School

Parents are children's first teachers. Children tend to be more successful in school when parents take an active interest in their education. Education opens up a world of opportunities for children and young people. Parental involvement and encouragement plays an important role from the year years through to big exams.

The Department of Education have a range of resources for parents on how to help their children with their education which you can find in the links below.

Helping with homework

Homework can often be a dreaded task for parents, but supporting your children's learning is important. What is your role when it comes to helping with children's homework?

Make sure children do their own work
They won't learn if they don't think for themselves and make their own mistakes. You can make suggestions and help by giving direction but it's is up to the child to do the learning.

Be a motivator and monitor
Ask about assignments, quizzes, and tests. Give encouragement, check completed homework, and make yourself available for questions and concerns.

Set a good example
Do your children ever see you diligently balancing your budget or reading a book? Kids are more likely to follow their parents' examples than their advice.

To praise their work and effort
Post a test or art project on the refrigerator. Mention academic achievements to relatives.

If there are continuing problems with homework get help
Talk about it with your child's teacher. Some kids have trouble seeing the board and may need glasses; others might need an evaluation for a learning problem or attention disorder.

Letting go - older children taking control
Suggestions provided in this handout will need to be adapted to the particular age of your child. Greater supervision and involvement on the part of parents is the norm with children during the primary school years, while, by post primary school, most parents find they can pull back and let their children take more control over homework schedules. Once the child goes to post primary school, parents will need to make decisions about how involved to be in homework based on the developmental level of their children. If problems arise that seem intractable at any age, consult your child's teacher as the first step in resolving the issue.

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