You want to be an influence in your child's education, but worry that too much involvement might keep him from becoming an independent learner. Relax - you are a crucial part of your child's academic life, and your participation will only make him a stronger student. The key is to remember that if you give your child the right tools, he will create his own successes.

The vast majority of students who do well in school come from home environments where education is highly valued. You are your child's first and most important role model. If you value education, your child will as well.

The most dramatic impact you can have on your child's success in school often has little to do with academics or schoolwork, but instead with providing a solid base of a desire to learn and a positive attitude on which teachers can build.

Facilitate this love of learning by exhibiting your own love of learning, taking your child's questions seriously and answering them honestly, and supporting his activities and attempts at learning.

Parental support, guidance, and constructive criticism are all necessary to create well -rounded, motivated students who love to learn.

It's important to play a constructive role in your child's school experience by involving yourself in his development both inside and outside of the classroom. Keep up to date on what's going on in your child's education by scouring the newsletters and annual handbook, checking out the school webpage, and staying knowledgeable about the school's rules and regulations. Ask your child for a copy of each class's syllabus so you're up-to-date on the teacher's expectations and grading procedures. Making parental involvement a high priority shows that you are interested in your child's life and take his school education seriously. Becoming involved in the school shows your child's teachers that you really care about your child's education and are willing to put in effort, one of the most important building blocks of parent-teacher trust. Spend at least a few hours volunteering in your child's classroom , even if this means running late to work on occasion, to build a rapport with the teacher, observe your child in action, and get to know his classmates. There are many ways to get involved in the classroom, even if you do not have time to go there yourself. Ask the teacher if there is anything you can do to help from home. She may send home projects that involve cutting, organizing, or other time consuming but simple work you can do to lighten her load. Doing this work as your child does his homework shows him that learning is important to you and you are willing to take the time to assist his/her teacher.

If you can't volunteer in traditional ways:

• Pick up books that teachers have ordered from public libraries and take them to the school
• Volunteer to be an usher for school productions
• Make treats for bake sales or for the teachers themselves
• Volunteer to be a guide for visitors on parent's nights
• Film or take pictures of special classroom events for the teacher
• Help in the library when your child's class has library time
• Chaperone on field trips
• Collect recycled materials for use in classroom art
• Come in and share samples or a demonstration of what you do for work
• Sew and decorate costumes for class performances
• Decorate bulletin boards
• Help create a classroom web site or student newsletter filled with excerpts from classroom writing, poetry, or art
• Come in to read with a small group of children or to the whole class as a guest reader or around a holiday event