Supporting your Daughter

It is vital that parents continue to support and encourage their daughters in Year 7. Children who achieve most highly in the long run are those who enjoy learning for its own sake. Girls should be encouraged not to give up easily, to develop good relationships with their peers and their teachers and to value reliability.

Below are a few simple suggestions, most of which are common sense, which can make a big difference to a child’s progress and happiness.

1. Developing confidence as a Learner

• talk to your daughter about what she has enjoyed during the school day; encourage her to show you her exercise books and share what she has learned and experienced

• give praise for your daughter’s achievements, especially where there is evidence of hard work and effort

• if your daughter appears to be struggling with a piece of work or a new idea encourage her to talk to the Subject Teacher in the first instance; should the problem persist, please do not hesitate to contact the relevant Subject Leader

• talk positively about your own school experiences and your perceptions of the different subjects

• check daily to see whether your daughter has any homework tasks and provide a quiet place for her to work, such as a kitchen table, ensure that during these times she is free from distractions

• make your interest in her work and her learning very apparent

• if you think your daughter is not achieving as well as she should keep critical comments to a minimum, talk to her about what is going wrong, look for ways to help and talk to the Subject Leader

• when talking to your daughter, or to others in front of her, look for things to praise about the school and your daughter’s teachers.

2. Developing a positive self-image and readiness for learning

• help your daughter to understand and use a variety of ways to criticise constructively and respond to criticism

• allow yourself time to enjoy playing games and joining in activities with your daughter

• encourage your daughter in her extra- and co-curricular activities by watching her perform. As well as demonstrating your love and support for your daughter these events will provide some of the most memorable childhood moments for children and parents alike

• ensure a healthy breakfast before school and encourage an active lifestyle

• involve yourself in the life of the school community, through events, activities, volunteering for the PTA

• limit tv time but use those programs watched as an opportunity for her to explain, discuss and give her opinions of what she has seen

• ensure there are routines for mealtimes, bedtime etc

• ensuring an appropriate amount of sleep each night

Children today are less active than they were just a few years ago because of the amount of time spent watching TV, on computers and a generally more passive lifestyle. Health advice states that children should have at least one hour of physical activity every day. Further information regarding healthy weights for children can be obtained from the following website:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/YourChildsHealth/DG_066077

3. Developing literacy

The development of good literacy skills is vital for achieving academic success in all areas of the curriculum. Literacy skills include listening, speaking, reading and writing. Research indicates that young people, in general, spend less time reading and developing literacy skills than previous generations and that parental involvement in the development of a child’s literacy is critical. There are a number of strategies that parents can employ to assist a child in their development:

• demonstrate your own enjoyment of reading; talk about books that you have read

• encourage your daughter to use her imagination and tell stories conveying detailed information coherently

• take your daughter to visit the local library on a regular basis

• encourage your daughter to borrow books from the library

• listen to radio broadcasts or recorded books that are produced for children

• ask your daughter open ended questions and encourage her to answer fully

• use meal times as time for a family to sit together, without distractions, and talk about events through the day

• encourage your daughter to use the language of possibility to investigate and reflect on feelings, behaviour or relationships

• encourage your daughter to express her views and give her reasons and evidence, ensuring that she experiences a positive reaction to those views and opinions

• when sharing time with your child, try to minimise interruptions from external sources, allow your daughter time to complete what she is saying; it is important for her to experience some involvement in family decision making

• maintain eye contact with your daughter when you and she are communicating

• encourage your daughter to ask for help and clarification if there is something she does not understand, she must learn that asking for help is not only wholly acceptable but is to be encouraged

• encourage your daughter to listen carefully to others, resisting the temptation to interrupt or speak over others; she is expected to demonstrate respect for the views of others

In families where the home language is not English, it is important that this information is communicated to the school. In order to ensure that a child develops a level of English that will allow her to demonstrate her academic ability, a child must be exposed to the English language in all its forms, beyond school. Radio, television and books can provide access to the spoken and written word. In order to develop skills in speaking it is important that a child is provided with plenty of opportunities to speak English with friends, relatives or members of the community. For further details as to how to support a child where the home language is not English, please contact Mrs Daood in the first instance.

The most significant input you have as a parent in the development of your daughter’s literacy is as a role model. Your daughter will adopt the patterns of speech, vocabulary, body language and interaction styles displayed in the home. During these impressionable years the way that family members listen to one another, speak to one another and the value placed on the written word will have a significant impact on the development of your daughter.