DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILD IS LEARNING? Are you in the know with what your teen knows? You can’t help your teen learn unless you’re familiar with her lesson plans. Take this quiz to see if you’re up to the challenge! 1. When you ask, “How was school?” how does your teen typically respond? a. Excitedly, with a detailed synopsis of his school work for the week, along with a projection where he stands for the semester. b. Slightly enthusiastic but without much detail about her work or her performance. c. Indifferent. d. None of the above. 2. You don’t have time to attend your teen’s parent-teacher open house, you: a. Schedule a phone conference with each of her teachers. b. E-mail the teachers in the classes she is struggling in saying you cannot attend, but are interested in learning more about your teen’s progress. c. Make sure that the next conference is on your calendar. d. None of the above. 3. How frequently do you go to your child’s school? a. Once or twice per week. b. Once or twice per month. c. Once or twice per quarter. d. None of the above. 4. How involved are you in your teen’s SAT preparation? a. I grade the sample tests that she takes once a week and then make flashcards for the vocabulary words she missed. b. I enrolled her in an SAT-prep course. c. I bought her an SAT-prep book the size of a phonebook. d. None of the above. 5. Your teen is struggling with pre-calculus homework, but you don’t remember differentials yourself, so you: a. Review his textbook with him and help work through some of the problems. If that doesn’t help, you call the teacher for help. b. Help him find math help websites. c. Suggest he ask the teacher for help tomorrow. d. None of the above. 6. When was the last time you volunteered at your child’s school? a. I volunteer once per week. b. I chaperone occasional field trips. c. I rarely help out at school. d. None of the above. 7. How much time do you spend talking one-on-one with your teen? a. At least an hour over dinner. b. Half an hour while I drive her to volleyball practice or a friend’s house. c. She’s so busy with extra-curricular activities and homework that I’m lucky to get in 15 minutes a day. d. None of the above. 8. How often is the TV on in your home? a. We try to limit it to two hours per night. b. Most of the time, but it’s always turned off during dinnertime. c. Constantly. d. None of the above. 9. How do you stay informed about what’s going on at your teen’s school? a. By talking to teachers and other parents at parent’s nights, football games and other school events. b. By reading the monthly bulletin sent out by the school. c. From what she tells me. d. None of the above. 10. What’s your opinion about parental participation at school? a. Parental involvement benefits children, teachers, schools and communities. I try to volunteer regularly. b. Even though I’m very busy, I try to stay up to date with what my child is learning and keep open lines of communication with her teacher. c. I’m there to help whenever my child’s teacher asks. d. None of the above. Results Mostly As Congratulations! You’re active, you’re aware and you’re a great asset to your child’s educational experience. A study by the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project found that when parents are involved at school and at home, children do better in school. It also found that when a critical mass of parents is involved at school, the school improves as a whole. So next time you volunteer at your child’s school, take a friend with you. Mostly Bs Even though you’re sometimes busy with work or other obligations, you are attentive and dedicated to seeing your child succeed in school. You regularly take time to talk with your child and her teacher and you always have time to help your child with homework and regularly attend school functions and activities. Try taking a day off to chaperone a field trip or pitch in by making costumes for the school play. By regularly making your presence felt and your interest known, your child will continue to benefit from your support and enthusiasm. Mostly Cs Though you care about your child’s education, you sometimes fall out of touch with what’s happening on a daily basis. Even if you’re strapped for time or your child tells you it’s un-cool for parents to volunteer at school, there are still simple ways that you can stay in contact with your child’s teacher. Add her teacher’s e-mail address to your address book at the beginning of the year and drop him or her a note each quarter. Take a few minutes to say hello to the teacher and walk through the halls looking at the projects hanging on the walls. Ask about school whenever you’re in the car together. Being involved doesn’t take much time, and it can build your child’s self esteem and greatly contribute to your child’s education! Mostly Ds You may be strapped for time between work and home, finding it even more difficult to engage in your child’s education. Consult your child’s teacher for a few simple ways you can pick up on what’s happening in the classroom. Just opening a line of communication—even if it’s virtual—with your child’s teacher can make a big difference.