How can I help my child with schoolwork?

From reading with your child to quizzing them on their homework, there are many things that you can do to help your child be better prepared for school. Below are some ideas for how you can make a big difference in your child's school experience and ability to get into college.

Preparing Your Child for Test-taking

  • Encourage your child to read. It's the most important thing that you can do to help your child succeed in school. Read with or to your child every day.

  • Don’t get upset because of a single test score. Too much pressure can affect his test performance in the future.

  • Encourage your child and provide praise for the things that he does well.

  • Make sure that your child attends school regularly.

  • Getting a good night's sleep before the day of the test is important.

  • Plan ahead. Have your child start studying for the test well in advance to avoid "cramming" the night before.

  • On the day of the test, instruct your child to read all directions carefully before beginning work.


Activities to Do With Your Child

PreKindergarten-Grade 3

  • Ask your child to tell you about the pictures they draw; recognize attempts at writing letters, words and sentences.

  • Cut food (such as pizza, celery, carrots, sandwiches) into halves, thirds, fourth, fifths, etc.

  • Questions to ask your child: “What do you notice?” “What would happen if…?”


Grades 4-8

  • Talk about words and their meanings; play word games; help your child use a dictionary and a thesaurus to look up word meanings and choices.

  • Look for fractions and percents in games, cookbooks and newspapers; find them in the grocery store or when using measuring cups.

  • Questions to ask your child: “What is your evidence for…?” “What else do you wonder about?”


Grades 9-12 and Beyond

  • Ask questions each day about homework and school. Instead of asking “What happened at school today?” try asking: “What was the funniest thing that happened today at school?” “Which subject or class do you like best? Why?”

  • Talk about going to college and career interests; discuss the courses and tests your child needs to complete to go to college.