As their kids get older many parents think that they are no longer needed to help at school, but this is very far from the truth. Parents are needed, and can play a huge role in their children’s academic lives even when they are studying subjects that are beyond what they can teach them.
The important role that a parent plays is in teaching them how to learn and how to study effectively. When their children are younger, parents can easily fill the role of teacher with the work that comes home. As they get older, the work they bring home becomes more difficult and parents can step into that role as easily. What parents need to realize is that their kids can still benefit from their parents involvement.
Even as they are rushing through their homework just to get it done, if you are there as a resource you will be helping them. You can provide them with ideas, and help them to find the connection between what they already know and what they are learning. This can be done by providing questions that will help provide a trigger between the two. This can be done even if you are not familiar with what they are studying.
You can also help them find and use resources. Many kids don’t know where to start when they need to find information. You can not only help them to find resources, but you can also help them to use them more efficiently. Instead of watching them struggle to find what they need, you can look with them and help them work through the information.
It is important to help them, but not interfere with their thought process. You don’t want to do the thinking for them, just help them along so they learn to use the resources available to them, and apply their previous knowledge to new ideas. It is also important to step back and let them make mistakes so they can learn from them.