Make it work for you and your children
By Jennifer Paire and Julie Brennan

Now that scrambling for school supplies, new sneakers and bus schedules is over, it’s time to get to work.

That’s right. We’re talking about you, the parents. According to local and state educators and parents it’s high time for a “No Parents Left Behind” program that ensures your child is getting the right education.

Perhaps you are already overwhelmed by the busyness of your life, the rhetoric about education’s quality and funding, the meaning of standardized tests. Maybe you’d like to decipher the educational data that is endlessly available online. While our sources concede it is great to be informed, we found a consistent message.

It’s about both of you
“I understand people are busy, but what makes the difference in a good and great educational experience is what a parent puts into it,” says Barbara Thomas, president of the North Fulton Council of PTAs. “A good education is more than test scores, even though that is how we as parents compare our schools. We really need to think about the process of evaluating information, drawing conclusions, and presenting those findings in a convincing manner.  This is what is expected of college students, and accumulating data to fill in a test sheet is just the base requirement of a good education.”
 
Encouraging analytical thinking can take place over all subjects and at all ages, says Thomas, if parents are willing to reinforce learning in life.

“What parents don't want to hear is that encouraging that kind of thinking really should take place at home,” says Thomas, who has volunteered with the PTA for 16 years and whose sons are both in college and products of the North Fulton School System. “Certainly homework time is a great opportunity to follow through … Riding in the car to school or after-school events or sports is a prime opportunity for discussion. The essential ingredient is a willing parent or adult to stimulate the process in the child … I’ve found that truly creative thinking frequently happens outside the classroom.”

Thomas’s pointers include:
o    Determining whether your school has a transparent environment. Are parents made aware of things that impact the school? Does the principal communicate well with the parents and community? Will someone really tell you who to talk to if you have a question or need?
o    Find out whether the teachers and administrators are accessible: Does the teacher respond to email within the required 24 hours? Can you get appointments with teachers, principals or counselors? Does the process feel like more than “going through the motions?”
o    Get involved in the PTA: Find out whether the school’s chapter has a close working relationship with the principal and other administration. Do they have a visible presence in the school? Are parents welcome in the classroom and school?

It still starts at home

Julie Wilson created Qwizzy’s World (www.qwizzysworld.com), an interactive study site designed to teach students of all ages how to study. The site is not a database of tests. Instead, it encourages students to create quizzes based on current material and to work with other students, parents, teachers and tutors to develop study habits.

“I think education doesn't stop when they get home at the end of their school day.  Support starts at home and can be as positive or negative as you make it,” she says. “I wonder if it is sometimes our fault that kids are so negative about homework?  We can change that by asking them what they learned each day and what kinds of assignments we can help with. When kids get home from school, they are tired and need our encouragement.”

Wilson’s site employs cool and useful technology that is finding its way into schools, including those in Forsyth County, and it is intended to support a positive study environment at home that is so crucial for kids.

Here are Wilson’s keys to making sure your child knows you are on board with their education:
o    Make sure you are in a good school district and get involved: “It is a key investment in your child.” Wilson says we shouldn't underestimate the impact you can have when you go to class to read a story or participate in some other way. “It's a great way to experience your child's school environment and show your child how much you care about his/her education."
o    Know your child: “It’s extremely important to know your child’s learning style. When it's time for teacher selection, take advantage of writing a letter to your principal(s) to let them know what your child's needs are.”
o    Find out when your child studies best: “Some children need a 30-minute break or snack or chat time when they get home. Others get right to their homework or prefer to do it later. Have a designated place for them to work with everything they might need. Diffusing their anxiety and preparing them to get the work done makes it all much easier.  And you have a happier family to boot!”

Being a partner
“That is the biggest support you could give a teacher – a parent who is on your side,” says Jenna Ward, who teaches Life Science at Otwell Middle School and was named Forsyth County’s Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2009. “I think that is where we are falling short. We don’t have the parent support.”

Ward has noticed that parents can be hesitant when it comes to helping their children with homework if they are not familiar with the subject. And, they are afraid to email teachers for fear they are bugging them.

“That’s my job, to help your child succeed in every way,” Ward says.

Ward suggests these ways to reconnect:

o    Ask your child to teach you about their homework. This way you don’t have to feel uncomfortable if you are not familiar with the material. “Kids love to think they are smarter than their parents.”
o    Email the teacher. Don’t be afraid to ask questions as often as needed. Know what is going on.
o    Sit down and talk to your children as often as possible. Ask them about their day, check on their assignments, offer support and accountability.

Simplifying the search
In this Information Age, there are simple ways to focus and get the information you need. Dr. L.C. “Buster” Evans, Forsyth County’s Superintendent of Schools, believes technology is a priority in the process of learning about your child’s education.

“It is the way of learning in the future,” says Evans, whose two children are college graduates working and studying in their respective fields. Parents need to find out whether their children have the technology available to them to learn, and to decide whether they themselves are using what they have to keep in touch with teachers and track activity.

Among his top criteria for determining that your child is getting the best education:
o    Being a good consumer of the information available about schools. While it can be overwhelming, “Make the effort to get to know the school and its performance.” For example, check the Georgia Department of Education’s web site to see where the state stands with the No Child Left Behind program.  “The Forsyth County School System’s R4 Digital Dashboard is a great tool that we have built here in Forsyth to promote greater transparency in making available important data.”
o    Being a partner with your child’s teacher: “Education is a partnership in many respects, and that partnership between teachers and parents is key!  Get to know who is in charge of your child’s education and partner with them. Notice whether your school has a welcoming environment, and if not, what can you do to help?”
o    Being aware of enhancement programs: Check out the offerings beyond the basics. For example, many Forsyth County schools offer music, art, technology, and many connections and/or elective courses to reach student interests.  Many extra and co-curricular programs like athletics, band, music, drama, robotics, literary, debate, and many other activities expand learning in many respects.  “While more may not necessarily be better, having opportunities for students to be involved with makes a big difference.”

Teaching in today’s environment

A challenge facing education today is the ever evolving level of transition of duties and responsibilities from the home setting to schools and teachers and the monetary cost involved.  A research of the history of public education in America shows the number of programs and mandates added to the realm of education down through the decades: from providing services such as lunch and transportation to providing instruction on drug and sex education, and so many, many more in between.  “Compounding this situation is the fact that many of these are unfunded mandates forcing local systems to find ways in which to provide these instructional opportunities and services from local funds,” explains Bonny Ward, a school teacher for the past 29 years. “Equalization formulas at a state level and occasional taxpayer's reluctance (usually due to negative publicity from the media) impact a school system's ability to comply,” she adds.

It's a difficult job at best whenever a "one size fits all" approach to education is embraced by politics and the public.   “The whole concept of educating the masses and "grading" the students/teachers/schools/systems/states' performance based on the results of a high stakes test score while being expected to provide quality instruction using the latest, most current educational best practices, to protect and guard every aspect of a student's life, and to promote our profession in a positive light,” Ward adds.  

“It is my opinion that in spite of the often negative press coverage, America's public school system does its best to stand and deliver,” affirms Ward. “What motivates me to continue in this field of work is a deep and abiding love for learning and teaching.  There is no greater joy than to provide the services available to ensure that a student can become a literate, discerning, productive citizen of our country.  Nowhere else could I be a part of such a warm and caring extended family of students, parents, colleagues, administrators, and support staff.”
“Reflecting back on a period in my career when I felt disenfranchised, I came to realize I could affect the most changes at the most basic, lowest level: my students, and to leave the political pundits and media to debate the issues of "what's wrong with the government schools" themselves. Unless my name and reputation as an educator is called into question, I'll continue to embrace what I feel I do best and that is to teach,” concludes Ward.

At the end of the day, what truly matters to most parents is the quality of the education their children received and how, when put to the test, each student is able to perform and succeed with the education received.

It takes more than just good schools and teachers to make it all work. Involved parents and caregivers are essential to the success of our education system. Learning opportunities for students in schools and communities is of utmost importance to all if we are to enable our students to become contributing citizens in our ever-changing, technological-driven, and culturally diverse society.