School plays a necessary and crucial role in the lives of each and every child. What and how children learn has a major impact on their future success and, even more importantly, their happiness. However, deciding what school a child should attend and how to pay for said school is not always an easy process. With every young student facing different obstacles and challenges, it is not always a given that public school will be the best choice. Many children need a more challenging atmosphere, different stimulation, alternate learning opportunities, or a different social setting in order to effectively learn. Finding and providing the right learning environment for children is half the battle, and one that can make all the difference.

While many parents would move mountains to ensure their child’s future success and would do whatever it takes to create a positive academic and social experience, not all can afford to do so. However, the AAA Scholarship Foundation strives to give all parents and children another option.

The AAA Scholarship Foundation generally provides students financial aid to pursue other options. This foundation has taken countless struggling students and given them the opportunity that every child deserves; an opportunity to feel comfortable in their learning environment and to find individual success.

Amongst the foundation’s many success stories are brothers Alexander and Sebastian Salgado who are thriving at their new school, Brunswick Christian Academy. Both boys originally attended a local public school that, despite good accolades, wasn’t meeting their individual, social and academic needs.

Alexander, the older of the two boys, experienced bullying that caused his school performance and happiness to suffer. His brother, Sebastian, faced his own physical and mental struggles that caused anxiety, tantrums, and other major issues in and out of school. Determined to improve the quality of life and education for both boys, parents, Sheila and Fermin, applied for and received the AAA Scholarships necessary to send their children to BCA. The individual attention and educational environment that the academy provides has altered the path of both boys immeasurably, and they are both thriving.

The impact that the AAA Scholarship Foundation has had on the Salgado family is just one example of what the organization has done and continues to do for children in need of an alternative learning environment. The scholarship provided Alexander with the opportunity to find his passions, look forward to school, and enjoy the learning process. Similarly, it has paved the way for Sebastian to improve behaviorally, socially, and academically. Sheila and Fermin can now watch their children embark on a path that might not have been possible without the aid of a scholarship from AAA. They can now see their sons reach their full potential and achieving their goals.

The AAA Scholarship Foundation has given families like the Salgados opportunities that will go beyond kindergarten and grade school. This organization provides the stepping-stones for children to learn effectively enjoy their time at school, and to build any lives they might want. Together with its donors, the AAA Scholarship Foundation has found a way to give children the futures they deserve.

It’s that time again. The excitement of winter break and the holiday season is over, and your kids are back in school. How can they possibly sit still for six hours of the day to learn equations and pronouns when they so fondly remember last week when they were free to roam and play with their friends throughout the day. It is hard enough for adults to get back into the swing of things, and for kids it is no different, if not harder.

Parents and caregivers can play a big role in assisting their kids to get motivated through the semester. Teaching kids how to stay encouraged now will benefit them in the future when they become more independent and have to learn to self-motivate. Students who are unmotivated or inattentive are less likely to benefit from their curriculum. The following five tips can help you get your kid back into a positive school routine.

1. Don’t limit learning to the classroom: What your child learns within the classroom is crucial to his/her intellectual progress, however simply asking about the things they learn at school and showing enthusiasm for school topics at home can generate a positive attitude toward learning.

2. Celebrate all achievements: Positive reinforcement can inspire kids to want to learn and challenge themselves. Every triumph, no matter how small should be acknowledged. Achievements can mean anything from finishing a homework assignment to getting an A on a test and all can be rewarded with small special treats.

3. Get Involved: Putting aside some time, even with a busy schedule, can be beneficial to a child’s commitment to work and the importance they put toward school. Helping him/her to organize papers and assignments or assisting with homework can take some stress off a kid’s shoulders, ensuring they aren’t overwhelmed.

4. Be kind, yet firm: When you feel yourself becoming frustrated, recognize that your student likely is as well. Try giving your child a break to do something physical to work off the negative energy while recharging. Then settle right back in for more school work.

5. It’s not your fault: Remember, a lack of motivation is not your fault so do not take it personally. Instead get to know your child well enough to figure out what drives him/her, and from there you can work on inspiring them.

Keeping kids motivated during the second half of the year is a difficult task, especially for younger kids. As a caregiver, being aware of this is the first step toward creating a better attitude about learning. With your help, your child will keep on track and continue a successful school year.

It’s an age old question. Students of all ages have been taught (against their will) seemingly “useless” information for generations and have always struggled to relate to most subjects outside the classroom. This is an innate problem with today’s education system in the sense that a lack of relevance causes students to simply learn facts and regurgitate them without ever grasping a full understanding of the topics. But what needs to change in order to make subjects like Algebra, Chemistry and Physics more relevant in students’ lives? The truth of the matter is that change can (and should) really come from all fronts. If students, teachers and parents alike make a conscious effort to make lessons more relevant and engaging, we can create a culture in which students are passionate about learning even the driest of subjects because they know how it relates to them and how it can benefit them in the future.

Educator Robin Roberson defines relevance as the perception that something is both interesting and worth knowing. This is one of the most vital steps in education, but can also serve as a tough obstacle for many teachers in classrooms full of unmotivated students. That being said, educators everywhere should be on the front lines of the movement to make school relevant. It creates an environment where students expect to know how the subject will relate to their lives rather than assuming they don’t relate at all from the beginning. Thankfully, there are tested tools and activities that can be employed to aid in the creation of this environment. Two motivational tools to pique student interests are large pieces of the relevance puzzle and can reach a variety of students: utility value and relatedness.

Utility value is a tool that is academic by nature and latches on to the future goals of your students. Know a student who wants to be an engineer one day? Physics may be a dry, uninteresting subject to the average student, but to a student with career goals in engineering, physics will be both inherently interesting and used tremendously over the next several years. Point this out to students that have expressed interest in certain career paths, and make sure they know that it’s great to be interested in certain subjects (even when the average student dreads them). Tell them how each lesson would apply to the engineering field and how they would use the knowledge throughout their career. It transforms the information to very interesting and worth knowing. Utility value takes students that already have a knack for something and turns that knack into a passion.

We know what you’re thinking: if every student could just know what their future goals are and state their interests, your job would be infinitely easier. For those students who aren’t meeting you halfway, there’s the relatedness tool. Showing your students you can relate to them is an inherent need in education, as it helps to form a trusting relationship between you and your students. If they know you keep them in mind throughout your lesson plans, they feel like the information is more catered to them and, in turn, they are more likely to listen and engage in what you have to say. Find out what non-academic interests your students have and find ways to relate to them through your teaching. This involves finding ways in which your subject relates to the non-academic world, which is really the bread and butter of relevance in education.

There are several examples that we pull from in this infographic, but always look for creative ways to relate to your individual students. Do your biology students not understand why they need to dissect a frog? Point out the similarities between the anatomies of frogs and humans. While we can’t dissect humans, frogs are very similar, and this is one of the best ways to get an in-person glance at our physiology. If they ever have a surgery, they can think back to what they learned in the dissection lesson and ask smart questions to educate themselves on the goings-on in their bodies. Have a student in your English class that struggles to see the purpose of developing their writing composition skills? Put it in a real world scenario for them. While they may not end up as a journalist or lawyer, chances are they may need to file an insurance claim at some point in the future. If they can’t string two well thought out sentences together, they may not get the resolve in their case that they deserve.

In order for the relatedness tool to really work, you have to get to know your students and their interests. Two activities that Roberson has employed over the years have helped immensely in relating to her students and promoting engaging and interesting lessons with them. The first is an in depth class introduction session at the beginning of each term. She uses this as a time for her students to share a few things about themselves, where she can learn what their interests are (both academic and non-academic) as well as any goals they have for the future that can be used to relate with them in future lessons. She also uses this as an opportunity to tell her students about herself, helping to establish herself as an approachable presence in and out of the classroom. The second tool is utilized alongside assigned reading assignments throughout the duration of her class. Students are assigned to specific readings to be completed before each class, and are assigned to write a one to two page reflection paper on each reading. In these compositions, they are to draw parallels between the assigned passage and a personal experience that they have had in the past. This helps her students to understand the passage more deeply and form relevant connections between the subject matter and their everyday lives. She reads each reflection before the next class session and uses some of the anecdotes in class discussions, helping to even further deepen her students’ understanding of the subject matter and keep a congruent, conversational tone in the classroom.

It is definitely apparent that teachers can do a lot to keep their students interested in the subject matter they are presenting to them. While teachers can bend over backwards in efforts to increase classroom engagement, students and parents must take the initiative as well for the culture we seek to fully come to fruition. Students and their parents know student interests more than anyone else. Make sure that students are being vocal about their interests in and out of the classroom to their teachers. Continually ask how a lesson can be applied to real world scenarios. Keep pushing teachers to draw parallels for students, and they’ll keep pushing students to grasp them and fully understand why they should pay attention. It won’t work if it’s just the teachers putting in all the effort to reach their students. The culture of academic engagement comes from a series of moving and working parts in which each party is actively pursuing a relevant learning experience. No matter who you are, it starts with you. Put forth the effort and begin to see the change happening.

Several studies show that a consistently open line of communication between a student’s parents and their teachers can greatly benefit their learning experience and overall academic success.  A large percentage (nearly 80%) of parents consider themselves to be very involved with their child’s education. This is to be somewhat expected in the age of technology we live in today with school websites and email correspondence making it easier than ever to get in touch with teachers. Some experts feel that we are underutilizing the tools we have, however, given the level of communication we have access to. Results are showing that it’s not so much about the quantity of communication you have with teachers, but more about the quality. These 3 practices will help you more effectively communicate with your kid’s teachers to help achieve the best results for your child’s success.

Be Proactive

If a student has problems in the classroom (whether behavioral or academic), many parents don’t hear about it until it’s already considered a “problem.” A bit of proactivity from the parental front can do wonders in the day to day performance of your child’s learning experience and foresee a potential issue before it becomes a disruption in the classroom. Weekly email correspondence with teachers can help you stay on top of your child’s education and understand your child’s specific needs outside the classroom to set them up for success. A consistently open line of communication with teachers lets you know where your child is struggling, where they are excelling, and what actions you can take to aid both your child and their teacher in class. Seek out progress reports (both in academics and conduct) so you know where your child stands and what their strengths and weaknesses are. A full understanding of your child’s schooling situation and performance is a vital step in creating an environment in which your child strives to achieve academic excellence.

Recognize Success

One common problem with parent-teacher communication is that parents often only hear about the negatives when it comes to their child’s classroom performance. Be sure to seek out positive feedback from teachers, and hold it in the same regard as negative feedback. Negative feedback is imperative because it allows you to work on correcting the problem with your child outside the classroom, but positive feedback is just as vitally important as it gives you the opportunity to celebrate success with your child. Discussions about school should not be reserved exclusively for when problems arise. Rather, a full well rounded approach to discussing the good, the bad and the ugly of school stimuli and performance. Praising your child for academic success also provides them incentive for consistent academic achievement.

Be Receptive

When a student is consistently struggling, it is important to listen to the teacher’s perspective on the problem. Teachers spend consistent time with your child, and the way your student performs in school is a huge part of their life. Be sure not to shut your teacher out of the equation by writing off what they have to say. They have a different perspective on and relationship with your child than you do, and it is crucial to hear every side of the problem when problems arise, either with academics or conduct. Collaborating with teachers on effective solutions is often the most surefire way to help your child find success and happiness in the classroom.

All in all, the main focus here is to take an active role in your child’s education. Teachers are always available to answer questions you may have. Keep in regular contact with them, attend conferences, and do anything you can to get involved in your child’s learning experience. The more integral a role you play in their school life, the more engaged their thought processes and feelings about school will be. Parents play as vital a role in their child’s academic success as teachers do. Both parents and teachers working together for a student’s success is the best way to achieve it.