NEA Resources
Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
Working together, parents and teachers can help children have a successful school year. Parent-teacher conferences are an important part of the process. What should you do to get ready for a meeting with your child's teacher? What questions should you be sure to ask? Here are some tips for making the most of parent-teacher conferences.
Survey: Many Parents Not Involved in Their Child's Education
One in four parents in the Great Lakes region don't make time to get involved in their child's education because, they say, they don't have time, according to the second survey from Your Child, a coalition of primarily Michigan-based family and education groups. Those same parents say they end up paying for it later with higher levels of frustration and failure related to their child's education.
The coalition's first survey, released last spring, revealed a wide gap in how Michigan parents and teachers perceive school involvement. Parents say they want to be more involved but don't always have the opportunity. Teachers say they want to communicate more with parents, but they struggle with a lack of time, lack of response, and language and other barriers.
Your Child, which includes the Michigan Education Association, hopes to identify what helps and hinders parents' ability to participate in their child's education.
Parent's Guides to Homework, Math, Science and Achievement
NEA, in a joint project with National PTA, has published four guides for parents:
Parent's Guides Available in English and Spanish
NEA's popular guides for parents, available in English and Spanish, cover a variety of topics and offer tips and advice to help you help your child succeed.
Start the School Year off Right
The beginning of a new school year can be the start of a journey toward success if parents, students and teachers work together. Here are some suggestions from NEA for parents who want to help their child start the new school year right.
Help Your Child Learn to Read
When your child doesn't know a word in her reading books, should you tell her what it is? Should you teach your child the alphabet before he starts school? NEA has compiled an abundant supply of reading tips to help parents best help their children learn to read.
Rx for Kids: Exercise!
Kids are becoming more sedentary — and their health is suffering. What can you and your local school do about the obesity epidemic? NEA Today offers examples of how educators are getting kids moving.
Web Site Points Hispanic Students to Scholarships
Get easy access to more than 1,000 sources of college financial aid at the Hispanic Scholarship Directory Web site. Sponsored by NEA and the National Hispanic Press Foundation, the site includes college application guidelines and a scholarship database searchable by state, college, and field of interest.
Partnership Promotes Connecting with Kids
The Connect for Kids Web site is the beneficiary of a partnership between NEA, the Benton Foundation and the Advertising Council. The partnership results in public service advertisements aimed at inspiring adults to act on behalf of children.
Promote Reading through Read Across America
NEA's Read Across America is one of the best ways to rally communities around public education. This program, which combines the celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday with the joy of reading, offers the perfect occasion to spark community involvement and showcase the great job schools are doing.
Can We Talk?
Can We Talk? , presented in English and Spanish, is a four-part workshop series that helps parents talk with their children about healthy relationships and sexuality, including the prevention of pregnancy, HIV/STD's, drug abuse and violence. Also included are tips for talking with your kids about sensitive issues such as puberty, sexuality, violence and the media.
Parent Power Offers Help for All Grade Levels
Parent Power, A Major Ingredient in the Recipe for Educational Success offers "Home Learning Recipes" for children at various grade levels. It’s the educational equivalent of those cookbooks that provide quick, nutritious recipes. The Home Learning Recipes offered on these pages are expressly designed to be used at home.
'Tools You Can Use' Provides a Variety of Tips
Looking for practical suggestions and pointers to help your child do well in school? "Tools You Can Use" offers advice and tips for parents about how to promote good thinking skills and how to discipline, motivate, and talk with their children.
