How Can I Support My Child Academically?

dreamstime_l_33958479 Today we will discuss how you can support for your child academically in the new Common Core environment.

Scenario: Your child comes home from school with math homework. She needs help. You look at the worksheet and it looks like Greek to you.

Has this happened to you? It has been a common occurrence as the Common Core standards have been implemented. Many parents throw up their hands and blame the new standards for their frustration.

What Is My Child Learning?

It is important that you understand what your child is learning. The Common Core State Standards focus on relating learning to real life situations. You, as parents, can contribute greatly to your child’s learning. First, you need to know what he or she is learning.

Here are some steps you can take to learn about the Common Core:

Meet with, email or text your child’s teacher and ask for clarification about what is being taught?
Request parent workshops on the Common Core to be held at your school.
Use websites and aps that provide information on the standards and how they are taught.
Speak to other parents at parent meetings in order to gain support for better informing parents.

How Can I Help My Child?

Look for ways of applying your child’s learning to life at home.

Example: If your child is learning about measurement in mathematics, look for ways that you use measurement at home. What if you were going to paint a room? What if you needed to buy a rug? What if you were going to hang a picture? Have you child work with you to solve those problems.

Applying knowledge to real life brings relevance and importance to what your child is learning.

Resources: Here are some parent friendly web resources that explain the Common Core and real life applications.

Share with Us: Please share your experiences helping your child with learning or share any questions you may have.

Enjoy your time learning with your children.

With love and affection,

Rosemarie