Tips for Talking to Your Child About the School Day

Many parents of children who attend public schools express frustration that their kids refuse to talk about the school day. Yet, parental involvement in education is essential for a child’s success. Students at a Montessori school develop an abiding love of learning and may be more eager to share their academic explorations with their parents. However, it never hurts to use a few simple strategies to get your child talking.

Choose the Right Time

If your child walks out of the classroom excited to tell you all about the day, by all means let him or her. Otherwise, you can greet your child enthusiastically, but try to hold off on the questions for a little while. Your child has just spent the day hard at work on various learning activities and he or she probably needs a little time to relax. Let your child fix him- or herself a healthy snack or play outdoors for a while before beginning the conversation.

Become Involved with the School Community

Montessori education encourages collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. By becoming more involved with your child’s school community, you’ll have a solid understanding of his or her school day. You might spend some time volunteering in the school library or classroom, for example. This will help you ask specific questions about your child’s work.

Discuss Your Own Day

Ideally, conversations with your child will naturally flow in both directions. That is, you shouldn’t necessarily be the only one to ask questions. Invite your child to ask you about your day, or start the conversation with an amusing story of something that happened to you at work or at the grocery store.

Starwood Academy of Frisco is a close-knit learning community that encourages a hands-on approach from parents. At our Montessori school in Frisco, parents may choose to volunteer in the classroom,  or to assist with projects, or they might prefer to help prepare for events. If you would like to contribute to our private school community, call (972) 885-8585 or speak with your child’s teacher.