Teachers Can Help Parents Encourage Learning at Home

Elementary school teachers are able to control the learning environment for their students throughout the school day. But what about the time spent outside the classroom?

There is plenty of opportunity for learning then as well. One important teaching strategy is to foster learning outside of regular school hours by encouraging parents to work with their children informally. Here are some strategies to help:

• Encourage parents to talk with their children about a wide variety of topics. They should use words their children are sure to understand and repeat words the children use to help them build confidence in their verbal skills.
• Ask family members to play games using letters of the alphabet and introduce new letters as appropriate. One way to do this is by labeling items around the house to help children learn letters and complete words.
• Encourage parents to tell stories … about everything! Whether they share a story from their childhood or talk about a character in a book or video, communicating through storytelling can help build verbal skills and encourage creativity.
• Advise parents not only to read to their children but also to take the time to describe what’s going on in the story and illustrations or photos. Suggest that parents ask their children open-ended questions, such as asking what they think is happening in the story.
• Make books available. Children become more comfortable with written materials if they are within reach. It also becomes more likely that they will pick up a book and leaf through it. Simply the presence of books in a home can stimulate an interest in reading and learning.

Whether you’ve just earned your teacher certification or have decided you want to become a teacher and are ready to earn a BS in Elementary Education (BSEE), thinking about parental involvement in a child’s education is important. As an aspiring teacher working toward your bachelor of science degree you’ll explore a range of subject matter, from childhood development and education technologies to collaborative strategies that will help you work with other educators, specialists, and families to provide maximum support for all children.

One decision you will have to make is which program is right for you. A four-year, campus-based program? Or perhaps, an online bachelor’s program. Many working professionals choose the latter because of the flexibility it provides. Earning a BSEE online gives you the opportunity to structure your study schedule to suit your lifestyle. There’s no need to be on campus for each class, nor do you have to worry about commuting. You can study at home whenever you like, day or night, taking courses as your busy schedule allows.

Walden University, an accredited online institution, offers a BS in Elementary Education that prepares you to sit for licensure exams for certification. The program explores a number of key issues including the use of technology in the classroom, building partnerships with families, and literacy. You will also have the opportunity to apply your knowledge in K-6 classrooms through supervised field training. It’s a well-rounded degree program that will prepare you for a career as an educator and help you create the most productive learning environment possible—both inside and outside the classroom.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.