Dear Early Learning Parent,

A new school year is beginning for many preschoolers of all ages in the next few weeks. There are some steps that parents can take to make sure their children know they want their child to have a good year and be successful. There are three ways that a parent can be involved with your child that will help them know you care about their learning. The three keys are communication, participation, and follow-through. There are several ways you can do all of these things.

Communication:
Please be available for your child’s parent-teacher conferences and/or home visits and parent involvement nights. These are opportunities for you to have in-depth, face to face communication with your child’s teacher.

Infant/Toddler Caregivers depend on parents communication each day as a way to address your child’s rapidly changing needs.

There are also many less formal ways to communicate with your child’s teacher. You can send a note, call during non-instructional times, or stop by before or after school. It is always best to schedule to meet a teacher but teachers will always try to accommodate your needs.

Participation:
If you can volunteer in your child’s classroom, please do. If your child can say, “That’s my mommy!” to their class they will feel important. If you even have a spare 10 minutes, please stop by your child’s class and make that connection with your child, their friends, and their teacher. If you know your child’s schedule you can ask them about specific parts of their day. This is especially important with Infants/Toddlers.

You can also participate by helping the class at home by preparing materials (cutting out shapes, etc.), by helping your child with their homework, and by reading to your child every night. Finally, you can help your child learn by taking your child to cultural events and public parks around the city on weekends and after school.

Follow-through:
It is important that you and your child are able to fully participate in the class by completing and returning all forms and paper work your child brings home. This type of communication and participation is extremely important. There are often additional permission slips, after school activities, and learning opportunities that you will want to know about.

If your child will miss school, contact the school so that your child is not marked as an unexcused absence. Finally, when your child tells you something about school that concerns you, contact your child’s teacher with an open mind and an attitude of cooperation. You and your child’s teacher can be most effective at helping your child learn when your child knows you are on the same team.