Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 8, 1993                   TAG: 9307070457
SECTION: PARENT'S GUIDE                    PAGE: PG-13   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY  
SOURCE: By JOANNE ANDERSON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, GET INVOLVED

"Being involved in your child's education is more than showing up at parent-teacher conferences. The significance of education in the mind of a child is greatly influenced by a parent's attitude," says Terry Cook, educational director for the Montessori Children's House and Elementary School in Blacksburg.

When education is emphasized as a priority to children through actions as well as conversation, learning becomes a challenge and school is a positive experience. Early messages on the importance of attending school, paying attention, studying and completing homework assignments, respecting teachers and obeying rules will instill a sense of commitment on the part of the child to his own education.

Taking an active interest in your child's education begins with the youngster's first day of school. From this day forward, it is ideal if you can set aside some time each day to talk about school, look at papers, answer questions and help your child. This can be right after school, before or after dinner or just before bed time.

Throughout the school years, parents should tour each school, meet their child's teachers and school administrators, attend parent teacher conferences, school plays,special events and activities in which their children are participating.

"It is the responsibility of parents to keep informed of their child's progress," says Rick Lindquist, father and step-father of six in Pulaski County. "It's not always easy to get information from the kids, especially if they are not doing well, and teachers do not always have the time or inclination to contact parents."

Another way of instilling education's relevance, according to Lindquist, is to have strict school-night rules on studying, homework assignments, television and bed times. "Look at completed assignments, find out what they're learning about and listen to their concerns. Help them in areas they may not understand well," he said.

Parents have many different strengths that can benefit the schools and help the parent stay well-informed. Being active in parent-teacher associations and attending school board meetings are ways of being involved. Offering to volunteer in the school library or classroom or as a chaperone for field trips or dances are some others. Behind-the-scenes work is always welcome, such as helping the kids build stage sets for plays and assisting with playground construction.

Many folks have interesting jobs and can present a show-and-tell demonstration about their work to elementary school pupils or visit high school classes. For example, a truck driver might talk to teen-agers about how to get their driver's licenses, and an architect could visit the vocational drafting classes to discuss some important points in that career. Geologists, firemen, nurses, pilots, military personnel - almost everyone has a skill or career that is of interest. Booster clubs and athletic clubs need help with fund drives to raise money for extracurricular activities not included in the school budget. Writing letters to administrators and sending ideas to teachers help them understand what parents want and expect.

There are two things that parents do, according to one teacher, that unintentionally send negative messages to children about school. One is taking kids out of school for vacations. This very clearly implies that leisure time or just getting an early start for a holiday is more important than school attendance.

The second way of sending unfavorable signals is comparing school for kids to work for adults, as in "I have to go to work and you have to go to school" in a tone of voice that connotes drudgery, toil and unpleasantness. Children may develop an attitude that education is but a necessary evil, like work.

Wanda Price, assistant principal, and thus chief disciplinarian, at Blacksburg High School says, "It's vital that parents are aware of their kids' behavior and academic performance. Disciplinary problems are almost always signals that a kid is hurting. We need to work together with the parents to send kids the same signals on appropriate behavior and expectations. With parents, teachers and school administrators working together, most teen-agers will fall into line."

Price suggests that any time a student is suspended from school that the day(s) out be filled with work, like mowing the lawn, cleaning windows, washing the car, doing dishes. "A suspended student must not be rewarded with a lazy day of television and nothing to do," emphasizes Price.

The teen-age years are filled with changes, uncertainty and searching. It is a time when many kids test everything they have been taught, including values and authority figures. The chances of them continuing through school without major problems is greatly increased if education has always been presented as interesting and worthwhile. As their children's earliest role models, parents can instill positive attitudes about school and learning that will prevail throughout a child's school days.