|
START THE SCHOOL YEAR RIGHT
Seven Tips to Help Your Children Succeed
Summer is coming to a close, the days are getting cooler, and school supply circulars are in the mail, but are your children prepared for the school year ahead?
“It’s normal for children to feel uneasy about the start of a new school year,” notes tutoring expert Larry Schwartz. “Some children act like a doom cloud is over their head, while others are simply apprehensive about starting new classes. Parents can ease their children’s stress by talking about what their own first week of school was like and sharing stories about their transitions into new schools or grades.”
Children feel more relaxed knowing that the back-to-school jitters are just another rite of passage. Seven other ways to prepare your children for a successful school year are:
1. Take a Tour. A good way to fight anxiety is to take your children on a walkthrough of the school they will attend. For older students, ask if their class schedule is available and help them find each class they will attend throughout the day.
2. Eat Right. Studies show that children who miss breakfast fatigue more quickly, are more short-tempered, and don’t perform as well as those who eat breakfast. If you don’t have the time to sit down for breakfast, find quick and nutritious alternatives, like a banana and a bagel with peanut butter.
3. Get Organized. Will colored folders or pens help your child to take notes? Will bookmarkers help them remember what page an assignment is on? Remind children to keep their study areas, desks, and lockers organized. Structure and routine will help any student be better prepared.
4. Talk to the Teacher. Let teachers know you welcome their comments regarding your children’s progress. Offer your email address as well as your home phone number so you can be conveniently contacted. Most important, encourage your children to talk to their teachers so they are comfortable asking for help.
5. Watch for Signs of Struggles. When a child shows signs of low self-esteem, low grades, or lack of interest in school find out why. The answer could be bullying, or it could be an indication that your child is struggling academically.
6. Be Proactive. Study skills are not often taught in today’s classrooms. These skills allow students to do their best in and out of school by improving how they use their time. Tutoring Club offers courses that teach students how to study textbooks, take notes, outline, listen more effectively, prepare for tests, manage study time, and increase their reading speed and comprehension.
7. Be Involved. Take time each day to sit with your child and have a one-on-one discussion. Don’t start the conversation with, “What do you have for homework today?” Rather, have meaningful conversations about friendships, hardships, stress and accomplishments. Start by asking them, “What was good about today?” followed by, “What was bad about today?” and end with, “How can I help you?”
For further information, contact:
Chad Schwartz
Tutoring Club
(702) 588-5288
cschwartz@tutoringclub.com
|
|
|
|
