Getting ready for school

It is that time of the year again, Back to school. Help prepare our kids to be successful. How?
There are several things you can do including earlier bed times, schedules at home, discussing school/home expectations, reading, practicing sight words and preparing helpful information for your child's teachers.

Send them to bed earlier. It will help get their minds and bodies ready for the early rising. See how your kids will respond to a schedule. The order of events on the schedule is more important than the times. Be flexible and use realistic time frames that work for your family. Don't be surprised if you have to modify it once or twice. Be prepared for kids to tell you when you are navigating away from the schedule. For younger kids use pictures to help them learn the expectations.

Find fun lessons or have older students research what it means to be a good citizen in and outside of the classroom. Some lessons can be found at The Mailbox: Lifesaver lessons. It helps a great deal when you choose one-to six expectations for home and school. Again, for younger children use pictures. State things positively. For example: Use walking feet indoors (then a picture of a child walking) or listen while the teacher speaks. These expectations should be reviewed daily. Offer kids a chance to practice expectations. Make it fun. Avoid being punitive when they are learning (6-8weeks).

Reading is so important to school success. Be sure to continue to visit the library throughout the year. Kids should be checking out 14 books per week. Remember you want our kids to read 7 hours of school related materials and 8 hours of pleasure reading. Pleasure means they get to choose. Remember the Internet can be a good source for research. Where do your kids want to go or what do they want to learn about? Look it up with them on the internet.

If your child is in grades preschool to 10th, they have high frequency or sight words they should know. It makes reading comprehension so much easier when kids are familiar with common words. Start now. Make it a part of the kids schedule, so they know it is important. Sight words alone won't do it. Kids need to learn sound letter associations as well.
If you know your child's strengths (learning, relationships) write a short paragraph and give it to the teacher. If you have other information about patterns of behavior share them with the child's teacher in writing. Be sure to follow-up. Share information about their interest, quirks and culture. All of this information can and should be used to enhance their learning.

Be ready to work with the teacher to address proper instruction and behavior planning should a problem arise. Do your homework. No Child Left Behind ensures that you are a full partner in education, not just fundraising.


Have a great school year!