*Students have higher grades, graduation rates, and attendance.
*Decreased use of drugs and alcohol, lower rates of suspension, and fewer instances of violent behavior.
*Parents feel empowered.
*Teacher morale is more positive.
*Schools improve.
*Communities grow stronger.
Here are a few tips to encourage parents to communicate with their children about school.
Journal
Make daily journals for students by putting white paper in a pocket folder. At the end of each day students draw what they learned and dictate or write a sentence to go with their drawing. The journal goes home each evening so children can discuss what they did at school with their parents. The parents sign the journal, write comments or compliments, and return it the following day.
Make copies of the attached conversations starters. (Adapt them to your age level and curriculum.) Cut them apart and put them in a bag. Children draw one as they leave at the end of the day and give it to their parents to prompt a discussion about what they did.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jlja2w2OWtzRjlIdkk/view?usp=sharing
Hint! One school suggested that parents "turn it off" in the car when they picked up their child. The quiet time might encourage children to talk about school because they'd know they had their parent's undivided attention.
Screen Time Survey
Ask parents to keep a log of how much time their child spends in front of a screen for a week. The following week ask them to “turn it off” and spend an equal amount of time reading, playing games, doing chores around the house, etc. with their child.
Reading Calendar
Screen Time Survey
Ask parents to keep a log of how much time their child spends in front of a screen for a week. The following week ask them to “turn it off” and spend an equal amount of time reading, playing games, doing chores around the house, etc. with their child.
Reading Calendar
Send home a reading calendar at the beginning of each month. Parents and children can color in an object for each 5-10 minutes of reading. Make sure calendars are returned at the end of each month.
Get a list of age appropriate chores for children to do around the house
at thehappyhousewife.com. Give the list to parents and encourage them to give their children jobs. Doing tasks around the house is the perfect way to develop the executive function.
