Showing an interest in your child’s education will significantly enhance their academic performance,
because it will encourage and motivate them to try their best. There has been lots of research and
studies into parental involvement in a child’s education, most of which conclude that the more
involved you are, the more likely the child is to succeed. I have teamed up with a private school in
New York City to provide parents with some useful advice on how to become more involved in their
child’s education and, consequently, help them succeed.
Be sure to chat to your child after school each day to find out how they got on. This will help show
them that you have an interest in their education and what they’ve been learning about. However,
try not to bombard them as soon as they’ve left the school gates, as they probably won’t feel like
talking much. Instead, maybe wait until dinnertime when you’re all sat at the table to discuss what
each member of the family got up to during the day. Try and avoid asking questions that only require
a yes or no answer. Instead, ask open-ended questions such as “what did you learn in maths today?” or “what did your teacher say about your homework?”. This will encourage them to share a little more with you. What’s more, it will also solidify what they have learnt in class.
When it comes to praising your child on their academic performance, try to focus on the effort they put in rather than the grades they get at the end. If they constantly feel like they are letting you
down they will be reluctant to keep trying and will lack the confidence they need to perform well.
Instead, tell them how proud you are of them for trying their best as that is far more important than
getting full marks. Focussing too much on their grades will put a lot of pressure on them and they
will start to feel stressed, which has many physical and mental side effects.
Be sure to make yourself available to your child as much as you can so that they can ask you
questions and seek your assistance with homework when they need to. If they feel like they’re in it
alone, they will find it difficult to stay focussed on the task at hand and will be far more likely to give
up in frustration. Sit with your child when they’re studying so that you can help them figure out the
answers when they get stuck.
If you require more advice on how to become more involved with your child’s education, don’t be
afraid to get in touch with their teachers for some more tips. It may be something simple like helping
them set up a study space in your home or hiring a private tutor to help them during exam period.
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