Starting the School Year Right With Tips From Powerful Schools

By Joan Tornow, Ph.D., the author of Every Child is a Writer (Heinemann) and Educational Consultant with Powerful Schools

A new school year is beginning, and parents are stocking up on notebooks, pencils, folders, and all the supplies that will soon be stuffed into backpacks as children head back to the classroom. But don’t forget that each child’s learning is nurtured not only in school but at home.

Parents are not only children’s first teachers, but their most important teachers. As you settle into new routines, be sure to carve out a special time every day to read and write with your child. Just half an hour of this individualized attention will make a huge difference in your child’s success as a reader and writer.

Reading with Your Child: Establish a ritual of reading together at a certain time every day. This might be in the afternoon, right after supper, or at bedtime. Children often bring books home that lend themselves to this important activity.  Also, books can be checked out from the school or local libraries. With younger children, the adult will be doing most of the reading, but it’s fun to pick out one important word in the story that the child “reads” each time it comes up.

As the child gets older, he or she can read every other page, or even a chapter. But, if the child is tired, it’s best to just read aloud to him or her and enjoy stories together. Reading time should always be kept positive and light-hearted.

Sharing books, stories, letters, articles, or the funnies with children every day shows them, by example, that you value words in print. This one-to-one experience at home is a time for bonding and is likely to become a memory the child will cherish throughout life.  Some families continue this ritual of reading out loud throughout the child’s school years and beyond. It is a great way to relax together while keeping in touch with your child. Not only do you, as a parent, get to participate in the child’s education, but you pave and maintain key avenues for communication – with lasting benefits.

Writing with Your Child: Writing with your child is also important and it can be woven into every day. Even very young children are “writing” when they carve a line in the sand with a stick, make patterns in their drawings, or string together magnetic letters on the refrigerator door. Even before they write words, they may imitate what they see adults doing. Their squiggles on scraps of paper are important and natural steps along the way to literacy. Parents can celebrate these events by saying, “Look at you!  You’re a writer!”

Parents can also make sure that children have easy access to crayons, pencils, chalk, and markers. Young children love “writing” on a variety of kinds of papers – all sizes and colors. My very young son used to love to “write” (squiggles and wavy lines) on the unused deposit slips torn from the back of my checkbook. You can staple together little booklets of scrap paper, even if it already has writing on one side. In fact, toddlers sometimes like to imitate the print they see on recycled flyers and brochures that you give them for a spontaneous writing session.

As children reach school age, they begin writing real words. Approaches to spelling vary, but it is now widely understood that spelling evolves over time. It’s not helpful to insist on perfect spelling in the early grades.  Children will be learning a host of spelling strategies at school. Their growing skills in reading also help them grow as spellers, as they become increasingly familiar with what printed words look like.

At home, a relaxed attitude about spelling helps children develop confidence in simply getting words on paper. Think of “best guess” or “invented” spelling as the training wheels that allow the child to keep moving forward. A child’s initial forays into writing are best encouraged by having the child read back what he or she has written. It’s fine to occasionally help a child sound out a word if requested. But, in most cases, it’s best to keep the focus on the ‘big picture’ – the thoughts the child is putting into writing.

As with reading at home, it’s important to have fun with writing. Writing silly notes to each other is wonderful. Try keeping a small notebook in purse or pocket that can be pulled out when you and your child are in a waiting room at the doctor or dentist. You can take turns writing to each other or labeling impromptu drawings.

Young children’s writing often begins with the simple act of adding a letter or two to a drawing. As they get older, they may add captions — and later, a whole paragraph. In this way, the child learns to write, over time, much as he or she learned to talk.

Create A Study Area: If your child has homework, establish a place in your home for this important endeavor. A desk is ideal, but the kitchen table will work fine. Just be sure to have a nearby basket, drawer, or shelf for necessary supplies. And, of course, good lighting and a chair at the right height will make studying more efficient.

Stay in Touch With Your Child’s Teacher: Be sure to attend school meetings, including parent-teacher conferences, curriculum nights, and literacy nights. Teachers welcome your questions throughout the year. They will appreciate your desire to work together in achieving a common goal: your child’s educational progress.

Summary: In the warm embrace of family, children’s love of spoken and written language truly thrives. Parents don’t need special training for any of these activities. They already have the basic ingredients: Dedication to their child and eagerness to share the joys of learning. Parents are the child’s most important teachers. Remember this and make it a priority to carve out a time to read and write together every single day.

Marcus Macklin tutors his son Miles at the Powerful Schools John Muir Elementary Literacy Night. Photo/Powerful Schools

Joan Tornow, Ph.D., is the author of Every Child is a Writer (Heinemann) and an Educational Consultant with Powerful Schools, an award winning non-profit based in southeast Seattle. Powerful Schools provides literacy, arts, after-school, and leadership programs in partnership with area elementary schools. In addition to school-based programs, Powerful Schools presents parent-education workshops, public readings, and art exhibitions.

Tagged as: Back To School 09, Powerful Schools