03/05/99

Parental Involvement in Education - Part 2

... in response to "Paying Lip Service to Parent Involvement" (2/19/99)

There is nothing more frustrating in any relationship than miscommunication, which escalates emotions, often leading to more miscommunication or none at all. The stakes are even higher when a child's educational progress is the main issue. As a school psychologist, I try to avoid misunderstandings with parents, teachers and students, but I'm not always successful. So I've always appreciated the people who are willing to ask questions, express their disappointments and work with me until we reach agreement on a solution to the problem. Many readers expressed similar sentiments.

Trust your Instincts as a Parent

"When my youngest daughter entered first grade, she was excited and enthusiastic. But within two weeks she was coming home saying she was bored in reading. My instincts told me that no one at this age should be bored with reading.

"I contacted her teacher and was informed that my daughter had been categorized as a non-reader, quite a surprise to me since she was reading to me at home. I shared this fact with her teacher, but the teacher failed to respond. So I contacted the Reading Specialist at the school and asked him to investigate the situation. He tested her and the results confirmed her abilities. She was moved from non-reader status to the highest reading level.

"That was sixteen years ago. My daughter is currently enrolled in top level courses and has made the honor roll every year since middle school. It's frightening to think how her academic career would have been affected had she continued to be tracked into the lowest ability groups."

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Schools Should Cover a Set Curriculum

"What frustrates some parents and their children is that one subject can sometimes be taught in two entirely different ways, by two different teachers. As an example, my son has a middle school course called "Information Analysis." The first semester it was taught as a general computer information course. They changed teachers mid-year, and the second teacher is teaching it as a typing course. The curriculum should dictate the material to be covered, not teacher preferences."

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If Necessary, Seek Other Opinions

"The PPT (Planning and Placement Team) wanted to classify my daughter as Mentally Retarded instead of the more appropriate diagnosis of Neurologically Impaired. I finally got the testing done differently. The school social worker took my daughter for an entire day to see how she handled everyday life, while banking, shopping, etc. The school nurse and the neurologist submitted reports supporting the Neurologically Impaired diagnosis, after which the PPT accepted it.

"I later found out that the chairperson of the PPT had been thrown out of a nearby school system! Please parents, these are your kids. You need to be there for them and you know your child better than anyone else does. Always remember this, and it will see you through. No need to be nasty; firmness and undaunting persistence will get the job done."

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Join your Children in Learning

"One of the best ways to be involved with your children is to be curious about what they are learning and be involved right alongside them. An example of this is what I've been doing with my seven-year-old daughter. After talking with her teacher, I've obtained a good idea of the expectations for the school year in the major subjects, so I play games with her around these criteria. We play math games to build her understanding of multiplication and division, read stories and discuss them, and I get her to think beyond what's being taught in the classroom. This way she feels more comfortable and confident when new material is presented by he teacher, and she finds it easier to tie in the new concepts with what she has already learned. The key is to make it fun, and if she hints at wanting to stop, then we stop.

"One can show their children by example that school is an extension of the vast world of learning that is constantly available. By participating in the learning realm at the child's level, parents make new discoveries, too."

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Give Recognition Where it's Due

"We have two children: one with no special needs and one with ADHD. With both children our experiences with the public school system have been great. Teachers, administrators and professionals have provided us with incredible support. I never knew how much work it is to be a principal or a teacher. They deserve our support."

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.