As a parent, you play a vital role in your child's education. Planning for your child's success in school begins when your child is just an infant, and continues throughout their lives. It is up to us, the parents, to help our children prepare for school, and to guide them through their educational journey.
There are many options for early education in your community, including preschools offered through churches, child care centers and facilities, public schools, and Pre-K collaborative programs. For more information on programs in your community, call your local resource and referral agency.
How can you be involved in your child's education? Here are a few tips:
Learn your child's strengths and weaknesses in different areas of school.
Share your child's strengths and weaknesses with your child's teacher.
Make appointments as needed to discuss your child's progress or concerns.
Attend PTA or parent meetings regularly.
Meet your child's friends and get to know their parents.
Discuss with your child their school day and homework daily.
Provide a quiet, well-lighted place with basic school supplies for studying/homework.
Develop a consistent daily routine and time for studying and homework.
Provide encouragement and approval for effort and schoolwork.
*Taken from "100 Ways for Parents to be Involved in Their Child's Education" from The National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. For the complete list, visit the National PTA's website at www.pta.org.
Educational Resources:
Below you will find many valuable resources for you to use to help you to ensure your child's educational success.
Early Head Start http://www.ehsnrc.org/
Early Head Start is a new initiative of Head Start that provides low-income families who have children under age three with family-centered services that facilitate child development, support parental roles, and promote self-sufficiency.
Head Start www.nhsa.org
Head Start is a comprehensive child development program with a family-centered approach to service delivery. Thirty-five percent of the children served by Head Start are three years old.
I Am Your Child www.iamyourchild.org
A national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of early childhood development and school readiness.
National Even Start Association www.evenstart.org
Even Start provides early childhood development and literacy services to children from birth through seven years and their parents who do not have a high school diploma.
National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) www.pta.org
This site offers a list of "101 Ways for Parents to Be Involved in Their Child's Education", which any parent can benefit from reading. Included in this list are tips on everything from ways to communicate with your child's teacher and other school personnel, ways to help your child succeed in school, and ways you, a parent, can volunteer your time and skills to your child's school.
National Parent Information Network http://www.npin.org
As part of the ERIC clearinghouse on elementary and early childhood education, this site focuses on information for parents. You will find a lot of great resources, including a magazine, discussion list, conference events, state networks, an “ask-ERIC” section, and much more.
Parents As Teachers http://www.patnc.org
Parents As Teachers (PAT) is an early childhood parent education and family support program serving families throughout pregnancy and until their child enters kindergarten. The Parents as Teachers National Center develops curricula, trains early childhood professional, and certifies parent educators. More than a dozen WV counties have PAT programs.
Parent Educator Resource Centers http://wvde.state.wv.us/ose/percs
Parent Educator Resource Centers provide information, training, and support to families, educators, and other professionals about educational issues. There are currently 39 centers serving local education agencies.
U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov
The U.S. Department of Education website offers educational information and resources for students, educators, and parents. Information for parents includes ways to help your child read and succeed in school, plan for college, and get supplemental services. There is also a directory of education resource organizations in West Virginia.
updated 8/21/12