Education

Education

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Positive and appropriate educational experiences play an important role in the successful transition to adulthood. Children and youth in foster care often lack successful transitions due in part to an unstable educational experience. Numerous studies indicate that children in foster care are often less likely to experience a successful outcome in education than the general population. The negative outcomes for children in foster care are seen in higher rates of grade retention, truancy, and dropping out. Caregivers and parents should place a strong emphasis on the education of foster children and work together with the courts and the educational system to promote success in school.

What you can do to help a child succeed:

Pay attention to your child’s educational progress

Check report cards
Monitor homework
Attend parent-teacher conferences and other school activities

Sign your child up for tutoring services
Have high expectations of what your child can accomplish

Some Questions to ask at Parent-Teacher Conferences

How is my child doing?
What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses?
What are the academic standards for the grade? Is my child meeting them? If not, what can we do to help?
Is my child experiencing any difficulty of which I should be aware? If so, what?
Has my child completed all required work to date? What is he or she missing? Can the work be made up?
What tools are being used to prepare my child for the standardized tests? How can we build on this at home?
Do you think my child will meet the academic standards necessary for promotion at the end of the school year?
What services are available in the school to help my child? What other resources are available?
What can I do to help?

How to Help Your Child with Homework

Caregivers play a crucial role in encouraging their children to study and learn. Here are tips on ways you can help your child:

Teach your child to organize, prioritize, and set goals.
Provide an environment conducive to study. Eliminate as many distractions as possible.
Remove barriers and don’t accept excuses.
Make homework time part of the regular family routine.
Encourage your children to do their own work. Don’t let them copy (cheat) and don’t do homework for them.
Show your child how you remember and meet deadlines.
Teach your children memory tricks.
Let your children see how you do the homework required by your job.
Pay attention to whether or not your child is keeping up. Check with teachers if necessary.
Teach your child to break down big assignments into manageable tasks and take one step at a time.
Help your child understand his/her learning style.
To the extent possible, provide your child with the tools for study (paper, pencils, dictionary, computer, etc.)
Discuss current events as a family.
Practice listening skills as a family.
Praise effort as well as results.
Encourage your child to take risks and try new things.
Celebrate successes; don’t nit-pick or expect perfection.
Don’t threaten or offer bribes.