Helping with learning

Show an interest in your child’s schoolwork and homework.

Set aside a quiet time and place for homework. This encourages your child to form good homework practises from an early age.

Praise them and encourage them, but avoid comparing them with others. Remember that every child is unique and special and learns in different ways.

Children can learn a lot from every day experiences e.g. counting things, naming colours, identifying shapes and sorting things into categories.

Listen to them and answer their questions.

Television

Children’s programmes can be fun and worthwhile.  Parents can help by encouraging their children to view age appropriate and suitable programmes.

Television should not be allowed to take up all of your child’s free time.

Starting School

Starting school is an exciting step for each and every child.

Settling into school life, making new friends, learning to take turns and to share are all part and parcel of what your child can look forward to in their first year.

There are lots of things you can do to make school life a happy experience for your child.

Children enjoy drawing and colouring.  Encourage them to do this on old papers and newspapers.

If buying toys, please remember to buy choose toys which will help your child to learn.  Colouring and activity books, jigsaws, construction kits, lego, bricks, play dough etc. are enjoyable and educational toys for your children.

Reading stories and nursery rhymes to them regularly and talk to them about the stories and pictures.

Worried children cannot learn, so be sure to tell the teacher about any problems which your child/children may have.

Illness - e.g. cough, cold sleepless night, asthma, diabetes etc.

Physical - e.g. speech, eye or hearing defect, physical handicap.

Emotional - e.g. moving house, death, separation, accident, new baby etc.

Others - e.g. kidney problems etc.

Most important, help your children to see that school is a happy place.