What Can Parents do to Help?
Parents share with the school an important responsibility in helping their children to achieve their maximum potential. Some of the ways in which parents can supplement the school program are:
- Share an interest in reading with your child – read to them and discuss with them the books they are reading. Be sure they have a library and have the opportunity to use it often.
- Encourage originality – help children make their own toys, projects or models from wood, clay or other materials which may be available.
- Encourage questions – help your child find books or other sources that can provide answers rather than attempting to answer all questions yourself.
- Stimulate creative thinking and problem solving – encourage children to try out solutions without fear of making mistakes. Help them to value their own thinking, learn from their mistakes, and encourage them to try again.
- Foster good work habits – help children to plan their work, and then be sure they complete their plan. This applies to daily tasks at home and in the community as well as schoolwork.
- Find time for the family to talk together about many different things – help your children work toward expressing themselves better.
- Take trips together to places of interest – to museums, exhibitions, fairs, government and community agencies.
- Encourage a variety of experiences – help your children to become interested in many activities and develop hobbies.
- Allow for some free time – encourage your children to wonder, engage in reflective thought, and to appreciate the world around them.
- Be a real companion to your children – explore and share each other’s thinking. Enjoy your children and help them to remember their childhood with pleasure.