Navigating the New School Year

Written by Judy Germick

To the cheers of some or the chagrin of others, summertime has come to a close, and a new school year has begun. Whether your child entered school for the first time or is a high schooler, this is a time of renewed hopes and fears for both parents and students. It is important to remember, however, that it is a new year, a clean slate.

Six Tips for a Better School Year

Whether last year was stellar or not so great, there are some simple steps you can take to lay a foundation for a successful school year this time around:

1. Make sure your child knows that you are confident that he or she will strive to do their best. Let them know that you will strive to help them achieve their goals. Enlisting the help of a professional tutor is an effective learning support for students.

2. Make contact with your child’s teacher(s). Request that you be informed if the teacher notices any difficulties your child might have with paying attention or remembering or completing assignments. This may indicate an executive functioning issue. Open lines of communication between home and school are essential for successful learning.

3. Have your child set some goals. What would he like to accomplish this school year? For example, one goal might be “learn to do something well that he doesn’t want to do,” or agreeing to “try out a new strategy for mastering math facts.” Write them down for future reference.

4. Set up a homework schedule and school-day rules and expectations. Do this in collaboration with your child. During these first few weeks of school, pay special attention to how your child plans, organizes, and manages their time and space. Problems in any of these areas may signal executive functioning trouble.

5. Keep bedtimes and routines consistent. Make sure all media use and any physical play/rough housing ends a half-hour before bedtime.

6. Communicate with your child. While many kids don’t talk much about experiences, if you wait until they’ve had some time to unwind and play after school, they might more easily share more information about their day. Listen carefully for any concerns or fears about school performance. Quick action could prevent bigger problems down the line.

We all want our children to benefit from their school experiences and develop a propensity for life-long learning. Now that the book bags have been bought, and the first-day-of-school pictures have been snapped, it’s time to re-pave the pathway towards a successful school year. Our staff at Strategies for Learning is here to help you and your child achieve this goal by providing academic support, homework help, remediation, assessment and consultation.