How to Best Facilitate Your Child's Learning Outcomes

To make the most out of learning opportunities at school, learning first must be valued at home. All parents want their children to do well at school, of course, but for most kids this doesn’t happen all on their own, especially by the time they get to high school. Academic learning has to be valued by the parents if it has any chance of being valued by the child.

What does your family spend time doing other than work? Sports? Computer games? Socializing? Reading? Watching television? What you do is what you value. Of course a well-balanced life is the goal for everyone, but most children who are doing very well in school have parents who are dedicated to making their child’s school career a priority in their own life without being overbearing.

“School” today is changing very, very quickly due to technology. The gap between the “fortunate and unfortunate” is growing larger in K-12 across the country. The fortunate children that go to Darlington are lucky indeed, but the bar for them is higher than ever because they must compete with peers across the country for college. At the risk of overgeneralizing, the stakes are higher for the best spots, and the options are less desirable. For example, a UGA admissions officer told me recently that much of this year's senior class could not get in as freshmen.

Here are a few suggestions to facilitate your child’s academic learning and outcomes:

1. I can’t emphasize the value of reading enough; if you read and value reading, the chances are your child will also. Children who read usually do better academically, not to mention it is an outstanding way to relax.

2. Keep a consistent routine on week nights. The evening is quiet and dedicated to homework. Know what is going on with your child’s classes enough so that you don’t schedule some activity when your child has a paper and test due the next day. Talk about time management and making priorities with your child frequently.

3. Know your child’s teachers; meet them at the beginning of the year and keep in touch with them by email if you have questions or concerns. Schedule a meeting if you think it is necessary.

4. Resist, and help your child resist, overscheduling. There has got to be some down time in the week, and children need time to develop their own interests.

5. Help your child pursue interests like hobbies as well as sports and/or arts. This is the best way to battle dead time on any number of electronics.

6. Plan valuable summer activities. Reading should be a key theme, but anything and everything you can do to broaden your child’s world – camps, volunteerism, family outings. The key is staying busy but not overscheduled.

7. Don’t hesitate to seek help and support because parenting is tricky business these days. Childhood is a very short time, kids are learning at a tremendous rate, and this learning, whatever it may be, sets your child up for adulthood.