Ask an Expert: How best to support my child’s teacher?

EdNews Parent Expert Justin Darnell responds:

Q. How can I best support my child’s teacher?

A. Ask this teacher if you can help get students organized. Students of all ages tend to struggle keeping things organized and well planned.

Offer to spend time teaching students how to use a planner, keep their notebooks looking neat, and keep homework in manner that prevents crumpling and shredding.  If your child and the other students in class are organized, then things will move faster in class and students will have greater opportunity to learn.

You can also support this teacher by offering your expertise and the expertise of the other parents. For instance, if you are pretty good at playing the guitar how can we incorporate this knowledge into student learning? If you have knowledge of construction, engineering, gardening, technology, making candy, etc, then we can use that knowledge.

One of the greatest things a parent can do is find ways to incorporate their expertise or funds of knowledge into some aspect of the school. We all have strengths and we need yours to make our school better.

About our First Person series:

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