Ask the experts: Grade concerns? A parent's first step should involve talking to the teacher

One of the most frustrating things for a parent is when a child begins to bring home less than stellar grades from school. As with so many things in life, as a parent you want to protect your child, to help him or her do better in math, reading, or whatever subject is causing the problem. Though there is no cure-all for every academic problem, there are some things you can do to help your child succeed.

Your very first step is to talk with your child's teacher. Your teacher sees your child almost every day, and can compare your child's pattern of learning to other children Also, the teacher can tell if the poor grade was just a "blip on the radar" and therefore no reason for concern, if your child is being bullied by other students, or if there is some other learning problem of which you need to be aware. Whatever the issue, frequent communication between home and school will be critical to your child's academic success.

There is currently a changing practice within schools when it comes to student achievement and problem solving, commonly referred to as Response-To-Intervention. Basically, RTI affects how student learning is monitored by the school district, and how support is provided to serve the needs of all learners. As children progress through the grade levels, schools build a database of each child's learning performance, and, in the case of at-risk students, careful monitoring of intervention results to help children succeed. This information can help provide insight as to whether a learning problem has existed over time, or if something triggered the problem more recently such as family stress (e.g., parent divorce) or social problems (e.g., bullying).

Once you have talked with your child's teacher, the next step may involve speaking with the school counselor, who serves many functions, one being to connect you with helping resources. The counselor might suggest speaking with a school psychologist who can provide services ranging from consultation with your child's teacher to individual counseling, or perhaps encourage you to speak with a school-based intervention team. Such a team can help pinpoint reasons your child is having difficulty in one or more classes.

Throughout this process, you should be aware that the school is an ally to help your child succeed. Certainly, this is a frustrating time for you and your child, and it may be tempting to blame the school for your child's learning difficulties. In some cases, the school may be contributing to the problem, and by working with the teacher, school counselor and other school professionals, the school may be able to provide a better environment for your child's learning. In other cases, your school may function as a bridge to helpful services to build the skills with which your child is struggling.

Also, there are numerous resources available outside the school that may be useful. Tutoring services may be particularly helpful, and some are pricey. The Internet can also be an invaluable resource, connecting you with such services as flashcards, intervention tips and access to learning communities where you can speak to other parents who have had similar challenges with their own child's learning. School professionals may be able to offer you suggestions on where to turn for help.

Finally, always remember that learning should be fun. If your child does not enjoy an activity such as reading, chances are that she or he will not participate. Try to find things that encourage fun learning such as reading comic books or completing math puzzles. It doesn't matter what your child is reading so much as it matters that your child is practicing the skills.

Also, remember to let your child take breaks from studying. Don't forget that he or she has been in school all day and needs to get away from homework for a little while. Not only will your child be grateful for the relief, but he or she will also be more likely to benefit from shorter, more-focused study sessions at home.

QUESTION

How long should my child stay out of school when he or she is sick?

Generally children are most contagious when they are feverish or when they are acting sick. Accordingly, any child with a temperature of 100.4 or greater should stay home until they have no fever for 24 hours. In addition, any child who is too ill to easily participate in classroom activities should stay home.

Recommendations regarding exclusion from school vary depending on the particular disease and are best discussed with your child's physician. Remember that the routine recommendation of staying home if a child is feverish or acts ill holds true for all diseases.

Prevention of illness should always be our priority. Although a healthful diet, good night's sleep and plenty of exercise are important nothing surpasses simple hand washing in preventing a majority of diseases.

Studies have repeatedly shown that hand washing for 10 seconds with soap and water can reduce school absence by 50 percent. Bottled cleansing solutions or hand wipes are also good in a pinch.