Elementary School - Things to Know
As an educator and school guidance counselor, I've seen how academic struggles affect kids and parents seeking help. As a result, parents have asked me how to help their children get back on track and prepare for the next grade level, graduation, and college. Below you will find a readiness checklist to ensure your child is on track for their current grade level and things to do to prepare for their next grade level. The ultimate goal for any parent is for their child to be successful and prepared for life. This is the purpose of the "Things to Know" section. You will find essential things to prepare for grades PK - 5.
Please note that speaking to your child about setting goals and finding a system to stay on track is important. Also, set aside time to meet periodically with your child’s teachers and counselor, and stay involved as much as possible with events that the school/district offers to keep you informed and actively participating.
Elementary
Overview: PK - 5
• Meet with your child’s teachers to assess where they are and what strategies can be helpful to use at home to help them grow.
• Help them identify academic areas where they need help and create action steps for improvement. Review their progress reports and report cards with them to help set goals for improvement or stay on track. Praise them for good reports. You can set rewards together.
• Find out about tutoring times offered through your school.
• Set aside time daily for learning after school. This includes completing homework, checking their daily journals for upcoming work, and providing other learning opportunities through TV shows and learning websites. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Websites.
• Talk about the importance of eating healthy and physical activity. Set goals to practice healthy habits as a family.
• Help them identify people at school or in their community that they can go to for help.
• Help them develop good listening and communication skills.
• Teach goal setting and brainstorm strategies to stick to and accomplish these goals.
• Teach GRIT – don’t give up when things seem difficult; keep trying.
• Teach good personal hygiene
• Teach financial literacy - know the difference between a need and a want, find ways to earn money through chores or learning, and teach them to save by using a bank account or piggy bank. Explain the costs and benefits of saving. You will find helpful websites below in Life Skills.
• Play board games and card games that teach memorization, are entertaining, and help with learning. This is teaching kids that learning can be fun. There are a lot of online games that you can refer to as well. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Websites.
Pre-K & Kindergarten
• Work with your child on basic reading, writing, and math skills for their level. Find helpful websites to assist. You will find websites below in Learning Resources.
• During normal activities at home or outside of the home, identify shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and words, and teach basic counting skills.
• Play with money to help them understand dollars and coins, their differences, and why they are important.
• Help them understand time. You can do this by setting play time and pointing out the time on the clock for bedtime or lunch.
• Teach them to be fair and to share with others.
• Read picture books about careers to help them begin brainstorming possibilities. Read, Read, Read. Make reading an enjoyable experience. Give them praise when they get it right.
• Focus on what they gravitate to (writing, building, singing, etc.). This could help them when thinking about careers in the future.
• Plan family field trips/ outings and talk about what they learned, what they enjoyed, and who works there.
1st Grade
• Make sure your child has met grade 1 state standards for Writing, Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and all other required subjects. If they are struggling, seek help from their teacher and the school.
• Learn to finish tasks that they start.
• Keep a weekly assignment journal that parents and teachers sign.
• Help your child understand big ideas and ideas that support them. This will help them to understand the main ideas and details better.
• Spelling is something they will constantly work on. Help them by checking their work and correcting typical misspelled words. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Resources.
• Grammar is becoming more critical. Work with them on capitalization and handwriting in general.
• When you are paying with cash, allow them to assist you in counting out change.
• Have them explain in words or pictures what they want to be when they grow up.
• Help your child understand the difference between a short-term and long-term goal.
• Explain the reasons for personal savings.
2nd Grade
• Make sure your child has met grade 2 state standards for Writing, Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and all other required subjects. If they are struggling, seek help from their teacher and the school.
• Keep a weekly assignment journal that parents and teachers sign.
• Continue focusing on reading appropriate grade-level books and articles. Help your child understand how sentences are formed as they read. Continue working with them on basic grammar and spelling. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Resources.
• When you are paying with cash at the store, allow them to assist you by paying the cashier and understanding how much money they should get back.
• Brainstorm possible careers and connect them to things they are passionate about.
• Help them identify local businesses in the community and talk to them about what they do and why they chose this career.
• Help them identify ways to help the planet and ways that others are helping the planet.
3rd Grade
• Make sure your child has met Grade 3 state standards for Writing, Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and all other required subjects. If they are struggling, seek help from their teacher and the school.
• Help teach them to learn new things on their own. Ask them what they are interested in and to research more information about these things. They should be able to tell you more about the things they are interested in or even find places for you to go as a family to learn more.
• Keep a weekly assignment journal that parents and teachers sign.
• Continue working with them on spelling, grammar, writing, reading, and math skills. You can continue to use games: board, cards, and online. You can also make it hands-on through life experiences such as measuring when you cook. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Resources.
• You should see that they are consistent with basic multiplication, division, adding, and subtracting. They will need these skills as they progress into higher learning.
• Brainstorm possible careers and research these career choices. Start with their top six choices and narrow it down to three to research so they aren’t overwhelmed.
• Help your child set clearly defined goals, outline steps to achieve them, think of possible blocks and ways to solve them, set a deadline, and evaluate the outcome.
• Discuss school issues and perspectives and ways to solve them.
• Discuss costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices.
• Help them to begin identifying issues that can help the planet. You can use news reports, websites, and articles to assist.
4th Grade
• Make sure your child has met Grade 4 state standards for Writing, Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and all other required subjects. If they are struggling, seek help from their teacher and the school.
• Continue working with them on spelling, grammar, writing, reading, and math skills. You can continue to use games: board, cards, and online. You can also make it hands-on through life experiences such as measuring when you cook. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Resources.
• You should see their writing growing, having more extended thoughts that are organized and detailed. You should see structured sentences, paragraphs, and writing clearly understood by the reader. Continue to work with them on their writing.
• Continue to work with them on basic math for quickly recalling facts. Continue helping them understand more about money when paying for items and saving to reach goals.
• Keep a weekly assignment journal that parents and teachers sign.
• Explain ways an individual can contribute to a community and find ways to help them give back to their communities and others.
5th Grade
• Make sure your child has met Grade 5 state standards for Writing, Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, and all other required subjects. If they are struggling, seek help from their teacher and the school.
• Show them what a resume looks like and discuss how to build one.
• Explain the use of cash, checks, money orders, debit cards, and credit cards.
• Help them understand the democratic process and explain ways citizens are actively involved in this process.
• Continue working with them on spelling, grammar, writing, reading, and math skills. You can continue to use games: board, cards, and online. You can also make it hands-on through life experiences such as measuring when you cook. You will find helpful websites below in Learning Resources.
• Help your child understand percentages through tipping when you eat out and sales tax. Set a goal to help them understand the benefits of discounts and saving money.
• Have them manage their weekly assignment journal and monitor it to ensure they keep up with assignments and deadlines.
• Read biographies, autobiographies, and documentaries on famous people. Discuss what they learned about motivation, determination, and successful people. Ask them how they can apply this to their life.
• Explain ways an individual can contribute to a community and find ways to help them give back to their communities and others.