Admin
Connecting With Your Student 
Dear AWest Families and Community:

It can be really challenging keeping up with what is going on with your student once he or she gets to high school.  It seems like kids who once happily shared their work at home now make an extra effort to hide it in the bottom of their backpack and respond to any inquiry about what is going on in class with a universal, "Nothing."

At the same time,  it is typical for the parents of many high school-age students to see school work as being pretty much the responsibility of their son or daughter.  Many parents view it as a good, low-threat way for young people to learn about choices and consequences.  I certainly can't argue with that.

On the other hand, there are things that a high school parent can do that has impact on a student's achievement in school besides making it ample clear that it is still important to them.  An on-going inquiry into what is specifically happening in specific classes lets your student know that you care and that you still have the desire to be involved.  It may not be necessary for you to stay up late helping them get it done—but on the other hand, maybe you do.  The reality here is that by the time they get to high school, some students act in a pretty mature and responsible manner.  They have learned to become self-directed learners and will consistently do quality work with very little oversight.  But there is no small number of seniors who make it to graduation only because mom and/or dad stayed with them (and stayed on them) to the very end.

Regardless of which of these sounds more like your student, it is still valuable to them to know that you are involved, you care, and that what they are learning is still important to you.  Hence, two pieces of advice.  First, talk to your student everyday about what he or she is doing in school.  Ask questions.  Ask to see their work.  Know, at least in general, what they are doing.  Second, and more importantly, never take "Nothing" for an answer.  It simply isn't so!

Very truly yours,

Rob Bishop, Principal

Posted by rcbishop On 30 August, 2017 at 5:44 PM  

 
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