own $1,500 more readily: on learning material for our own children in our own home or for tickets to the World Series? If you really want better teachers look to your own behavior first and see where you can make real changes that send a signal to your children that you really do value education. Yes, you value it more than sports, television, surfing on the internet, or anything else you can spend your money on!

The truth is that the secret to improving education begins at home with actively engaged parents. Parents need to interact with their children and demonstrate to them that learning is a part of life and can be fun and rewarding. There are several tangible ways to do this whether your kids are being homeschooled, in private school, or in public school.

1. Read to them and with them. If your children are young, read to them. You can read them children's stories but also read to them from the classics. If they are too young to understand what you're reading at all (because they are still infants) they will still get some benefit from hearing the words and the interaction. At a certain age they will be able to understand more and more and you've built a solid basis for their own reading ability.

2. Play music for them. If you are a musician play live music on your instrument. If you are not, play them recorded music. Make sure you play a variety including classical music. Give children broad exposure to music. If you are not a musician, take the opportunity to make music with your child through improvised means with toy flutes or recorders or other simply instruments. Again, the important component is the interaction and engagement. This can also build a foundation for further musical development as they get older.

3. Show them the world. This does not necessarily have to involve travel though it can. Even a walk in the park can be an opportunity to show children the world of nature and share some fascinating learning experiences. Show them how things work both at home and out in the world. Explain things to them at the grocery store, the bank, wherever you run errands.

4. Learn about science together. There are many good books with fun and educational experiments and projects you can do at home to foster curiosity, learning, and engagement. Think about it. When a child is born they know nothing about the world around them. You have the opportunity to show them and share that with them. Take it!

5. Make everything a learning experience. Cooking the family mean together can be a chance to learn, doing chores around the house, going to the store. The key is to interact with your children.

6. Ask questions. This applies both to the child and the parent. I have a friend who said to his son, "you're not asking me enough questions!" So many parents would rather their children be seen and not heard. But, they need to learn and you are an important resource. They should be asking you questions and you should be eager to help them learn. If they are in school, you should be asking them about what they are learning in school. Test their learning by seeing if they can explain it to you. If you can ask them questions and they can answer them, this is a good sign that they are getting a good education. If not, this is a sign of a problem that needs to be addressed.

The key is to engage with your kids. My wife and I go to restaurants sometimes and see parents with their children and they are not talking with each other. What a horrible situation. You've got to interact with them and share your knowledge with them. Foster their joy of living and curiosity. This will provide them with a good foundation for life long learning.

Learn more about this author, Kevin J. Browne.
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