​You care about your child’s learning—that’s why you’re participating in BellXcel Remote. But does your child know just how much you care? Don’t let this important message get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Here are some tips for letting your scholar know you’re invested in their education.

Set your own attitude. A positive attitude toward learning is contagious. Show your scholar that you are enthusiastic about BellXcel Remote and all the great learning that is about to begin. Commit yourself to supporting your child through challenges—and don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate successes, too. Be attentive to your child’s needs, both academic and emotional. Your patient support and encouragement will keep your scholar on the path to achievement.

Explore “what’s in the box.” The arrival of your child’s remote learning kit can be an exciting event. As you open the box and start looking through the books, let your scholar know that you are as excited as they are. Look at the covers, flip through the pages, and ask which books they are most interested in exploring and why.

Create a dedicated learning space. Doing an hour’s worth of homework each night at the kitchen table is fine, but now your child will be doing all their learning at home. Show that you take this transition seriously by working with your child to create the best possible learning space. 

​Ask questions. Spark conversations that go beyond “How was school today?” “Fine.” Show that you are truly interested in what your child is learning by asking specific questions and following up on their answers. You might schedule a time each evening to discuss the day’s learning. Try some of the following questions to get started:

• Were you comfortable and able to focus in your learning space today? If not, how can we make it better? 
• What did your learning focus on today? 
• What was the most interesting thing you learned today? 
• Did you find anything challenging today? If so, how did you overcome the challenge? 
• How can you apply what you learned, and/or what personal connections can you make to your learning? 

Look for ways to apply learning. Learning has meaning when we can apply it to the real world. Help your child see the value in what they’re learning by pointing out the connections between school work and everyday life. For example, you might reinforce math concepts with questions like the following:

• How many steps do you take between your learning space and the kitchen? Let’s count them! Do you think I will take more or fewer steps than you to go the same distance? Why? Let’s find out if you’re right.
• What fraction of this whole pizza is each slice? If you eat two slices, what fraction of the whole will that be?
• If we wanted to paint the walls in this room, how many gallons of paint would we need? (Assume each gallon covers 350 square feet, and two coats of paint.) 
• Did you know we can substitute applesauce for oil in these cake mix directions? How will that change the amount of calories, fat, and sugar in each serving of the finished cake?

Share what you know. Not all learning comes from books. You and others in your family have a wealth of knowledge and skills that you can share with your child. Invite your scholar to help make a meal—perhaps passing along one of your family’s secret recipes. Or, make a connection to something your child is reading and share a story from your own life that they have never heard before. Always be on the lookout for opportunities to learn and grow together.

Next: Scheduling Your Day