This is the first week of school and a very exciting time for your children and you. Did you know that children whose parents are involved in their education have better grades, a better attitude towards school, and more appropriate school behavior than those with less involved parents?

Knowing how important you are in your child’s education, we want to give you some help in making your child’s education successful. Consider trying a few of these tips and see that you can make a big difference.

Tip 1: Get involved

Visit your child’s classroom when you bring them to school. This doesn’t need to be the first day of school. Let things calm down a bit and then arrange a visit.

See if your school offers any workshops for parents and arrange to go to them! These can be helpful.

Tip 2: Check on homework

Talk to your child each day about homework as well as what happened at school today. Help them manage the workload even when it is small by dividing assignments into smaller parts. Find them a good place to study that is away from TV, phones, or loud music.

Do not use homework as punishment; include it as part of the daily routine. Check with their teacher to see if it is okay for you to help them with their work. Try not to make this a chore but a fun task of learning.

Tip 3: Make your home a good place for learning

Remember to praise and encourage your child. Be a role model for getting work done before playing begins. You may want a quick snack before homework.

Establish a homework routine — same time, same place, every day. Most importantly, read to your child or have them read to you every day. In the early grades and especially kindergarten, reading may be one of your child’s main homework assignments.

General skills for kindergarten

If your child is entering kindergarten, there are some general skills they will need to have mastered. Here is a list of skills for the first month that would help them and that they will be working on in kindergarten:

• Tie shoes, zip up clothes, learning colors.

• Follow directions of several steps and follow routines.

• Work independently.

• Take part in other school activities such as music, gym, library and computer.

• Get along with others.

• Wait patiently for their turn.

• Use words, not physical reactions, to get needs met.

Have fun with your children as they learn. Let them see your pleasure with their new skills. Involve them in new things to learn more whenever you can.

This is a great new adventure that begins this week.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which published newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents.