Parents as teachers

Researchers in the USA have found that "Good parenting matters more than the quality of a school when it comes to academic success, according to new research.A study of 10,000 teenagers has found the home environment is three times more important than the school, when it comes to 18-year-olds' test results.Researchers found that pupils at weaker schools, who came from homes where parents were closely involved in their children’s education, performed better in tests than children at better schools who had apathetic parents." Reported in The Telegraph UK.

Worried?
Perhaps we should be.
But I'd like to think that as parents we can model what our kids need; we can keep reading, keep learning and keep valuing our kids schools.  And we can fill the gaps like letting them create at home: perhaps by making a massive whale like this.

And fear not; Gailing Godwin gives us the gift of knowledge that "Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater."  Now that's easily in my tool kit; I can have a good go at bringing learning to life and making it fun.  And if all that fails I can play the fool and scare her into working hard so she doesn't have to look after her crazy mum in her later years.