U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
"Why?"
This is the question we parents are always trying to answer. It's good that children ask questions: that's the best way to learn. All children have two wonderful resources for learning—imagination and curiosity. As a parent, you can awaken your children to the joy of learning by encouraging their imagination and curiosity.
Helping Your Child Succeed in School is one in a series of books on different education topics intended to help you make the most of your child's natural curiosity. Teaching and learning are not mysteries that can only happen in school. They also happen when parents and children do simple things together.
For instance, you and your child can: sort the socks on laundry day—sorting is a major function in math and science; cook a meal together—cooking involves not only math and science but good health as well; tell and read each other stories—storytelling is the basis for reading and writing (and a story about the past is also history); or play a game of hopscotch together—playing physical games will help your child learn to count and start on a road to lifelong fitness.
By doing things together, you will show that learning is fun and important. You will be encouraging your child to study, learn, and stay in school.
All of the books in this series tie in with the National Education Goals set by the President and the Governors. The goals state that, by the year 2000; every child will start school ready to learn; at least 90 percent of all students will graduate from high school; each American student will leave the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades demonstrating competence in core subjects; U.S. students will be first in the world in math and science achievement; every American adult will be literate, will have the skills necessary to compete in a global economy, and will be able to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and American schools will be liberated from drugs and violence so they can focus on learning.
This book is a way for you to help meet these goals. It will give you short run-down on facts, but the biggest part of the book is made up simple, fun activities for you and your child to do together. Your child may even beg you to do them. At the end of the book is a list of resources so you can continue the fun.
As U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander has said:
The first teachers are the parents, both by example and conversation. But don't think of it as teaching. Think of it as fun.
So, let's get started. I invite you to find an activity in the book and try it.
Diane Ravitch
Assistant Secretary and
Counselor to the Secretary
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Basics
Activities
Parents and Schools
Summary
This book is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part of educational purposes is granted
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