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 Talking to your kids about what they're learning in school gives you a rich opportunity to discover more about their growing interests, abilities, and personalities. It should be as simple as asking them what's happening, right? Sometimes, though, it's hard for your child to answer that question. Consider how complex learning can be.
In the classroom, kids are constantly gaining new knowledge and developing new skills-not all of which your child might realize at the time. For example, working on a group project about the Amazon rainforest could involve learning about its ecology, the geography of South America, and even the politics of the countries that encompass it. But it also challenges kids to develop their social abilities and research skills- maybe even develop proficiency with technology, if they do some of their research on the Internet.
It can be hard for kids to sort all of this out. As a result, many eager students simplify their response to the age-old parent question "So, what did you learn in school today?" to "I don't know." Or even worse, "Nothing."
Faced with answers like that, what's a parent to do?
- Try asking your child to walk you through their day. Breaking up an entire day's worth of learning into small segments can help kids talk about what they're learning. Be a good listener, too. Pay close attention to what your child says as well as how he says it, and ask lots of questions.
- Become a learner yourself by joining your local PTA and reading school publications.
- Find your child's school (or classroom) on the Internet. If no web site exists for your school or classroom, consider forming a committee to develop and maintain a page for the school with useful information for parents.
- Go to school! No, you don't have to enroll … you can volunteer! Even a couple of hours per month will give you a first-hand perspective on the learning process.
It's impossible to learn nothing at all after spending seven hours each day at school. Discovering what your kids are learning about is just a matter of talking about it in a constructive way.
For more tips on finding out what your kids are learning in school, try one of these links:
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