Kids Running - Parents Supporting Schools

STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS
This is our first non-health/fitness related checklist, however every child's success in school is crucial to our kids' overall well-being. Because of the importance of this topic, KR asked Gabriel Crerie, assistant principal of Union Grove High School to be a guest author for our checklist series. Gabriel graciously agreed and is offering these ten strategies for parents to help work with the school in order to help make their child more successful. Please take the time to use this checklist to see how you fare.

Photo by Vanthony Smith

1. Have you spoken with your child's teacher to find out what is important to succeed in their class? Have you reinforced this to your child? _____

2. Have you been an involved presence to support activities your child is involved in, in and out of school? _____

3. Do you set aside a quiet study time and place for your child? _____

4. Do you model a positive attitude and a strong work ethic? _____

5. Do you hold your children responsible for themselves? _____

6. Do you let your child know that it is alright to make mistakes - as long as they are trying their best and learning from them? _____

7. Do you ask question to check that your child understands his/her homework, not just that they did it? _____

8. Do you find activities for your child that will create a positive peer group for your child to interact with? Peers have an incredible influence on children. If you encourage your child to be involved in activities that have positive, hard working, children, your child will be influenced by those that surround him/her. _____

9. Do you address your concerns to your childs school/Do you praise your child's school? If you have a concern with the school address it with the administration or teacher...don't bad mouth the school to your child, because this will only reinforce a negative perception of school in general...and lead to excuses for failure. _____

10. We all care deeply about our children, but examine if what you care about for your child is in line with being successful at school. If it isn't then don't expect success, if it is...GREAT...but what can be better? _____

Score and rating: You decide! If you didn't get high score, fill out this rating scale during the next school year and see if your score increases.

Gabriel Crerie is an assistant principal at the Union Grove High School in McDonough, GA. He's also a runner. Union Grove's main focus is education and with today's demands on our teachers, there's not time for much else, but Gabe finds a way to include running and fitness into his schedule.
Gabe is training for two marathons. He'll run the Marine Corps Marathon in October and the Austin Marathon in February. And how does he find the time for all this? (He also has a family.) He runs in the wee early hours of the morning.

Gabriel has written another feature for KR. It's Union Grove's Marathon for Excellence.
It's a pro-teacher article all the way and is shows how his school rewarded their faculty at the end of the school year.

carolgoodrow@verizon.net
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