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Back to School – Ways a Parent Can Help
The arrival of September
and a new school year looms. For some this is a much-anticipated
event bursting with excitement and bolstered by confidence.
For others, there is apprehension and even dread. Parents
can help their children prepare for school in several
ways – while channeling their excitement or quelling
some nerves.
First, parents can assist kids by creating
a manageable schedule of extracurricular activities
that will allow sufficient time for homework and studying.
The out-of-school sports leagues, dance and music classes
all start taking registrations and it’s tempting
to sign up for everything the child is interested in
– after all, won’t being active and busy keep
them out of trouble? There is definitely some truth
to that, however, a healthy balance must be maintained.
Most students can handle no more than two or three extra-curricular
activities a week while juggling curricular demands.
Remember to schedule time for homework and home study
too! Primary students need 15 to 20 minutes a night;
intermediate students need about an hour. High school
students will likely have an hour or two a night.
Another way parents can help their children
prepare for school is to talk with them about the importance
of interacting appropriately with their teachers and
how to act in class. Role playing certain common situations
might help a student learn to deal with asking for extra
help, asking permission to use the restroom or tactfully
make a suggestion or contribute to a discussion. Although
teachers do not always ‘teach’ these skills
directly, they may nonetheless expect students to know
them and may even draw conclusions about a student’s
demeanor and skills from the way they present themselves
in such situations. Let the kids in on the secrets of
successful in-class behaviors as well. These include
sitting up and slightly forward, ‘tracking’
the teacher as s/he moves in the classroom, nodding
to indicate listening and participating by either answering
or asking questions.
Finally, parents can help students set
up their study area in the home with the proper lighting
and supplies. The computer is best placed in a shared
space – off the kitchen for example so that whoever
is preparing dinner can keep an eye on internet surfing,
help with keywords for searches and generally monitor
for safety. Basic supplies should include plenty of
pens and pencils, lined and unlined paper, construction/
colored paper, markers, crayons, pencil crayons, a sharpener,
corrector fluid or tape, glue, tape, ruler, geometry
set, dictionary/thesaurus (or online), and perhaps a
timer. The timer can be used to plan the homework session
so that each subject gets some time and variety maintains
interest and encourages more effective use of time-on-task.
When the first day comes let them help
prepare a healthy lunch they will actually eat and send
them off with a reassuring hug. Ask specific questions
when they come home – go beyond – ‘How
was your first day’ so that you get more than a
one or two word response. Ask what they’re excited
about, what is worrying them, what supplies they might
need, who their teachers are and what they remember
about them. Back to school can be a positive time for
the entire family!
1howto.com
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