. If your child has to travel to and from school on a bus, they must know the fundamentals of bus safety means to stand well back from the road while waiting for the bus; to always remain seated while the bus is moving; and to keep head and arms inside the bus at all times. When it is necessary to cross the street to board the bus, teach your child to STOP, LOOK and then WALK across the street to the bus only after the bus driver has signaled that it is safe. Children learn very quickly from experience. Why not ride a bus with your child and demonstrate the fundamentals of bus safety? If your child is permitted to ride a bicycle to school, be sure the child knows and obeys bicycle laws. The bicycle should be checked frequently to be sure the brakes are working properly and that the handlebars and seat are not loose.
6. Does your child "hate" a certain subject? Find out why. Your child may need extra help. Maybe your own aversion to a certain subject has caused it. Seek the reason behind the dislike, then enlist the teacher's help so that you can work together to conquer it.
7. Learn as much as you can from the school principal and staff about school curriculum, teaching methods, club activities. Then you can give your child help that fits realistically into everyday learning programs.
8. REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.

1. Read to your child often. Make a pleasant experience of the event, making sure the session is relaxed and unhurried. Let your child choose a favorite story and explain pictures and answer questions about it. As time goes by you can stop in the middle of a familiar story and ask what happens next. This encourages memory skills and reinforces the material in the text.
2. Begin talking to your child from infancy. Make sounds, call attention to sounds and connect them with objects and events. Talk to the child and explain activities as you perform them. Listen and encourage conversation with you. Answer questions patiently and as promptly as possible. Play listening games with your child. A good bedtime game is to listen quietly and identify as many sounds as possible - heartbeats, breathing, traffic. Listening attentively is essential in learning.
3. When your child is learning to read, try "labeling" household objects with the child's name printed in bold letters on masking tape; encourage the reading of signs, posters, everything.
4. Besides regular children's materials, read aloud from ordinary books, magazines, newspapers, advertisements. Your child will begin to recognize the fact that the printed word is a part of every day life that conveys useful, interesting and amusing information. Set a good example by reading yourself in the child's presence, thus establishing the idea that reading is an enjoyable and rewarding activity.
5. Introduce your child to the wonders of the public library at an early age. Sometimes during shopping trips browse there answering questions about various books and other printed materials. As soon as possible, a child should be allowed to apply for a library card and choose books. Encourage frequent use of the school library. Read and discuss books brought home for possible school projects or during family sharing periods. Subscribe to a children's magazine. Children love the idea of having their very own periodical.
6. Make certain the reading area is comfortable and well-lit. Take special note of any signs of reading difficulty that may be caused by poor eyesight. If such problems are noted, take prompt action either through your own physician or through the school nurse's office.
7. Search out the better television programs for children. Public television, especially, provides a wealth of interesting and educational programming. Take the opportunity to watch some of the productions along with your child. Discuss the programs. Note comments and try to answer questions. When words are shown, ask that they be read to you or you read them to the child.
8. Before you select books for birthday or Christmas, ask the teacher's advice. Books tailored for the child's age-group and skill in reading as well as those that dovetail with topics and times being studied in school will make the book more readable and therefore more enjoyable. Also when selecting books for gifts provide those of "special" interest to the child.
9. When your child is writing a school report, show that information from several sources is better than relying on just one book. This way the child will get acquainted with the wide world of "available sources" that are on any given topic.
10. Hang up a large chalkboard on which to write messages. Have a family bulletin board, too, and occasionally pin up cartoons and short magazine articles you think your child will enjoy.
11. Encourage the writing and addressing of personal greeting cards, invitations and thank you notes, writing your grocery lists putting names in your address book. Suggest a backyard "mail box for exchanging regular letters with the child next door. Write notes and letters to your children. Encourage a written reply. Give praise for all efforts in writing.
12. Word games like Scrabble can help increase your child's vocabulary and improve spelling. There are many games that have junior versions. Ask the salesperson.
13. If at any age your child seems "turned off by reading, don't make an issue of it. Casually leave "irresistible" books around - books on whatever the child's current interests are.

REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.

It can be a parent's worst nightmare. A rainy day in the summer. Suddenly you're trapped with a house full of antsy kids. But if you plan ahead, you can keep your children entertained despite the weather.

Here are a few tips:

• Keep a collection of old - but entertaining - clothing so that your kids can play dress-up. Some items may include hats, shoes, dresses, wigs and trousers with suspenders. You'll be surprised what sorts of games kids will play when they take on new characters in their new clothes.
  
  
• A puppet show can cure boredom. Make a stage out of old cardboard boxes or even buy one and have the kids help make puppets out of old socks or popsicle sticks.
  
  
• Have an indoor picnic. Pack a basket of goodies, spread a blanket out on the floor and pretend you're in the woods.
  
  
• Be on the lookout for fun pictures that you find in magazines and newspapers. Cut these out and keep them in an old shoe box or ice-cream bucket then let kids pick out three pictures each. Ask them to make up a story that involves each of the pictures that they have chosen.
  
  
• Bake and decorate cookies. Make multicolored frosting using a few drops of food coloring mixed with plain white icing. Kids can use toothpicks to decorate the cookies. Don't forget to supply them with plenty of sprinkles.

Read!

Make history come alive with this interesting project.

Together, write letters or send e-mail to relatives and friends. Or, post a sign at a senior citizen center asking for pen pals. You might ask questions like these:

• Where were you born?
• What were your favorite activities when you were 12?
• What happened in the world when you were my age?
• Do you remember the moon landing?
• Were you alive during a war? What was it like?

Your family will enjoy reading the letters. And your kids will discover that "history" happened to people they know. (Hint: Remind your children to send thank-you notes.)

1. Help your child learn all that is possible about the natural world in which we live. Encourage curiosity in the area of geography, land formations, climate and weather. Try to answer questions when your child is young and, when older, explain to your child how to find the answers. Discuss current events, encourage the reading of newspapers and periodicals and the watching of local and national news telecasts.
2. Provide your child with social studies research materials, including a dictionary, atlas, globe and almanac. A map of the city and gasoline road maps are excellent for plotting trips and helping the child understand geographic relationships. Keep the research items conveniently close to the TV set for use during news and documentary programs.
3. Widen your child's horizons with visits to the airport, the docks, the courthouse, the museum, a historic landmark, a factory, a newspaper or whatever is available in your community. Some television stations and local newspapers schedule guided tours.
4. On trips, provide your youngster with notebooks and pencils. Encourage the child to draw pictures and make notes of things of interest along the way. Help with the collection of samples to take back to the classroom.
5. Map puzzles are good "learn as you play" items for youngsters. Distinctive shapes of states, countries, and continents form pictures in the child's mind to help your child learn and remember.
6. Discuss the world of work with your child, including the demands of various jobs and professions and the work and training necessary to qualify. Stress the idea that training can begin at an early age and that attention to school work is vital for future success. Feel out notions about future career plans, including personal preferences, inclinations and natural skills.
7. Teach your child the importance of being a good citizen by discussing at the dinner table local candidates for public office, issues and problems of the community. Help with the judgment of each person individually rather than by race, creed, or color, by curbing unthinking remarks about others. Give books that reflect the diversity of American culture. Don't be afraid to guide talk with your teenagers into the fascinating realm of ideas. Junior high and high school students love "bull sessions" on serious topics.
8. REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.

1. Stimulate your child to make use of all senses in discovering the surrounding world. Encourage curiosity about the feel of textures and materials, characteristic smells, sounds, tastes, weights and sizes of things. Train the child to look carefully and to see beyond the surface appearance of the environment.
   
   
2. Children are normally curious and should be encouraged to find answers to questions by patient observation and through the use of references, either at home or in libraries and museums. Let the child manipulate and learn about familiar objects: a dripping faucet, the household water system, a nutcracker, an old doorbell, discarded appliances, locks and door hinges, household plants and gardens. When making household repairs, servicing the family car or other domestic equipment, include your child as an observer. Natural scientific and mechanical skills can be discovered and developed in this way, and many scientific principles can be demonstrated in firsthand and practical ways.
   
   
3. Make certain that you teach your child rules of safety in the handling of electrical, mechanical and chemical equipment. In this modern scientific era, a whole range of educationally approved toys and games are on sale for gift-giving to the budding young scientist in your home. Consider giving a subscription to a scientific magazine, an easy-to-assemble radio earphone set, a general science kit, an ant farm or toy farm that grows real crops, binoculars, an aquarium or terrarium, a chemistry set, a model airplane, a biography of an inventor, a microscope, a telescope or a magnifying glass.
   
   
4. Work with your child on projects such as making bird feeders, caring for pets, setting up a home weather station, observing the night sky and preparing a family vegetable or flower garden. Take the opportunity to confer with the child's science teachers. They welcome such parental interest and can give many useful tips to help you reinforce your child's formal science training.
   
   
5. Encourage your child to be a "collector." Provide a place for collections, even if it is just a dresser drawer, a soapbox, or a shelf in the bookcase. An upended orange crate provides shelves for "display'' of rocks, insects, leaves, stamps, shells. A dime-store picture frame can display summer collections of flowers, leaves or even insects.
   
   
6. REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.
   

1. Give your child practical experience using math at home. Mention the size of containers, such as pints of cream and half gallons of milk. Encourage help when you bake, lay carpet or tile, or seed or fertilize the lawn and allow your child to actually measure ingredients, areas or quantities of material. Use the metric system of measurement to increase the child's knowledge of and proficiency in the use of the metric system.
   
   
2. Before a shopping trip, have your child read newspaper ads and price the cost of items to be purchased. Encourage comparison of prices and quantities marked on containers to determine the best buys. Allow the child to purchase an item and figure out the change to be received. Other ways to help children apply their growing knowledge of mathematics to practical situations are: letting them double check the addition on grocery tapes, manage allowance, read thermometers, barometers or even stop watches. Let them calculate age, weight, height and dimensions, or figure gas purchases and mileage, tolls and other trip expenses. Encourage again the use of the metric system.
   
   
3. Bingo, dominoes, toy telephones, card games, board games, calendars and clocks with large numbers all can help familiarize your child with the world of numbers.
   
   
4. Put your preschool child's counting ability to work. In preparation for meals, let the child count out forks for the table, dinner napkins, pieces of cake, or any other quantity.
   
   
5. If your child is having difficulty with multiplication tables, buy or make flash cards and use them on a regular basis. Children will enjoy giving answers they know and will learn more complex problems through drill. Let your child explain the math papers brought home from school, and take time to help with correction and understanding of mistakes.
   
   
6. Above all ask and listen to your child's daily experiences. Communication is the key to successful learning.

REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.

If your child studies English as a second language:

1. Provide the opportunity to listen to songs, poems, stories or plays in English through the use of records, tapes, television and radio.
   
2. Read books or magazines with your child that seem to attract attention.

If your child is learning a foreign language:

1. Ask the local bookstore clerk if there are games or flash cards in that language.
   
2. Borrow simple foreign-language recordings (recommended by the teacher) from the public library .
   
3. Encourage your child to acquire an overseas "pen pal" in a country which is of particular interest to the child or the language being studied.
   
4. REMEMBER! Listen with interest, encourage and ask questions, be generous with praise, enthusiasm and sympathy. You can bridge the gap between home and school and make learning fun for both you and your child.

Here is some helpful information on how to make back-to-school time go smoothly for the entire family.

• Health and good taste can go together when packing a school lunch.
  
• Nurture the "learning instinct" in children.
  
• Precautions help ensure children's health and safety.
  
• Cultivate cultural arts at home.
  
• Bus safety tips offered to protect student riders.
  
• School should be top priority for working students.
  
• Find inexpensive ways to make your child feel special.
  
• Parent-child activities offer fun ways to learn math.
  
• Good study habits can help in the world of work.

When the opportunity to give a gift presents itself, KNEA members suggest you give the gift of books.

The KNEA Reading Circle Catalog is a great resource. For over 75 years, Reading Circle members have reviewed newly published books and recommended the best to Kansas school and public libraries. The Reading Circle Catalog also includes a list of Kansas titles and authors and William Allen White titles.

Here is a sample list of what you'll find...

Primary Student
(pre-kindergarten - 2nd grade)

• Rudy's Pond by Eve Bunting
  
• Morning, Noon and Night by Jean Craighead George
  
• Summertime by George Gershwin
  
• Flicker Flash by Joan B. Graham
  
• Mole Music by David McPhail
  
• How Big Were the Dinosaurs by Patrick O'Brien
  
• A Little Bit of Winter by Paul Stewart
  
• Red Flower Goes West by Ann Turner
  
• Vera's First Day of School by Vera Rosenberry
  
• Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George

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Intermediate Students
(3rd - 5th grades)

• Swimming With Sharks by Twig C. George
  
• Abraham's Battle: a Novel of Gettysburg by Sara Harrell Banks
  
• I Remember the Alamo by D. Anne Love
  
• Paperboy by Isabelle Holland
  
• Moon Over Tennessee: A Boy's Civil War Journal by Craig Crist-Evans
  
• Good Luck, Mrs. K! by Louise Borden
  
• Play Like a Girl: A Celebration of Women in Sports by Sue Macy and Jane Gottesman
  
• Jeremiah Learns to Read by JoEllen Bogart
  
• The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff
  
• Annabel the Actress Starring in Gorilla My Dreams by Ellen Conford

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Junior High Students
(6th - 8th grades)

• Blackwater by Eve Bunting
  
• The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party by Marian Calabro
  
• Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm
  
• Career Ideas for Kids by Diane L. Reeves
  
• Clara's Schumann: Piano Virtuoso by Susanna Reich
  
• Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs
  
• A Blizzard Year by Gretel Ehrlich
  
• Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
  
• Amelia's War by Ann Rinaldi
  
• Anson's Way by Gary D. Schmidt

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Senior High School Students
(9th grade - young adult)

• When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly W. Holt
  
• Geography of Hope: Black Exodus from the South by Him Haskins
  
• Black Pioneers: An Untold Story by William L. Katz
  
• The Deeper Song by Patricia C. Pfitsch
  
• Lightning in a Drought Year by Michelle Black
  
• Politics American Style by Isobel V. Morin
  
• Atlas of American Migration by Stephen A. Flanders
  
• Pacific War Encyclopedia by James F. Dunnigan
  
• Nightmare Hour by R. L. Stine
  
• Our Nation's Archives by Erik Bruun and Jay Crosby, ed.

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Tips for Reading to Preschoolers

• Snuggle with your child with her favorite blanket or toys as you read.
  
• Read with expression using different voices for different characters.
  
• Emphasize rhythms and rhymes in stories. Give your toddler opportunities to repeat rhyming phrases.
  
• Encourage your child to repeat what you say or comment on it. Encourage your child to ask questions. Provide models of interesting questions and examples of possible answers: "I wonder what is going to happen next? I think the rabbit will get lost because he is not paying attention to where he is going. What do you think?"
  
• Look for books that are about things that interest your toddler. For example, does your child like cars, insects or animals?
  
• Give your child a chance to choose his own books for reading. If your toddler chooses a book that is too long to hold his attention, read some and skip some, discussing the pictures and how they relate to the story.
  
• Read stories again and again. Your toddler enjoys repetition, and it helps her become familiar with the way stories are organized.
  
• If your child is curious and is making comments about letters, there is no reason why she should not become familiar with the alphabet before she starts school. Playing with alphabet blocks and singing "The Alphabet Song" are happy ways for your child to become acquainted with letters.
  
• Make books a joyous and important part of your child's life. Read to him every day. Let him talk about the stories. Ask questions about the pictures. Ask him to point out pictured objects that are alike and different in shape and in color. This activity helps children to observe small differences in the shapes of letters and words when learning to read.
  
• Avoid baby talk. Speak to your child in grownup language now, so she will recognize words she sees and hears in the classroom. Also, baby words for objects may be laughed at by the other youngsters.
  
• Provide a variety of experiences. Take your child to the zoo, the park, the airport. Teach your child the names of animals, flowers, etc. In order to understand the words encountered in reading, your child should have first-hand experience with the objects they stand for.
  
• From time to time, give your child simple, consecutive instructions. For example: "Pick up the ball, then bounce it, then put it on the table." Make a game out of it, if you like. Such activities will help your child develop memory skills and follow directions accurately, both of which are essential in school.
  
• Set a good example as a reader—read every day at home even if it is a magazine or newspaper.
  
• Make reading fun, a time that you both look forward to spending together.

Tips for Reading to and with Children in Kindergarten–Grade 3

• Keep reading to your child even when he can read. Read books that are too difficult or long for him to read alone.
  
• Try reading books with chapters and talk about what is happening in the story. Encourage your child to make predictions about what will happen next and connect characters or events to those in other books and stories.
  
• Talk with your child about reading preferences that are beginning to develop. Ask whether she likes adventure stories, mysteries, science fiction, animal stories or stories about other children. Encourage her to explain the reasons for preferences.
  
• Talk with your child about favorite authors and help him find additional books by those authors.
  
• Take turns reading a story with your child. Don't interrupt to correct mistakes that do not change the meaning.
  
• Talk about the meaning of new words and ideas introduced in books. Help your child think of examples of new concepts.
  
• Talk with your child about stories using the notions of the beginning, middle and end of the story to organize thinking and discussion.
  
• Ask your child to tell why a character might have taken a specific action. Ask for information from the story to support your answer.
  
• If he wants to read aloud to you from his school book, listen attentively. If he stumbles over a word from time to time, simply tell him what it is. However, if he misses many words in material with which he should be familiar, consult his teacher.
  
• When she reads aloud to you, don't try to use teaching techniques, such as having her "sound out" words. Instead, enjoy the story together, laugh over it, discuss the plot, praise her for reading especially well, or for figuring out a word for herself.
  
• Give children extra opportunities to read. Let them read the directions for that new game or for putting model airplanes together. Ask them to "help you" by reading the cookie recipe or traffic signs.
  
• Introduce the pleasures of the public library. Let him browse. Get a library card for her. Let him choose books that he wants, rather than books you feel he should read. Buy books for children, too, as the basis for a home library of their own.
  
• Set a good example as a reader—read every day at home even if it is a magazine or newspaper.
  
• Make reading fun, a time that you both look forward to spending together.

Tips for Reading to and with Children in Grades 4-6

• Take turns reading a book with your child.
  
• Ask your child to compare a book to another familiar book. How are the characters alike or different? Do the stories take place in similar settings? How are the illustrations the same or different?
  
• Ask what part of the story or book your child liked best and why.
  
• Ask if your child liked the ending of the story. Why or why not?
  
• Ask your child what type of mood the story or chapter in a book creates. Ask how the author creates the mood. For example, does she use certain words, events or settings that create a particular feeling?
  
• If your child has read more than one book by the same author, ask how the books are similar or different.
  
• Provide your child with a reliable home dictionary and encyclopedia. Encourage children to look up subjects that puzzle or interest them. In school, reading lessons include library research.
  
• If your child is not enthusiastic about reading, choose books on subjects sure to interest her or him: books on sports, books of riddles or magic tricks, books on hobbies. Be sure they are not too difficult for your child to read.
  
• If she's a television rather than a reading fan, see which programs she prefers and provide suitable books on the same subjects. If Westerns are her favorites, for example, she'll probably enjoy some of the fine children's books now available about the early West.
  
• If a young person is an avid comic book reader (ages 9, 10 and 11 are likely to be), don't make a big issue out of it. Make sure your child is also provided with other more worthwhile books that offer lively adventure in an easy-to-read format. Most children outgrow the comic book phase, if other literature is available in their homes.
  
• Set a good example as a reader—read every day at home even if it is a magazine or newspaper.
  
• Make reading fun, a time that you both look forward to spending together.

Other Resources

Be a Parent Leader at Your Child’s School

There are many ways to get involved at your child’s school that make a meaningful difference to student achievement and success in life. Parent Involvement Matters.Org provides comprehensive online resources that help parents and schools develop partnerships that work to benefit kids. Find materials to start ParentNet, a program that brings parents together at grade-level to understand age-relevant parenting issues. Read articles, success stories, and publications that help improve family involvement.

Keep Your Kids Safe Online

WiredSafety.org offers a large collection of resources on keeping kids safe online. Learn about cyberbullying, online scams, spyware, safe surfing, and good e-mail practices. You'll find parent's guides to understanding online safety issues, links to safe sites for kids of all ages, and tips to protect your family's privacy online.

Translate Your Kid's Cyberlanguage

Do you know what PAW means? How about LUWAMH? It's hard to keep an eye on your kids online when you don't speak the same language. Teenangels.org, a division of WiredSafety.org, offers a downloadable chat lingo translator and an updated list of common acronyms used in instant messaging and text messaging. Netlingo.com is another source for the shorthand and acronyms used in online communication.

How To Talk to Your Child's Teacher

Your child receives a bad grade, and you want to discuss it with her teacher—without either of you getting defensive. The right words can make all the difference. Author Sam Horn has simple tips for talking with teachers and principals that'll help you raise concerns effectively and work together on solutions.

Discipline Problems Hurt Student Learning

Teachers and parents believe that a few persistent troublemakers cause most discipline problems in schools -- but that those few are interfering with other students' learning and causing teachers to leave the profession, according to a new study from Public Agenda. Eight in 10 teachers say students are quick to threaten to sue over being disciplined. The study found that parents and teachers generally support the same remedies for restoring order in classrooms. Read more about the study, "Teaching Interrupted," and answer some of the survey questions yourself to see how your opinions match up.

Give Kids Good Schools

Here's an easy way to help put a quality teacher in every classroom. At GiveKidsGoodSchools.com, a new national campaign from the Public Education Network, you can send an e-mail to your governor demanding that good teachers be a top priority in your state.

Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten and Beyond

Children's earliest experiences can make a big difference in how their brains develop and how well they do in school. That's why finding good child care and preschool programs that help children to learn and grow is so important. Parents' Action for Children offers tips for finding quality child care and preschool programs, as well as advice to help you decide what type of arrangement is best for your child.

Reading Tips for Spanish-Speaking Parents

Reading Rockets, a multimedia initiative of PBS station WETA, created Colorín Colorado! , the first major Web site specifically for Spanish-speaking parents to help their children learn to read. Featuring beautiful illustrations from Caldecott Award-winning illustrator David Diaz and entertaining video clips of celebrities such as the late Celia Cruz, Miguel Varoni and author Pat Mora, the site also includes downloadable resources for teachers and librarians to distribute to parents in their own communities.

Web Site Points Hispanic Students to Scholarships

Get easy access to more than 1,000 sources of college financial aid at the Hispanic Scholarship Directory Web site. Sponsored by NEA and the National Hispanic Press Foundation, the site includes college application guidelines and a scholarship database searchable by state, college, and field of interest.

What Makes a Good School?

What Makes a Good School? (PDF, 26 KB, 11 pp.), from the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards & Student Testing, uses sound research findings to identify the qualities of a successful school. Good schools, the authors say, have strong and professional administrators and teachers; a broad curriculum available to all students; a philosophy that says all children can learn, coupled with high expectations for all students; a school climate conducive to learning; an ongoing assessment system that supports good instruction; and a high level of parent and community involvement and support.

Develop MegaSkills!

MegaSkills programs, now in over 3000 schools in 48 states, serve diverse communities by training teachers to conduct workshops and provide home learning "recipes" for families. Evaluation indicates higher achievement scores, decreased TV watching, increased homework time, higher attendance and decreased discipline incidents.

Math Help: Go Figure!

The Figure This! Mathematics Challenges for Families Web site offered by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics provides interesting math challenges that middle school students can do at home with their families. Looking for more math resources? NEA has compiled a list.

Get Help from PBS's Award-Winning 'Between the Lions'

NEA has endorsed the "Between the Lions" TV show for kids 4–7. The series offers educationally sound reading instruction that combines phonics and whole language. Airing weekdays on PBS, Between the Lions is set in a magical library run by a family of big "cats"—lions Theo, Cleo, Lionel and Leona—who run a library where characters pop off the pages of books, vowels sing and words take on a life of their own.

Public Agenda Studies Child-Rearing Challenges

Public Agenda has conducted a number of research reports on family and education topics. The latest, "All Work and No Play?" explores what parents and kids want from out-of-school time. "What Parents Are Saying About TV Today" outlines parents' concerns about sex, violence and profanity on TV, while questions about pop culture, drugs and crime figure in "A Lot Easier Said Than Done: Parents Talk About Raising Children in Today's America". "Playing Their Parts: What Parents and Teachers Really Mean by Parental Involvement" looks at the ways parents and teachers agree -- and disagree -- about what parents should be doing in their kids' schools.

Join the Public Education Network

The non-profit Public Education Network (PEN) believes "that equal opportunity, access to quality public schools and an informed citizenry are all critical components of a democratic society. PEN's goal is to ensure that the availability of high-quality public education is every child's right and not a privilege."

Grade-by-Grade: What Your Child Should Be Learning in School

The Ladies Home Journal offers a grade-by-grade guide that highlights some of the behaviors and learning opportunities that school age children may experience.

What the National PTA Has To Say

The National PTA, the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States, offers parents substantial resources to help them ensure "the success of your child in school, with friends, and in life."

PTO Today Focuses on Parent Group Leaders

Founded in the Spring of 1999, PTO Today, Inc. is a resource for parent group leaders and serves as a connection between those leaders and parent group marketers. Their Web site, www.ptotoday.com, is intended "to facilitate sharing among parent leaders."

Librarians' Picks

The American Library Association recommends quality booklists and Web sites for parents, kids, teens and families, as well as tips for keeping kids safe online.

Family-School Partnerships Pay Off for Kids

The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education "advocates the involvement of parents and families in their children's education, and fosters relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education of all our nation's young people."

NEA Resources

Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences

Working together, parents and teachers can help children have a successful school year. Parent-teacher conferences are an important part of the process. What should you do to get ready for a meeting with your child's teacher? What questions should you be sure to ask? Here are some tips for making the most of parent-teacher conferences.

Parent's Guides to Homework

NEA, in a joint project with National PTA, has published a guide for parents about how to help students at all grade levels with homework.

Start the School Year off Right

The beginning of a new school year can be the start of a journey toward success if parents, students and teachers work together. Here are some suggestions from NEA for parents who want to help their child start the new school year right.

Help Your Child Learn to Read

When your child doesn't know a word in her reading books, should you tell her what it is? Should you teach your child the alphabet before he starts school? NEA has compiled reading tips to help parents best help their children learn to read:

• Tips for Reading to Preschoolers
• Tips for Reading to and with Children in Kindergarten through Grade 3
• Tips for Reading to and with Children in Grades 4-6

Parent Power Offers Help for All Grade Levels

Parent Power, A Major Ingredient in the Recipe for Educational Success offers "Home Learning Recipes" for children at various grade levels. It’s the educational equivalent of those cookbooks that provide quick, nutritious recipes. The Home Learning Recipes offered on these pages are expressly designed to be used at home.

Discipline that Works

The hope of every parent is to have children who are responsible, concerned members of society. Discipline is, of course, part of this effort. Research has repeatedly shown that, despite the importance of the peer group, parents usually have much more influence than they realize. Disciplining children takes a great deal of effort, but the main idea is that children and parents can change. Find out more.

Motivation for Learning: Parents Can Help

As parents, we want our children to learn. We know the benefits of being able to read well, to write clearly, to solve problems and to communicate effectively. Not only do these abilities allow us to earn a decent living, but they also help us to enjoy life and to appreciate its wonders and beauty. Read more.

Thinking Skills: How Parents Can Help

Thinking and being aware of our own thoughts are skills that make us human. Thinking is an active process. It encompasses events that range from daydreaming to problem solving. It is a kind of ongoing, internal dialogue that accompanies actions like performing a task, observing a scene or expressing an opinion. Find out more.

Talking with Your Child

Have you ever thought about the difference between talking with and talking to someone? Talking with someone puts you and the other person on an even footing. It gives more than one person a chance to express a belief or opinion. Talking to someone, on the other hand, is being—well, patronizing, or worse, domineering, even tyrannical. So only one person has a chance. Read more.

Can We Talk?

Can We Talk? presented in English and Spanish, is a four-part workshop series that helps parents talk with their children about healthy relationships and sexuality, including the prevention of pregnancy, HIV/STD's, drug abuse and violence. Also included are tips for talking with your kids about sensitive issues such as puberty, sexuality, violence and the media.

Looking for clear, concise, approachable information to help your children do well in school? The documents listed below are written for parents and other caregivers and are full of practical, well thought-out suggestions for helping children be better prepared to excel in school. They're designed to help educators and parents work together for the benefit of students. Read, print out, and share these documents.

• Discipline that Works
• Motivation for Learning: Parents Can Help
• Thinking Skills: How Parents Can Help
• Talking with Your Child

How Can I Talk to My Child's Teacher?

By Sam Horn, author of Tongue Fu! at School: 30 Ways to Get Along with Teachers, Students, Principals, and Parents (Taylor Trade Publishing, June 2004). Reprinted with permission.

Lisa, a mother of eight-year-old twins, told me, "I've seen all the studies that report how important it is to be involved in your children's education. But every time I try to talk to their teachers, I get the impression I'm bothering them. Any suggestions?"

"Perhaps it's the way you're talking to them," I gently suggested. "Most teachers today are overworked and underappreciated. A friend who's an elementary school teacher told me, 'I try to do the best I can for each student, but it's hard when there are 30 kids in every class. The other day, a parent called to complain that her son didn't understand how to do his homework and she wanted me to spend extra time with him in class. I tried to tell her I don't have a classroom aide and I'm doing the best I can, but she wouldn't even listen to me. She ended up accusing me of not caring. It's so unfair.'"

Would you like to know how to approach teachers and other school staff sensitively so they're receptive to your requests? Here are three common scenarios with suggestions that can improve communications with your child's teacher or principal — and help you work together to help your child succeed.

Your child receives a bad grade

The harmful approach assumes there was an error and uses extreme words ("always, must") that produce extreme reactions. The word "should" criticizes the teacher for something that has already happened, which serves no good purpose — because no one can undo the past. As the saying goes, "We can't motivate people to do better by making them feel bad." The word "should" makes people feel bad and doesn't suggest how this situation could be handled better.

Try this instead: Use "Can we talk" to open the conversation without blaming. Use "In the future" so you're politely suggesting how this could be handled differently next time. The words "In the future," "From now on" and "next time" are ways of coaching mistakes instead of criticizing them.

Your child has been sick and has missed a lot of school

The words "You'll have to" and "You need to" are orders. Do you know anyone who likes to be ordered around? Those words often cause knee-jerk negative reactions because they make people feel verbally pushed around.

Try this instead: "Kind words are short and easy to speak, however their echoes are truly endless," observed Mother Teresa. Instead of telling people what they have or need to do (which produces resentment), turn those orders into courteous requests. Asking "Could you please" gives people incentive to respond in kind because they're being treated with the respect they want and deserve.

Your child has been bullied on the bus

The Harmful Approach uses the word "problem," which is a "fighting phrase" that accuses people and puts them on the defensive. The word "you" makes this statement come across as an attack. Plus, the word "but" pits people as adversaries. (Just look at these phrases: "I know I agreed to do that, but . . . " "I'm sorry that happened, but . . . ") Simply said, people who use the word "but" will end up arguing because they're re-butting each other's points of view.

Try this instead: Use the word "we," which puts people on the same side instead of side against side. Replace the phrase "I have a problem," which focuses on fault, with "What else can we do," which focuses on solutions. Use the word "and," which acknowledges what's being said instead of arguing with it. And, when dealing with troublesome situations, ask how this could be improved instead of giving an ultimatum. Asking questions gives the other person autonomy. They're more likely to suggest a solution because we're sharing control instead of asserting it.

For More Information

Visit www.SamHorn.com for a free copy of the Top Ten Tongue Fu! Tips for getting along with just about anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Talking with Your Child

Have you ever thought about the difference between talking with and talking to someone? Talking with someone puts you and the other person on an even footing. It gives more than one person a chance to express a belief or opinion. Talking to someone, on the other hand, is being — well, patronizing, or worse, domineering, even tyrannical. So only one person has a chance.

Every child knows the difference between being talked with and talked to. But many of us, when we talk — and children are the audience — don't stop to distinguish between with and to. We respond to the needs of the moment — what must be said. As adults and parents, we feel responsible for what our children do and for what happens to them. We feel especially responsible when we have done our best and a son or daughter is not responding.

Blaming Ourselves

Let's suppose that eight-year-old David is having trouble reading. He seems to be falling farther and farther behind at school. You have always helped him with his homework. You've always gone to parent-teacher conferences. You've read to him and had books in the house for him ever since he was small. Now you say to yourself, "What did I overlook when he was a baby? I followed those experts who said that certain toys would have far-reaching effects. But maybe the toys I put in his crib weren't the right ones."

You don't say this aloud of course, because "Where did I go wrong?" sounds far too melodramatic. And besides, you don't want to make things worse for David by letting him know that you have something for which to blame yourself. Instead, you try to talk to David about how important it is to read — both in school and out. You may even tell him how reading will improve his chances of becoming a happy adult, a doctor or lawyer, or of doing something famous like writing a bestseller.

From your point of view as an adult, that makes good sense. Your experience makes it possible for you to be wise about the skills that make adult life better and easier.

Try Listening Instead

But have you ever tried to find out how David feels about his reading right now? Have you listened to him talk about it and thought what his words meant? Maybe he says that reading a book isn't as much fun as playing with his friend Tracy, or as interesting as watching the TV programs you allow him to see, or as exciting as working math problems. Maybe the trouble he has had figuring out the words causes him to be shy about reading in class.

In addition to listening to him, try to ask him the kinds of questions that may encourage him to give you specific information about his feelings. Don't wait for the opportunity to stage a conversation, but talk with him about his day at school while he's helping you put away the groceries or water the plants. With the data that comes from careful listening you can go to your next parent-teacher conference really prepared to work with David's teacher to help him improve his reading performance.

When Stress Threatens To Get the Better of Us

Patiently listening is one thing. But what can we do about those times when we can't help showing our anger in the most spectacular way? This spring Ann amazed you by going out for the baseball team. You're just getting used to thinking of her making home runs when one afternoon, just as you've pulled into the driveway and are lifting your briefcase off the back seat, Anne and five other neighborhood kids approach you looking a little sheepish. Anne tells you hesitantly that one of her home run hits has just broken Mrs. Gavilan's window. "Mother," Anne says, "I didn't mean to, I was just thinking about getting Tommy and José and me back to home plate."

You're furious — with the kids, with baseball in general, with Mrs. Gavilan, who doesn't seem to like children anyway, with that briefcase full of papers you've brought home to work on this evening. And there stands Anne, the handiest target for your anger. You explode. "What business has a girl like you, from a family like ours...." Anne is crushed, the neighborhood kids either pin you with their stares or look everywhere but at your face, until finally one of them says, "Oh, Mrs. O'Connell, it wasn't Anne's fault," and Anne murmurs, "It's OK, Mom. I'll fix it." So chagrin is added to all the other burdens of the day, and you go indoors feeling a complete failure as a parent.

Be Honest

It might help to explain yourself right then. You might put out your hand to Anne and say, "I'm sorry. Sometimes I lose my temper when things don't go according to my plans." Then find out from Anne and the others how the accident occurred. You might even ask if she wants you to go with her to Mrs. Gavilan to see what can be done about the broken window. That would certainly change your plans for the evening.

But it would assure Anne and her friends of your support, your understanding of the accidental nature of the incident, and your ability to be fair in spite of all your other concerns. And it would disarm Mrs. Gavilan before she could organize her offensive against children "with working mothers." Such a show of support would also assure Anne and her friends that you weren't just being mean when you asked them to change the location of the neighborhood game so that no one's windows were endangered.

Some Suggestions To Foster Better Communication

Whenever you want your children to know what you think and desire of them, you might keep in mind a few things that will help you focus on talking with, rather than talking to them:

• Communicate as clearly as possible exactly what you mean. Listen to your words and think how they might be misinterpreted if they don't reflect exactly what is on your mind.

• Listen to what your children are saying. Try to understand exactly what their words mean.

• Whenever you talk with your children, take an even, reasonable, conversational tone. If you show anger, make sure later that they understand its cause. You can explain it without being overly apologetic.

• If your children have subjects they are enthusiastic about, let them teach you something about those areas of knowledge.

• Contribute your wisdom. You have had the opportunity to learn a great deal from your experiences. Don't feel put down when your children say "in your day" or "in olden times, when you were a kid...." Remember that young people are interested in how things were done in the past, and they haven't lived long enough to have your sense of time.

• Encourage your children's curiosity, interest in discovery, and intellectual independence. Ask questions that make them think about their interests and want to learn more about them.

Final Thoughts

If a child is having problems in or out of school, don't waste time blaming yourself. Although you certainly share the responsibility for your children's development, yours is not the only influence on their behavior. Touch base often with your children about the problems they may be having. Be practical and help them look for solutions, both short and long term.

Keep in mind that you can't shield your children from the problems of the real world. Nor can you keep accidents from happening. Some attempts at good parenting may be overzealous. By trying to avoid being too protective and solicitous for your children's concerns you can help them to become truly independent people. An adult who is independent can also appreciate the warmth and support of close human relationships. Talking with a child is one of the best ways to show that you understand the value of that warmth and support and know how to give it.

Tips for Parents: Starting the New School Year Right

The beginning of a new school year can be the start of a journey toward success if parents, students and teachers work together. Here are some suggestions from NEA for parents who want to help their child start the new school year right.

The First Day Jitters

Start talking now about the upcoming school year and the first day of classes. Discuss what to expect on the first day—catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, learning classroom rules and finding out what's ahead. Take note of how you feel about your child going off to school. If you're anxious, try not to let it show!

If you're new to the area, take time to visit the school before classes begin. Walk, drive or show your child the bus route to familiarize him or her with the trip to school.

Getting to Know You

Make time to get to know your child's teacher and classroom aide. Let the teacher know that you appreciate feedback on your child's progress—both positive and negative. Alert the teacher to anything out of the ordinary that's going on with your child or family. Make a point of meeting other school staff members: the principal, school secretary, bus driver, cafeteria staff and others who work at the school. The better you know the school and how it operates, the more likely your child will be to have a productive and positive school experience.

A Place of One's Own

Whether it's a bedroom desk or the kitchen table, every child needs a regular place to study and complete homework. This area should be well lighted and equipped with school supplies like paper, pencils and a dictionary. Siblings should respect the time set aside for studying and not distract the child who is doing homework.

Kids (and Parents) Love Routines

Set aside a specific time for studying every night. Discuss with your child what time of day would work best. Right after school? Just before dinner? Immediately following dinner? If your child attends an after-school program, find out if students will be expected to do homework there. If your child completes homework assignments away from home, plan to review the work at a set time every night. If homework has already been completed, have the child use study time for reading or reviewing problem areas.

Create High Expectations

To learn, children must believe that they can learn. As the parent, you are the most important adult in your child's life. The feedback you give your child—what you say and do about his or her abilities—will have a lasting impact on your child's self-confidence. Be encouraging and praise your child for the amount of effort that he puts into a project. Let her know that doing her best is what counts.

Reading Can Be Contagious

Research shows that children who are read to in their early years do better in school. Make reading a habit in your home, for both you and your child. Each night before bed, read to your child for at least 20 minutes. If the child is learning to read, ask him or her to read to you. For older children, set 30 minutes aside each night for family reading time when everyone reads together silently. Keep plenty of reading materials available—books, magazines and newspapers. Let your kids see you reading and they're more likely to pick up the habit.

Be Prepared for Your Next Parent–Teacher Conference

Talk with your child beforehand about what she thinks are her best subjects or what he likes least. Find out if your child has anything that he or she would like you to ask. Write down your own list of questions. Feel free to ask about your child's progress or about anything you don't understand about the school program. Expect the teacher to show you samples of your son's or daughter's work and to discuss how student progress is measured. Ask how your child interacts with other students. Most importantly, talk to the teacher about ways you can work together to help your child.

Schools + Communities = Success

To be effective, schools need the support of parents and the community. Find out key dates during the year when there will be opportunities for you to participate in school events. Mark your family calendar and your personal datebook now to hold those dates.

Look for specific ways that you can support your child's school. Volunteer a few hours a week in the classroom. Offer to speak to your child's class (or others) about a special hobby or area of expertise. Encourage a local business to adopt your child's school. Join the PTA to ensure that you have a voice in the work of the school. Offer to help with a special school project. Organize a school beautification day.

What the Research Says

Parent Involvement Helps Students Succeed in School and in Life

Research shows that the most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student's family is able to:

• Create a home environment that encourages learning
• Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children's achievement and future careers
• Become involved in their children's education at school and in the community.

Family-School-Community Connections Work

"When schools, families, and communities work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more." That's one finding of a January 2003 report from the National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools at the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement also found that students with involved parents, "no matter what their income or background," were more likely to succeed in school—attending school regularly, earning higher grades, passing their classes, and graduating and going on to postsecondary education.

"Should I teach my child the alphabet before he starts school?"

"When my child doesn't know a word in her reading books, should I tell her what it is?"

"I tell my child to 'sound out' words he doesn't know. Is that all right?"

These are just a few of the questions parents ask teachers about their children's reading. The first 'R' is a subject parents are deeply concerned about. They know that reading is a basic tool their child will need for success throughout his or her entire school and college career. They know that a youngster with reading disabilities is seriously handicapped in keeping up in classwork, textbook study, supplementary reading, and in following instructions accurately when taking tests.

One of the questions parents ask most frequently is: "Should I help my child learn to read — and if so, how can I go about it?" Classroom teachers say that parents can do many things to help their child develop this important skill. Click on the links below for specific ideas geared to your own child's age.

• Tips for Reading to Preschoolers
• Tips for Reading to and with Children in Kindergarten through Grade 3
• Tips for Reading to and with Children in Grades 4-6

Above all, enjoy yourself and have fun. The most important thing you can do to help your child become a successful reader is communicate that reading is valuable and enjoyable.

How To Make Parent-Teacher Conferences
Work for Your Child

You've been asked to attend a regularly scheduled "report card" conference with your child's teacher. Or you've gotten a special note from your child's teacher asking to see you. In either case, you might be a little nervous.

Well, relax. Teachers don't want to put parents on the spot. They just like to meet with parents from time to time to discuss how to help students do their best in school.

All children learn in different ways. They have their own individual personalities, and their own listening and work habits. To help their students learn new knowledge and skills, teachers must know as much as they can about each child's likes and dislikes. No one knows more about these things than you, the parents. And no one has more influence over your children than you.

That's why teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Working together, you and the teacher can help your child have a successful school year.

Here Are Some Things To Keep in Mind

• Start the conference right: be there on time, and plan not to run over the amount of time that has been set aside, usually about 40 minutes.
• If you are a working parent who can't arrange to meet during regular hours, make this clear to the teacher and try to set up a time to meet that is good for both of you.
• The best conferences are those in which both teachers and parents stay calm and try hard to work together for one purpose and one purpose only: to help your child do well. Arguing, or blaming each other for problems your child is having, helps no one.

Getting Ready

Each teacher will probably come prepared with samples of your children's work and with ideas to help them do even better in school. You should get ready for each conference, too.

Talk to your children before the conference. Find out what they think are their best subjects, and what subjects they like the least. Find out why. Also, ask your children if there is anything they would like you to talk about with their teachers. Make sure your children don't worry about the meeting. Help them understand that you and their teacher(s) are meeting together in order to help them.

Before you go to the school, write notes to yourself about:

• things about your child's life at home, personality, problems, habits, and hobbies you feel it's important for the teacher to know
• your concerns about the school's programs or policies
• questions about your child's progress
• how you and the school can work together to help your child

If your spouse can't attend the conference with you, ask for his or her concerns and questions.

The Conference

Some good questions to ask are these:

• Is my child in different groups for different subjects? Why?
• How well does my child get along with others?
• What are my child's best and worst subjects?
• Is my child working up to his or her ability?
• Does my child participate in class discussions and activities?
• Has my child missed any classes other than ones I contacted the school about?
• Have you noticed any sudden changes in the way my child acts? For example, have you noticed any squinting, tiredness or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other problems?
• What kinds of tests are being done? What do the tests tell about my child's progress?
• How does my child handle taking tests?

It's a good idea to ask your most important questions first, just in case time runs out before you and the teacher have a chance to discuss them all. Be sure to ask the teacher for specific suggestions on ways to help your child do better. This is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your action plan. If the teacher says something you don't quite understand, don't be shy about asking for an explanation. It's a good idea to end the conference by summing up decisions you've made together. If needed, ask to meet again.

After the Conference

Start immediately on the action plan you and the teacher worked out together. Discuss the plan with your child. Make sure he or she knows that you and the teacher care. To see if the action plan is working, watch your child's behavior and check your child's class work and homework.

Stay in regular touch with the teacher to discuss the progress your child is making. Meeting with your child's teachers should help build strong parent-teacher partnerships—partnerships that are needed if you and your child's teachers are to reach your common goal of helping your child get the best education possible.

Copyright © 1987 The National PTA, National Education Association of the United States, Stock No. 5174-2, Making Parent-Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child

Parent Power

A Major Ingredient in the Recipe for Educational Success

Your Child's Success in School Begins at Home

Each child's first teachers are adults in the home. It's at home that children form their attitudes toward learning. And it's at home that children first learn the values they will carry throughout their lives. Before children formally begin school, they already have been "schooled" at home in the basics of getting along with people, communicating effectively, and solving problems.

All adults want their children to do well in school but with the fast forward pace of today's society, parents and others with responsibilities for children are pressed for time, and they are hungry for advice on how best to assist their children. To help out, the National Education Association offers this brief booklet of Home Learning Recipes for children at various grade levels. Think of it as the educational equivalent of those cookbooks that provide quick, nutritious recipes. The Home Learning Recipes offered on these pages are expressly designed to be used at home. They were written by NEA by a master "chef," Dorothy Rich, founder and president of the Home and School Institute in Washington, D.C., and author of the best-selling book MegaSkills®,which suggests hundreds of practical ideas for instilling in children the values and behaviors essential to school success.

The recipes provided here are designed to boost learning in reading, writing, math, and science, and also to foster the broader "MegaSkills,"including responsibility, perserverance, teamwork, and problem solving. With reinforcement in the classroom, these recipes will help adults at home to become more active "teachers" in their children's lives.

Grades (K-3)

Educational research has made it clear that parents who are actively involved in their children's learning at home help their children become more successful learners in and out of school. Here are some reading, writing, math and science Home Learning Recipe activities. Parents of young children in prekindergarten through third grade will find them to be easy and enjoyable ways to work with the school--using materials they have at home to build their children's skills.

Reading Activities

Hidden Letters --Build reading observation skills with this activity. Ask your child to look for letters of the alphabet on boxes and cans of food and household supplies. For example, find five A's or three Cs or any number of letters of combinations on cereal boxes, soup cans, bars of soap. Start with easy-to-find letters and build up to harder ones. Then have children write the letters on paper or point out the letters on the objects where they were "hidden."

Telephonitis--Give your child practice in reading numbers left to right by dialing a telephone. Make a list of telephone numbers your child can read--for relatives, friends, the weather bureau--and have your child make a call or two.

Sorting and Stacking--Teach classification skills with dinnerware. Ask your child to match and stack dishes of similar sizes and shapes. Also have your child sort flatware--forks with forks, spoons with spoons.

Let 'Em Eat Shapes--Teach very young children to recognize basic shapes, using toasted bread, jam, and a dull-edged knife. Cut the bread into different shapes--rectangles, squares, circles. Make at least two of each shape, Ask your youngster to choose a pair of similar shapes, then to put jam on the first piece, and to place the second piece on top to make a sandwich.

Dress Me--Increase your child's vocabulary. Teach the name of each item of clothing your child wears--shirt, blouse, sweater, sock, shoe--when your child is dressing or undressing. Also teach the body parts--head, arm, knee, foot. Then print the words on paper and ask the child to attach these papers to the clothes in the closet or drawers. Make a silhouette of the child from a large sheet of paper, tack it to a bedroom wall, and ask your child to attach the works for the body parts to the right locations.

Writing Activities

Comic Strip Writing--Use comic strips to help with writing. Cut apart the segments of a comic strip and ask your child to arrange them in order. Then ask the child to fill in the words of the characters (orally or in writing).

Disappearing Letters--Promote creativity and build muscle control with a pail of water and a brush. On a warm day, take your children outside to the driveway or sidewalk and encourage them to write anything they wish. Talk about what they've written.

Story Endings--Improve listening skills and imagination. Read a story aloud to your child and stop before the ending. Ask the child how the story will turn out. Then finish the story and discuss the ending with the child.

Math Activities

Laundry Math--Sharpen thinking skills by doing a necessary household job. Ask your youngster to sort laundry--before or after washing. How many socks? How many sheets?

Napkin Fractions--Make fractions fun to learn. Fold paper towels or napkins into large and small fractions. Start with halves and move to eighths and sixteenths. Use magic markers to label the fractions.

Weigh Me--Teach estimating skills. Ask your children to make guesses about the weight of several household objects--a wastebasket, a coat, a full glass of water. Then show children how to use a bathroom scale to weigh the objects. Next, have them estimate their own weight, as well as that of other family members, and use the scale to check their guesses.

Science Activities

Ice Is Nice--Improve observation and questioning skills through freezing and melting ice. Add water to an ice cube try and set it in the freezer. Ask your child how long it will take to freeze. For variety, use different levels of water in different sections of the tray. Set ice cubes on a table. Ask your child how long they will take to melt. Why do they melt? Place the ice cubes in different areas of the room. Do they melt faster in some places than in others? Why?

Float and Sink--Encourage hypothesizing (guessing). Use several objects--soap, a dry sock, a bottle of shampoo, a wet sponge, an empty bottle. Ask your child which objects will float when dropped into water in a sink or bathtub. Then drop the objects in the water, one by one, to test your child's hypotheses.

Caring for and Feeding Plants--Teach cause-and-effect relationships. Give your child two similar, healthy plants. As the child to water one plant and ignore the other for a week or two, keeping both plants in the same place. At the end of that time, ask the child to water the drooping plant. Then talk about what happened and why.

Grades (4-5)

Educational research has made it clear that parents who are actively involved in their children's learning at home help their children become more successful learners in and out of school. Here are some reading, writing, math, and social studies Home Learning Recipe activities. Parents of fourth and fifth graders will find them to be easy and enjoyable ways to work with the school--using materials they have at home to build their children's skills. Many of the activities focus on talk--sharing ideas and feelings, providing information, and responding to the needs of youngsters to grow as separate and responsible individuals.

Reading Activities

A Lifetime of Reading--Encourage lifelong reading. Read with youngsters by taking roles in stories and acting our dramatic poems. Whenever possible, tape record these sessions. Then listen to and enjoy these performances together.

Street Smarts--Put reading skills to practical use. Gather bus and subway route maps and schedules to a special place in your area--the zoo, a museum, a football stadium. Let your child plan a trip for friends or family. Figure out the transportation available, the travel time required, the cost, and the best time to make the trip.

TV and the World--Connect current events to TV viewing. Post a world map next to the TV set. Watch the TV news with your children and have them locate world news spots. Keep reference books such as dictionaries and the world almanac close by. In this way, children can find answers to questions they might have about words or foreign countries.

Writing Activities

Day-by-Day Calendar--Turn a large calendar--commercial or home made--into a personalized family communication center. Have children fill in the blanks with morning messages, weather reports, birthday, special activities, or notes to the family.

Writing Instead of Talking--Exchange notes instead of words at different times during the day--when getting up in the morning, at dinner, or at bedtime--or whenever the noise level becomes too high.

Picture Stories--Develop imagination and creativity. Have children select four or five pictures from magazines and newspapers, and put them together to tell a story. Ask children to number the pictures--1, 2, 3, etc. First, ask them to tell the story with the pictures in numerical order. Then, ask them to write it down on paper. For variety, have children rearrange the pictures and tell a new story using this different arrangement.

Math Activities

A Trip to the Supermarket--Plan ahead with the 3 R's. Ask your child to choose a dish to prepare for a meal--a pudding, a salad, a sandwich. Have your child check to see what supplies are on hand and them make a written shopping list. At the supermarket, let the child select the food on the list. First, the child decides which items are the best buys on the shelves and then makes selections. Also have the child write the price of each item on the list and figure the total, checking the prices against the sales slip.

On the Move--Sharpen math skills on trips. Use even short trips around town for learning experiences. For example, at the gas station, ask your child how much gas you needed and the cost per gallon. On the highway, ask children to reach the signs and check the different speed limits. Then ask them to watch the speedometer readings and notice how fast or slow the car is going. Have children estimate distances between cities and check the estimates on a road map.

Newspaper Math--Introduce new topics for dinner table conversation. Ask your child to pretend to be an investor and choose a stock from the stock market pages of the daily newspaper. Have your child keep a record of the stock's progress for a week or two and then figure profit or loss. Discuss baseball and football scores and averages on the sports pages. Who are the high scorers? What are the percentages?

Social Studies Activities

History Time Line--Record history at home. Stretch a roll of shelf paper along the floor. Use a ruler to make a horizontal line about three feet long. (Use a separate sheet for each child.) Ask children to fill in the important dates in their own lives, starting with their date of birth. Those familiar with U.S. history can fill in the significant dates since the founding of our country. Display these finished time lines in a prominent place for all to see.

The Foreign Touch--Travel abroad at home. Visit ethnic shops, foodstores, and restaurants in your community. Give your children time to browse, eat a snack or dessert, and perhaps buy a trinket. Before the trip, discuss different ethnic customs and have children find the country on a map. After the trip, let the children talk about what they have seen.

A Closer Look--Look more closely at the family division of labor. Help your children become aware of family responsibilities by making a chart of family chores, including the name of the person responsible, the days and time required, etc. Discuss ways to change or improve these job assignments.

Grades (6-8)

Educational research has made it clear that parents who are actively involved in their children's learning at home help their children become more successful learners in and out of school. During the adolescent years, adult guidance is especially important; parents are primary role models and home teachers.

Here are some reading, writing, math, social studies, and health Home Learning Recipe activities. Parents of sixth to eighth graders will find them to be easy and enjoyable ways to work with the school--using materials they have at home to build their children's skills. These activities will also help teens and parents talk together about matters both care about, which improves family communication at this crucial time.

Reading Activities

Getting Around--Put reading skills to practical use. Gather bus and subway route maps and schedules to a special place in your area--the zoo, a museum, a football stadium. Let your child plan a trip for friends or family. Figure out the transportation available, the travel time required, the cost, and the best time to make the trip.

Finding Needed Information --Introduce your child to the many kinds of information in the daily newspaper. Ask your child to find the pages containing news about government leaders, editor's opinions, weather reports or European cities, car sales, house and apartment rentals, and want ads. Discuss how this information is used.

Follow the News--Keep well informed. As a family, choose an important news event to follow to a day or two. Ask each person to find as much information on the topic as possible--read newspapers, listen to the radio, watch TV news. Then talk about what everyone in a special family get-together.

Writing Activities

Nice Words--Make someone happy. Write each family member's name on separate sheets of paper. Add a note or a drawing to each sheet--for example, "I like the way you make breakfast," or "You make me happy when you do the dishes." Fold the sheets and put them in a bag and shake. Ask each person to choose a paper from the bag. Place the notes where they can be found by family members. At the end of the day, talk together about the notes.

Easy Essays--Play a writing game. Make a family game of discussing a special issue--for example, "Teenagers should be allowed to vote," or "There should never be any homework." As youngsters to think of all the reasons they can to support their views. Then, ask them to thing of reasons against their views. First, ask for these pros and cons orally. Then, ask youngsters to write their views on paper. Read these aloud, discussing and comparing them. Which views are most convincing? For variety, assign family members to teams and have teams prepare their arguments pro and con.

Looking at Advertisements--Take a closer look. Help your children improve their thinking and writing skills by looking more carefully at newspaper, magazine, and TV advertisements. What is the main point of the ad? What details does it use to communicate its message? For example, a strong, handsome man holding a soft drink in an expensive care with a beautiful girl at his side is telling us something about the soft drink.

Math Activities

Managing Money--Put math skills to work. Help your children understand living costs by discussing household expenses with them. For example, make a list of monthly bills--heat, electricity, telephone, mortgage or rent. Fold the paper to hide the costs and ask youngsters to guess the cost of each item. Unfold the paper. How do the estimates compare with the actual costs? Were they close?

Percentages and Decimals--Are they really necessary? Illustrate by asking your children to look through the newspaper to find and list as many percentages and decimal numbers as possible--advertised sale prices, sports scores, bank RATES.

Living Within Your Means--Practice budgeting skills. Teach children who have allowances or regular spending money under income. Under expenses, list what they expect to spend for movies, records, lunches, etc. Then, have youngsters add all the expenses and subtract the total from the income. If their expenses are greater than their income, ask them to think of ways to reduce their spending to keep within their budget. If their income is more than their expenses, suggest a savings plan.

Social Studies Activities

Expanding Horizons--Help your child learn about people from different countries. Suggest talking to neighbors from foreign countries, reading library books about other cultures, reading newspapers, and watching TV specials.

Let Your Voice Be Heard--Promote good citizenship. Help your child write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about an issue affecting children. For example, suggest that a bike path be build near the school or that a city event be planned for youngsters.

Health Activity

Exercise for Good Health--Emphasize the value of exercise. Ask your child to do at least one kind of exercise every day. For example, run or walk briskly for 10 minutes. Walk, when possible, instead of riding, for any distance less than a mile. Have your youngster make a practical, week-long exercise plan. Offer a reward for sticking to the plan. Repeat it for a second and third week.

Grades (9-12)

Sometimes it's easy to forget about the important role that families play in children's education--especially as children become teenagers. Parent involvement in student schooling usually declines dramatically as children reach the teen years. Teens are finding their own identity and asserting their independence. And parents can find adolescents baffling--because they are simultaneously grownup and not grownup.

What continues to be clear is that adolescents need adult guidance. Teens need to know that their parents care about them. The activities that follow help parents and teens talk together to solve problems they both care about.

The future is never a "sure thing." What is sure is that there will always be problems, and students need the ability to tackle them. Teenagers need to learn how to make grownup decisions--to decide about careers, to make personal value judgments, to learn how to get along on jobs and to manage households.

This leaflet uses problem-solving activities. It is designed to help parents build their teenagers' problem-solving skills. To learn these skills, students need practice--practice they can get at home.

The Problem-Solving Habit

Even teenagers can get used to sizing up a problem and coming up with common sense ways to solve it. Here's six-step method that works and can be done easily at home by parent and child.

Step 1: What is the problem?
This is a first, often overlooked, step in problem solving. You have to be able to state or define the problem and, if there's a conflict, the opposing views and feelings about the issue. For example: for a teen, it might be whether to go to a certain party; for a parent, whether to ask for a raise.

STEP 2: What can be done about it?
This is when you come up with a variety of solutions. Brainstorm as many solutions as possible without judging which ones are better that others. Just keep the ideas coming.

STEP 3: What are the good and bad points of these solutions?
This is when you evaluate the different solutions. What are the pros and cons of each one? You're making judgments, assessing the possible solutions in light of your experience and the way the world works. An in this process you may well come up with a new and better solution than any you originally thought of.

STEP 4: Making the decision
This is the moment you choose a solution to try. Pick one or perhaps two based on the decisions made in Step 3. Talk about why you selected these solutions.

STEP 5: Putting the decision into action
Now you put your decision to the test. In advance, talk about what will happen and what might be expected. What obstacles can you anticipate? What "helps" can you expect? How can traps be avoided by building on the helps?

STEP 6: How did it go?
This is the followup, the evaluation of your decision and what followed from it. How did it work? What changes must be made in the solution so that it will work better? what would you try next time? It's possible that a decision and solutions are selected based upon this step-by-step process.

After going through the process with one problem, ask your teenager to try another. Review the six steps so that everyone will be able to keep on using them afterward. The goal is to help teens get into the habit of this kind of rational problem solving.

The Problem "Bank"

Just in case you don't have enough problems of your own to solve, here are a few you can use to practice the six-step problem-solving method:

• Who gets to use the car?
• Why is it bad to smoke?
• When does the garbage get taken out?
• What happens when I go for a few days with little sleep?
• How much TV are we going to watch?
• Can I buy a new pair jeans?
• Whose turn is it to go grocery shopping?
• Who has to baby-sit the younger brother?
• When is a good time to visit grandma?
• What happens when I take a test without studying for it?
• Why can't I go to that after-school party?

Feelings Are Important

Start talking about how family members feel:
Here's a KNOW YOURSELF activity: Think together about what makes people angry. Everyone gets angry for different reasons. Some people get any when others take something from them; others get angry when people don't listen. Ask yourselves: What do we do when we get angry? Some people try to cool off before they speak. Others start fights. Some people scream. Some people don's say anything. What do you do?

Caring about others is another area teens can often use help with. Talk together about the problems of being a parent, the problems of being a student. Think about a recent situation in which you disagreed with each other. Exchange places: the parent is the youngster, the youngster the parent. Afterward, talk about it. Do you understand each other better now?

Help Your Student Get the Most Out of Homework

Homework. Many students try to avoid it, but teaching and learning research indicates that children who spend more time on regularly assigned, meaningful homework, on average, do better in school, and that the academic benefits of homework increase as children move into the upper grades.

Parents and families play an important role in the process. Together, families and teachers can help children develop good study habits and attitudes to become lifelong learners.

On this page you'll find answers to questions many people have about homework, as well as specific advice for helping your children.

Why do teachers give homework?

Teachers use homework:

• to help students understand and review the work that has been covered in class

• to see whether students understand the lesson

• to help students learn how to find and use more information on a subject.

Homework is also the link between school and home that shows what children are studying.

Research shows that when homework is turned in to the teacher, graded, and discussed with students, it can improve students' grades and understanding of their schoolwork.

How much time should my children spend each night on homework?

Most educators agree that:

• for children in grades K-2, homework is more effective when it does not exceed 10-20 minutes each school day

• older children, in grades 3-6, can handle 30-60 minutes a day

• in junior and senior high school, the amount of homework will vary by subject. Most older students will also have homework projects, such as research papers and oral reports, that may have deadlines weeks away. They may need help organizing assignments and planning work times to make sure homework is ready to turn in on time.

Your children's teachers can tell you how much time they expect students to spend on homework. Place most concern on whether the homework is meaningful and whether over a period homework is assigned in all of the student's subjects.

Ask your principal if your school or school district has a homework policy. If it does, make sure that you and your children know and understand that policy.

How can I help with homework?

There are several ways in which you can help:

• Send your children to school each day, well-rested, fed and with a positive outlook.

• Take an active interest in your children's schooling. Ask specific questions about what happens at school each day and how your children feel about it.

• Try not to let any of your own negative experiences keep you from supporting and encouraging your children's learning. Let them know how much you care about education by continuing your own learning both informally and formally, to impress its importance upon them.

• If possible, set up a quiet, comfortable study area with good lighting and the school supplies that your children need. This can be almost anyplace in your home; you don't need a special room.

• Set a family "quiet time" where you and your children can work together on homework, reading, letter writing and playing games.

• Allow your children to study in the way each of them learns best. For example, some children work best when they're lying on the floor with background music playing.

Make homework a daily activity and help your children develop good homework habits.

Can my children do homework while listening to music or watching television?

Some students can work with a radio or stereo on, while others must work in silence. Television can be a big problem. Many teachers ask that the television be turned off while children are doing homework.

Research shows that American children on average spend far more time watching television than they do completing homework. Although it's worth noting that television can be a learning tool, it's best to leave the television off during homework time.

How much help should I give?

This depends on each child's grade level and study habits. Younger students often need extra homework help. First, make sure the child understands the directions. Do a few problems together, then watch your child do a few. When your child is finished, check the work. Praise right answers, and show how to correct mistakes.

Avoid doing your children's homework for them. Teachers need to see where your children are having trouble.

One of the most helpful things you can do is to show your children that you think homework is important. Many children today do their homework while their parents are at work. When you are at home, ask to see your children's homework and discuss it with them. Ask questions and be supportive.

What if I don't understand my child's assignment?

Today's students may have subjects that you never had or that you didn't like when you were in school. You can still help your children by praising their progress, getting help from a public library or homework hotline, and talking with their teachers.

You don't have to be an expert in a subject to help with homework. There are many places to go for help.

Do teachers really want me to ask them questions about homework?

Teachers want children to learn and want parents and families to be involved in their children's education. When you stay in touch with your children's teachers, they can ease your worries and offer their own homework tips and ideas on how you can help your children learn. Meet each of your children's teachers and ask what kind of homework will be given. This is very important, even if you have children in junior or senior high school.

Early in the school year and on occasion, ask teachers about your children's subjects and about homework policies. For example, ask what books your children will be using, what kinds of assignments will be given, and when the teacher is available to answer questions.

One of my children tries hard but still has problems with homework. What can I do to help?

There could be a number of reasons for your child's trouble. Suggest that the child ask the teacher for extra help before or after school. Tell your child it's good to ask the teacher about homework or anything else he or she doesn't understand. Set a time to meet with the teacher to discuss the problem. You may need to meet again during the year to check on how your child is doing.

If your child understands the work but is still having trouble, ask for a meeting with the teacher. The two of you should work out a plan to meet your child's needs.

My child seems bored by homework. Is this normal?

It's normal for students not to want to do their homework. But if your child always seems bored or unhappy, you need to try to find out the reason by talking with your child. Then talk with the teacher to come up with a solution.

Teachers want students to learn from homework. Tell the teacher if your child thinks the homework is too easy or too hard. This will help the teacher match homework with student ability and maturity levels.

When I ask my children if they have homework, they say that it's finished or that they don't have any. How do I make sure they're really doing their work?

Make studying, not just homework, a daily habit. Students can always review lessons, read a book, or work on practice exercises during quiet time, even if they don't have homework. Ask younger children to show you their homework so that you can check it, sign it, and date it. Teachers like to see that adults have checked children's homework. If your children's school has a homework hotline, call it to check for the day's assignments. If your children often have no homework to do, you should let their teachers know.

Don't ask your children if they have homework each night — assume that they always have homework or studying to do.

What if my child still isn't turning homework in?

State clearly and assertively to your child that you expect homework to be done and turned in to the teacher. Let your child know you will not tolerate irresponsible behavior about homework.

Don't wait until grades come out to find out if the problem has been solved. You may need weekly contact with the teacher until the student develops new habits.

Should I reward my children for doing homework or for getting good grades?

Children like to know when they've done a good job. Your approval means a lot. Praise your children's work often. Show pride when your children do their best, no matter what grades they get.

Be careful about giving money or gifts as rewards. Most teachers want parents to reward students' work in other ways. The next time your child does a good job on a school project, plan a special family activity as a reward.

Homework Hints

• Assume that your children will have studying to do every night.

• Ask your children if they understand their homework. If they do not, work a few examples together.

• Ask your children to show you their homework after the teacher returns it, to learn where they're having trouble and where they're doing well. See if your children did the work correctly.

• Stay in touch with your children's teachers. Ask about their classes and what they are studying. Ask their teachers how you can support what they are studying (flash cards, spelling, etc.).

• Remember, you and their teachers want the same thing — to help your children learn.

• Don't be afraid to get in touch with the teacher if you and your child don't understand an assignment or if your child is having a great deal of trouble. Almost all parents run into these problems, and teachers are glad to help.

• Don't do your children's work for them. Help them learn how to do it themselves.

• Show your children that you think homework is important. If you are at work during homework time, ask to see their work when you get home.

• Praise your children for doing well. Make praise a habit.

• Maintain a portfolio of "best pieces."

• Ask your school about tips or guides for helping your children develop good study habits.

• Help older students organize their assignments by recording them on calendars or planners, along with due dates, dates turned in, etc.

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This guide is a joint project of NEA and National PTA.