Parents learn to make most of their child's education

PALMER -- Children and parents are not always on the same page. Oftentimes parents face challenges disciplining, teaching and relating to their children.

On Friday, roughly 50 Valley parents took time out of their schedules to address some of these issues during the 2004 Parent Involvement Conference at the Mat-Su Borough School District administrative headquarters in Palmer.

The one-day event, sponsored by the school district and Valley Voices for Children, was aimed at providing parents with skills and resources to better serve their children's education.

After breakfast and opening ceremonies, the parents headed off to various rooms for presentations, which dealt with reading strategies, effective communication techniques, addressing school problems, career planning, school spending and many other topics.

At one session, seven parents scribbled notes and listened to Debbie Adams of Chugiak Children's Services as she spoke about the importance of reading stories to children.

"When you're reading to them, you are developing a trusting relationship and they are learning that the printed word represents spoken words," Adams said. "Experts say that children need to hear 1,000 stories read to them before they learn to read."

Adams also discussed the necessity of turning off the television at home, while making reading a fun activity through voice inflection and physical actions that keep kids involved in stories.

Later in her presentation Adams held up jars of colored liquid, ice trays, miniature treasure chests and bags of beads, toys and milk-jug lids. All items represented potential learning games and activities that parents could do at home without resorting to boring worksheets.

In another room, Deena Paramo, principal of Cottonwood Creek Elementary, talked to a room full of moms about the importance of parent-teacher conferences -- even if they are a bit nerve-wracking.

"It's normal to get a little nervous when you go to speak about your very own child," Paramo said. "Kids, too, may experience anxiety, wondering why you want to talk to their teacher."

Parents nodded and attentively took notes as Paramo went on to explain the best ways to prepare for parent-teacher meetings.

"Listen to what your child says about school when they are at home," she said, "and then write it down so you come prepared to the conference. If your child says they don't like math because the teacher talks too much, write that down and bring it."

Paramo said it is important for parents to come to parent-teacher meetings ready to share and ask honest questions about their children.

"Think about how you will bring up issues before the meeting," Paramo said. "And don't be so soft that you don't say what you really mean."

Between sessions, parents looked through handouts that were stacked on several tables in the main lobby. The free pamphlets dealt with everything from talking to children about prejudice and discrimination to addressing issues of sex, discipline and study habits.

Many of the sessions and pamphlets shared a common theme -- parents are the first teachers.

As Paramo finished her presentation, she ended with one last overhead slide -- a quote by George Santayana.

"A child only educated at school is an uneducated child."

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.