Staying Involved in Your Child’s Education

There are many venues for parents to be involved in their child’s education. Homework, home reading and project support are key areas of involvement. Ongoing monitoring and use of the student agenda and close communication with the teacher is also essential. The student, parents, and teacher should form a strong learning team. Whether you are working with your child at home or volunteering in the school, your support is essential – and appreciated.

Supporting Homework Completion

Students in Grades 1 to 3 are expected to spend a minimum of 15 minutes/day of monitored reading at home. Parents should be monitoring this reading for fluency and comprehension. 

Students in Grades 4 – 6 should be reading closer to 30 minutes/day and parents should continue to check for their child’s fluency and comprehension. If you require assistance in supporting your child’s reading program, teachers are very willing to work with you.

Teachers may assign a modest amount of work for completion at home. This work should help to keep parents informed of curriculum being covered at school and will also work to develop study habits. We encourage students to develop independent work habits and they should learn to explain their studies to their parents.

Rather than ask your child ‘What did you learn at school?’ which generally results in a very short answer, we encourage you to ask specific learning related questions. Questions such as ‘what topic was discussed in math’, ‘what written work did you complete today?’ or ‘what science project are you working on?’ generally works to engage students. It is also important to discuss whether your child is doing individualized work or group work, which often opens the door to discussions around group responsibilities and group dynamics.

Setting up a consistent routine, a place and time for homework and home reading, is very beneficial. If your child is not able to complete work on time due to other commitments, please ensure that you inform the school. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s program of studies, please set an appointment with the teacher. If concerns remain after this appointment, please speak to the Richmond School administration. Ongoing communication and collaboration is a key to your child’s success at Richmond.