Parent and Family Engagement Policy
How Can I Motivate My Child?
1. Praise and encouragement.
Praise your child's effort, not their intelligence. Take notice and comment on your child's effort during their distance learning. Positive praise on their engagement, perseverance, and improvement will increase their forward momentum of positive behaviors and a successful school year.
2. Visual progress.
Let your child see their progress. Some students need visual supports. Having a chart or a to-do list with items that are marked done may help them see all of the hard work that they have accomplished and how far they have come.
3. Build upon what they are learning.
If possible, try to find real world examples of topics they are learning about in school. For example, if they are learning about fractions, try to incorporate discussion about fractions during dinner - ask them what fraction of pizza is left over. Or, if they are learning about different ecosystems, take a walk at a park and see if you can spot an ecosystem there. Have your child explain the concepts they are learning to you.
4. Shed a different light on a topic.
Sometimes children get bored with a way a concept is presented to them. If you can, try to mix it up and allow your child access to the same concepts through a different method. For example, try to find audiobooks for them instead of a hardcopy book, or allow them to write on a whiteboard rather than a notebook (many students think writing on whiteboards are fun!). Thinking outside of the box and experimenting might bring you a different way for your child to learn.
5. It's okay to say "I don't know"
Remember that it's okay if you don't know something. Teach your child that it's okay to say "I don't know" and teach them to ask for help to seek the answer.
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