Soaring to Success in Four Weeks: Catch the Wind

Did you know that engaged families effectively add $1,000 per student in a school’s annual budget? (Shoutout to our partners at TalkingPoints for sharing that statistic with us!) At Westlawn, we want to help families be engaged and take advantage of resources that are proven to help students thrive. This is Week 3 in a four-week series designed to help you ensure that your child can be Soaring to Success this year and beyond!

Tip #5: Provide books and opportunities to read daily and discuss what has been read

• Schedule daily reading time: students who practice reading outside of school tend to become more proficient readers who score more highly on reading tests. We recommend setting a routine where children read right before bedtime, because that also ensures they are not in front of screens when their bodies should be preparing for sleep. Children who are able to read to themselves also enjoy when their adults read alongside them to model that reading is a lifelong activity.
• Discuss what they read: ask your child questions about the book they are reading. Simple questions about the characters, the plot, or their opinions on the material provide opportunities for children to deepen their comprehension. You can even go further by reading the book yourself! We  recommended adult/child book clubs over the summer , and they are fantastic year-round. You can even make it special by spending time together reading at a favorite coffee shop or on a picnic blanket at the park. If your child is involved in Scouts, consider borrowing a book club kit from the  Thomas Jefferson Library to use as an activity at a meeting.
• Encourage checkouts at the Westlawn library: all Westlawn students visit the library at least once every two weeks with their class, but that is not the only time they can go! The Westlawn library is open from 8:30 AM - 3:45 PM, and students are encouraged to stop in with the permission of their homeroom teacher. Many students check in with their teacher at 8:30, spend time in the Westlawn library, and return to their class by 8:45, ready for the day!
• Get your Fairfax County Public Library card: adults are eligible to get a library card to the Thomas Jefferson Library with a photo ID and proof of residency, such as a bank statement (found in your mobile banking app). Staff from the  Thomas Jefferson Library will be available at  Back to School Night on September 18 and prepared to issue library cards that night! The Thomas Jefferson Library has a sizable collection of Spanish-language books, graphic novels and books for older children who are looking for stories we cannot have in an elementary school library, and even tablets that come pre-loaded with books and games at various age levels.

Tip #6: Help your child make connections between what is being learned in school and the real world

• Point out real-world examples: math is all around us! Help your child see “math in action” when making change, measuring ingredients for recipes, or planning times for a trip. Remember to go beyond reading and math, too! Westlawn students learn about social-emotional skills, learn how to use technology, and engage in a full slate of specials including physical education, art, and music! When you engage in these activities in your daily life, teach your child what you’re doing! It helps build their background knowledge, and essentially makes their brain “stickier” for new concepts.
• Encourage curiosity: ask “how” and “why” questions to get your child to think more deeply about a topic. Some children also respond well to “chaos questions,” such as “What will happen if we switch the order of our errands?” and “What might happen if we DON’T measure the ingredients for this recipe?”
• Reverse the script: talk about how real-world experiences apply to school with your child. This is a great way to help students intentionally build the skills they need to be successful in an academic environment. For example, you might praise a child who is sitting attentively at church, and remind them that paying attention is also a skill they use in the classroom. Another example is with chores: when you catch your child showing responsibility and initiative, call it out, and remind them that those skills can also be used in the classroom!

Did you like these suggestions? Stay tuned to  The Feather Report and our  Instagram and  Facebook pages to learn more when the next tips drop!