Back To School Week!

 

It’s back to school week!

Understood’s 4-week plan to start the year right began last week to help prepare students for the first day of school, especially young ones feeling a little anxious about returning to new routines and new faces in the classroom instead of on the Zoom screen. This week starts out with organizing and packing up supplies “to avoid last-minute scrambling” and “getting an outfit ready that your child feels good about.”

Week 2 (school starts)

Monday:  Send your child off with a confidence boost: “You’ve done a great job getting ready to start the year. I can’t wait to hear about your day.”

Tuesday:  Rehearse things your child can say when other kids or teachers ask how summer break was.

Wednesday:  If your child will be switching classrooms, take some of the stress off. Assure your child that most teachers will understand being a couple minutes late for a few days.

Thursday:  Take a breather and just let your child get used to things.

Friday:  Find a small way to celebrate the first week — something like a favorite food for dinner or dessert, or an extra hour of TV.

Saturday:  Organize your family’s school-year schedule by creating a shared calendar. Start using it now so it’s familiar to everyone.

 

Getting organized and staying that way is crucial for academic success. Here are some ideas for the next couple of weeks to help kids stay on track in school this year:

• Create systems to help your child stay organized. For example, try color-coding binders and folders.

• How can you make your morning routine easier? Think about what would make getting ready simpler for everyone.

• Organize a three-ring binder for your child’s school records. Make room for new forms and paperwork from teachers or others who work with your child.

• When and where will your child do homework? Work together to create a calm space with school supplies handy.

 

Time spent doing homework is as important as the time spent in the classroom. Pediatricians recommend that parents establish “a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study” and timely completion of homework assignments. Here are a few more homework tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Schedule ample time for homework; build this time into choices about participation in after school activities.

• Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time.

• Supervise computer and Internet use.

• By high school, it’s not uncommon for teachers to ask students to submit homework electronically and perform other tasks on a computer. If your child doesn’t have access to a computer or the internet at home, work with teachers and school administration to develop appropriate accommodations.

• Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child’s homework for her.

• Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.

• If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with your child’s teacher for recommendations on how you or another person can help your child at home or at school. If you have concerns about the assignments your child is receiving, talk with their teacher.

• If your child is having difficulty focusing on or completing homework, discuss this with your child’s teacher, school counselor, or health care provider.

• For general homework problems that cannot be worked out with the teacher, a tutor may be considered.

• Some children need extra help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.

• Some children may need help remembering their assignments. Work with your child and their teacher to develop an appropriate way to keep track of their assignments – such as an assignment notebook.

 

One last piece of advice for parents as school gets underway: Please ensure your children remain respectful of other students, teachers, school staff members, parents, grandparents, siblings, and everyone else they may encounter by observing scientific public health recommendations and wearing masks in school — at least until coronavirus transmission rates have fallen to a safer range in your county. And for everyone’s sake, please get vaccinated if you haven’t already, and get one for your kids if they are old enough and eligible (12 years and up).

After 18 months of living through the global pandemic, the evidence is in: Getting seriously ill, developing complications and dying from COVID-19 is entirely preventable.

We have all been schooled on viruses and pandemics, and if we’ve learned one thing, we know this now: Masks and vaccines work.

 

(Google Images)

 

source http://www.thepediablog.com/2021/08/23/back-to-school-week/