You, Your Child, and School

Chapter One

Get Your Bearings

If you're a parent of school-age children this book is for you. My aim is to help you get them the education they need to live productive, fulfilled lives. I've worked in education all my professional life. Along the way I've had countless conversations with parents about school. I'm a parent too and know firsthand that being a parent is a challenge as well as a pleasure. It gets more complicated when your children start school. Until then, you've been mainly responsible for their development and well-being. Now you entrust a major chunk of their waking hours to others, giving them enormous influence over your children's lives during their most formative years.

Seeing them go to school on that first day brings a suite of emotions. You hope they'll be excited about learning, make good friends, and be happy and inspired at school. At the same time, you probably feel a good deal of trepidation. School brings a whole new set of relationships. How will your children respond to their teachers? Will the school see what's special about them? What about the other parents and children? Will your child rise above the new social hurdles or trip over them? As your child heads into school for that first day, it's no wonder you feel a catch in your throat. You think things will never be the same. You're right.

Emma Robinson (no relation) is a teacher in England. She's also a parent and knows how it feels to leave your child at school on that very first day. She wrote a poem called "Dear Teacher," which has since been shared by thousands of other parents. Here's an extract:

I know you're rather busy

First day back, there's just no time

A whole new class of little ones

And this one here is mine.

I'm sure you have things covered

And have done this lots before

But my boy is very little

He hasn't long turned four.

In his uniform this morning

He looked so tall and steady

But now

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD, and Lou Aronica

"If you're worried about what will happen to your kids in school, Sir Ken Robinson is here to help. This is a clear-eyed, immediately practical guide to avoiding helicopter parenting but still playing an active role in your children's education and ultimately their happiness and success."
Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

[Robinson] offers an honest view of all the options available, giving adults the tools and insights they need to find schooling that is the best fit for each individual child. For adults who are looking for ways to use schooling to help their children achieve happy, constructive lives.
Library Journal

You, You Child, and School provides common-sense advice and helpful tactics to guide parents in making the right educational choices for their children. This book will help parents tone down their own anxiety, exasperation, and worries over schooling, and make the best choices for their child, providing a far more enjoyable and productive learning experience for all."
Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Creative Schools

Creative Schools is one of those rare books that not only inspire and bring a new sense of possibility to the goal of transforming education, but also lay out an actionable strategy. Ken Robinson is leading a daring revolution to change how we understand schools, learning, and, most important, the passion and talent of our students. This is a global game changer and I m in.
Brené Brown, PhD, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Daring Greatly

Creative Schools is wonderful and enjoyable. It makes us rethink what real schooling, learning, and creativity mean.
Malala Yousafzai, author of I Am Malala and a Nobel Prize Laureate

Ken Robinson s Creative Schools offers a brilliant and compelling vision for what education must become. His powerful call to action cites wonderful examples where the education of the future is