Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Part 2Parent Guide,

Workbook, and Seminar Journal

These “teaching panels” summarize the content of Part 2 of the online seminar (accessible at www.parentingforschoolsuccess.org ). To go to a particular section, launch “Slide Show” and click

on the appropriate section summary panel below.

Hand in Hand for Education—How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Content Summary for Part 2. The School Years

Part 2 Overview Parent-Teacher Partnership The Home Environment

Elementary School Middle School High School

College

Part 2. The School Years . . .Key factors in your child’s school success are parental guidance and support at home and

working in partnership with teachers and schools.

In this section we will explore how to: Work in partnership with teachers and schools. This is an important part of your

responsibility for your child’s education.

Provide support and guidance in the home during each phase of your children’s education by applying the parenting practices you have already learned in ways that will help your children succeed in school.

Help your children successfully handle changes and transitions as they enter Kindergarten and move on to Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and College.

Monitor your child’s progress, know what to expect at each grade level, and work with teachers to assure success.

Plan and prepare for post-high school education whether at a college or university or in a specialized training program.

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Your children will learn to value education and

learning by what you say and do.

It is your values and expectations that will

have the greatest influence on how your

children feel about school.

PARENTS are the most important teachers a child will ever have.

Education and learning are linked to everything that happens in

the home and family.

Your children have been learning by watching you, talking to you, and

interacting with you.

After watching the following video, use the worksheet on the next page to record your thoughts and ideas about what you want to teach your children

Think About It!• What are three important things that you learned from your parents?

• What are three important things that your children are learning from you now?

• When it comes to education and preparing for the future, what are the values and expectations you want to impart? And, what are some ways you might go about communicating them?

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Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 1

Parents and Teachers Working

Together

Children Learn Best When Parents and Teachers Work Together-----This section will provide you with the tools you need

to develop a good working partnership with your child’s teacher.

Talk with your child about

school, and if you have concerns or

questions, contact the teacher.

Volunteer, attend parent-teacher

conferences and other school

events

Meet your child’s teacher at the

beginning of the school year—develop good

communication

Three key areas are:

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Developing a Positive Working Relationship with Your Child’s Teacher

Meeting the teacher at the beginning of the school year lays the foundation for a good working relationship.

Keep an open mind when talking with teachers. Try to appreciate their point of view.

Checking in with the teacher on a regular basis ensures that any difficulties your child is experiencing can be addressed before they become big problems.

Find out why a good parent-teacher relation- ship is so important to you and your child —

Don’t hesitate to contact a teacher when you don’t understand something that your child is learning or when you have a question.

Use the following worksheet to make notes aboutthese presentations and to record your ideas.

Notes and Ideas: Developing a Good Parent-Teacher Partnership

• How will my relationship with my child’s teacher help my child?

• When I meet my child’s teacher at the beginning of the school year:–What do I want to learn?

--What do I want him/her to know about my child (and about me)?

• What is the best way for me to communicate with the teacher? --When is the best time ?

• Do I have any questions or concerns I would like to discuss with the teacher right now?

Help-sheet for first meeting the teacher -Remember this is just a short informal meeting so it helps to think about it ahead of time. Here are “7 Things “ that it would be helpful for a teacher to know about your child.. Choose the most important things the teacher should know right now for the first meeting, then speak with the teacher at another time about other items.

• Things we would like to share with the teacher about our child:

• Questions we want to ask the teacher:

Communicating with the school --some guidelines about who to talk to

• School_____________________________• Office phone #______________________• School website______________________• E-mail_____________________________

• Child______________________________• Teacher____________________________• Phone#____________________________• E-mail_____________________________

• Child______________________________• Teacher____________________________• Phone#____________________________• E-mail_____________________________

• Child______________________________• Teacher____________________________• Phone#____________________________• E-mail_____________________________

Notes:In slide-show mode, click on the blue link.

How You Can Be Involved in School --and Why it is so important!

Daily and Weekly Activities

Special Projects and EventsThere are many ways to be involved in school that do not require showing up in the classroom each week. Attending special events as a family (performances, sports events, or service projects) will help you and your child get to know other families and feel part of the school community. When kids feel like they “belong” at school, this has a positive effect on their performance.

Making the Most of Teacher Meetings

Talking with a Teacher about Problems --how to stay positive & productive

The In’s and Out’s of Volunteering (also in Spanish)

Involvement for Working Parents Effective Volunteering from Elementary through High School

Attend Parent-Teacher ConferencesTips on How to Prepare for a Parent/Teacher Conference

--Great helps on asking questions & following up

--Four “B’s” that make Parent/Teacher meetings successful

Keep a notepad handy to jot down ideas from these resources

Notes on successful parent-teacher conferences and other ways to be involved in school

Think about it! • What skills, talents, or experiences could you share to enrich what your child is learning in school?

Teacher’s Name: _______________________________Appointment date & time: ___________________Room Number: __________

Worksheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Questions:1.

2.

3.

Be supportive: some things you appreciate— - - -

Teachers Remarks What things are going well:

Changes/Improvements:

What you can do to help:

Procedure for tracking progress and staying in touch with teacher

How he/she describes your child:

The Value of Conversations about SchoolTalking about school with your children lets them know you care about them and what is happening in their lives and that you value education

As important as conversations about school are, it is not always easy to get your child to share the experiences of the day and how he feels about them. Here are some websites that can help.

Conversations about School • http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/733-have-a-conversation-about-school

Questions to Jumpstart Conversations about School • http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/853-20-questions-to-ask-your-child• http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/10-questions-to-ask-your-child-about-his-day-at-scho/• For Young Children: http://

shine.yahoo.com/moments-of-motherhood/10-questions-to-ask-your-child-about-his-day-at-school-2409031.html

What Question Did You Ask in School Today? • http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/social-skills/6994-asking-questions-video.gs?cpn=20120826weeklysend

Note: This material is also found in the following section: The Home Environment Continues to Matter--Support and

Praise. You may wish to read some of these articles now and some when studying that section.

Use the following worksheet to record notes.

• When are the best times to talk with your child (children)? The worst times?

• Which questions or techniques that you have read about do you think will be most effective with your children?

• Will the same questions and conversation techniques work well with each child? What different approaches might you want to try?

Think about it: Communicating with your child about school

Goals and Plans for being involved and partnering with the teacher/school

Goals: (what?) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Plans: (how?) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes on how you are doing—successes and things to do differently____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 2

Six Home Factors that Affect

School Success

The Home Environment Continues to MatterIn this lesson, each item below will be explored in detail.

Home Factors

That Affect School Success

Expec-tations

Structure/ Routine

Home Learning

Support/ Praise

Relation-ships

Modeling

Whether your children are in kindergarten or high school, these six factors will be important in helping them learn.

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EXPECTATIONS

Children learn better when parents and children work together to develop clear and reasonable expectations.

Explain why school is important. Talk with your children about specific ways it will effect their future. Even when children are young, talk about going to college

Look ahead. At the beginning of each school term, talk to your child about what the teacher expects and what your child needs to do to meet those expectations.

Expectations should be realistic but challenging. Children need to understand what will happen if they do not meet expectations and what will happen if they do.

Because expectations are an expression of our values, as parents we try to establish expectations and consequences that guide our children to make good choices and behave well. Keep in mind the guidelines below, as you complete the assignments on the following pages.

(video) While watching the video “Expect a Lot of Your Children” a guide to establishing expectations listen for the answers to the following questions and make notes in your journal

What are expectations? What are they based upon?

How do expectations influence your children?

What steps lead to establishing effective expectations?

When it comes to consequences, what are two mistakes that you need to avoid?

What are the characteristics of meaningful consequences?

What does inconsistency in applying consequences communicate to your children?

Take time to identify what your expectations for your child’s school behavior and achievement are. Write them down but keep an open mind. Also, find out what the teacher’s expectations are.

Using the questions in the discussion guide (next page), gather together as a family or with each child individually and talk about

what would be challenging but realistic expectations in your family. Everyone should listen respectfully as well as have a chance to talk.

Once you have developed a set of expectations and consequences, write them on a paper or make a chart to display in a place where it will be seen often.

Use the journal page “Expectations and Consequences for Our Family” or create your own chart or poster

Look for other videos on the importance of expectations in Parent Seminar Enrichment Resources.

Assignment: Establishing Effective Expectations and Consequences

Expectations: A discussion guide for you and your child

• As parents, what do you think would be realistic but challenging expectations for behavior and achievement at school for your child?

• What are the teacher’ expectations?

• What does your child think?

• What does your child need to do to meet these expectations?

• How can you support your child in meeting the teacher’s expectations and your expectations? Talk about these ideas together

• What consequences—both negative and positive—should be related to the se expectations. Be specific! Write them down!

• When you have decided what the expectations and consequences are, work together to make a chart that you can post where it will be seen often.

Expectations and Consequences for Our Family

Expectations________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Positive Consequences________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Negative Consequences ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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STRUCTURE & ROUTINE Think about a typical day in your family’s life. Do things run smoothly,

with a minimum amount of frustration, stress and conflict? Or, are there certain tasks—such as getting off to work and school in the morning, getting homework done, getting dinner on the table, getting children to bed—that are often chaotic? If your answer is “Yes” to this last question then creating more structure and routine may help.

Before looking at the suggestions and resources in this section, take a few minutes to identify problem areas in your home organization and family routines and write them down.

1.___________________________________________

2.___________________________________________ 3.___________________________________________

4.___________________________________________

5.___________________________________________

Benefits of routines and schedules: 1. Help kids know what to expect. 2. Eliminate power struggles 3. Help kids cooperate 4. Enable them to take charge of themselves. 5. Help parents maintain consistency in expectations 6. Help kids get on a schedule for sleeping, meals,

etc.

To learn more go to: http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/family-life/structure-routines

STRUCTURE & ROUTINE Children feel secure when they know what to

expect and what is expected of them.

Mealtimes: A nutritious breakfast = better concentration in school Eat at least one meal a day together!

Bedtime: Establish a time to go to bed

that allows adequate sleep Have a regular bedtime routine

Establish routines and rules together: Include mealtimes, times for chores, homework, reading, “screen

time”--TV, video games, computers, socializing with friends, family Know where your children are, who they are with, what they are

doing, and how they are getting to and from activities.

Create an organization center: Put up a large family calendar to keep track of everyone’s schedules and activities Post school schedules and class schedules for each child Post reminders of due dates for long-term assignments Have a list of important phone numbers easily available Have a message board where family members can leave

quick notes for each other.

Organization Resources to Explore Family Organization Ten Reasons Why Planning Works for Me—

http://www.printfriendly.com/print/v2?url=http://planningwithkids.com/2009/09/15/10-reasons-why-planning-works-for-me/

Top Ten Family Organization Tips—plus links to other articleshttp://www.scjohnson.com/en/family/family-economics/post.aspx?date=11-01-19&title=Top-10-Family-Organization-Tips

Back to School Time-Savers for Busy Momshttp://www.5min.com/Video/Back-to-School-Time-Savers-for-Busy-Moms-397184194

Helping Children Learn to Organize http://www.5min.com/Video/Teach-Kids-to-Organize-278595428http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Reduce-Clutter-in-Kids-Room-517216954

Time Management http://www.5min.com/Video/Using-Time-to-Your-Advantage-155908711

Managing “Screen Time”

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Get-Your-Kids-to-Turn-Off-Electronics-and-Spend-Some-Family-Time-517095375http://www.greatschools.org/students/media-kids/4229-helping-your-child-break-the-video-game-addiction-video.gs?cpn=20120729weeklysend

Establishing Effective Family Routines

Goals____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Plans ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Outcome s________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Involving all family members in the goal/planning stages usually encourages cooperation and support. • But change isn’t easy and may not happen as quickly as you would like. • Have a family council to talk about how things are going. If necessary revise your plans and try new ways to achieve your goals. • Consistency and patience are important when trying to develop new ways of doing things and setting new expectations.

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LEARNING

Organizing & monitoring HOMEWORK is one of the critical ways parents support their children’s learning. See the next page for suggestions and resources.Encourage children to think of school and learning as their job.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES like working, talking, playing games, reading, sharing meals, and socializing with family and friends are important to academic, social and emotional development. See the following pages for idea resources

MAKE SUMMER COUNT and avoid the “backslide” that can take place between school years by planning activities of your own and using resources in the community for enrichment and reinforcement activities.

Positive and constructive experiences outside of school promote learning in school.

Learning: Homework Basics

Ten Ways to Help Kids with Homework

1. Help children get organized and develop good habits by writing down the homework assignment in an assignment or agenda pad each day. They should bring this pad to and from school each day and refer to it when they sit down to tackle their homework. Parents should also review the assignment pad nightly to see that all homework is completed.

2. Provide children with a calendar to chart long term assignments and any other activities that may interfere with completing nightly homework.

3. Parents should look over previous night’s homework to see if their child is on the right track and meeting the teacher’s expectations.

4. Assume that children have homework every night. Even if nothing is written in the assignment pad and the child claims that there is no homework, they should still spend some time reviewing class notes, studying for upcoming quizzes or tests, or working on practice problems dealing with concepts that they may have struggled with in the past.

5. Children should attempt homework on their own before eliciting the help of a parent or a tutor. Struggling for a little while with a concept is not a bad thing and will help a student realize that not everything will come easy and most things can be figured out if they put a little thought and effort into it. However, don’t let children get too frustrated. Parents should step in before their kids become discouraged.

6. If children have attempted the homework on their own and are struggling quite a bit, then sit down with them and work out the beginning of the homework together and then let them try the rest.

7. Do not do homework for the child. Ask leading questions and prompt them in the direction of the answer, but don’t give away the answers. If children know that eventually Mom or Dad will do their homework for them, then they will always pretend to struggle until someone does it for them.

8. Praise works wonders. Identify what the children are doing well and let them know that you noticed.

9. Parents should stay in touch with their children's teachers. A simple e-mail every once in a while will keep the lines of communication open and elicit feedback about how the children are performing at home and in the classroom.

10. Parents should show their children that even adults have homework. By sitting down to pay the bills, balance a checkbook, write thank you notes or a letter to a friend, look up recipes, or simply read for pleasure, it will help kids understand that the skills they are learning in school now will be applied in their adult life. (from Tutorfi.com)

Learning LinksGuidelines for Organizing and Monitoring Homework http://www.5min.com/Video/Stress-Free-Homework-Habits-517204577 http://www.5min.com/Video/Monitoring-Homework-as-a-Working-Parent-517231037 http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Get-Organized-for-School-517289061 http://www.5min.com/Video/Motivating-Your-Child-Student-with-Praise-517204581

Additional suggestions and help with specific homework challenges can be accessed from the Elementary School Years section

Home and Family All-round great website for parents and kids

http://www.pbs.org/parents/ Talking and Listening to Children

http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/strategies.html In your own backyard—exploring nature at home

http://bcove.me/i42hcilz

Community and Recreation Activities http://life.familyeducation.com/slideshow/activities/57572.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/way_5312938_fun-inexpensive-places-children.html

Supporting learning in the home and family— What are your successes and challenges?

Homework: Successes:

Challenges:

Possible solutions:

Home and Family: Successes:

Challenges:

Possible solutions:

It’s important to take time to notice all the good things that you are doing to support your child’s learning and feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction—Hooray for you!

Yes, you may see areas that could be improved. However, start with small changes—sometimes they produce the biggest rewards over time. Having dinner together more often, one on one time with a child playing their favorite game or going for a walk, made-up stories as you tuck them in bed, looking at old family or vacation pictures, are

times that encourage curiosity, language skills, social skills, etc.

See the elementary and middle school sections for more homework - study skills resources.

Making Summer Count

The Unwanted Back-slideOver the summer, students can lose 1-2 months of progress in reading and math Unless they are engaged in activities that---

• Reinforce what they have learned during the school year• Enrich knowledge and skills, encourage curiosity and exploration,

and build competence and confidence.

Reinforcing activities: • Reading daily can help students at all levels

maintain and even increase their vocabulary and comprehension skills.• Math and science review and mastery can be worked into a variety of activities. Check out the listed websites for ideas. • Take summer school classes for language development or to gain

mastery in a core subject

Making Summertime Count

Enriching activities: • Schools may offer classes in subjects

that a students can’t fit into their regular schedule

• Community recreation departments offer a variety of day camps, lessons, and community events & entertainment.

• Family outings can be inexpensive, fun and educational. Enjoying nature, community events, libraries, museums, and factory tours—check what is available in your area.

• Family projects might include service projects, family history, home improvement, learning a skill together

Check out these websites for ways to make the most of summer vacation!

Preventing summer learning losshttp://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/tp/prevent_summer_learning_loss.htmhttp://www.5min.com/Video/Tips-to-Beat-the-Summer-Learning-Slide-517408005http://mvguam.com/helping-your-child-succeed/24077-eight-simple-ways-to-prevent-the-summer-slide.html

Ideas for Summer Learning Fun http://www.5min.com/Video/Creative-Summer-Games-for-Children-308965642 http://www.5min.com/Video/Affordable-Summer-Activities-For-Kids-517124459http://www.education.com/magazine/article/how-to-weave-math-learning-into-summer-fun/http://www.education.com/magazine/article/diy-campinghttp://mvguam.com/helping-your-child-succeed/24315-10-ideas-to-keep-kids-reading-this-summer.html

Some Advice on Use of Technology During the Summer http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w5bJ2DrJRsk

Worksheet: Getting Organized for Summer

Summer break has become shorter and shorter! Summer fun (and learning) requires some planning

ahead Think about how you might incorporate some of these activities and others into your summer:

--Do remedial work in math or reading? (try to make it fun)

--Make reading a part of each day

--Help kids explore special interests

--Organize a family project

--Visit places and people that are important to you

--Include regular outdoor and physical activities

--Take advantage of Parks and Recreation or other free or low-cost summer programs (sign-up usually starts in the spring)

Back-to-school Checklist:Summer is over before you know it!

Before school starts, visit the school and the child’s classroom.

Attend any meetings or back-to-school nights

Establish a positive working relationship with your child’s teacher.

Make sure your child has any supplies that you must provide. This can be an expensive time. Let your child come with you to the store and pick out one or two special things. Then do the rest of the shopping by yourself so you can choose more basic supplies. Often summer clothes are just fine for the beginning of school. Unless your child needs new clothes wait until later.

Review the 6 basic home factors and determine how you can best support your child’s school success this year.

Think about “lessons learned” from last year. How might you do things differently this year? What are your hopes and expectations for this school year?

To make a smooth transition back to school browse these web sites:

• How to prepare for the beginning of the school year

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/26517/ (English)http://www.colorincolorado.org/articulo/26523/ (Spanish)

• Tips for having a great first day at school

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5OAGndNNec&feature=channel&list=UL

Use your journal to make notes and record goals and plans for the new school year.

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SUPPORT AND PRAISE Regular support + praise

greater self-confidence better results in school

Appreciate and accept your children as individuals• Be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. • Praise them every day. Effective praise recognizes the child’s effort, not just

success. It is immediate and focuses on the task. • Pay attention to what they are doing and learning in school.

• Talk to them about school work and activities. Ask questions.• Look at their homework, their school books, papers they bring home.

Get to know your child’s teacher• Find out what he/she thinks your child’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Share your ideas. • Ask what you can do to reinforce what is being taught at school. • Focus on solutions when there is a problem. Let the teacher know you are

concerned, and work with your child and the teacher to find a solution.

Learn More

“ Having a healthy self-esteem is a major key to academic and social success in school and in life…. research shows that a positive self-concept is more important to academic success than a high IQ.” Here are some helpful resources for building your child’s confidence and self-esteem:

Two Great Articles: Help your child increase in confidence http://mvguam.com/helping-your-child-succeed/22720-help-your-children-increase-their-confidence.html

Help your child develop healthy self-esteem http://mvguam.com/helping-your-child-succeed/21901-help-your-child-develop-healthy-self-esteem.html

Excellent Videos: Importance and Benefits of High Self-esteem http://www.5min.com/Video/Parenting-Building-Self-Esteem-in-Children-517131144Building Blocks of Self Esteemhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-BDQa_L2oA&feature=relmfuHow to Praise Children Effectively http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=dWG7-GK6-EE&NR=1Building confidence and Self-esteemhttp://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Build-a-Childs-Self-Esteem-253704279Building Self-confidence through solving problems http://www.5min.com/Video/Parenting-Building-Confidence-in-Children-517110164Teach Children Problem Solving Skillshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=jj56WysTTMk&NR=1Three Pillars of Successful Achievers http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=AZAhrK_EdMQ&NR=1

The Importance of Talking with Your Child Click on the blue link above to learn how frequent, friendly conversations with your child help them develop communication skills (speaking and listening) that are so important to their school success.

As you read the article, keep these questions in mind:

1. How will good communication skills help my child in the classroom? 2. What should my child and I talk about? 3. What are the characteristics of a good conversation with my child? 4. Why is it important to listen and respond to what my child is saying?

5. How would you describe a “balanced” conversation? 6. What are some of the “rules” of social conversation?

7. Which of these “rules” would it help to work on in our family?

The Value of Conversations about School This material was first presented in the section, “Developing Parent-Teacher Partnerships and

Working with the School” Quickly review the articles and your responses to the “Think About It! questions. Add additional ideas and thoughts to your journal notes.

As important as conversations about school are, it is not always easy to get your child to share the experiences of the day and how he feels about them. Here are some Web sites that can be helpful:

Conversations about School

• http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/733-have-a-conversation-about-schoolQuestions to Jumpstart Conversations about School

• http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/853-20-questions-to-ask-your-child•

http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/10-questions-to-ask-your-child-about-his-day-at-scho/

• For young children: http://shine.yahoo.com/moments-of-motherhood/10-questions-to-ask-your-child-about-his-day-at-school-2409031.ht_m

What question did you ask in school today? http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/social-skills/6994-asking-questions-video.gs?cpn=20120826weeklysend

Think about it!

• Which questions or techniques that you have read about do you think will be most effective with your children?

• Will the same questions and conversation techniques work with each of your children?

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RELATIONSHIPS—

At Home: Express love and acceptance . Regularly show affection and tell them that they are loveable and capable. Let them know mistakes are part of the learning process. Review “Help Your Child Build Healthy Self-Esteem” in Structure and Praise Section.

Catch your child being/doing good. Reinforce good behavior. Make a big deal out of it. If discipline is necessary, carry it out with love and respect. Children should feel safe from physical and verbal abuse.

Have conversations with your children often. Encourage them to think about and express their emotions. For example, “How do you feel about your new class or activity?” Listen carefully to their responses. Also see “The Importance of Talking to Your Child” in Structure and Praise Section. (Follow the links above for more information)

Children do best in all areas of their lives when they have a warm, caring, and encouraging environment at home and in school

RELATIONSHIPS AT SCHOOL Children do best in all areas of

their lives when they have a

warm, caring & safe environment

at home and in school

The school climate should: • Encourage respect, curiosity, and creativity• Focus on the success of all children • Protect them from physical and emotional bullying • Celebrate diversity

Support your children in their social relationships and when concerns arise. --Help them develop social skills --Help them resolve conflicts and find peaceful

solutions to problems. --If your child is wrong help him understand what was

wrong and how to change the behavior. --Work with teachers to bring about positive changes in

the child’s behavior.

Positive Social and Emotional Relationships Help Children Succeed Academically

• Research shows that developing social and emotional skills improves academic performance and prevents problem behavior.• Developing these skills helps kids

• Communicate well. • Team up effectively with others. • Manage emotions like anger and discouragement. • Learn how to cope with the everyday difficulties of life.

Resources for Dealing with Difficult Situations (Developing conflict resolution skills and resiliency) Teach Kids to Resolve Conflicts Well (Click on titles) What Can I Do to Help My Child or Teenager Solve Problems? Helping Children Resolve Conflicts Building a Child’s Resiliency Ten Pillars of Emotional Resilence

Resources for Helping Your Child Develop Social SkillsAll Children Want to Belong Helping Children Make Friends Social Intelligence for Elementary Schoolers Helping Your Child Deal With Social Issues

The following two journal pages provide guidelines for applying the information found in these resources

Are there social skills that your child needs to develop or strengthen?

1. Write down the one that you think is the most important to work on?

2. Think about ways to work on this particular issue.

3. Prayerfully decide what to do and how to talk with your child about this issue.

4. Make a plan and begin carrying it out. If this involves relationships at school, let your child’s teacher know what you are doing so that he/she can help and give you feedback as he/she observes you child

5. Recognize and praise even small improvements.

6. Each week evaluate the progress that is made. Review your plan and revise if necessary.

Relationships Worksheet: Helping your child develop social skills

Relationships Worksheet II: Resolving problems and conflicts

Do the same problems and conflicts come up over and over?

1. After writing down one of these problems, try to identify the source of the problem. Think about the settings and people involved.

• Are they always the same? • Or, do the same problems occur but with different people

and in different situations.

s2. Make a list of possible ways to resolve them.

• Discuss your ideas with your child. • Make a plan. • If helpful, practice/role-play putting your plans into action.

Back to Section Summary

MODELING —Teaching by example “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. ” Albert Schweitzer

Teach your children that education is valuable and important to you.

Teach your children how to handle problems and develop positive relationships.

Teach your children skills that will help them develop confidence and self-reliance.

Teach your children that education is valuable and important to you

• Share and explain your experiences, values, and beliefs about education. Talk about your own experiences, things you have learned in life, and ways in which education has helped you

• Show sincere interest in what they are doing in school. Talk about their interests. Ask questions. Set goals together. Get involved in your children’s school.

• Show how learning is used in everyday life. Help your children become aware of how you use math, reading, and writing on a daily basis.

• Learn a new skill. Many school districts and community centers offer free classes in many subjects, including English, math, and computer skills.

Think About It! • Reflect on how you are doing in each of the 4 areas listed above. Is there one area that needs more attention? What is

one thing that you could do to improve in that area? Remember, keep it simple—little things can make a big difference!

• Watch the video, Hispanic Parents say, “Go to College!” Although each of these families is different, they are all doing things that help prepare their children to go to college.. Identify some of the practices i n their homes that could help you be more effective in your relationship with your children and in teaching the value of education.. Set a goal for trying out one of the practices you have identified. Remember consistency over time is very important.

• Here are several videos that you could use to begin a discussion with your child about what it takes to go to college. Discuss what they think the messages of these videos are and how they apply to their lives.

• College Access: Pursuing a Dream• College Access: Persistence • College Access: Algebra

Teach your children how to handle problems and have positive relationships

Behave as you would want your children to behave. Speak calmly; show concern for others; listen respectfully to your children. (Video)

Handle difficult situations in constructive ways. Children are watching how adults handle conflict and will imitate them.

When you are wrong, say so. Children will see that it is okay to admit mistakes when they see you apologize and mean it.

Think About It! • Review any notes and plans you made when you studied the last section, Relationships: • Evaluate your progress. • Do you need to make changes or adjustments to your plans?

Teaching your children skills will help them develop confidence and a sense of self-efficacy

Self-efficacy is the belief that you have skills that you can rely on to help you navigate life and reach your goals.

You can help your child develop a sense of self-efficacy by teaching them how to

• Care for themselves and their belongings, • Perform tasks around the home, • Provide service to others, • Help plan family projects and activities, and • Explore their interests and try new activities.

By involving children in daily chores and family responsibilities they learn by observation

and hands-on experience. As they practice and become proficient, they gain confidence in

their ability to learn new things and effectively control their environment. At the same

time, you and they become aware of their strengths and their weaknesses. By making the

most of their strengths and being honest about their weaknesses, i.e., accepting that there

are areas where they may never excel as well as areas where they could improve, allows

children to have a positive, but realistic view of themselves.

Think About It! An exercise in self-efficacy building skills

• Reread the article--

Self-Efficacy: Helping Children Believe They Can Succeed,

• On a card write the six ways “Adults Can Enhance Self-Efficacy.” • Check off each time you use one of the principles. • Also think about times when you missed the opportunity to use one of these principles .

Remember, it is consistency over time that has the greatest impact.

Challenge Negative thinking

Teach Goal Setting

Notice, analyze & celebrate success

Use process praise

Provide opportunity for mastery experience

Be honest and realistic

Summary of Goals and Plans for the Six Factors that Support School Success

Your Goals (What?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Plans (How?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time Frame (When?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back to Section SummaryBack to Part 2 Summary

Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 3

The Elementary School Years: Establishing a

Good Foundation

The Elementary Years: K – 6th Grade

Lesson Organization In this lesson we will be covering a wide range of topics.

• Selecting a school • Kindergarten readiness and preparation• Transition from Kindergarten to First Grade • Knowledge and skills to expect at each grade level • Parent resources—which covers handling homework challenges, Organization, study skills and online help with specific subjects

.

Selecting a School The types of schools available, both public and private, have increased tremendously. Our purpose is to offer basic criteria that parents would want to look for in whatever type of school they feel meets the needs of their child and family. The links below are a good start for great information from the internet. Talking to other parents about their experiences with specific schools can also provide insight.

•Three basic criteria for evaluating a school http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/slideshows/3469-choosing-an-elementary-school.gs?page=1

• What to look for on an elementary school tour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygqw27RIeIs

• Ten questions to ask in choosing a school http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/making-the-right-choice/7055-choose-elementary-school-video.gs

Select those topics that meet your current needs. Use your seminar journal and goal pages at the end of this lesson to record your ideas and plans

Back to Part 2 Summary To Next Section Summary

The Elementary Years: Laying the Foundation in Kindergarten

The question all parents ask as their child turns five– “Is my child ready for kindergarten?” Here are the Readiness Skills Teachers Hope to See

Enthusiasm for Learning • Is he eager to explore,

discover, ask questions, take initiative and be persistent?

• Does he have the ability to listen and follow directions?

Independence and Social Skills• Does he have self-help skills for

eating, using the bathroom, putting on and

taking off jackets?

• Can he play well with others, take turns, share, solve problems using words?

Foundation for Learning• Does he have a strong

oral vocabulary and can recognize letters and numbers?

• Has he developed strong

fine motor skills from coloring, using scissors and play dough?

To learn more about kindergarten readiness go to:

http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/ready-for-kindergartenhttp://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/a/parents-guide-to-kindergarten.htmhttp://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Prepare-Your-Child-for-Kindergarten-264565914http://www.readingrockets.org/article/23153/ Is my child ready for Kindergarten (also in Spanish)

Preparing for the First Day!

Together explore what

kindergarten is like: Read books about kindergarten

--Visit the school --Attend all events the school offers

-Talk about what they think it will be like and what they are excited about.

Make it a special day

Ready, Set, Go to Kindergarten!

Registration for Kindergarten

The age for entering kindergarten is set by the state. Check with the school.

In the spring, contact the school office to find out the registration dates and the documents you will need such as: birth record, proof of address, immunization record & TB screening.

Follow this link for more details.

Encouragement Partner with the Teacher • Introduce yourself to the

teacher.• If you have time, volunteer

• Ask about activities to

reinforce learning at home • Review materials on parent-

teacher partnerships

Partner with Your Child • Talk about school, play

games, and do activities related to what he is learning.

• Read together. • Help him be on time for

school• Read/review all papers

brought home from school

Kindergarten to First Grade--- A Big Step

First grade is the beginning of a child’s formal education. The focus of the first year in elementary school is on becoming an independent reader, writer, and communicator, as well as on starting to learn about science and social studies. To find out more about what your child will be learning this first year, visit your state Department of Education Website and follow this link.

How can parents prepare their child for the transition to first grade? Make moving up easier with these back to school tips. (Link)

As children grow, they show many changes in their abilities and behavior. Use the Child Development Tracker at PBS. Org to explore developmental changes for 5 and 6 year olds.

The Elementary Years: 1-6th GradeEach school year will bring new knowledge and skills that reinforce previous learning and build new understanding

Knowing what to expect will help you prepare for each new year at school.

What to expect in 1st Grade What to expect in 2nd Grade What to expect in 3rd Grade What to expect in 4th Grade What to expect in 5th Grade What to expect in 6th Grade

What Your Child Should Know: Benchmarks for Grades K-5 No two kids are alike, especially when it comes to hitting developmental benchmarks. But it helps to have a rough idea of which academic and social skills your child should acquire at his or her grade level. Follow the above link as well as check your state's academic standards to find out what students are required to learn.

The Elementary Years: Help for Parents

Homework

Developing study skills

Organization

Help with specific subjects

The following pages offer resources to help parents meet the challenges of homework, study skills, student organization and specific subject areas such as math.

Homework and Study Skills : Basic Guidelines and Organization

Organization Guidelines• http://www.livestrong.com/article/101043-elementary-school-child-improve-organizational/• http://www.livestrong.com/article/213258-organizational-skills-for-kids/• http://www.5min.com/Video/School-Organization-in-3-Simple-Steps-517194106• http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-how-to-Help-Disorganized-Students-with-Homework-145318063

Notebooks and Note Taking • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbf2Ky_7e8E&feature=related• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igDbkrmDouw&feature=relmfu

Basic Guidelines Five key skills for academic success

• https://www.greatschools.org/students/homework-help/60-five-skills-for-academic-success.gs Establishing a homework routine

• https://www.greatschools.org/students/homework-help/4234-tips-for-no-hassle-homework-time-video.gs

Developing good homework habits• https://

www.greatschools.org/students/homework-help/4345-help-child-develop-good-homework-habits-video.gs

Getting Help with Homework Challenges

Dealing with Specific Homework ChallengesStress Over Homework

http://www.5min.com/Video/Reduce-Homework-Stress-with-Your-Child-517246767Lying About Homework

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Handle-Students-That-Lie-About-Homework-517298375Underachievement

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-End-Student-Underachievement-517298380Understanding Learning Styles

http://www.5min.com/Video/Understanding-Childrens-Learning-Styles-517199524Refusing to Do Homework

http://www.5min.com/Video/What-To-Do-When-Your-Child-Refuses-To-Do-Homework-517331269Rushing Through Homework

http://www.5min.com/Video/Tricks-to-Reduce-Rushing-Through-Homework-517231038Procrastination

http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-how-to-Help-Students-that-Procrastinate-Homework-145318368Fidgeting

http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-how-to-Help-Students-that-Always-Fidget-During-Homework-145318481

Getting Emotional http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-how-to-Help-Students-that-Get-Emotional-During-Homework-145318559

When to Get Outside Help http://www.5min.com/Video/When-Do-You-Need-Outside-Help-with-Homework-145318711

Study Skills/Subject Area Help

General On-line Homework Help Sites Factmonster.com http://www.factmonster.com/homework/Kid Info. Com http://www.kidinfo.com/School_Subjects.htmlEducation World.com http://www.educationworld.com/students/study/Homework Spot http://www.homeworkspot.com /

Reading Links focus on K-2 http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/partner-with-your-childs- –grade-k2-teacher/ improving fluency http://www.greatschools.org/reading/4257-help-your-child-read-naturally-video.gs developing a love for reading http://www.greatschools.org/reading/4256-How-to-create-a-love-for-reading-video.gs choosing books at the appropriate level http://www.greatschools.org/Reading/4339-Finding-right-books-for-child-video.gs Improving vocabulary and comprehension by telling your own stories http://

www.greatschools.org/reading/4255-Help- your-child-with-vocabulary-and-comprehension-video.gs

Websites Designed to Encourage Reading by Boys—book lists, suggestions for parents, etc. http://www.boysread.org/http://gettingboystoread.com/http://www.guysread.com/

Math Links http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/LD-ADHD/673-tips-for-helping-your-elementary-school-child-with-math-homework.gshttp://www.barcodesinc.com/articles/mobile-math-list.htmhttp://www.coolmath.com/ http://www.math.com/

Seminar Journal Notes for The Elementary School Years

Summary of Goals and Plans for the Elementary Years Lesson

Your Goals (What?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Plans (How?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time Frame (When?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back to Lesson SummaryBack to Part 2 Summary

Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 4

The Middle School Years:

Beginning to Plan for College

The Middle School YearsTransitioning to Middle School The challenges of middle school revolve around the new, unfamiliar environment—a bigger school, lots of new people (strangers) to deal with, five or six teachers instead of two or three, lockers, and multiple classrooms to navigate to. Your child will be making social adjustments—meeting new friends, perhaps loosing touch with old friends, dealing with peer pressure, and adjusting to the physical and emotional changes of puberty. Parents need to work to help their children feel comfortable and confident in this new environment.

Preparing for College Begins in Middle School . Your expectations and confidence in your child’s abilities will have a powerful influence on what he expects of himself. Whether you have gone to college or not, as a parent you are in the best position to help your child set goals and make good decisions about career preparation and training beyond high school. The middle school years are the time to start planning for college in a serious way.

Academic Importance of Middle School Middle school is a critical time. It is a time for preparing for high school—for mastering and building on what has been learned in elementary school and preparing to take on the academic demands of high school. Students who are working at grade level when then leave middle school will be prepared to succeed in high school. Research shows students’ academic achievement by 8th grade has a greater impact on college and career readiness than high school academic work. (United Way reference)

Back to Part 2 Summary To Next Section Summary

Transition --Changes and Challenges The changes and challenges of middle school

could not come at a worse time. As young adolescents, they are losing interest in school work and performance, gaining interest in friendships and independence, and becoming more and more distracted by the physical and emotional changes of puberty. At this crucial moment, they are thrust into a much more demanding school environment.

Things that middle school students worry about the most:

• Getting lost or finding classes • Opening the locker • Making new friends • Having more than one teacher • Carrying around all those books • Being bullied or teased, • Getting good grades• Coping with physical and

emotional changes that come with puberty.

Middle school students encounter: • More teachers and varied teaching styles• Less personal relationships with teachers• A heavier academic workload• More homework • More long-term projects to organize• Tougher grading.

Parents to the RescueHelping your middle school student feel comfortable and confident

Attend school orientation and take notes. If you know who your child’s teachers will be, take the opportunity to introduce yourself to them. This may be held in the spring for incoming students.

Carefully read all information that is handed out, sent home, or provided on the school website so that you understand school policies and who to contact if you or your child have questions.

Visit the campus before school starts; go to the campus together and just walk around and learn where things are—the gym/PE area, the cafeteria, the administration office, the library, the music rooms. If he has his schedule of classes, so much the better; he will be able to find the rooms where his classes meet and work out the best routes to use getting from one class to the next.

Practice opening the assigned locker. If that is not possible buy or borrow a similar lock and practice with it.

Talk with your child about his concerns and fears. Let him know it is normal to be nervous, he is not alone--all new students feel the same way. Share experiences you have had in confronting a new situation and overcoming your fears. Assure him that during the first week he will learn the routine and feel more confident.

Continue talking with your child about his school experiences—listen attentively and do not criticize. Because friendships are shifting and changing as children begin middle school you may be the main person he has to share his concerns and question with.

Find a time to talk to your child about his concerns or worries related to beginning middle school. What are three or four things you can do to make the transition easier?

Notes:

THINK ABOUT IT!

Academic Environment Mission of Middle School: Growing Expectations

Classes are more challenging, and homework demands increase. Parents need to help their children succeed.

The high school dropout problem begins in middle school.

Some classes are prerequisites for high school classes.

Teachers expect students to act more responsibly-- to develop greater self-management and “social-system” skills.

Growing Expectations

• It’s important to understand that middle school teachers do not care less about their students, they just care differently.

• They expect students to act more responsibly. They want students to learn the self-management and social skills that will help them to be successful in high school.

• Self-management skills include

1) Developing the discipline to keep track of homework assignments,2) Fostering the work ethic to complete it well and on time, 3) Going to class prepared and on time, and 4) Attending school and not skipping classes

Social-system skills can be described as the three C’s Conform to routines.

Comply with rules. Cooperate with authority.

Growing Expectations Exercise Before completing this exercise,

finish reading the materials in “The Middle School Years” lesson

Personal Assignment: Think about what your expectations are for your middle-school student and write them down. How would you describe a student who practiced the three C’s?

A few weeks after school has started, plan a time to talk to your child about how things are going. Things you might include in the discussion are:• What is going well? What are his worries and concerns? How can you help? • Talk about what he wants to achieve this year, and listen to his thoughts and feelings .• Come to an agreement on a set of realistic, challenging expectations and goals and put them

in writing. Don’t forget to include positive and negative consequences. • Ask your child what he/she thinks it means to practice the three C’s.

Compare notes.

Growing Academic Challenges

Because the academic workload is heavier in middle school, better organization skills are needed to manage the daily homework and long-term projects. This checklist suggests ways parents can support their student.

Checklist to help your student succeed academically in middle school--- Help your child develop organizational skills:

1) Require an assignment notebook or planner. If the school doesn’t provide one, create your own.

2) Put up a large calendar where it can be seen every day. Have your child post the due dates of projects and special assignments.

3) Help your child break big projects into smaller sections and set dates for the completion of each section.

4) Encourage your child to make a daily list of the things he needs to do.

Read the syllabi for each course. This should give you information about classroom policies and expectations and provide a timeline for major projects and assignments.

Checklist for helping students succeed, cont’d

Check homework. Check to see that homework assignments are being completed on time. Try to help your student avoid the stress created when large assignments are put off until the night before they are due. Encourage working on them each day.

Monitor and set limits on electronic communication and “screen time”, i.e., cell phone talking and texting, computer messaging, and social networking. These activities can cut heavily into study time.

Keep the linens of communication open between you and your child. Although they want to spend more and more time with their peers, try to make the most of dinner-time conversations and travel time. Look for opportunities to listen as well as to express your confidence and affection.

Keep in contact with teachers via phone or e-mail and make sure teachers know that you want to be contacted if assignments are late or missing, if there are behavior problems, if grades are slipping or if he is missing class.

Which items on this list would be most helpful to your child? Think about the best way to put them into practice. Record your ideas on the Academic Challenge worksheet.

Do your student’s study skills need a boost? Here are some videos to recommend to your child or watch and talk about together

General http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=aL2PznzUjj0&NR=1

Listening, Reading, Note-taking, Studying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCAb8b6g34&feature=related

SQ4R How to Read Text books effectively http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UafJRBvaOEo&feature=related

Using Class Time Effectivelyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UrB52H7rHqITaking and Organizing Class Notes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXTpdiJ4fZE&feature=relatedTest Taking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyEW6PueUps&feature=channel&list=UL

Academic Challenge Worksheet

• Notes on plans for implementing items on the checklist

• Study skills your student needs to improve.

Do not overwhelm yourself or your child by trying to make too many “improvements” at once. Choose two or three of the most important skills or practices to improve and work on them consistently before moving on to other areas on your list.

The High School Dropout Problem Begins in Middle School

Staying on Track for High School Graduation

The middle school years are the time when many students begin to fall behind and get “off-track” for high school and college success. Many students are only performing on a fifth/sixth grade level when they enter high school. These are the students who will more than likely drop out or not graduate from high school on time.

Key indicators that a middle school student is “off-track”: • Failing math,• Failing English/reading,• “D” grades, • Low attendance (80% or less), and • Mild but frequent misbehavior.

Any one of these problems indicates your child needs help!Contact the school counselor and individual teachers at the first sign of any

of these problems, and get the help your child needs.

Preparing for College Begins in Middle School

Identify Interests

Create a “College Culture” in the Home

Take the Right Courses

Explore and Plan

Learn about College

Creating a College Culture at home--

Share your thoughts and feelings about the importance of college to your child’s future. Kids who grow up with “When you go to college” rather than “if you go to college” are more likely to see themselves as college -bound.

Let your child know that you have confidence in his or her ability to succeed in college. Set clear expectations by emphasizing the idea that school does not end with high school.

Demonstrate that you are a life-long learner yourself. Reading, learning new skills, having a hobby that encourages you to learn and explore, and talking to your child about the new things you learn sets a great example.

Take the time to learn about college together. • Discuss college options (community, technical, two- and four-year, colleges and universities, in state or out of state) --

many options to choose from • Visit local college campuses in your area. Attend events if possible.• Stay informed about college costs, available scholarships and grant opportunities. Start saving for college, even if it is

just a small amount each month. Encourage kids to earn money and save part of it for college. • Learn about cost-cutting strategies such as: getting college credits by taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes in high

school or taking classes at your local community college during the summer

Encourage your children to evaluate their interests and strengths and explore career options . • Help your child see the connection between college and career.• Encourage your child’s aspirations and talents. • Recent research has shown that when middle school students understand how important their academic

performance is to their future job prospects and are provided specific strategies to study and learn they do better in school. They need guidance from parents to help make the link between school and their aspirations for future work. (See study by Nancy E. Hill, Harvard University)

Continue to make reading an important part of family life. Encourage your child to read and read and read. It is the best way to build vocabulary, comprehension, and speed as well as prepare for the SAT or ACT college entrance exams.

As a family watch the video from the above link and talk about what going to college can mean

Discussion Guide for Creating a College Culture in Your Home

• Watch the video with your family and discuss what going to college could mean in their lives.

• Listen carefully to what your children say. Write down their ideas and think about them.

• Do you feel your children are “on track” to be ready for college?

Learning More– Helpful Videos and Articles for Early College Planning

Importance of starting college prep early. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlUWOY-UgMs&list=UUUI6TNsmH8scRCiufD8fQ2g&index=10&feature=plcpIs middle school too early to talk about college--2 minutes—other videos by same organizations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6nwrM5g6bI&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6nwrM5g6bI&feature=related Getting ready for college starts in middle school http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/GettingReadyCollegeEarly/step2.htmlOutstanding booklet on preparation from middle through high school (available in English and Spanish) http://www.hsf.net/ choose “publications” and choose “Destination University”

Parent action plan checklist https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-parents/parent-action-plan-middle-school A middle school parents guide to college preparation—article http://www.greatschools.org/college-prep/planning/594-middle-school-parents-college-prep-guide.gs College prep in middle school—1 page, simple straightforward, links to articles on preparing for college in 9, 10, 11 th grade Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute –links to many helpful websites http://www.chci.org/education_center/page/tools-and-resources-for-parents-and-youthHarvard study reports advantages of linking education and job prospects http://www.topnews.in/linking-education-future-job-prospects-may-boost-middle-school-students-grades-2168935 Good site for parents and middle school student to explore together http://www.knowhow2go.org/middle.php

16 videos in Spanish & English about college admissions, cost, etc. for parents https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/video-gallery?filter=forParents List of resources http://collegeadmissionbook.com/resources/ Role of counselor in preparing for post-high school education http://www.5min.com/Video/School-Counseling---Life-After-High-School-516995334English-Spanish glossary for student aid http://www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov/clcf/EngSpaGlossary.html

Take the Right CoursesPreparing for College Begins in Middle School

Become informed about the school system. Although high school graduation and college are six or seven years away, the classes taken in middle school (and middle school academic performance) are critical to college preparation and success. Here are important things to keep in mind:

Talk with the school counselor to make sure your child is on the right track for college preparation. Without these courses a student will not be ready to take college prep courses in high school.

Math: take math every year, algebra by the 8th grade and geometry by the 9th gradeEnglish: Take a class every year History and science: Take as many classes as possible Foreign language: Two years of a foreign language are required by many colleges, and your child can often begin to take them in middle school. Computer science: Take advantage of any computer science classes offered. If possible, learn a word processing program such as Microsoft Word.

Encourage your child to take the most challenging courses he can handle. Tackling tough courses can give your child confidence and prepare him for higher level high school classes.

Action Plan: • Talk with the school counselor in the spring before middle school. begins • Start a file or notebook for keeping track of important papers and notes on conversations with counselors and teachers. • Put a date on all papers & notes.

Plan and Explore.Order a copy of this workbook now!

This workbook is also available on line as a PDF file so that you can download it and print or save it. Go to http://www.edpubs.gov

To order copies of this publication: Order online at: http://www.edpubs.govOrder by E-mail: edpubs@inet.ed.govOrder by phone: 1-877-433-7827Order using a telecommunications for the deaf (TDD) 1-877-576-7734

Identify Interests Encourage your child to evaluate his or her interests and strengths and explore career options.

Use a 3-ring binder to organize materials

Use the internet to help with this process. Here are a few sites you could watch together : Career exploration from an early age http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9KawhtfORI “Where are you heading?” inspirational cartoon video to watch with children about

Importance of planning ahead—being willing to invest in the future http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=C4Osvr2L0uw Very basic and good–good for parent-child discussion http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=AgyjmO9h-6k&NR=1 Motivational—chariots of fire music, pictures, quotes http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&NR=1&v=8H_eT7posEg

Talking to people with jobs that are of interest can help your child understand what it’s like to work in different fields.

Encourage your child to take electives or participate in extracurricular activities that will help

him explore strong interests and develop his talents. Visit college campuses to get a feeling for what they are like. If possible visit colleges that offer

programs that are of special interest to your child.

Summary of Goals and Plans for The Middle School Years

Your Goals (What?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Plans (How?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time Frame (When?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back to Part 2 Summary Back to Lesson Summary

Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 5

The High School Years:

Preparing for College

The High School Years

Transition to High School—Nurturing Personal Growth and Responsibility The anxieties your teen experienced as he began middle school may return as he enters high school. You can help by continuing to use good parenting practices adapted to the age and maturity of your child and

helping with the transition Parents Really Matter!!!

Academic Success in High School—Importance of Coming Prepared Students’ experiences in their first year of high school often determine their success through high school

and beyond. Unfortunately, more students fail ninth grade than any other grade. Why? Because they are not adequately prepared. They were not on grade level in core subjects when they graduated from middle

school/junior high school. Parents can help their new high school students succeed!

Preparing and Planning for College Parents continue to play a very important role in promoting college-going to their children. Without your support, encouragement, and help with the decisions that need to be made, they are less likely to go to

college. There are many resources to help you help your student plan and prepare for college.

Back to Part 2 Summary To Next Section Summary

Transition to High School--Nurturing Personal Growth and Responsibility The transition from middle school or junior high to high school is a somewhat scary, but significant rite of passage. The fear of anonymity, unfamiliar surroundings, and higher expectations all contribute to anxiety about beginning high school.

Seven things parents can do as school begins:

1.Listen 2.Get them involved 3.Help your child learn the ropes 4.Focus on details 5.Use summer wisely 6.Support academic adjustment

7. Know when to seek help.--Go to the following page

The “Basic Parenting Practices for School Success”---• Clear and reasonable expectations • Structure • Modeling • Learning experiences • Support • Love and affection --will be expressed in new ways

Seven Tips to Help Teens Successfully Transition to High School

Each year as summer draws to a close, thousands of children will take one more step toward a significant rite of passage: they will transition from being middle school or junior high students to becoming full-fledged high schoolers. This transition for kids is scary – the fear of anonymity, unfamiliar surroundings ,and higher expectations all play a central role in the anxiety leading up to the start of one’s high school career. There are things, however, that parents can do to assist with this transition.

1. ListenParents should not discount their children’s fears by just telling them “it will be all right.” Change can be frightening. Parents should reassure their kids that they will not be alone in this process. Children at this age need emotional security, support and a listening ear. Your child is anxious about this transition and wants to know that you are an ally.

2. Get involvedWhen students are involved with extracurricular activities, such as theater, art club, or sports, it helps them feel that they belong. Encouraging involvement in organized school activities fosters teamwork and a sense of place, which ultimately leads to confidence. And confidence comes with inclusion.

3.Help your child learn the ropesMany school districts have freshman orientation programs that allow time for incoming freshmen to get oriented to the physical plant. For example, schools usually allow students to come in and try out locker combinations, locate classrooms, and get comfortable with their new surroundings. For students who have their schedules, parents can suggest that they walk through the building as if they were coming and going from classes.

If students have to take a bus to school, parents should help them plan in advance. Students should know where to get on, when to get on and where to get off. This is especially important for students who have to take multiple buses to school.

4. Eliminate stress by focusing on detailsThe more attention parents pay to small details, the easier things will be for a student on day one. For example, most schools mail students their new schedules over the summer. Parents should look over their child’s schedule to ensure it appears to be correct. No matter how much little Billy tries to coerce his parents into believing he is supposed to have three gym classes, he shouldn’t. Scheduling mistakes do happen, and if there is a problem, counselors are usually available a couple of weeks prior to the start of classes to get these issues resolved. Addressing any scheduling errors early can save your child from waiting in line and missing classes while his/her schedule is changed.

Seven Tips for Transitioning to High School (continued)

5. Prepare for the summer brain drainAlmost every student loses a little ground over the summer. However, if your child has done poorly in a subject, you should try to help him/her find a related enrichment activity over the summer. This will increase your child’s self esteem and help him prepare academically for the start of the school year.

6. Recognize that adjustments to the high school curriculum take timeIt will take some time to adjust to the higher academic standards increased competition of high school. Often students earn their lowest GPA freshman year, and then begin to figure things out. When students are asked: “If you could start high school over again, what would you do differently?” many answer that they would take freshman year more seriously. Some don’t even understand that their freshman grades are part of the high school transcript that is submitted when they apply to college.

7. Know when to seek helpAfter the first couple of weeks, if your child is having debilitating anxiety or is abnormally worried about school, seek help. Many students will exhibit uneasiness and a decrease in self-esteem, but adjustment problems lasting longer than a few weeks may require special help.

Parents know their children and know when they are having drastic mood swings or acting uncharacteristically. If you notice a change in your child’s eating or sleeping habits, it’s time to talk with someone.

During this time, never forget to love your children unconditionally. While they are crossing over into adulthood, understand that change is hard and their fears are real. Students today are more stressed out than they have ever been. It’s a reflection of what is going on in our communities and our society. We have so many complex problems – including heightened economic pressures, changes in family structure, persistent violence, cyber-bullying, etc. – but there are also more resources to deal with these problems than we had 20 years ago.

Parents, teachers, counselors and school leaders need to work collaboratively to help promote a favorable school adjustment. Nobody can do it alone.

By Bonnie Rubenstein, professor of education at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester.Published July29, 2012, Fox News.com

Parents Matter! The six basic parenting practices for school success are still important --but they will be expressed in new ways as teens become more independent.

Clear and reasonable expectations—Good effort and attitude are just as important as good grades. Watch for too much stress. Trying to do too many things can cause teens to feel overwhelmed. Signs of too much stress include exhaustion, withdrawal, aggression, inability to concentrate, moodiness, and out-of the ordinary behavior.

Learning—you are still your teens’ most important teacher. Teaching life skills such as money management, grocery shopping preparing meals, cleaning, and laundry will make living independently much less stressful when the time comes.

Talk with your teens about all kinds of things. Encourage them to tell you about what they are learning ,and share things that you are learning.

Encourage them to get involved in the community through volunteering, after-school programs, sports, etc. Be prepared to provide transportation or make arrangements for getting to and from these activities.

Structure—Talk about the self-discipline and planning and organizational skills needed to meet the increasing demands of schoolwork and extra-curricular and social activities.

Be there. Try to have one parent home or available when teens leave for school and when they get home. If that is not possible, figure out a way to connect sometime after school. The unsupervised time after school before a parent returns from work is the time when teens are most likely to get into trouble.

Six Basic Parenting Practices (Cont’d)

Support—Teens still need to feel your interest and know that you are there to help when needed

Talk with them about future plans, and advise and guide them toward choices that will lead to their goals

Relationships—Be ready to talk. Be ready to listen when your teen wants to talk, even when it is not especially convenient for you. Create frequent opportunities for casual chats with your teen, such as taking a walk, having a snack or meal and doing household tasks together.

Be involved in your teen’s life. Know his or her friends and interests. Know what’s going on.

Teens still need affection, but they may not want it publicly displayed.

Modeling—Teens learn moral and spiritual values best by the example you set. Actions speak louder than words.

Talk about life’s lessons. Share with your teens what you have learned. Also share life lessons and experiences from the lives of ancestors.

Help your teen learn how to work on projects and assignments by identifying the steps involved in accomplishing them.

Parenting Practices Evaluation Exercise

As you review the six basic parenting practices, think about how you are applying them now.

Do they reflect the independence and maturity of your child ?

Do you need to consider changes in the way you apply these practices in order to have a better relationship with your child and be a more effective in helping your child succeed?

Academic Success in High School

Why do more students fail ninth grade than any other grade? Because they are not on grade level in core subjects when they enter high school.

Parents can help their student succeed • Anticipate/prevent• Monitor homework completion• Provide assistance • Promote a positive attitude

Watch for warning signs that a freshman is “off-track” • More than one semester “F” in core subjects• Fewer than five full course credits

by the end of freshman year.

This problem is most pronounced for African American and Latino students in urban, high-poverty schools. These are the students most likely to drop out of high school

Ninth grade really is important for college.

Parents Can Help Their New High School Student---Academics

Students’ experiences in their first year of high school often determine their success throughout high school and beyond. Unfortunately, more students fail ninth grade than any other grade. This problem is most pronounced for African American and Latino students in urban, high-poverty schools. More than one semester “F” in core subjects and fewer than five full course credits by the end of freshman year are warning indicators that a student in not “on-track” for graduation.

How parents can help their new high school student (thus avoiding this unhappy scenario)---

By anticipating and preventing problems: If at the completion of middle school or junior high your teen is not at least on grade level in reading, math, and language arts, then enrolling in a summer program or getting tutoring that focuses on these core skills will help get him off to a better start. Ideally, monitoring how well the student is doing in these core areas during middle school would allow him to seek help and work hard to be on grade level when he moves on to high school. Organization of time and work is still challenging, and the organization system established in middle school is still needed.

By monitoring homework completion and grades. Know what is expected in each of his classes by reading the syllabus. With input from your teen, set reasonable expectations and goals. Make sure the goals are clearly understood—including negative and positive consequences related to effort as well as outcomes.

By providing or arranging for assistance when needed. Getting help early while a problem is still small can help avoid a lot of frustration and discouragement. Don’t hesitate to contact teachers when you feel there is a problem. If you do not feel qualified to help, many high schools have peer tutoring programs (or the teacher can arrange for a peer tutor when a student is struggling in his class). If that is not possible you may know a friend or an older student who could be a mentor. There are lots of resources on the internet that could give a student the extra help they need to keep up with the class assignments. Here are just a few websites that could be helpful :

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/ , http://www.math.com/students/homeworkhelp.html ,http://www.webmath.com/ http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/sitemap/

Promote and maintain a positive attitude. Studies have shown that students are motivated to do their best when they understand how their school performance is related to their career aspirations. Yes, high school classes may be a lot more challenging than middle school, but with persistence, hard work, and a willingness to accept help, success can be achieved. Continuing to express affection, warmth ,and encouragement (and avoiding criticism and expressions of doubt) will help maintain a positive feeling in your relationship and in the home.

Ninth Grade Matters for College Admissions. Make the Most of It!

Math 4 years recommended—Algebra I & II, Geometry, or higher level

English 4 years of college preparatory English composition and literature

History & Soc. Studies 3 years or check on requirements of specific collegesLaboratory Science 3 years recommended—include a biological and a physical

science such as chemistry or physicsForeign Language 2 years of same language required: 4 years recommendedCollege Preparatory Electives

1 year of the same subject required. Examples: Drama, Ceramics, Music, Computer Science, Statistics, Psychology

Parents continue to play a very important role in promoting college-going to their children . Without your support, encouragement, and help with the decisions that need to be made, they are less likely to go to college. The primary advice for 9th grade students can be boiled down to this:

Take demanding courses,Keep your grades up, andBe active outside of the classroom.

Go to http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/ninth-grade-college-prep.htm for more detail on these points.

Meet with the school counselor to make sure your child is on the right track for college preparation. Most colleges will require--

Learn more about the recommended courses for a college preparatory curriculum at www.collegeboard.com or at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund website: http://www.hsf.org

Making the Most of Ninth Grade (cont’d)

Encourage your child To take the most challenging courses he can handle. Tackling tough courses can give him confidence and prepare him for higher level high school classes.

Evaluate interests and strengths and explore career options. Extra-curricular activities in high school are an ideal way to do that, and colleges are looking for students that are well rounded and have interests and accomplishment beyond the classroom.

Visit http://www.aie.org/finding-a-career/ for information and resources on possible career paths and the degrees commonly required. Attend any informational meetings about college offered by the high school.Continue the efforts toward college that you began during middle school, learning all you can about college requirements, admissions, and costs, and creating a “college-culture” in the home. If you haven’t already done so, begin a savings program (no matter how small) that your child can contribute to. Begin to explore scholarship possibilities.

Continue to encourage your child to read and read and read. It is the best way to build vocabulary, comprehension, and speed as well as prepare for the SAT or ACT college entrance exams. It doesn’t matter whether they are reading great literature or a magazine, reading still exposes them to new vocabulary and ideas.

Assignment: Learn more about high school course requirements for college

• Find out about the recommended courses for a college preparatory curriculum at www.collegeboard.com or at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund website: http://www.hsf.org

• Notes:

Preparing for College in High Schoolis like eating an elephant

—it is best done one bite at a time.

Besides doing well in the classes required for college and taking AP classes that can earn college credit, there are other things to consider such as;

• Exploring interests and career options • Developing talents and leadership skills through extracurricular activities• Researching colleges and college programs • Planning for college costs through savings programs, scholarships, and financial aid• Preparing for and taking college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT. • Preparing applications and meeting application deadlines

Here are resources to guide you through each year of high school ---http://www.hsf.net/uploadedFiles/About_HSF/DU_English_08.pdfhttps://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-parentsAnd here is an excellent article suggesting ways to help your future college student develop habits and skills for independent living: http://www.collegeparentcentral.com/2011/02/using-senior-year-to-prepare-your-student-for-college-success/

Carefully study the materials on the websites above.

Worksheet Preparing for College in High School

Get a three-ring binder to organize college related materials. • Add pocket dividers and a current calendar to the binder and update it each year. • In one section of the binder keep

– Contact information for the school counselor and anyone else that you communicate with about college – notes on conversations or e-mails from the school counselor or other people you may talk to about college

requirements. Make the notes during the conversation and date them.• Your student should also use the binder for organizing materials and information so keep it in a convenient place.• Keep all information up to date . Discard information that is out of date

At the beginning of each year of high school, mark on your calendar • Regular times to keep in touch with your student’s counselor, • Important dates for submission of applications, • Test registration dates, • School events related to college admission, etc.

Carefully study the materials on the websites listed on the previous page. Also revisit/review college preparation materials introduced in the middle school years lesson • 16 videos in Spanish & English about college admissions, cost, etc. for parents https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/video-gallery?filter=forParents • List of resources http://collegeadmissionbook.com/resources/ • Role of counselor in preparing for post-high school education http://www.5min.com/Video/School-Counseling---Life-After-High-School-516995334

Goals and Plans Worksheet: The High School Years

Your Goals (What?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Plans (How?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time Frame (When?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back to Part 2 Summary Back to Lesson Summary

Hand in Hand for Education How Parents Help Children Succeed in School

Lesson 6

College-Bound:Supporting Your College Student

On to College

On-going Support and Help Whether your high school graduate will be living at home and attending a college nearby or packing his or her bags and heading for a more distant campus, this is a year of transition for everyone. It is true that your student must do the work of college, but you will provide an important and necessary support system.

Your Role as a College Parent: Being a Sideline Coach—3 Parts College Parents Can Help Freshmen Overcome First Semester Challenges.

Getting off to a Good Start the Freshman Year

For many high school graduates, preparing for college means getting a summer job to earn money for the many expenses that will come as they start their freshman year. However, there are other things to think about and learn that will be of great value. Check out these articles for ideas that will be helpful to your college student:

Summer Preparation before the Freshman YearFive Conversations Parents and College Students Should Have before the First Year of College10 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Student’s College ReadinessEight Life Skills Your College Student Should Know College Students and Credit Cards

Helping Your College Student Living at Home; What Can You Do? College Students Living at Home: What Are the Issues? Tips for Supporting the College Student Who Still Lives at Home

Many other useful articles can be found at: http://www.collegeparentscentral.com and at http://www.collegeparents.org/

Back to Part 2 Summary

Goals and Plans Worksheet: On to College

Your Goals (What?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Plans (How?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time Frame (When?)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Back to Part 2 Summary Back to Lesson Summary