When parents send their children to school, the main goal is for them to be successful and have better opportunities after school.

However, many parents believe their child’s school success depends solely on the teacher.

This could not be further from the truth.  One of the critical things to a child succeeding in school is having supportive parents who actively participate in their child’s learning process. Research has shown that children with parents involved in their education do well at school and perform better academically. 

There are several ways in which parents can be involved in their child’s education and learning journey. 

Set goals at the beginning of the school year 

Help your child set goals at the beginning of the year. Use a book or a poster to write down the goals with them if they are young; if they are old enough, let them write down their goals themselves. 

“The first thing any parent would have to do is to understand the child, that is, their current strengths as well as weaknesses, so they can understand what goals to set,” says Ziphindile Mbiza, SPARK Schools Curriculum and Assessment Lead. 

Understanding your child’s strengths and weaknesses will help you know what is achievable, what your child will struggle with, and how you can help.

“Parents need to simplify the process for their child in how they will reach their goals by providing actionable steps that would be easy for children to follow and remember,” says Mbiza. 

They must also consider making it exciting and visible daily through conversations and other collateral materials.

Focus on learning and not only the results. 

We all know that children must pass their subjects to move to the next grade; while your child must pass their grade—that should not only be your primary focus. Focus on your child’s learning and growth. 

According to a New York Times article, focus on the goal you want your child to achieve instead of the grades. 

When parents focus on learning rather than results, children do well anyways, as they are not constantly under pressure.

Create a routine

Create a routine that is consistent and predictable. When your children have a routine, they will be less anxious about their day. 

They will know what they do each day and can easily do all those tasks as they are consistent and predictable. Your routine should include reading time, homework time, exercise and bedtime.

Have a balanced approach to learning 

For most people, it is easy to focus on things they don’t do well rather than on what they do well. 

Instead of paying too much attention to what your child is struggling with, focus on what they do well—while helping them improve on the things they find difficult. 

Focusing on what they don’t do well can make children feel incompetent and create further learning gaps. 

Build a rapport with the teachers

We understand that most parents lead busy lives and have so much on their plate. However,  building a rapport with your child’s teachers can help to set your child up for success. 

Chat with your child’s teacher or teachers about how you can work together to help your child excel at school.

If you’d like to learn more about SPARK Schools, please click here.