Parents as teachers
Check List….
Duty of parents as teachers
Parents as teachers can build the channel to achievement
Your responsibility being parent as teacher
Your faithfulness being parent as teacher
Be optimistic parent
Be tolerant parent
Parents as teachers’ alertness
Be clear-cut parent
Be aware of your child’s mistakes
Show yourself as result oriented parent
Be meticulous parent
Be inventive parent
Be present to help your child
Assure that child is ready to learn
Your baby’s basic needs
Your child’s other needs
4 to 5 years child’s needs
For elementary school what you need to lead your child on the path of success
Parents’ communication with teachers
Parent-teacher conferences are important
The importance of contact with counselors
Parents as teachers should make sure that the child has developed habit of reading on regular basis
The responsibilities of parents as teachers in admitting the child in middle school
Parents as teachers during transitioning period
Parents’ involvement in school
Your child’s reading in middle school
Importance of looking to child’s future
Parents as teachers should prepare financially for college
Your responsibilities for your child in High school education
Parents association with teachers and counselors
Parents as teachers’ communication with teachers
Your link with the child’s counselors
Considering safety of your child
Stay involved with the school
Tips for parents on paying for college
When your child turns 18
Duty of parents as teachers
It is an acknowledged fact that parents as teachers perform duties to nurture and teach fundamental things to their children from their birth. Parents are the first teachers of their children and they teach and train them from the birth.
Being responsible parents as teachers, your duty to your child is of great significance. If you want your child to do extremely well, you will have to accept responsibility to help your child in learning. To achieve the target, you, as parent, have to obey the superb norms and values.
Parents as teachers can build the channel to achievement
Being parents as teachers, you must have the belief that every child, you have, can and will succeed, and the parents who possess this belief are on the proper channel that leads your child to success. Parents as teachers, you can help your child by linking with her school to attain what is compulsory to affirm achievement and find the way for her to gain that aim.
It has been noticed that surveys of productive schools information are of the view that parents’ association with school and the teachers of the child is a key aspect in her results.
Even President Obama was of the view that parents as teachers should make learning a priority and a heritage for their family or kinfolk. Parents as teachers can perform their duties well keeping this visualization in their mind. You as parent and teacher must agree the following doctrines and take the steps which have been designated for each age group of the children.
Being parents as teachers, you will be able to enable your child learn at each step of the way that confirms her success in school and life.
Your responsibility being parent as teacher
It is essential for you to accept your role as responsible parent. It is your responsibility as parent to make education a first priority for your child in your home. You are not only a parent but also a teacher for your child. So, be responsible in this regard.
Your faithfulness being parent as teacher
As parent, it is good thing for you to devote yourself for your child’s betterment. Being responsible and faithful parent, if you have begun to work with your child, carry on doing so the whole year because it will bring fruitful results. You must be steadfast and consistent in your activity. There is great chance that your child can develop the quality of steadfastness and consistency in her life by following you.
Be optimistic parent
It is a testified fact that praise travels a long way with your child, particularly with that who struggles in school. Being optimistic parent, you should offer positive response. Your positivity will save your child from many complexities and she will be able to handle hurdles which come across in her journey toward success.
Be tolerant parent
It is good idea for you to show your child the importance of tolerance and for this cause, you yourself must be tolerant. When your child will see the tolerance you possess, it will encourage her and as a result, she will learn how to bear hardships in life with patience. This very quality will support your child a lot.
Parents as teachers’ alertness
Parents as teachers are needed to be alert. Being parent, you should instantly chain your child when she reveals bad behavior. Teach her like a teacher what to do and give a chance to rectify her behavior. The discipline you set for your child should be proper and reliable.
Be clear-cut parent
As a parent, you should provide your child distinct and straight forward directions. There should not be flexibility in rules; you must be strict in discipline. Being clear-cut parent, you should talk to the point with your child. You yourself must be practical in your words and actions.
Be aware of your child’s mistakes
Awareness about the child for the parents as teachers is of great significance. Therefore, as parent, you must keep record of your child’s performance as this will help you in judging her talent. It is needed for you to evaluate all the work your child brings home from school and save it in your record box which you have arranged for her. If you find any error or mistake, it is your duty to help her in correcting that error or mistake.
Show yourself as result oriented parent
It is marvelous thing for parents to consider them not only moms and dads but also teachers for their child in order to be result oriented parents. As parent, your responsibilities are not confined only at home for your child’s performance but you must involve yourself in her school. And for this purpose, you are to collect information about your child to know how she is performing in school.
When you have conference with your child’s teachers, you must jot down the information that you get in conferences with teachers. You should ask for progress reports of your child and sensibly read report cards and success test results. You are to inquire about the results of your child. Finally, negotiate with her teachers in detail for further achievements.
Be meticulous parent
Parents as teachers are very conscious and careful about the progress of their child. That’s why; you as parent should involve yourself to work from the start till the end of the year with your child and the teacher for great achievements. It is necessary for you to be alert about your child’s results.
Be inventive parent
If you, as parent, are innovative, your child will also engender this ability in her personality and as a result, she will do wonders in her life. If you yourself are lively and dynamic, your child will surely be lively and dynamic in learning. You can provide true guide to your child being responsible parent.
Be present to help your child
Your presence is necessary for your child to answer the questions which your child has in her mind. You should first listen to them carefully, calmly and attentively, and then answer the questions politely encouraging your child that she had trusted you and asked the questions.
You ought to provide her good pieces of advice. It is good idea for you to encourage your child and never discourage your child if you want to develop positivity in her and avoid negativity. Positivity leads to success whereas negativity leads to failure. You are to support your child whenever she needs your help as you are the great shelter for her in all the matters.
Assure that child is ready to learn
When you come to know that your child is taking steps to learn, you must connect to different pre-schools for your child. If you have made sure that your child is prepared to learn, being responsible parent, you can be part of your child’s education.
You must seek advice for your child’s preschool activities from school authorities. By this experience, you will be able to teach and reinforce the skills your child needs. You should try to enhance what is taught in the classroom.
In this regard through following specifications, you can help your child be a successful student from preschool through high school.
Now, I discuss one by one what your child needs before going to school and what your responsibilities are in this regard being parents as teachers.
Make sure your toddler’s following needs have been fulfilled:
- You have provided your child’s physical requirements with a strong nutrition, adequate sleep and rest, exercise and good medicinal care.
- You have fulfilled your child’s civic and emotive needs.
- Self-reliance, freedom and collaboration traits in your child have been instilled.
- As a parent teacher, you have made your child disciplined and she has proper discipline and regularity.
- She has stimulating passion for games which are healthy activities.
- She has ability to answer the questions required for this age.
- As parent and preschool teacher, you have books to read to your child and it is necessary to read to your child every day.
- When day is filled with different learning activities, your child is ready to be admitted in toddler school.
Your baby’s basic needs
It is fundamental and essential for you to know the needs of your baby and try to understand her well and fulfill her needs.
Your baby needs:
- You as loving parent and caregiver respond to her cries or noises.
- You should understand how and when your child feels safe and comfortable.
- Try to observe how she hears and makes sounds and help her in this connection.
- She wants you to move around her and make her move too.
- It is your duty to see whether your child is able to play in safe areas or not. And if not, provide her safe place and safe toys to play with.
Your child’s other needs
- You should provide activities that allow her to use her muscles to make them active.
- You, as parent, experience her senses and grow language skills in her.
- Helping her is good to help your child work with her hands.
- You must prepare your child to learn to do things for herself by providing your assistance.
- You should make her ready to play with other children in safe way.
- Keep helping your child so that she may learn about her movements.
- You should make your baby observe things and name them in order to build her vocabulary, she needs at this age.
- Help her learn about what is present or going on her surroundings and give her opportunities to make choices within limits that you set.
Parents as teachers, the language, you introduce to your child from birth to 2 year, is of much importance. Following steps can be taken to meet favorable results.
- You should talk to your toddler more often. When you are feeding your infant, talk to her. You can look at family photographs and tell her about the pictures or tell the baby what you can see out the window like a bird, bus, car, etc.
- For your baby, it is marvelous idea to show things, name them and talk about them.
- In this very age, your child loves and enjoys the songs and nursery rhymes. So, sing songs and read nursery rhymes to facilitate your child.
- You should read loudly each day before your child, even if it’s just for a while.
- Help your child handle books, especially, the books made for babies or toddlers, such as interactive books touch-and-feel. This will help your child with mechanical talents and language progress.
3 to 5 years child’s needs
You should introduce language to your young child who is 3 to 5 years old. You can take following steps in this regard.
- You should often talk to your young child and encourage her to speak by asking questions and talking about what happened during the day. Give your child more and more opportunities to speak.
- You should read loudly each day, even if it is just for short a time.
- Show your child new things every day and name them, and teach your child new words every day.
- You should teach your child the alphabet in rhyming style.
- You should visit your public local library for books made especially for 3 to 5 years old and select books which are suitable for your child.
It is true that normally every child is different from others. You, parents as teachers, must know about your child’s unique talents, skills, abilities and special needs. She can enjoy learning and possess a healthy curiosity. You should take advantage of learning opportunities. You should collect data from different schools or the school where you intend to admit your child and use this data as a guide to lead your child to success.
4 to 5 years child’s needs
- She needs more books, games and songs.
- She needs chances to do science, math and art activities.
- You should help her to become aware of the world and people around her.
- She needs your help to build her self-reliance and language skills.
For elementary school what you need to lead your child on the path of success
Parents as teachers, it is necessary for you to find out about the school your child will attend before the school year begins. For this purpose, it is good idea to visit the school. You should also visit that classroom in the school where your child will achieve education. You have to get a copy of the school’s parent involvement plan that is essential for your child’s betterment.
It is superb thinking to be volunteer teacher for your child. You should, for example, be a room parent, organize a winter coat drive and help out her on test day being her reading coach. You should also ask the principal for the school’s report card. This will help you becoming a successful parent as teacher.
Parents’ communication with teachers
To be successful parents as teachers is very easy and it is not as difficult as you consider. You have to manage time to communicate with teachers and contact them by telephone. You also ask for the teacher’s e-mail address and find out about websites where teacher may list class notes and homework assignments. These pieces of information will enable you to keep your child on suitable track in order to get education.
Parent-teacher conferences are important
Parent teacher conferences are of much importance for the progress of your child and you must be prepared for this to listen and talk with teachers. You are to note down the important points and take note if necessary for your child. It is good idea to write out your questions before you meet with the teachers.
You are to ask for specific information about your child’s work and progress. Taking review about what the teachers have told you is of great significance. And by talking with your child, you can bring the solution if there is any problem. You should negotiate with the teachers regularly to see how things are going as the year progresses.
The importance of contact with counselors
Your contact with school counselor is crucial for your child’s superb performance and to face other problems. It is the counselor who can help you if you have problems at home, such as divorce or illness, which could affect your child’s school work.
The counselor also has all sorts of information about your child’s achievement tests and can explain well what the results mean. He can tell you what tutoring services are available at school and how they are beneficial for your child.
Parents as teachers should make sure that the child has developed habit of reading on regular basis
You, as parent, ought to manage a special time each day for reading aloud together. You have to encourage your child to read to you when she is ready. You should read in such a way that you are enjoying it a lot which is providing you pleasure and it should be done at place where your child could see you enjoying reading.
You should arrange audio books that you and your child can listen together and have your child follow along with the written words in the printed book. You can also play communication games with your child, such as scrabble or Pictionary, which involve words and explaining what they mean.
Having been responsible parent, you must involve your child in practice day to day reading and writing, such as following a recipe or writing a note. Keep on checking with the teacher and the pediatrician about your child’s language development.
The responsibilities of parents as teachers in admitting the child in middle school
When there is final year in elementary education, it is your responsibility to know what is required in initial stage. You must know that the middle school years are a time of transition in your child. In these years, emotional, physical, social and academic changes occur in your child.
Your support and involvement are essential at this stage of your child’s growth. As you know what research shows is that in this age children do better in school when their parents are involved in their lives. Your presence for your child in the decisive years is need of the hour and much beneficial.
Parents as teachers during transitioning period
As parents, you must help your child in transition from elementary to middle school. You should discuss with your child about the concerns she may have before starting middle school, such as learning from many teachers, getting to class on time, finding her locker, getting on the right bus, knowing where the cafeteria is, navigating crowded hallway and doing more homework.
Without your help, it is not an easy job for your child to cope with such situation. You should talk to your child about the physical and social changes and the social pressures that often occur in the middle school years.
Parents’ involvement in school
Being parents as teachers, it is obligatory for you to involve yourself in your child’s middle school. You will have to communicate often with your child, teachers, and principal, vice principal or both in order to succeed her. You should visit the school to be well-informed about the place where your child learns.
When you, as parent, pay visit to your child’s school, you should ask the following questions to your child’s teachers:
- Are there transition programs for students who are leaving elementary school and entering middle school?
- Is counselor available who can help your child transition to middle school?
- Is there accessibility for the parents to the teachers and principals of the school?
- When are the results, sports and art events, and other times when parents are invited to visit the school?
- Can parents pay volunteer visit at the school?
You should give assistance to help your child organizing a schedule that is favorable for her. You are to help your child set goals with a time limit for completing particular assigned tasks. You can listen to what your child tells you and is really saying between the lines. You are needed to be sensitive to any fears your child might have.
For you, parents as teachers, sometimes, it is helpful to reserve comments and actions until you have facts about a situation and know how your child thinks and feels about it. You should discuss if there is any sort of peer pressure. You must know that communication is the key to being helpful to your child in the pre-teen years. You are to welcome and get to know your child’s friends. Becoming aware of physical and emotional changes in your child is essential for you being teacher as parent.
Your child’s reading in middle school
It has been observed that reading is an important part of the middle school years. Most of the subjects, your child studies in middle school, involve much more reading than in elementary school. You should help her in reading and you should have conversation with your child’s school counselor to know what her reading level is.
If you find that she reads below grade level, it is good idea to talk with the school counseling authority to get awareness what additional reading programs are available to help in improving her skills.
Importance of looking to child’s future
When you notice that your child’s education is going to finish in middle school, you should look for high school and college for her higher education. You are to help your child focus on preparing academically for high school and college. Appreciate your child and encourage her to take challenging classes. In this process, you can ask your child’s teachers these questions:
- How will the classes, your child takes, help her be competitive in college and the practical world?
- Is she facing trouble in any classes?
- What sort of tutoring programs are available?
- Does she have good study habits?
- Is she reading what is necessary to complete an assignment?
- Does she submit her assignments on time?
- Does your child have the supplies needed to complete assignments?
Parents as teachers should prepare financially for college
If you are the citizen of the United States, the U.S department of education has a source to help you determine the financial commitments; you will need to make for your child’s education beyond high school. The FAFSA4Caster, at www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov, can help you calculate college costs before your child applies for college. And when your child is ready to apply for financial aid, they make it easier for you as parents to learn how much financial support is available to your family and how to apply for aid.
Your responsibilities for your child in High school education
In this critical age, you, parents as teachers, are to take important steps in order to get your child ready for work and for life. In this age, you can prove yourself the best coach and mentor for your child. This is the very age when you are to be very careful to help your child achieve success.
You are to serve as your child’s best coach and mentor. You should cultivate her independence, and carry on to be aware of and care for her studies and after school activities. Keep on staying involved with the school because your child progresses through high school. Your minute care can bring wonderful results in your child’s life.
You should know what your high school child needs to succeed
- You are to look for the programs which have been designed to help students succeed in college and in career. These are the programs that usually teach study skills, provide tutoring to develop soft skills and knowledge and help students choose the right courses to succeed.
- You should provide structure of proper studies because it is needed. Further, you are to show your child how to manage time for studies, activities, and friends and family.
You are to focus that your child is reading or involve her in reading because habit of reading enhances knowledge. So, she should keep on reading. With the help of school counselor, you should suggest good books which not only increase her knowledge but also brings positive change in the character and behavior to your child. And, make sure that your child is reading.
You should buy or arrange books in which your child has interest. It is good for your child because it has been seen that the students who have more reading materials available to them read more and do better in school.
You must know that high school is the training ground which trains your child for college and practical work. Provide your child help and prepare your child for college by encouraging her to take challenging courses, such as English, Math, Foreign Language, Science, History and Social Studies.
You can help your child by creating interest for work and study. You and your child should contact with the school guidance counselor to choose the best courses based on your child’s career and interests. These courses must be according to the aptitude of your child that she can easily understand.
Parents association with teachers and counselors
It is suitable for parents to have link with their child’s teachers and counselors like a part of education for their child. You, as parent, having relation with your child’s teachers and counselors, can bring magnetic results in your child. Your mutual cooperation will enable your child to achieve success.
You must attend open houses or parent functions at school to meet your child’s teachers to have open discussion for the progress of your child. You must request your child’s school authority for the arrangement of parent-teacher conferences when you think they are necessary.
Parents as teachers’ communication with teachers
Parents’ communication with teachers brings good results for the child’s progress in school. Parents come to know the position of their child and if there is any flaw it can easily and timely be managed with the help of each other. You, as parent, find out the best time to contact with your child’s teachers by telephone.
You must ask for teachers’ e-mail addresses so you may contact them outside of school hours, as teachers are usually not available for meeting during school hours. And it is good idea to exchange your child’s performance.
Your link with the child’s counselors
Counselors can help you in many ways for the betterment of your child’s education and growth from admission to complete the course; and they can provide further guidance for college education. They may help you handle class registration and schedule. It can be helpful if there are issues at home like; divorce or illness, which could affect your child’s school work.
Counselors will help you handle difficult problems that occur in that particular age of the child. They can prove great support for you in the matter of your child’s achievements. They can also be helpful in advising you how to apply to college and where to get college financial aid; and further they can tell you when college entrance exams are given.
If you live in America and your child is getting education there and want to get admission in college, she is to pass entrance exam especially, the SAT and the American College Test (CT).
Considering safety of your child
Being responsible parent, you are to pay attention to your child’s behavior and friends. Make sure that your child keeps good company. You are to be aware if your child’s grades drop or if your child is sad or angry. Find out the reasons behind it and seek solution because it is critical.
You are to talk to your child about any concerns you may have and bring solution to these concerns mutually. You are supposed to consult with counselors, social workers, school psychologists or others trained in and helpful with solving adolescents’ problems.
Stay involved with the school
Parents as teachers, you should keep yourselves involved with school that is favorable for your child’s quality education. You must be informed through your school’s parent-teacher organization and the school newsletter or website. You should continue to be an advocate for your child and other students in the process.
Tips for parents on paying for college
It is good idea to avail the opportunities of loans, grants and work-study aid which are available for low-income students through the Federal Student Aid programs. But if you have great opportunity and you are not facing any financial issue, it is good luck for you to meet the expenditure of your child and quench her thirst for knowledge through college education.
When your child turns 18
You are supposed to be aware about the rights and laws that are to be followed, when your child is 18 years old or the student of college or university. If you live in America or your child is student of college or university in America, be aware that when your child turns 18 years old or enters a college or university at any age, the rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) must be transferred from you to your child. If you are unaware of the rights and laws, You may become informed about this law at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html.
In a nutshell
“Parents as teachers” is the result of untiring effort of our whole research team to uplift your parenting journey. You might have got the clear cut idea about the role of parents as teachers which is of crucial importance during the process of parenting. We are writing the articles to improve your parenting life. We have tried to cover all the details from birth of your child till 18.
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Wish you happy parenting.
