Sen. Jason Crowell was elected to serve Southeast Missouri's 27th Senate District in November of 2004 and was reelected in November 2008. During his first year in the Senate, Sen. Crowell earned the Chairmanship of the Committee on Pensions, Veterans' Affairs and General Laws. Before that, in 2000, Jason Crowell was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives and represented the 158th district. After re-election in 2002 Jason was elected by his colleagues to be the Majority Leader. Jason used this position to fight for lower taxes, protect traditional marriage, and reign in out of control spending.

Back to School - Tools for Student Success

Posted Wednesday, August 25, 2010, at 1:12 PM

Students throughout our area are gearing up for another school year. And as they begin to report to class, it is important that we invest in a student's education to provide them with every opportunity to succeed.

Numerous factors contribute to a child's achievements in school, but research groups such as the Harvard Family Research Project agree that a child's success is closely related parental involvement. Research shows that when parents and teachers are in touch, children are more likely to do well in school. And when parents are heavily involved with schools, children's academic performance vastly improves.

Harvard Family Research Project suggests a number of ways that parents can get involved:

* Participate in shaping program policy by joining the PTA or a parent advisory board.

* Contact your child's school to find out if it needs volunteers for assemblies, lunchtime, field trips or during class time.

* Stay in contact with your child's teacher so there is an open line of communication regarding your child's performance in school

* Help at home by making yourself available when your child has a project or needs assistance with homework.

* Make the goals of the school your own goals by getting involved in fund-raisers and bake sales or help with school yearbooks and newspapers.

* Create a network of parents, so that you all are kept apprised of what is happening in the classroom.

It is also important to remember that learning is not something that happens exclusively within the walls of schools. Educational experiences can arise anywhere, and can be fun and informal. A few suggestions to promote a child's learning:

* Make reading an integral part of your home life.

* Prompt conversations about topics your child finds interesting and intriguing.

* Know what interests your children, and encourage them to explore those subjects.

* Provide a quiet and comfortable learning environment for your children.

* Seek out educational extracurricular programs Southeast Missouri offers and encourage your child to participate.

As you think about productive and beneficial ways for your child to succeed at school, you can visit http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml for resources for students, parents, and educators in preparation for returning to school this fall.

Contact Me

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions, and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2459. You may write to me at Jason Crowell; Missouri Senate; State Capitol; Jefferson City, MO 65101, or email me at: jcrowell@senate.mo.gov or visit me on the web at http://www.senate.mo.gov/crowell.

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This is a great post. In addition to what you've highlighted, I'd also encourage parents of children with learning disabilities to make sure that they have strategies and tools in place to help their kids throughout the school year. As many as 15 to 20 percent of the population has a language-based learning disability, with dyslexia being the most common. As you say, it's extremely important for parents to stay engaged and open to new ideas in their child's development, and there are many options available today to help parents find the best tools to assist their child's success in school.

You talk about how open communication between parents and teachers is vital to ensure the child is making progress and feels comfortable in the school environment -- and I couldn't agree more. Having been identified with dyslexia early in my childhood, I myself benefited from positive parental support, special classes and assistive learning technologies. With school just around the corner, I encourage parents to learn more from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (www.ncld.org) or the International Dyslexia Association (www.interdys.org), who have great resources and tips to offer. Parents can also join the Experience Reader site at www.experiencereader.com to talk with others dealing with learning disabilities.

-- Posted by Ben Foss on Fri, Aug 27, 2010, at 8:49 AM

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