What educators need from parents
By Gregory W. Little
Published: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 12:14 PM EDT
Approximately half a million school children are returning to school across the state with excitement, curiosity, and, for many students, an intrinsic motivation to learn.

Educators often speak of the “new school year” with the hope that students will enter their classrooms well rested, well behaved, and primed for learning. We hope we don’t have to take precious time teaching skills and behaviors that should have been taught and reinforced at home in the first place. Exactly how much instructional time is lost in our classrooms attending to these behaviors? I think the answer would surprise us all.
While schools should be held accountable for student achievement, we need help from parents.

So, what can parents do to support their children and help them be successful in school? Here is a short list that I know teachers want (need) from all parents.
1. Send your child to school well-rested, well-behaved, and ready to learn. Well-behaved and ready to learn means: follow teacher directions, obey school and classroom rules, pay attention, cooperate with staff and get along with other students, bring materials to class daily, be responsible for your actions. Any teacher will tell you how important these behaviors are in terms of school and success in life.

These behaviors should be taught at home from parents. We can reinforce these behaviors at school, but parents need to teach these school-readiness behaviors at home. This alone would go a long way in helping our students be prepared for learning and, ultimately, improve student achievement in our districts.

2. Stress the importance of education. Set high goals with your children. Tell them by your words and actions that school is a high priority. Homework and school progress is more important than sports and other activities. Education will open doors and is necessary for lifelong career and personal success.

3. Communicate daily with your children. Ask what they are learning in school rather than just “How was school today?” I remember getting the pat answer “OK.”

4. Provide a consistent place to supervise your child’s homework. This doesn’t mean doing it for them. Help your child with time management, since this doesn’t come easily. Help them set timelines and teach them to use a calendar to make schedules and prioritize activities and schoolwork.

5. Turn off/limit TV, cell phone use, and the Internet (other than school projects, of course).  Read to young children and have plenty of books around the house. Modeling these behaviors as adults sends a great message.

6. Teach and reinforce manners and respect. This may sound a bit simplistic but it is quite obvious which parents have taught their children manners and  to respect adults.

Foul language and lack of manners detract from the positive classroom and school climate we are trying to create for all children in our district.

7. Insist and monitor that your child puts forth effort into schoolwork. “Effort creates achievement” is our district motto. We need students to respond to the rigor our teachers have planned in their classroom instruction. Without student effort, achievement is limited.

8. If things are not going well in school, or you just want additional information, contact your child’s teachers, guidance counselor, or principal. We are here to help, answer your questions, and to problem solve. We can’t address problems or make improvements unless you speak up.

Likewise, if you are pleased with your child’s teacher, administrator, or other staff, tell them. All workers need to hear when they are doing a good job and educators are no different. I would argue that educators need more communication from the public they serve, since our contact with parents is often limited, but so important.

9. Attend school activities such as open house, parent-teacher conferences, and student activities. Get involved in your school’s PTO. This sends a clear message to your child that you care about his progress and that you support his teacher’s efforts.

It’s a fact and supported by research: Students whose parents are involved with their child’s teacher and school are more successful than those who don’t. It’s involvement not just at the elementary level, but at the middle- and high-school level as well. Many students need parents more in middle/high school when the stakes are higher and problems can be more serious.

For those of you who are involved, I applaud you. Please continue doing what you are doing. For those who have not been involved, on behalf of every teacher, I extend a hand to you. Aren’t your children worth your time and attention?

If every parent made a commitment to implement these important ideas, our schools, and most importantly, our students, would benefit greatly by allowing teachers to spend much more time on our core mission: teaching and learning.

And isn’t that what schools should be all about?

The writer is the Windsor Locks superintendent of schools.