Some students struggle academically from time to time, and there is nothing wrong with getting them extra help. Tutoring can be a wonderful resource. Teachers can provide additional support, and schools offer programs designed to help students who are falling behind.
But we should never expect schools to carry the entire responsibility for educating our children.
Parents play a vital role in their child’s education.
As a mom, I did many of the things parents commonly do. I read with my children, played educational games with them, helped with homework when they had questions, and often checked their homework before they turned it in.
Sometimes, though, I had to get creative.
Two of my children had dyslexia, and I have dyslexia as well. Spelling and reading could be challenging, so I looked for ways to turn learning into something fun rather than something they dreaded.
One activity became a family favorite.
I wrote their weekly spelling words on index cards. Then I made additional cards containing words with similar spellings. At night, after the kids went to bed, I would tape the cards in different places throughout the house.
The next day became a game of hide-and-seek.
Their job was to find the cards but bring me only their actual spelling words. For example, if the spelling word was line, I might also hide cards containing lime and like. They had to recognize the difference and bring me only line.
They loved it.
They were practicing spelling, reading, and word recognition without sitting at a table staring at a worksheet. To them, it was a game. To me, it was another opportunity to help my children learn.
Not every child learns the same way, and parents know their children better than anyone. Sometimes the best educational tool isn’t expensive tutoring or another computer program. It may be index cards, a game at the kitchen table, reading together before bed, or simply spending 20 minutes reviewing what your child learned that day.
I encourage parents to get creative. Find ways to make learning enjoyable and discover what works best for your child.
Teachers have an incredibly important job, but they cannot do it alone. Parents shouldn’t simply drop their children off at school and expect educators to handle everything.
Education works best when parents and teachers are partners.
When teachers teach, parents reinforce, and children know the adults in their lives are working together, we give students a much stronger foundation for success.
