A nationally recognized education writer and editor, Leanna Landsmann writes a weekly column for parents, A + Advice, How to Help Your Child Succeed in School. Distributed by United Media Syndicate, the column appears in daily newspapers across the nation.

Landsmann began her career as a classroom teacher and stepped from the classroom into educational publishing in 1970. She has served on Presidential education commissions, visits classrooms to observe best practices, and speaks on education topics to the media and to parent-teacher and business groups.

Landsmann was president of TIME Magazine For Kids, for seven years where she led the magazine to become the fastest-growing classroom publication, reaching 4 million students nationwide. In 1999, she was inducted into the EdPress Hall of Fame, educational publishing’s highest honor.

Landsmann was editor and publisher of Instructor, the nation’s leading magazine for teachers, and director of Harcourt Brace Children’s books. In 1989, she founded her own firm, Leanna Landsmann Inc., a New York City-based educational service company, to help corporations and associations publish instructional materials for schools.  Her clients included TIME and TIME For Kids, Scholastic, AT&T, American Express, American Heart Association, AutoDesk, the U.S. Department of Education, Toyota, The Edison Project, New American Schools Development Corporation, and the White House Historical Association.

Landsmann launched New York City’s “Principal for a Day” initiative in 1994, and was volunteer director for two years. She serves on the boards of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, greatschools.net, and PENCIL (Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning).

Parents Deserve the Inside Scoop on School!

Dear Readers:

The research is clear. One of the most important factors in a child’s success in school—at all levels—is the degree to which a parent is involved in a child’s schooling.

Parents who read with their children daily, review homework, create an environment and set expectations for academic performance, and talk regularly with teachers give their kids a foundation for success that kids whose parents aren’t engaged are denied.

Many parents want to be involved in their child’s education, but don’t always know where to turn for practical answers. I launched my weekly newspaper column with United Feature Syndicate, A+ Advice for Parents: The Inside Scoop on School, and this companion site to help time-pressed parents get involved. You’ll find jargon-free suggestions from some of the nation’s top educators and researchers, practical ideas, and ways to build a stronger bridge to your child’s teacher. You’ll also find insights into exciting new research on how children learn and ways to navigate school culture.

Please e-mail me your questions. All are held in confidence. While I try to answer as many as I can, even when I cannot, I read and reflect on each one.  If you know a teacher or if you are a teacher with a reputation for providing practical advice to parents, contact me. This is a forum for sharing ideas from A+ Educators.

Leanna Landsmann