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A much-beloved teacher in Richmond for 38 years, Dawna Kishi offers her tips for school parents.
Photo by Chung Chow
Tips for parents from a teacher
Published 1:11 PDT, Wed September 20, 2017
Newly-retired teacher Dawna Kishi has some
suggestions for parents to help their children in school.
Start time: Be early, not just on time and
certainly not late.
“It’s stressful for the kids if they are late
all the time. They feel bad because everyone turns to look at them. For their
own sake, it’s important that they’re there before school starts.”
Being early allows students time to get their
coats off, visit with their friends, “and to shake out all their wiggles,”
Kishi says.
Sleep: Experts say children need at least 11
hours each night. Otherwise, Kishi says, “You can get kids who are falling
asleep they’re so tired in class. Or they act out.”
Some students’ lack of sleep shows up as
agitation in class.
Healthy breakfasts: “Definitely, getting some
food into you is important.” Kishi mentions a student: “He would act out. If he
put some good stuff into his body, sure enough, he was a more manageable, happy
boy and easier to deal with all around.”
Lunch: It doesn’t have to be hot. “Good old
sandwiches are great.” But, Kishi cautions, avoid unhealthy fast food.
No means no: Do students need to respect that?
“Of course.” says Kishi, “In most cases the ‘no’
is not a mean thing. It’s because we can’t do that now.”
Clothing: Kishi suggests the Canadian custom
of hand-me-downs to save money and the environment. She also suggests donating
clean clothing to the teacher, in case of accidents with water, mud or worse, “We
usually have something in a cupboard for kids who get stuck in the middle of
the day.”
School supplies: In Richmond, elementary
parents pay a one-time fee so the schools buy in bulk. “Please don’t buy
anything until after a week at least,” she says.
Homework: Kishi says if parents help their
child learn, that’s great but, if parents or someone else does the homework,
teachers can tell.
Parents in the school: It’s good for students
when parent join the Parents’ Advisory Committee (PAC). It’s also a great place
to meet other parents who can act as much-welcomed translators for
parent-teacher discussions.
Respect for learning: At one school parents
were so noisy they were all banned from the school.Kishi says, “It can be distracting. It’s not a social
setting really.” She suggests parents visit quietly outside, in the covered
area.
Talking to the teacher: Kishi encourages
parents to walk their young children into the school. While it’s great to say
hi in the morning or when you pick your child up. “It’s not the time to discuss
your child’s progress.”Kishi suggests, If you make an appointment, you can
bring a translator. You can really ask how your child is doing and how you can
help. After all, Kishi says, “We’re a team.”
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