As a parent and a significant teacher in a child’s life, you make a difference in how well your child does in school and in most areas of his life. You are a model for him as he grows, learns and achieves.

Certainly it is up to your child to be a successful learner but that doesn’t minimize your role. He wants and needs your involvement and interest in school and in all learning areas.

You are a major factor in helping him develop effective work habits. Make sure he has a special area for doing his homework. Even having you around doing what you need to do shows him that everybody has homework. Bring out the papers you need to be working on or bring out the recipe book and begin dinner.

Make learning fun for him. Show him how learning is everywhere. You learn on a trip to the zoo or even a fall walk to check out the changing season. Let him see you learning, too. Let him also see how excited you are about learning.

Keep things lighthearted and fun rather than grim and tense or negative. Laugh about things you read together or funny things you learn.

Listen to him and even try to understand when he is having problems. Give him hugs when he needs them and also just to encourage him. Be sure to answer his questions. You don’t have to know all the answers to the questions he asks but you should never ignore him.

Don’t force a conversation if he isn’t ready. Kids need “space” just like you do. Just be ready when he is.

When you can share and help with his learning, be sure to be there. If he has vocabulary words to learn, help him by giving him quizzes on the words. If he is learning math facts, make up some flash cards that you can use to help him.

Turn the pages

Another place to share learning is in reading together. Spend at least a few minutes each day with a book while you sit close together to share the experience.

Don’t forget math. Make sure you have board games, calendars and clocks that you can teach numbers. As he gets older, mention the size of containers like quarts and half-gallons. Let him measure ingredients as you cook.

If your child has a specific subject that he really dislikes or does poorly in, find out why. He just may need some extra help. You may need to talk with the teacher and see how things could change.

Be sure to go to the functions at school like open houses and appointments with his teacher. You will learn a great deal that helps your child do well in school.

Make sure that praise is a part of your child’s learning. He needs to hear when he does well and not just when he does poorly. He needs to hear about success regularly. There are many other ways you are his first and most regular teacher. Think about science, history, art, music and social responsibility. There are lessons in all of these that you need to be the teacher who consistently and purposefully teaches these subjects.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which publishes newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents. Reach Martin at pmf@olypen.com or at 681-2250.