One down and two to go. Our oldest daughter graduated from college this December; another daughter is getting ready to go to college and the youngest has started high school. It is not easy navigating your child’s education. As parents we can become worked up even finding a “good fit” for elementary school.

Get involved

Okay, so you apply to those ‘good’ schools praying that your child will get accepted. Isn’t that crazy? We are applying to public schools. Anyway, what if he is accepted? What if she is not? It doesn’t matter. You need to be an involved parent. Join the PTO and volunteer for every opportunity possible. Work during the day? No excuse. There are planned events at night where you can volunteer or help plan an event. There may be only a handful of people who always volunteer or a few who always have to be in charge. Don’t worry about it because I’m sure the same thing happens in your church. Now, if you want to take a lead role in the PTO by all means go for it, but ONLY if you can be 100% committed.

Your mission at this point is to not only make your child’s school a better environment for learning but also to meet other parents who can tell you about different opportunities available for your child. Don’t be afraid to talk to other parents about navigating the school system. Who are the good teachers? Who are the fair teachers?

Get to know your child’s teachers

You need to know your child’s teachers. Never miss an open house — even for your high school senior. Even though you only sign in for open house, introduce yourself to each teacher. The teachers will know that you are an active participant in your child’s education. Follow up with an email thanking the teacher for his or her time and give the teacher permission to contact you with any issues involving your child.

Keep tabs on their progress

Now that we have Gradespeed, check your child’s progress on a regular basis. If you do not have a computer, go to the public library and use it for free. There is no need for ‘surprises’ on a progress report or a report card. Speak up for your child. Most adults do not really respect children as far as listening to what they have to say.

Be curious about their day

Discuss your child’s day after school. Listen. Ask your child how he felt about his day. If your child is not a talker, you may need to ask pointed questions like ‘how was your teacher today’ or ‘who did you sit with during lunch?’ and ‘what did you talk about?’. Don’t forget to ask him what he learned. You will be amazed by the things you learn about your child. Your child will become aware that he has someone in his corner. You will become more aware of your child’s mental and emotional state.

 Finding better school options

If you are unhappy with your child’s school, open houses for magnet schools is usually in October or November. The completed application is due in January or February. Be aware that your student’s grades and behavior will play a large part in the selection process. Tour every school you may be interested in for your child. Some of these schools may look okay or you may have heard that they are really good schools, but go see for yourself. You will be able to tell if your child will enjoy it by observing current students and teachers.

Understand that if your child has to ride a bus farther to school, he will have to learn to manage his time wisely. There will usually be a sacrifice for you and your child if you want him to have a better education. Accept the challenge for your child to succeed. Yes, it is a challenge. Begin at an early age explaining the value of education and what is expected of him in school.

Keep them engaged outside of school

You know what they say about idle hands. Children can start to forget the things they learn over long breaks from school or vacations. Research everything you can on different programs offered around the city. A lot of these programs are free of charge. Keep your child busy during the summer. If you cannot find any programs, ask the teachers for packets for your child to complete and assign books for him to read. If you assign books for summer reading, require your child to write a report.

Both of you will reap the reward when he has successfully completed each level of education. He will be the confident, independent and successful person you groomed him to be. Don’t forget to pray a lot because it is definitely grace that gets us all through this journey.

education, magnet schools, schools