Supporting Academics at Home

Photo: Rachel Ream

Families, you play a crucial role in your child’s education. Simple everyday activities can significantly improve student success in the classroom. Here are some effective ways you can support your student’s learning and progress:

Read Together – Read to your child in any language – even if your child is already an independent reader. Listening to stories builds vocabulary, sparks imagination, and fosters conversations that strengthen comprehension skills and family connections.

Mrs. Ream's Book Recommendations:

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park – my favorite of Park’s books, this follows a boy in ancient Korea who becomes an apprentice to a master celadon potter. Hard themes are presented thoughtfully, and the story keeps children wanting more. It’s a page turner.

All Creatures Great and Small  by James Herriot – tales of resilience from a veterinarian in the 1930-40s in England. Read aloud and redact adult themes as necessary.

Caddie Woodlawn  by Carol Ryrie Brink – based on the author's grandmother's experiences, this book follows the life of a spirited girl in the early days of the American frontier. She encounters real people facing genuine challenges in ways that your own child(ren) might face the world. It encourages conversations about history and past norms in a meaningful context. 

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron – science fiction for anyone. A delightful romp of a story for anyone willing to engage their imagination.

Everyday Math – Help your child see how math is a part of daily life. For example:

• calculate routes or travel time

• compare prices at the store

• budget for groceries or a family outing

• measure ingredients while cooking – double or halve a recipe.

These real-world applications provide context for math, making it more meaningful and useful to your student.

Mrs. Ream's Book Recommendations:

Bedtime Math series by Laura Overdeck - there is also a Bedtime Math app. Bedtime Math books are fun, real-life math problems that help children learn to apply the math they know to the real world.

The Great Number Rumble by Cora Lee and Gillian O'Reilly - this fun story is great for self-proclaimed math haters. It explores what happens when there is no math, leaving readers begging for more math learning.

Play Games – Games promote cooperation, teach communication skills, and provide a low-stakes environment where confusion and loss are part of the experience. Overcoming frustration is a life skill, and learning it at home through games with trusted family builds resilience, confidence, and memories. Choose games that work best for your family, including board games, card games, sports, and even tag.

Mrs. Ream's Game Recommendations:

Some of the most fun games are free! Create your own categories for Charades and Pictionary. Inside jokes make the best categories and create the best giggles. Family tag, pick-up games of kickball, basketball, and even playing catch are fantastic. Getting exercise while also playing a game feels like a two-for-one deal.

Other fun games: Nertz, Row Your Goat, chess, Suspend, Bananagrams, Boggle

Including simple activities such as reading together, using math in everyday activities, and playing games creates a family culture of learning that spreads to the classroom. When I have students who have practiced exploring challenging texts, can see math in everything around them, and can communicate and cooperate with others, as they do in family games, I have an eager class ready to learn more complex things.