School has just begun for Macomb County students, and we all want the same thing — for them to be successful. Parents must implement certain things at home in order for their children to be successful when they’re at school.
We spoke with May Manna-Denha, Literacy Coach Consultant and Literacy Ambassador at the Macomb Intermediate School District, to learn her tips for parents to try at home.
1. Sleep is essential
“There are a lot of great things parents can do to help their children become successful throughout the school year,” says Manna-Denha. The first tip is simple, yet very important. “Establish a bedtime routine and set a sleep schedule for your child,” she says.
If your child does not get enough sleep at night, they may be irritated or emotional in the morning. It will be harder for them to focus on their schoolwork and stay on task.
“The amount of sleep your child needs to be successful depends on their age,” she says. “School-aged children require 9-12 hours of sleep.”
2. Set up communication with your child’s teacher
“It’s important to communicate and get to know the teacher,” says Manna-Denha.
This two-way communication will help both of you understand your child better. If something is going on at home, you should let the teacher know. If something is going on at school, your child’s teacher can let you know, as well.
“You can tell them some special things about your child or maybe if your child had a rough time the night before,” she says.
3. Be on time and avoid absences when you can
It’s so important that students come to school on time and do not miss school if they do not have to.
“It will be easier for children to complete daily lessons, homework and tests if he or she gets to school on time every day,” says Manna-Denha. “Parents should also limit the time their child misses school for activities and family trips.”
If your child is late or absent frequently, they will miss out on important learning opportunities and may fall behind their peers.
“Always contact the school immediately if your child will be absent,” she says.
4. Eat dinner together as a family
Of course, we know sometimes you’re on the go with your kids at sports and after-school activities and this may not always be possible. But if you can help it, you should try to eat dinner together as a family.
“Eat dinner together as a family so that you can talk about the school day,” says Manna-Denha. “Ask specific, open-ended questions instead of questions that can be answered with a yes or no.”
Here are some examples of open-ended questions you can ask your child:
- What was the best thing that happened at school today?
- What was the worst thing that happened at school today?
- How did you feel about it?
- What made you feel proud today?
- Can you share an example of kindness you saw/showed today?
- Who did you sit by at lunch today? What did you talk about?
- What did you get frustrated with at school today?
- Can you show me something you learned today?
5. Create a structured time and quiet place for homework
“For some, it works to get homework completed immediately after walking in the door and finishing a snack,” she says. For others, homework may be best completed after dinner. It doesn’t matter when you choose — just make a choice and stick with it for the sake of consistency.”
You may have to schedule homework time around after-school activities and sports and that’s OK. Just make sure that they are able to take some time out and complete it.
“Also, ask to see the completed work so you can see what he/she is learning and confirm all of the assignments are being completed,” says Manna-Denha. “Make sure to praise the efforts of your child in completing the assignment or any task.”
It is also important to have their school belongings organized when they come home. She explains that they should know where they’re hanging their backpack or putting away their shoes so they have them ready for the next morning.
“Establishing that organized routine when they’re at home will help with success,” she says.
6. Set aside time to read
Whether you’re reading to your child, or your child is reading aloud to you, this is one of the most important things you can do.
“You can make reading a part of daily routines by reading stories at bedtime and keeping lots of books in the house,” she says.
Find a time that works for your family and always find a way to get it done.
“There’s a site (storylineonline.net) that is great for English language learning parents or if you don’t have time to read because you’re cooking dinner or something,” says Manna-Denha. “Put this on and a celebrity will read the book you choose aloud to your child.”
She explains that you can also encourage them to write about what they read, which will help with reading comprehension and their vocabulary.
7. Get to know your child’s friends
“Research has shown that a child’s friends can have a high influence in school,” says Manna-Denha.
Find out who your child is sitting with at lunch or playing with at recess if they do not come right out and say who they’re friends with.
“Ask them what they talk about with those friends,” she says.
8. Take trips to build experiences and knowledge
“It’s important to take trips with your children to the zoo, museums, local libraries and parks,” says Manna-Denha. “Then, spend time talking about what they saw and learned from that experience.”
Those experiences will help your child in school when it comes to talking about them. Your child will already have the background knowledge and can contribute more to the class discussions.
“They add to their knowledge base or schema by connecting new information to their prior knowledge based on their life experiences,” she says.
For more information on living and learning in Macomb County, visit Make Macomb Your Home. Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s A Family Guide to Macomb County.
