From Puzzle to Plan

From Puzzle to Plan

3 simple steps to help your child succeed

Juggling work, life, and being at the frontline of your child’s education due to school closures has been a new reality for most parents. With the extra time at home together, you’ve truly become an expert on how your child learns. When you know where your child is doing well and where more support is needed, you can best help them learn at home and school. Connect with your child’s teacher at the end of this year and share what you’ve noticed about your child’s learning with teachers in the fall so they know what your child needs.

Here are 3 simple steps for this summer that will set your child up for success in the new school year!   

Put the Pieces Together

Like a puzzle, think about the pieces of information that, together, give you the big picture of how well your child is learning skills needed to succeed in the next grade.

Use the Readiness Check with your child as the first step to supporting your child this summer! It’s like a game for them but you see how they are doing in math and reading, and get connected to resources and activities to support summer learning. As you watch your child use the Readiness Check, notice: Where did they do well? Where did they struggle?

How is my child developing life skills – listening, communication, problem-solving? Where is my child showing progress? Where does my child need more support?

Given there were no end of year tests and that the end of the school year was different, how do I know if my child is progressing on grade level?

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PAY ATTENTION TO PROGRESS AND THEIR PASSIONS

What is your child excited to learn about? What have you noticed about their learning over the past few months at home? Find resources and activities based on their interests.  As your child reads, plays with educational apps, or interacts with family and friends (even virtually), notice how they are learning and what they are able to show they know.

I notice my child is doing well and enjoys….
I notice my child needs help with….
Changes I’ve noticed in my child since school closures include (this can include academically or socially and emotionally)…
My child is able to teach me what they learned in…

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    Want to see how your child is doing in math and reading and get connected to free and fun learning activities? Get the Readiness Check here.

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PREPARE TO PARTNER UP

Get to know your child’s new teacher(s) as soon as possible in the fall (they need you and you need them)! Find out what is expected of your child, share what you’ve noticed about your child’s learning over the past few months, and ask about the school’s plan for measuring student learning early on in the year in order to address any learning gaps and make sure students are progressing.

  • What are my child’s learning goals for this year?
  • How will you identify where my student needs more support, especially given loss of school time this year?
  • How can I support learning at home this year?

Here’s a bit about my child and how I’ve supported their learning at home…

  • My child is interested in…
  • My child learns best when…
  • My child struggles when…
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By continuing to pay attention to your child’s progress and learning needs, you are preparing them for next year as well as their next big milestone like moving into 4th grade, middle school, and high school. Through these transitions, and especially during the changes due to remote learning, your child is taking on new challenges but your support makes all the difference. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and information.

More than ever, parent-teacher partnerships are so important. We are in this together!

You are your child’s learning hero.