At Wake Up Call NJ, we’re lifelong learners. That’s why we’re excited to join you all in our “Summer School” Series, where we’ll hear from notable advocates for New Jersey students. In this guest essay Katherine Bassett, CEO of the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, shares her professional and personal experience of the true meaning of college and career readiness.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey students faced unprecedented challenges in foundational learning. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores for 4th and 8th graders declined significantly, hitting lows not observed in nearly two decades. This academic setback was reflected in state-level data, where proficiency rates in math and English Language Arts (ELA) plummeted, leaving many students struggling to "read to learn" and master both basic and complex mathematical concepts.
Families and teachers should be partners in the education of children. As your child’s caregiver, be sure to get to know not only the teachers but also the school that your children attend. Volunteer for out-of-classtime activities, meet with your child’s teacher when you have questions or concerns, offer to assist if you have special skills (musician, data analyst, editor, artist) that can augment the curriculum, help out in the library, or lend an extra pair of hands on field trips. The more that you know about your child’s teacher, school, and the curriculum, the better positioned you will be to help your child succeed.
But school is only part of the equation - kids spend far more time outside of class than in it. So how can you build on the work done in school to help your child develop strong reading and math skills? Make learning a joyful, integrated part of your daily world.
Reading
Be a Reading Role Model: Let children see that you read, both for pleasure and for work.
Engage in Joint Reading: Read aloud together daily, yes, even with older children. Take turns reading, play audiobooks, or have siblings read to one another.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Don't just read to your children—engage. Ask questions when reading like, “what do you think will happen next”?
Build on Interests: Let children choose their own books be they from the library, classroom book services, or trips to the local bookstore.
Create a Print-Rich Environment: Keep plenty of age-appropriate books in the home. For younger children, labeling household objects with sticky notes can be a fun way to reinforce work recognition.
Math
Counting: Simple activities like counting the number of blue cars when driving, or the number of orange flowers in gardens reinforces number recognition and basic numeracy skills.
Shopping: Have your child help you to compare prices (e.g., "Which can of beans is cheaper?"), count items in the cart, or calculate change.
Explore Geometry in the World: Look for shapes around the house or at the park. Ask, "What shape is this stop sign?" or "How many triangles can you see on this building?"
Foster a Positive Attitude: Math anxiety is real. Help children approach math as a fun, manageable, and useful tool for everyday life.
Allowing your children to see you as a reader and a mathematician in daily life reinforces the importance - and fun - of these skills. Students depend on this coaching from all corners. With fewer than 40% of our 8th graders on track in math and reading, we need everyone possible pushing them to catch up and go the extra mile.
Katherine Bassett is the CEO of the New Jersey Tutoring Corps, a nonprofit organization providing districts and community partners with tutoring in math and literacy to children in grade K-8. Bassett is also the 2000 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year.
