But how do you know if your student, even though he understands what he is supposed to be doing, can actually solve those quadratic equations? Well, in all honesty, you might not be able to tell for sure but you can at least instill some good habits toward that end. Ask to see examples in his book and in his class notes (he definitely should be taking notes in math class) and by all means ask to see where he has practiced in his homework. True, you may not know if those problems are done correctly, but you will know whether or not he is actually doing homework and taking notes in class. And if junior knows that someone with more leverage than his teacher is monitoring his work on a regular basis, he will be more likely to work on keeping it up to date.

So by now you're having "math" conversations with your student on a regular basis and you're diligently monitoring his work. The school year is moving right along. He swears that he's doing just fine, understands everything perfectly, and is getting good grades. Really, mom, he is. Then the report card comes and lo and behold, everything isn't fine and he just doesn't know how it could have happened that his grade is so low. After all, he did make 80% on that one test! Do I sound as if I've been there? Actually, I'm speaking more as a parent now than as a teacher! I definitely have been on both sides. So how can you avoid this scenario? Let me share a little tactic that a few parents of my students sometimes used.

Every three or four weeks, sometimes as often as every two weeks, I would find in my school mailbox a nice note from a parent asking for a quick report on their student's grades, work habits, behavior, etc., and usually leaving a space right there on the note for me to respond. Included would be a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that all I had to do was jot down a few notes about any work not turned in, a recent poor grade, perhaps an alert about an upcoming test, whatever was relevant at the time. Then I could just seal the envelope and drop it in the outgoing mail. Teachers are extremely busy people and anything you do to make things just a little easier for them is very much appreciated. And don't forget about email. That can be a quick and easy way for you to correspond with the teacher and check on progress, provided the teacher makes his email address available. Remember, the teacher also wants your child to succeed and will welcome the help from you in trying to accomplish that goal.