10 Unique School Project Tips for Parents

Today parents are very busy and it is hard to get ready for projects.  Often children will wait until the last minute to remind a parent that they have a project. Sometimes it is due to procrastination and sometimes the student forgets about the project. The key is finding system so that all projects get started early. Here are a few tips:

1. Use a daily planner to record projects

2. Create a project storage place where you keep all supplies

3. Always refill your storage place

4. Take your child with you to the store

5. Continually look for sale items and compare store prices

6. Take the project list with you when you go to the store

7.  See a librarian for ideas that can make the project unique

8. Search the Internet for videos that will help with your son/daughters project

9. Organize a brainstorming session about the project 

10. Make sure that the project is submitted on time

You should work with your cold to get started on project. It will cause you both less stress because you have a way that projects get started early. Feeling excited about the project will raise your child's enthusiasm. Enjoy the learning process and your projects will be fun. 

Dr. Stephen Jones is an education advocate. Get his book the Parent's Ultimate Education Guide at http://bit.ly/1wJHWaa . Join my newsletter at http://bit.ly/1sVyCzs 

10 Unique Tips to Make your Parent Participation Effectively Grow

It is often said that if you keep doing the same things you'll get the same results.  This school year let's try different methods to get parents involved. Reach out to parents through the media and through a new online school newsletter that parents can sign up for. Every week find some way to let your parents know that you care about their child's success. Get the child who is earning "C" letter grades to move to "A" or "B" grades by intentionally letting parents know that their student can do it. Parent's need to know what they can do to improve their child's grades. Here are other things your school can do.

1. Ask parents to participate in one major event this school year

2. Host music and arts classes that parents can offer to students after school

3. Ask parents to be a part of a school play or to help out with scenery 

4. Have a fund raiser where parents contribute their favorite dish and participate in the event

5.  Survey parents and offer tutoring classes where they need help

6.  Hold a meeting in the community where they live to get more of their input

7. Hold an event where parents receive awards for their participation in any way and a few special awards 

8.  Start a parenting student success discussion using Parent's Ultimate Education Guide which I created for schools. Review a chapter and have a discussion each time your school meets with parents. To get a free review book for your school in the email your address to learn@DrStephenJones.net

Parent participation should be planned and their should be someone in charge of it.  Some parents need encouragement to see the value of their participation. then expect parents to be very interested participating. Parent involvement is a vital resource for school success.

Dr. Stephen Jones is an education advocate and he is passionate about helping parents and students to succeed. His three books are the Parent's Ultimate Education Guide, the Seven Secrets of How to Study and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide at http://bit.ly/1wJHWaa . Join his newsletter at http://bit.ly/1sVyCzs

Parent Involvement Key to School Success

Springfield, Pa. – The author of the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide says active parent involvement raises a student’s academic performance.  Yet school districts have witnessed a steady decline in parent participation.  Gone are the days when a mother stayed at home to raise children and participate in school activities.  Parents are happy when they are not called to the school regarding their son/daughters behavior.  Something needs to be done to make parent involvement in K12 schools a high priority on their list of daily activities.

Parents need more information about how K12 education is changing.  Most parents are not aware of the financial challenges that school systems are facing.  Many schools are underfunded when compared to school districts within their own states.  Parents can play a role in encouraging their local legislators to get involved in changing their states school funding formula.

What the educators are saying about parent involvement is true.  Parents who read to their children early develop children who enjoy reading.  Children are like sponges absorbing new knowledge at a tremendous rate.  Today parents are too concerned about keeping their children entertained.  Parents are great role models for their children’s love for learning.  If the majority of the parent’s time is spent in front of the television then it becomes their child’s main source of information and learning.  A student’s enthusiasm for learning should begin in the home then spreads to a child’s school instruction.

Some governors are saying we need more standardized tests to resolve the student achievement gap.  Parent involvement is an alternative that costs fewer dollars to implement.  The resources that are allocated for testing could be spent to increase the number of parent leaders who are in the schools.  Some schools are finding ways to get parent’s involved in the daily activities of their schools.  Parents who are involved can learn about instruction methods that other parents can use in the home.  They are the catalyst to get parents who are not involved to volunteer for special projects.

Parents sometimes reflect on the bad experiences that they had when they were in K12 schools.  Student achievement can be raised when parents know that their active participation will make a difference in their child’s learning capacity.  Some parent’s are looking at their child’s achievement level to see if there are any differences.  They need to know more about the benefits of looking at the value of education from a different perspective.  Some parents do not know what a good education looks like.  School administrators and teachers must continually advocate for increased communication with parents.

Some parents are raising the bar on their expectations for their student.  They are often interested in identifying resources that will prepare their child for college.  They participate in after school and weekend programs right along with their child.  They sign up because of their belief that their program will serve us a link between high school and college.

The United States is steadily slipping in terms of its edge in graduating students from high schools, trade schools, and colleges.  Starting a national campaign to help parents to understand their role in student achievement is a solution whose time has come.  New and innovative organizations are needed.  These organizations must take into account the changing trends in family structures.  Parents are looking for solutions to the achievement gap.  The solution lays in a combination of community and K12 schools working toward alternative education activities which are easily implemented in the home.

Dr. Stephen Jones is education consultant author of three books the Parent's Ultimate Education Guide, Seven Secrets of How to Study and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide available at http://www.studyskills2u.com or email stephenjoness@rcn.com.

Radical Ways Parents to Spark K12 Student's College Interest

The best way to prepare a student for college is starting at the beginning of their education.  Too many school systems wait until high school to start a college conversation. During the early years students are like sponges that are waiting to absorb knowledge. Students who inspired to read and compute math in a fun way while they are in elementary school thrive as they move from elementary school to middle school and from middle school to high school.  Parents should be included in the college conversation.  Schools can help parents to understand what they can be doing in their homes for example no television in the students room.  The parent can set a limited television viewing time during the week.  Instead parents should encourage their child to read and read with them.  The school that is preparing students for college must have a parent partnership.

Students not only need to memorize words at their K12 schools they need to have conversations where words are used at a higher volume. This is beneficial especially during the early years when students are learning math and science terms and words.  Teachers and parents should talk about college regularly to raise the student’s expectation that they can attend college. A teacher spends the majority of time with the students during the day.  Every teacher who is teaching at an elementary school, middle school and high school should have the banner of the college they attended outside of their room.  You will be amazed how many student conversations can result from having a banner outside of your door.  The students may not even be in the teacher’s class the banner is creating a college going culture.  The catalyst for a student to attend college is the teacher’s inspiration. It is the fact that everyone that comes in contact with them talks about college.  Tell your students that they are special and that you are expecting great things from them.  Here are a few tips:

1.  Measure and calculate everything so that your student develops good math skills

2. Read for an hour and a half every day

3.  Respond to questions that your students ask to help them to develop a vocabulary

4.  Take your student on cultural trips on the weekend

5.  Find reasons to be on a college campus for a play, sporting event or presentation

6. Plan a college visit every K12 year

7.  Get a college mentor for your student’s class

8.  Use the common application to apply to college

9. Teach you students to manage their time early. It has great benefits

10.  There are over 6000 colleges there is one for your student

Helping children to believe in themselves is half of the battle in terms of encouraging them to attend college.  They may be the first person I their family to attend college and they feel overwhelmed.  You should reassure them of what they can accomplish.  Teachers can talk about people who are living today who’ve graduated from college too.  A lot of students need to see living examples of college graduates.  You can invite them to your classroom to talk about their career experiences.  You can work with your students to create questions that they can ask to your speaker.  Sometimes that quite student who never makes a noise will have a question.  You never know the profession that I child will pursue.  The television and other media should not be the only way that students are able to identify a career. Every student has great potential.  Find creative ways to involve them in the learning process and they will have a thirst for knowledge and college. Dr Stephen Jones is a college preparation expert, author, consultant and educator.  He recently released the Ultimate College Preparation Kit at http://www.studyskills2u.weebly.com/books.html . You can reach him at stephenjoness@rcn.com or 610-842-3843.

10 Tips for Parents of College Freshman

Dr. Stephen Jones

Too many college freshmen see the first semester as an experiment.  They treat it like high school with greater freedom.  During high school managing time was not important and it was easy to earn good grades. In fact some high school students regularly studied for and examination for the first time while on their way to school.  College has been a rude awakening in terms of the amount of time that a student must devote to studying.  The best thing that a second semester college freshman can do is develop a success plan and follow it. A parent can sit down and ask what the students biggest frustrations where during the first semester.  Often the student will say that they had no one to be accountable to and the freedom through them off track. Listen first then work on a list of changes together. Recognize that your freshman may be frustrated and feel boxed in.

Some freshmen don’t know what to do when they run into a difficult class and they do not like an instructor. All of their high school instructors supported them because they were one of the brightest students.  A freshman must adjust to the unique teaching styles of their instructor and ignore their personal emotions.  Talk with your freshman about their experiences and how they differed from high school.  It will help them to identify the habits that they must change.  Procrastination does not work in college because there is too much information.  Here are ten tips to turn around a freshman’s second semester:

1.  Get a time management daily planner and increase your studying time in your daily schedule.

2.  Don’t procrastinate and study for examinations at the last minute. (Study 5 days before each examination)

3.  Purchase books for all classes and begin reading right away. Follow your syllabus and stay ahead.

4.  Meet every professor in their office throughout the semester.  Go to their office with prepared questions.

5.  Get tutoring where appropriate

6.  Get involved in study groups where students are earning A+ grades.

7.  Focus on maintain a positive attitude by reading motivational books or listening to recordings.

8.  Organize and review your notes daily.

9.  Ask your instructor questions right after class.

10.  Go to the library to study and avoid friends who area distraction.

The first year in college is difficult for many freshmen.  They are making a lot of adjustments on their own for the first time in their lives there are breaks in between classes. You can help your student by letting them know that you are listening versus lecturing.  Some freshmen are still maturing into the person that they will become as a young adult.  Get your student to follow the tips in this article watch your freshmen’s grades improve.  College will be the stepping stone to your child’s future.

Dr. Stephen Jones is a college coaching and study skills expert. You can get a copy of his book the Seven Secrets of How to study at http://studyskills2u.com or to obtain college coaching for your son or daughter call 610-842-3843.