Encourage learning

You are also the best person to raise educational issues with members of the safety and support network and to advise on the child’s education needs and encourage learning. We encourage you to be involved with the child’s learning. Some practical ways you can do this include:

• reading to the child at home from an early age helps develop their language, thinking and numeracy skills
• going to the library with the child (for leisure reading and project research)
• getting to know teachers and school friends
• going to parent-teacher interviews
• knowing what is going on at school – read newsletters
• involving your Child Safety Officer (CSO) – let the CSO know that there is a swimming carnival on, or an art exhibition, or provide an invitation to an awards night
• volunteering as a classroom helper (for example, for reading, maths, art, swimming, excursions) or tuckshop (even if it is once every few months)
• finding ways to make learning fun (for example, cooking and grocery shopping, practicing math skills through games, reading a bedtime story)
• establishing good study practices – provide a quiet place, or time without television or music
• checking homework
• praising the child’s efforts
• raising aspirations and confidence to achieve
• encouraging planning.