First and foremost, we are parents and now, in some cases, grandparents. Most of us have at least one child who had serious problems at school – difficulty learning to read; lack of challenging material; bullying, etc. All of us did whatever we could to help our children overcome their difficulties – massive home support, paid tutors, private schools – whatever it took. But once we had saved our own children, we started to worry about the other kids – the ones whose parents can’t rescue them because they just don’t know how.

Some of us are or were teachers ourselves, and so we have a perspective on education problems from the other side as well. Like so many teachers, some of us have actually been hampered in our attempts to do a good job. We know there is a better way, and that is why we became involved with the Society for Quality Education …

… SQE favours the approach supported by the most extensive and credible research: a strong focus on direct instruction, including phonics, drill, and rote learning, in the early years to establish a solid base of literacy and numeracy on which to build students’ education in the higher grades. Once students have this base, the judicious use of less traditional methods, such as discovery and computer-assisted learning and a focus on higher-order skills, can be very effective ways to engage students and improve learning outcomes.

Society for Quality Education provides free remedial programme materials for Reading and Math. Stairway to Reading, although designed for children who have already had some instruction, can be used with preschoolers with the minor adaptations. Stairway to Math materials are designed to help children who are struggling with mathematics in school. They do not constitute a complete math program, but if they are used selectively and appropriately they will improve your child’s math skills.

I think both these sites may be useful for my kids – my elder is often frustrated with Math while my younger is still learning to read.