At the heart of a good education is challenging school work that engages a child and motivates him to learn independently. A survey by Strong American Schools revealed that 59 percent of college students thought their high school classes were easy, and almost half would have preferred more challenging classes to better prepare them for college. Even more surprising is that the survey also showed that four out of five students taking remedial classes in college had high school grade point averages of 3.0 and higher. Although grades are important in school, this statistic indicates it is also important to look at the content of the courses your child takes in school. Encouraging your child to tackle advanced work better prepares them for future endeavors.
Although many parents understand the value of basic core academic studies, such as English and mathematics, they may not be aware of the educational value of social studies, foreign languages and the arts. The National Association for Music Education cites research that shows an education in the arts "provides significant cognitive benefits and bolsters academic achievement." The College Board reports that high school students with four years of arts study outscore other students significantly. Learning a foreign language allows a student to better compete in the global marketplace. Research has also shown a link between learning a second language and cognitive and academic ability. The study of civics and social studies creates adults who are better informed and more involved in the democratic process.
Having access to technology and knowing how to use it is vital to a child's education in today's world. According to Building Education, "Today's students need to know not just how to find things on the Internet, but they should have a working knowledge of how to put together websites and blogs, how information is disseminated, and even how computers are built and taken apart." Teachers routinely incorporate the use of technology in a variety of classes, such as the use of PowerPoint presentations in a language arts class or a spreadsheet in an economics class. But students need more than that. They require experience and competence in everything from a laptop to a cell phone, from word processing to social media. Providing them with the tools and instruction to master technology is essential to their education.
Outside of school hours, parents can provide learning experiences that enhance their child's overall education. If a school does not offer training in music, art or theater, it is important to offer these things through independent lessons, local arts groups, community-based classes or clubs. Volunteer work offers hands-on learning experiences that are invaluable --- for example, helping with an election campaign or tutoring a younger child in reading skills. Field trips to museums, local plays or historic sites are good ways to supplement a child's education. Travel helps to broaden a child's outlook and awareness of the greater world around them. By adding real-life experiences, parents broaden the scope of their children's education and add relevance to what they are learning in school.