If School is a Focus at Home, Teachers Say, Kids Succeed
Aug. 22–Helping your kids succeed in school isn’t quantum physics.
Often, it’s the simple, little things parents do that make all the difference.
With Wichita schools starting class Tuesday, The Eagle sought the advice of seven teachers at elementary, middle and high schools.
Don’t worry. None of them suggested parents have to be the PTA president or volunteer three hours a day to have successful kids.
Instead, the teachers — all parents themselves — suggested parents read to their kids, let them know school is important and talk to their kids’ teachers regularly.
“The biggest thing is reading,” said Alisa Lundstedt, who teaches kindergarten at Adams Elementary. “Read to your child at home.”
Reading can be just as important and helpful for middle and high school students as it is for kindergartners, the teachers said.
“The first thing is they need to be reading with that child, and reading aloud with that child,” said Rosemary Bartel, who teaches language arts at Coleman Middle School.
West High teacher Sue Parks said she encourages students who aren’t strong readers to read aloud to their parents. And if students read their papers aloud, parents can often spot problems.
“It just takes somebody willing to listen,” Parks said.
While middle school presents different challenges than elementary or high school, most of the advice was consistent across all levels.
Simply taking an interest in your child’s day and, for the older kids, refusing to accept one-word answers will help, said Jody Postin, who teaches music at Coleman Middle School.
“If you’re watching TV or cooking, the kid knows you’re not really interested,” he said.
He suggested asking specific questions about a teacher, a class or a friend to spur conversation.
All the teachers mentioned the importance of parents talking to their kids and checking on their homework.
“Even if parents can’t do the math, they can just ask kids to explain the lesson,” said Michelle Cotter, who teaches at Anderson Elementary. That will test the kids’ understanding.
And with younger kids, parents can throw out math or reading questions at any time — even in the car — for practice.
Parents should also establish a routine for doing homework every night at a certain time with the television off.
“Help them prioritize and manage their time,” said Parks, the West High teacher.
Asking those questions and taking an interest in homework will help show your kids that school is important, which is key.
“If kids really think their parents value education, all the other problems will evaporate,” said Stephanie Davis, who is a teaching coach at Coleman Middle School.
Davis said the most common question middle school teachers hear is, “Why do we have to do this?”
But she said attitudes like that tend to disappear if kids know their parents think schoolwork is important.
It also doesn’t hurt if kids know that their teachers will talk to their parents about any concerns, said Terry Manning, who teaches fifth grade at Anderson Elementary School.
“When the kids see that we have a relationship with their parents and that we’re working with them, they don’t get away with anything,” Manning said.
Whether it’s a five-minute visit to elementary school in the morning or an occasional phone call to the high school class, communication is important, the teachers all said.
“It’s just that communication, I think, is the biggest thing,” Parks said.
And parents shouldn’t worry about not being able to do enough.
“Any help we can get from home just makes all the difference in the world,” Parks said.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASICS: Wichita sixth- and ninth-graders have orientation today, and all students start class Tuesday. You child’s school can answer any questions you might have. Here are a few common subjects parents wonder about:
–Why start with half days?
Despite the fact that most Wichita schools now have air conditioning, the district will still use a half-day heat schedule for the first week.
This fall, 78 schools will have air conditioning, but 14 others will not.
Spokeswoman Susan Arensman said the district didn’t want to drop the heat plan early and make students at those 14 schools suffer.
Arensman said no decision has been made about next year. The district’s calendar committee will decide when it meets during second semester.
–So when are kids out?
Schools that start at 7:15 a.m. will dismiss at 11:30. Schools starting at 8 a.m. dismiss at 12:30 p.m. Schools starting at 9 a.m. dismiss at 1:30 p.m.
–What sort of backpacks are allowed?
Each school sets its own policy. Check your school’s policy before buying.
Concerns about safety and crowding have prompted some schools to ban or discourage wheeled packs. Schools also may limit the size or style of bags students can carry.
–What about cell phones and pagers?
They are banned by district policy because they could be a distraction during class. And school officials worry that text messaging and picture phones could be used to cheat on tests.
–Where’s the bus?
If your child isn’t picked up by a bus and should have been, call his or her school.
Phone numbers are listed under “Wichita public school system” in the business pages of the phone book and online at www.usd259.com [http://www.usd259.com] through the “Contact Staff” link.
–Can my child still enroll?
Yes. Go to the nearest neighborhood school. If you don’t know which school your child will attend, call pupil accounting at 973-4498.
WICHITA’S SCHOOL BOND ISSUE WORK
All the projects paid for by the $285 million bond issue Wichita voters approved in April 2000 will be completed by the end of this school year. Here’s an update on all the projects:
COMPLETED PROJECTS:
–Elementary schools: Adams, Allen, Beech, Benton, Black, Bostic, Bryant, Buckner, Caldwell, Cessna, Chisholm Trail, Clark, Emerson, Enterprise, Franklin, Gammon, Gardiner, Griffith, Harry Street, Hyde, Isley, Irving, Jackson, Jefferson, Kensler, Kelly, Lawrence, Lincoln, Linwood, L’Ouverture, McCollom, McLean, Minneha, Mueller, OK, Park, Price-Harris, Pleasant Valley, Riverside, Washington, Woodland, Woodman
–Middle schools: Allison, Brooks, Coleman, Hadley, Hamilton, Horace Mann, Mead, Pleasant Valley, Robinson, Stucky, Wilbur
–High schools: East, Heights, Metro-Boulevard, Metro-Meridian, Metro-Midtown, Northeast Magnet, Northwest, Southeast
–Special schools: Chisholm Life Skills, Greiffenstein, Levy, Little, Sowers, Wells
FINISHING THIS WEEK:
–Arkansas Avenue and White elementaries; Curtis, Mayberry and Truesdell middle schools; North High
FINISHING IN 2005:
–These schools are presented in the order of planned completion.
–Marshall Middle School, Sept. 20
–Peterson Elementary School, Oct. 14
–Lewis Elementary School, Nov. 30
–Anderson Elementary School, Dec. 1
–West High, Dec. 1
–Jardine Middle School, Dec. 15
–South High, Dec. 15
–Colvin Elementary School, Dec. 20
–College Hill Elementary School, Dec. 31
–Spaght Elementary School, Dec. 31
–Stanley Elementary School, Dec. 31
FINISHING IN JANUARY:
–Stucky Middle School expansion
–Dodge Elementary School, Jan. 4
–Payne, Jan. 4
FINISHING IN SPRING 2006:
–Cloud Elementary School
–Cleveland Elementary School
AWAITING BOARD ACTION:
–Wichita Area Technical College and Earhart Elementary
Source: Wichita school district
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