This article offers 10 tips from parents to help other parents learn how to make a difference in their child's education.

This article illustrates several types of at-home science experiences that could be incorporated during grades K-2 to provide enriching science experiences that are motivating for students without requiring exhaustive work and preparation. These activities are designed to augment science interest and enthusiasm of students in the classroom and…

Parents want to work with their children's teachers to help them succeed in school. "What Brain Research Says about Student Learning" provides parents and teachers the most recent findings in brain research and learning theory in a very approachable way. The reader will see how the child's brain develops, learns, remembers, and creates…

The nation is in the midst of the largest change to education that has happened in recent memory. The 2020 pandemic, along with schools giving technology to families prompted a learn-from-home movement. Families may find that learning from home presents exciting yet stress-filled opportunities. This brief describes information and tips for…

Research shows that when children feel engaged with learning, they are more likely to flourish socially and academically and less likely to exhibit problem behaviors. Researchers have distinguished three different types of engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive. Behavioral engagement focuses on participation in academic, social, and…

Many parents and teachers are not aware that specific ingredients (such as communicating clearly, providing constructive feedback, setting goals, conducting self-assessments, and accepting failure) are required at home "and" school to help gifted students succeed. Following are ways parents can support their child's teacher in building…

As part of her series, "ABCs of Being Smart," Joanne Foster presents time-tested tips for parents of toddlers to teens. Categories include: traits to tap when meeting with teachers to strengthen home and school connections or resolve any issues; strategies for parents to add to their "toolbox"; and tactical measures to consider…

In this article, the authors offer offer five key strategies for developing a mutually supportive relationship with the teacher of your gifted child: (1) Share information about how your child thinks, feels, learns best, and any specifics that will help the teacher understand and support your child's learning needs at school; (2) Approach the…

While partnerships including meaningful, two-way, parent-teacher dialogue about young children during early childhood program and school meetings are critical, linguistic differences between bilingual parents who are immigrants and early educators can impede communication and lead to inequitable services. In this article, we focus on one aspect of…

"Helping Foster Children in School" explores the challenges that foster children face in schools and offers positive and practical guidance tailored to help the parents, teachers and social workers supporting them. Children in care often perform poorly at school both in terms of their behavior and their academic performance, with many…

Family engagement is essential to high quality services for all children in early childhood care and education. From the beginning of life, families nurture their children and the capacities they will need to be ready for school. The Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework for Early Childhood Systems is a guide to understanding…

The DEC Recommended Practices provide guidance to families and professionals about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote development of young children, birth through age 5, who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities. "Family: Knowing Families, Tailoring Practices, Building Capacity" is…

As an early childhood professional, this author spent the first 17 years of her career as an advocate for children and their families. With an advanced degree in early childhood special education, she learned about the pitfalls and triumphs of special education. After leaving the classroom and entering the world of academia in teacher education,…

What can parents and educators of gifted children do to help them build the connections that will allow them to thrive? In this article, the author suggests a few practical and simple things that parents and educators of gifted children might want to consider as they live and work with them day by day. He breaks those suggestions out into two…

While spending quite a bit of time in schools observing student teachers, the author of this article began to think about the way gifted children and their parents view school because the children do not seem to feel safe in their schools. The author observed that many of these children are very bright and are bored or frustrated, yet they do not…