As your child’s first teacher, you play a vital role in their education.  It’s important for you to create connections from your home to your child’s school, and to consider yourself a partner in your child’s academic success.

Schools recognize this and they want to support your involvement.  Here are 5 ways you can help:

1.   Reach Out to the Teacher

Ask your child’s teacher how you can participate in the classroom.  For example, the teacher might want you to help tutor other students or volunteer for classroom activities.

2.  Keep the Teacher Updated

Communicate with your child’s teacher or other school staff throughout the year, not just during parent-teacher conferences.  Call the teacher directly, write, send email or meet with the teacher and school staff about any concerns you have and about what your child does well.

3.  Check in on Homework

Review your child’s homework and discuss it with him to make sure he understands the assignment.  This will better prepare you to discuss any concerns or questions you have with the teacher.

4.  Volunteer at School

Serve as a volunteer on a local school advisory or decision-making committee, like the PTA.  This also provides a great opportunity to meet other parents.

5.  Understand Your Child’s Abilities

It’s important to recognize how your child learns.  Ask the school counselor for ways to identify your child’s special talents or any challenges they may have.

When parents are seen as supporters of their child’s school and classroom, the quality of the learning environment becomes a shared responsibility and a source of pride for everyone.

Watch this video from Illinois Parent Information Resource Center, or visit their website to learn more.

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Perfectly sized with a unique “toddler-chic” look these bags from Four Peas will be the “cool bags” of this years school season! With styles ranging from preppy to punk, Four Peas bags offer kids and parents a fresh alternative to boring “book bags”: Kids’ bags that look good. Real good. Four Peas products include school-sized backpacks, lunch bags, messenger bags, supply bags and duffle bags.

Why we love Four Peas:

• Bags are entirely PVC free
• School backpacks can now accommodate children up through 8th grade
• Backpacks are 16 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 7.5 inches deep with plenty of room for many books and folders
• Straps are adjustable and padded and are conveniently attached to the sides of the backpack for easy on and off access
• Spacious front pocket that contains 5 slots for pens or pencils as well as a contact information tag
• 2 pockets, one on each side of the backpack, that have magnetic snaps to secure smaller items

The Four Peas brand is the brainchild of Casey Baca – a savvy mother of four who just couldn’t find the perfect bag for her kids. When her oldest daughter, Bella, was two, Casey found that trips with her toddler were much easier when Bella had her own bag full of activities. But, after years of searching, Casey concluded that the perfect toddler bag didn’t exist. Drawing on her sense of style, eye for quality and school teacher background, Casey created a line of eight toddler-sized backpacks in 2005.

Granola Bars from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

One things moms are being faced with these days is planning for snack-time in nut-free classrooms, and the latest introduction from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates – an all-natural, nut free granola bar - is a safe, healthy and most importantly delicious snack alternative.

The granola bars from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates are ideal for snack-time or classroom parties in peanut-free schools, or as a snack for on-the-go families that live in a nut-free house. Vermont Nut Free Chocolates was started by the mother of a child with peanut allergies, and the company’s mission is to provide safe and delicious snacking alternatives for people affected by nut allergies. Products are made in Vermont from the finest ingredients in a completely nut free environment.

The granola bars are available online in boxes of 12 bars at select retailers and on the online at http://www.vermontnutfree.com

Day Planners & Accessories from momAgenda

Check out these fabulous day planners and accessories with chic NEW metallic covers from momAgenda!

Available in different sizes, the 5×7x1 is perfect for anyone and features a unique week and monthly view, space for appointments and other important dates in our life the 17-month calendar runs from August 2009 through December 2010.

Personalization is available in two fonts: print or script. Choose from three colors: gold, silver or blind-emboss. Please note: Only letters can be used for personalization, no numbers.

More great products from momAgenda:

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Your kids will be cool when they go back to school with these fun colorful and durable backpacks from Company Kids. With features like a drawstring top opening, fold over flap with velcro closure, front pocket and adjustable straps.. these backpacks are not only cool but functional as well!

Made from 100% cotton these bags, 12″ (L) x 12 1/2″ (W)  and are machine washable.

Organizational Products from MOBOS

MOBOS are a unique line of modular storage units that are great for students looking to keep their lives organized and stylish. MOBOS products include storage bins, cabinets, shelves and hooks that are used with a simple, DIY mounting

system. The result is a space-saving, decorative storage solutions for homes, outside space and apartments. In addition to their colorful, stylish aesthetic, MOBOS are made from recycled steel and non-toxic coatings, making them eco-friendly and appealing for students.

citizenpip Reusable Lunch Kits

citizenpip makes it easy to go green with products that are designed to be fun and stylish for kids, and practical and convenient for parents. The reusable lunch kits by citizenpip come with everything you need to pack a waste-free lunch.

More reasons we love citizenpip:

They’re Eco-friendly: Reusable components reduce trash and their made from recyclable material.

Muck-free: Their products are lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free, and phthalate-free

They’re Practical & Convenient: Flexible designs accommodates different types of containers, easy to clean and have wide mouth opening.. They’re also dishwasher-safe and easy for little hands to open and close.

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TI-Nspire

TI-Nspire is the ultimate value buy, lasting from algebra through college-level math (that’s up to 10 years!) Unlike clothes or gadgets like cell phones, you won’t have to replace it with something trendier next year… and research shows that graphing calculators help kids do better in math – which can help them get into college and ultimately, set them up for future success.

Benefits & Features

• 2 calculators plus computer software, all in one! Includes two interchangeable keypads that allow students to use the TI-Nspire features, or use a keypad that mimics the TI-84 Plus and TI-83 Plus calculators, the leading graphing calculators used in U.S. schools. Included computer software brings the TI-Nspire experience to a PC or Mac.

•Like a computer in your hand. The versatile graphing calculator has the computer features students demand, including a large, high-resolution screen, interactive graphing capabilities, drop down menus and a built-in cursor which help students interact with math concepts and explore problem solving strategies in real-time.

• Save and review work. Thanks to electronic document capabilities and built-in 20MB of storage, students can create, save and edit their work similar to the word processing and file storage of a computer.

• Allowed on the SAT.* Also permitted on the ACT and AP* tests and many state math exams. With the purchase of the TI-Nspire, students can download free test prep questions from The Princeton Review.

• Free homework help. Stuck on a problem? Free online access to math tutors from Tutor.com is included with the purchase of the TI-Nspire.

Check out www.ti-nspire.com to see where this item can be purchased or to see the TI-Nspire CAS (Computer Algebra System).

Check out the Count Me In! Pledge from Texas Instruments (TI):

The Count Me In! Pledge is where teens can sign the pledge, challenging themselves to take higher-level math courses to broaden their college and career options and commit to tell others why math education is so important to the future of their world – all while entering to win cool prizes to get them ready to hit the math books again this year. The pledge runs through October 15.

Toshiba Satellite Series Laptops

Heading back to class? The Toshiba Satellite® line of notebooks is ready when you are, with power and connectivity to help you study and stay in touch―on and off campus, along with a variety of screen sizes: 16”, 17.3” or 18.4” for broader learning and entertainment, or 13.3” and 14” for more mobile productivity.

Toshiba focused on incorporating premium new features and style elements at price points that make sense for students:

• Satellite L Series – designed for budget-smart consumers and back-to-school shoppers, starting at just $549.99
• Satellite M Series – for the more mobile student, the line offers students a perfect balance of performance, mobility, size and cost starting at just $699.99.

Visit http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/satellite for more info.

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