Getting more involved in your child’s education will give you a good insight into what they’re learning and how you can best support them at home. It will show them that their education is important and that you want to help them get the most out of school; parental involvement also has a significant impact on children’s academic progression. Read on for some advice from a nursery in Somerset on how you can play a more active role in your child’s education.
Bring learning to life
You can help your child understand subjects better by applying them to everyday activities. When you’re out shopping challenge them to add up the cost of the items in your basket before you get to the checkout so they can practise their maths skills, or you could discuss the concepts of time, speed and distance when you’re driving in the car. Baking can also be a good opportunity for your child to learn about weight and measurements.
Science is all around us so make use of time spent walking outside to discuss the seasons and the weather with your child, or spend some time stargazing in the garden at night. You could also take your child on trips to museums so they can see what they’ve learnt in school from a different perspective. They’ll soon see that learning can be fun and how relevant their classroom-based learning is to real life.
Volunteer at their school
One of the best ways for you to get an insight into what your child is learning is to volunteer at their school. You could act as a classroom reader, join the PTA to get involved in fundraising activities, or volunteer to chaperone pupils on school trips. You’ll see first-hand the environment your child is learning in and you might even get to observe them directly during lessons. Your child will see how important their education is to you, and you might gain valuable insights into the kind of support they need when it comes to home learning.
Read together
Reading with your child is a great bonding experience and it’ll help improve their vocabulary range and comprehension abilities, as well as their general knowledge. You can make it fun by taking it in turns to read a page aloud, or you could make a game of guessing what happens next. Make sure reading remains a relaxing and enjoyable activity for your child, one they look forward to and relish.
Learn the National Curriculum
Knowing what your child is learning and when will help you organise relevant supplementary activities at home, so take some time to read up on the National Curriculum. You could also ask their teachers what specific tasks they’re working on each week so you can follow along at home. Try to find fun and engaging activities your child can do after school or on the weekends which will complement what they’ve been learning at school.
Support them with homework
Of course you can’t do your child’s homework for them, but knowing you’re there to support them if they get stuck will boost their confidence. If they’re finding a task or topic difficult, point them to somewhere they can find additional resources or devise a learning activity you can do together which will help them understand it.
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It can be tempting to provide the answer when you see your child struggling, but it’s better to focus on increasing their confidence and directing them to additional resources to help them overcome any stumbling blocks.
Showing your child that you’re interested in their education and care about their progress will boost their confidence and make it more likely they’ll confide in you when they’re struggling academically.
