Parent Power!
Helping You Make Sense of Schooling Today

Kristen P. Lasker
Managing Editor

Libby Sternberg
Contributing Editor

1001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 204
Washington, DC 20036
1-202-822-9000
 1-800-521-2118

parentpower@edreform.com www.edreform.com

Published Monthly by
The Center for Education Reform
Jeanne Allen, President

Please contact us to share a unique experience as a parent educating your child or to comment about the contents of this newsletter.

parentpower@edreform.com

Ten Principles for Parents of Educated Children

from “The Educated Child, A Parents Guide from Preschool through Eighth Grade” by William J. Bennett with Chester E. Finn and John T. E. Cribb
Published by The Free Press.

1 Parents are the first and most important teachers. The more involved you are, the better your child's chances of getting a good education. You can make the difference.

2 Your teaching must not stop when schooling starts. Some parents withdraw from involvement in education once their children reach school age. This is a mistake. Teachers cannot do a good job without your aid, support, and interest.

3 The early years build the foundation for all later learning. Make it sturdy. The first few years of life and then the first few years of school are critical. A solid education by eighth grade is a necessity or there will be trouble in high school and beyond.

4 American schools are underperforming. Many schools don't pay enough attention to academic basics, and standards are often too low. Trust but verify. Do not just assume that your school is doing a good job.

5 Learning requires discipline; discipline requires values. Too many classrooms are disrupted by disrespectful, unruly children. Too many kids have not been taught the virtues necessary to succeed in school.

6 Follow your common sense. Some people act as though it takes a special degree to know if a school is doing a good job. Wrong. You are the expert on your own child. Pay attention, talk to teachers and other parents, and trust your instincts.

7 Content matters: what children study determines how well they learn. Many schools are unwilling to say exactly which facts and ideas their students should know. This is a fundamental problem in American education. Some things are more important to learn in elementary school than others.

8 Television is an enemy of good education. In many homes, TV is the greatest obstacle to learning. We urge you to shut it off from Sunday evening until Friday evening during the school year.

9 Education reform is possible. You can change the system. If you are interested and engaged, there is much you can do to ensure that your child receives an excellent education. There are ways to improve your child's school, especially if you join forces with other parents.

10 Aim high, expect much, and children will prosper. No parent, school, or child is perfect, but we all rise toward the level of expectations. The surest way to learn more is to raise standards.

“The Educated Child” is an anthology of the best available advice, school practices and information parents need to make informed decisions in education. Parent Power! gives it an “A” and our Seal of Approval.