Well, we have been at it since September. By now we should know the names of all the teachers, the kids can actually pronounce the name of the PE teacher and returning library books on time is now something we can master.
Learning
Learning happens at school because parents and teachers work together. If the kid is not ready for school then no matter what the teachers says, it is not going to be a happy situation.
Let’s look at some elements that that come from the parents side
Learning from the parents side
A hangry child cannot learn!! Hungry makes you angry and upset. That’s why we talk about hangry kids. The brain just will not function in the am without some fuel. Make sure the child has a healthy breakfast . I talk a lot about this in my soon to be launched book “Rockstar Mon: 7 Ways to be the Greatest Moms Ever“. Having to prepare breakfast means that not only the child has breakfast but also the parent who is preparing it. If we even have a helper, she or he is going to make something that you the parent can chow down on. SO ..simple..make it healthy and visually appealing.
Allergies What do you understand about your child’s allergies? I thought I knew a bit about allergies but we just moved to a new area in Ontario Canada, and all hell broke loose. As the weather changed and the trees and buds changed the allergies that I had never encountered came into play. Have you ever tried to read a book or work out how to multiply with 2 integers and scratch at the same time. Not nice . You have to understand what is happening and go beyond the quick tablet fixes from the drugstore or the walk in clinic. Visit the naturpath and get the itch identified then you can do something about it.
Mom, Dad, Grandma Please read the numerous papers , letters, that you get from school. Not to talk about the evidence of work done during the day. Kids should be proud of what they have done and want to talk about it when they get home. For the tweens, emptying the backpack or rucksack or whatever you wish to call it, emptying it each day is key. Don’t be afraid of your child. There will be days when they have something they might not want you to see right away. Nothing serious. So find a way to talk about what happened at school. Also some way of asking if there is anything you can help with.
re homework. There has got to be a subject that you feel you can carry on a sensible conversation in. Don’t underestimate your own knowledge. Besides you have been around much longer than this newcomer!! Children are open to learning in so many ways. Just talking with you helps especially when you remember what it was like when they were growing up. They love to hear about that time and it opens up areas for discussion.
I am seeing google technology a lot in the classrooms now and use of web technology. I found when I had tweens, that linking the academics to the sports agenda made sense. Like using sports to explain a math problem. Or using nature walks to expand appreciation of environmental issues. Everyday common-sense learning still has its place.
You are not the only one who knows. There are some parents who think they are the only ones that know. I still have some trust in the educational system. I am not sure, but learning lines before circles is important. Or the depth that the discussion goes to in sex education for 10 year olds has been researched. So give the teacher a chance. If you are an expert in an area, wait to hear what the teacher says and quietly, effectively add on in any way that you see fit. The learning will happen in an amicable manner
Learning from the teachers side
Cleanliness is next to godliness. When you send your kids or your tweens (didn’t think I would have to write about tweens) to day care/school dirty or smelly, it impacts them in two ways. None of the other kids will want to play with them. The teachers will stay far from them. There are some kids that do not like to bathe every day. For the smaller ones you can get around this with a really good scrub every other day and a good clean up before bed on the other days. Cleaning their teeth is a must. For the bigger ones teachers don’t expect tweens to disregard personal hygiene as they will have no friends. A teacher can only think that there must be something special happening in that house for this to be happening. She or he is going to report the child.
Don’t forget to tell the teacher important things. If your kid has allergies, is a vegetarian or isn’t potty trained, they need to know. Even worse, if there are court orders involving your child, please don’t omit to tell the teacher,. It can prove dangerous for all involved as we see every day.
Infestation frustration. Head lice! It’s always a surprise to see lice infestation in the school. Especially with the small ones. Mom, Dad, lice is a clear indication of poor hygiene. The child’s hair needs washing, combing through and oiling. The easiest thing to do is to cut your child’s hair short (especially the boys) if the lice persist. Teachers do not like lice in the classroom. They will tell you when there is a problem. TAKE Notice right away. It spreads like wild fire. No learning if they itch! The over the counter fixes will NOT work if the hair is not clean, combed and oiled.
The same goes for scabies, ringworm, rashes and all the other parasites children share.
Teachers need to respect parents. Yes there are many teachers who do not really respect the knowledge of the parents. It is a pity as families come form all over and the cultural differences feed into how children learn. We all have to show respect for each other and how we think as well as remain objectively open to the introduction of new knowledge.