How Do I Help My Child?

One of the most common questions I receive from parents is how they can help their child with schoolwork. The good news is that parents do not have to possess a degree in elementary education in order to help their child be successful. The advancements with technology have made resources readily available to every parent.

I vetted a large list of websites this summer and posted them on our Pecan Creek Elementary website. Just click HERE to see the list. The list is not by any means exhaustive, but it does contain educational websites for each content area.

If you are an Apple fan, like me, you can visit TCEA to find an extensive spreadsheet of educational iPad Apps. I love this spreadsheet because it informs you of the cost of each App and you can click on the name of the App and the link takes you directly to the iTunes store!

If all this information seems overwhelming, start small. I highly recommend MathTrain student tutorials for helping your child with math homework. The tutorials on this site are developed by students for students, so they are in student-friendly language. Starfall  is a free website for students learning to read. For all of our older elementary students, check out WolframAlpha the computational knowledge engine that actually answers questions and shows the work utilized to solve the problem.

The most important thing you can do to help your child is engage them in conversation about their day. You can use the "3-2-1 strategy" to get your child talking. For example:

• Tell me three things that you did today that were fun.
• Tell me two new things you learned about today.
• Tell me one thing you want to learn about tomorrow. 

We are off to a great start and look forward to many exciting days to come!

First Impressions

I once took a course on communication in college and the professor told us that it only takes 17 seconds to make an impression that will last a lifetime. As we are going about our day-to-day business, I think it is hard for people to remember the importance of first impressions. We get in a hurry, have an agenda on our mind, and often are too wrapped up in our personal business to care what others think.

I can honestly say that our teachers are different. As I walk the hallways in the morning, they are at their doors welcoming students into their classrooms. They start up small conversations to get the students excited about being at school and interested in the lessons for the day. The cafeteria and gym are filled with staff members welcoming parents and students to Pecan Creek.

As I realize that it is their job, I can attest to the fact that the faculty and staff at Pecan Creek Elementary is one of the most caring group of people I have ever encountered. They genuinely care about each and every one of our 700 students. They put everything else aside to ensure that our students start off with their best foot forward every single day.

I want to say "thank you" to all of our wonderful faculty and staff members who remember that first impressions are key. You all are difference makers and I am so proud to be a Pecan Creek Bear!