Helping Your Child At Home
Develop A Partnership With Your Child's Teachers and School Staff
Meet your child's teacher. As soon as the school year starts, try to find a way to meet your child's teacher. Let the teacher know you want to help your child learn. Make it clear that you want the teacher to contact you if any problems develop with your child. Talking with your child's teacher is a great way to develop a positive partnership to foster your child's learning .
If you feel uncomfortable speaking English, don't let a language barrier stop you. What you have to say is more important than the language you say it in! Ask the school to find someone who can interpret for you. There may be a teacher or parent liaison who can help. Or you can bring a bilingual friend or relative with you.
Get to know who's who at your child's school. There are many people at MPS who are there to help your child learn, grow socially and emotionally, and navigate the school environment. Who's Who at MPS
Attend parent-teacher conferences and keep in touch with your child's teacher. Parent interview times are scheduled twice a year so that you have the opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher and discuss: the class program, your child’s report, your child’s progress and learning goals. Your child is invited to attend these meetings. You can also ask to meet with your child's teacher any time during the year. If you have a concern and can't meet face-to-face, send the teacher a short note or set up a time to talk on the phone. Alternatively, you can contact your child's classroom teacher via Dojo messages.
Get Involved With Your Child's School
Learn what the school offers. Read the information the school sends home, and ask to receive information in your native language if necessary. Talk to other parents to find out what programs the school offers. We offer music programs, sports teams, musicals, talent quests and other programs your child might enjoy. Remember to keep track of events throughout the school year.
Volunteer at your child's school. Teachers appreciate it when parents help out at the school! There are many ways you can contribute. You can volunteer in your child's class or in the school library. You could volunteer at the school canteen or at a one off school event. Sometimes working parents volunteer by taking home books to cover. If you work during the day, you can attend "parents' night" activities or your child's performances. Merimbula Public School's Parent and Citizens (P&C) meetings give you a good chance to talk with other parents and to work together to improve the school. If you would like to join, please contact the school for more information.
Get Informed And Be An Advocate For Your Child
Ask questions. If something concerns you about your child's learning or behaviour, ask the teacher or principal about it and seek their advice. Your questions may be like these — What specific problem is my child having with reading? What can I do to help my child with this problem? How can I help my child with social issues?
Let the school know your concerns. Is your child doing well in school? Is he or she having trouble learning, behaving, or studying? Is there a problem with another student, teacher, or administrator? If you have a concern, please speak to your child's classroom teacher or organise a meeting through the front office to speak to an executive or the principal. further to this, if something is happening outside the school environment that is having an impact on your child, please let your child's classroom teacher know so that more support can be provided for your child while they are at school.
Support Your Child's Learning At Home
Demonstrate a positive attitude about education to your children. What we say and do in our daily lives can help them to develop positive attitudes toward school and learning and to build confidence in themselves as learners. Showing our children that we both value education and use it in our daily lives, provides them with powerful models and contributes greatly to their success in school.
In addition, by showing interest in a child's education, parents and families can spark enthusiasm in children and lead them to a very important understanding-that learning can be enjoyable, as well as, rewarding and that it is well worth the effort required.
Encourage your child to read. Helping your child become a reader is the single most important thing that you can do to help your child to succeed in school and in life. The importance of reading simply can't be overstated. Reading helps children in all school subjects. More importantly, it is the key to lifelong learning. Reading with your child
Talk with your child. Talking and listening play major roles in a child's success at school. It's through hearing parents and family members talk, and through responding to that talk, that young children begin to pick up the language skills they will need if they are to do well. For example, children who hear a lot of talk, and who are encouraged to talk themselves, benefit when learning to read and when building relationships. In addition, children who have learned to listen carefully are able to better follow directions and pay attention in class. It's also important for you to show your child that you're interested in what they have to say. Talking With Your Child offers some great ideas for using conversation to stimulate language development. Perhaps when you sit down for dinner or when you drive home from school you could ask your child questions like; what did you learn today? What was the most fun thing that happened at school today? What sorts of things did you read at school today? What was your favourite activity? Did you help anyone with their learning today or did someone help you?
Encourage your child to use the library. Libraries are places of learning and discovery for everyone. Helping your child find out about libraries will set him or her on the road to being an independent learner. Your child will have a specific library day where they will have time to choose and borrow a book from our school library. The first newsletter of each term gives an overview of special activities and days being held in the term, including the library days for each class.
Encourage active learning. Children need active learning, as well as quiet learning, such as reading and doing homework. Active learning involves asking and answering questions, solving problems and exploring interests. Active learning can also take place when your child plays sports, spends time with friends, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument or visits museums and bookstores. To promote active learning, listen to your child's ideas and respond to them. Let him or her jump in with questions and opinions when you read books together. When you encourage this type of give-and-take at home, your child's participation and interest in school is likely to increase.