DOCUMENT RESUME ED 436 022 EA 030 128 AUTHOR Taher, Bonnie; Durr, Pamela TITLE Recipe for Success: An Updated Parents' Guide to Improving Colorado Schools and Student Achievement. Second Edition. INSTITUTION Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver. SPONS AGENCY Colorado Education Goals Panel, Denver.; Denver Public Schools, CO. PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 17p.; Also supported by the Rose Foundation and the CONNECT Initiative. AVAILABLE FROM Partnerships/Goals 2000, Colorado Department of Education, 201 East Colfax Avenue, Room 501, Denver, CO 80203. Tel: 303-866-6739. For full text: <http://www.aclin.org/sarb/public/pdf/recipe.pdf>. Spanish version available at <http://www.aclin.org/sarb/public/pdf/recipe-espanol.pdf>. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PCO1 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Learning Strategies; *Parent Materials; *Parent Participation; Parent School Relationship IDENTIFIERS Colorado ABSTRACT This guide describes ways that parents can help improve student achievement and school quality. It answers such questions as how to choose the right early-education opportunity for a preschooler, how to make sure a 5-year-old is ready for school, how to help a daughter do well in school, how to work with a daughter's or son's teachers, how to help a preteen develop strong values and character, how to help a teenager resist negative peer pressure, and how to be a strong role model for children. The guide discusses the need for parents to be engaged in their children's education and suggests four key roles for parents: create a home environment that promotes learning; provide extra services and support to students; work to make the system more responsive to all families; and serve on school committees and actively participate in efforts to improve school quality. The text also provides tips for helping children to become readers, grouping these suggestions by the age of the children. It discusses ways to motivate children to learn mathematics, such as using math to solve everyday problems, and offers suggestions for making schools safe so that all children can learn in a nonthreatening culture. (RJM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. An Updated Parents' Guide to Improving Colorado Schools and Student Achievement U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Ofhce of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND 7 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY 1;104s document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 1+- Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 BEST COPY AVAILABLE et INTR. UCTI Recipe for Success is a guide tohelp parents improve student achievement and school quality.The ingredients you'll findin these recipes will help you answer questionslike: for my How do I choose theright early education opportunity preschooler? How can I make sure myfive-year-old is ready for school? How can I help mydaughter do well in school? How can I work with andhelp my son's teachers? How can I help my preteendevelop strong values andcharacter? How can I help my teenagerresist negative peer pressure? How can I be a strongrole model for my childrenand teens? teachers can do only so You and the school arepartners. Caring, dedicated involvement. Because they much without parents'help. Teachers need your they will welcome your want your children tosucceed as much as you do, and demand quality. interest. They want you toask good, hard questions their joys. Respect their Most of all, just be therefor your children. Share support will go a concerns. Understandtheir needs. Your unconditional tackle whatever life long way toward giving yourchildren confidence to presents. teacher. Even your Remember that you are yourchildren's most important the future smallest effort improves theirfuture and ultimately improves for us all. "cook up" more recipes If you'd like to get togetherwith other parents and succeed in school, we'd behappy to conduct a for helping your children even your special session through yourlocal school, your congregation, or home. We'll bring tons of greatideas and handouts you can take home and use later. Colorado Department of To set up a Recipe forSuccess session, call the 764 3249. Education at 303 866 6974 orDenver Public Schools 303 INGREDIENTS Aye Healthy, Curious Kids Engaged Parents Readers All 6 Math Motivation. 8 Safe Schools 10 Clear-Cut Goals, Reliable Measures.. ...12 4 1 He 3:thy, urious r 1i S Getting Off to a First things first. Science tells us that a child's education begins at birth, and that means parents are a child's first and most important teachers. Schools can't do Good Start... their jobs effectively unless parents make sure from the day their children are If you are seeking early born that their kids enter kindergarten ready to learn. education (day care or Children who start school with a lack of interest in learning, with health preschool), take the time to problems, or with limited speech and language skills face a much greater risk of choose a high-quality failure than other youngsters. Research shows such kids are more than twice as provider, using this check- likely to fall behind, to have to repeat a grade, to require remedial instruction, list: and to drop out of school by the ninth or tenth grades. Is the provider licensed? Parents must make sure their children enter school physically healthy and Is it accredited by the prepared for learning. Children must know their address and phone number, National Association for how to tie their shoes, and other basic skills. And just as important, children must have habits and attitudes that help them succeed in school: patience, the the Education of Young desire to learn, and confidence in their ability to learn. Children? For working parents and others who rely on early education outside the home, it Is the atmosphere is important to pay attention to the quality of care a provider offers, not just to respectful and affection- the provider's cost and convenience. ate? Do the adults appear On the next page, you'll find some suggestions for making sure that your child to enjoy working with gets off to a good start in school healthy, confident, and ready to learn. children? Do the kids seem happy? Is the facility clean, well- lighted, and safe? Are toys and equipment appropriate? Are snacks A Child's Progress from Birth to Kindergarten and meals nutritious? Is 0-6 Months: Critical period for developing vision. Aorb sounds of there a plan for emergen- language. cies? Are drop-in visits 6 Months1 Year: Play with their fingers and toes; know their names, from parents allowed and begin to babble, develop early language. Begin to become self-aware. encouraged? 1-2 Years: Begin to develop motor skills, imitate sounds and actions of 'Does the program pro- others. Self-centered, beginning to learn independence ( "No! "). Know vide a wide range of about 250 words, understand many more. learning activities to 2-3 Years: Time for toilet training. More aware of self and others; enjoy meet each child's needs other children. Growing vocabulary, begin to speak in sentences. and interests? 3-4 Years: Can dress without help (except for buttons and shoelaces). Are enough adults pres- Enjoy pretending. May have fears and imaginary companions. Speak in ent to give individual complete sentences. Ready to use pencil, crayons. Can learn to take attention to every child? turns. 4-5 Years: Growing attention span; enjoy group activities. Great energy, improving physical coordination. Imaginative, love rhyming, jokes, nonsense words. Source: Helping Your Child Get Ready for School, US Department of Education, Office of Education Research and Improvement, 1993. 2 2 cqTnnPY AVAILABLE IWHAT YOU CAN DO Make sure your child receives all essential shots and regularly visits the doctor and dentist. Give your child positive reinforcement for good behavior and work well done. It's always more effective to praise good actions than punish bad ones. Learn when your child is ready to acquire new skills. For instance, wait until your child is at least 2 to begin toilet training younger children lack the physical control to cooperate. Try to see your child's behavior from a developmental viewpoint. Very young children cannot grasp concepts like sharing and waiting. Teach them how to get along when they are ready to understand. Correct misbehavior gently, without anger. Often a temper tantrum comes from an inability to communicate urgent needs as the child perceives them. Read to or with your child at least 20 minutes every day. Children who are consistently exposed to reading at home do much better in school. Add to your child's enjoyment by discussing the books you read together. Tell your child family stories. Hearing about family history and your own experiences helps children learn to appreciate language, storytelling, and the past. Play with your child. Ask questions about what your child is seeing, touching, and thinking. Involve yourself in your child's life. Listen to, laugh with, support, discipline, and comfort your child as appropriate. Provide a safe, secure home environment, because children who grow up with abuse and violence have difficulty concentrating on school work and are more likely to become violent themselves. onage-appropriateDenver, brochure Avenue, 11100 andLearns,"a EastColfax LEA-BIN Grows 201 TO YourChild ofEducation, of 1-1011\T onTrack as Department College of"Staying Colorado Community. 44441 copy at the of the 303620 obtain afree Chelius Center Denver, 'To Denise 6710.