Introduction

What is the earliest memory you have of being in school?

Excitement?
Fear?
Wonder?
Rejection?
Joy?

How do you feel about your years in school? If you have happy memories, chances are you can help your children be excited about learning and have good memories, too. If you disliked school, it's harder, but you can do lots of things to help make school a better experience for your children than it was for you.

The good news is that every child in every family has the power to succeed in school and in life, and every parent, grandparent, and caregiver can help.

But how do we help our children succeed? How do we give them the power? The most important thing we can do is be involved with our children's education even before they are in school, then stay involved once they are in school.

This book is about what we can do in our own homes, right now, that will help our children go to school wanting to learn. It includes:

• Basic information on what we know about success in school;
• Activities for children ages 5-11 to help them acquire the skills to succeed; and
• Questions and answers about when to talk to the teacher and how to handle parent-teacher conferences.

What we know about success in school is a combination of common sense mixed with new ideas about learning.

We do know the following:

1. Where our children learn is important. We can find inexpensive and easy things to do at home—where our children first start learning—that will make them want to learn. We can also strengthen our ties with the community and the schools, where learning continues.
   
   
2. What our children learn from us is important. What we say and do can build their maturity and self-confidence.
   
   
3. How our children learn from us is important. All of us teach our children every day, whether we realize it or not. We can make sure we show them a variety of ways to learn.