You can make this the best school year ever for your child. Here’s how:

1.   Help your child get organized. Instead of nagging, show him how being organized will pay dividends in life. Let him experience the ease of being able to find things, the joy of being on time, and the sense of control that organization will bring. 

2.   Plan ahead so mornings go smoothly. There is an old saying, “well begun is half done,” and it certainly is true about getting off to school. Start your planning the night before by making sure your child gets enough rest. A slightly earlier bedtime may make a big difference to your child’s ability to function in the morning. Have him lay out his clothes before he goes to bed, and put everything else he needs for school in his backpack. It’s a good idea to have him put the backpack right on top of his shoes, so he can’t leave the house without it.

3.   Help your child keep up with his work; avoid procrastination. Share a tip from time-management experts: break tasks into manageable parts, and do one at a time until the job is finished.

4.   Get a handle on homework. Provide a place for your child to do his homework, and make sure he has the necessary supplies for being organized. Keep things like pencils, paper, ruler and colored markers all together in a pencil box or shoe box to save time looking around when doing homework. Set a time to do homework. Some families like to do homework right after school, while others prefer doing it after dinner. Whatever you decide, find one that works for everyone, then stick to it as often as possible. If the child has no homework, read!

5.   Keep track of important notes from school. Here’s an easy way: the minute your child gets home, stick the note on the refrigerator or a magnetic bulletin board. It won’t get lost in a pile of papers, and it won’t succumb to the “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” syndrome either.

6.   Try some offbeat ways to encourage your child to read. Use a current film as a starting point to encourage your child to dip into the book it is based on. Or help your child to write a letter to the author of a favorite book. (Send it to the publisher—most authors are good about replying to letters from children.) Do all you can to foster your child’s love of reading. Video games are fun, but they don’t develop vocabulary and language skills the way reading does.

7.   Take a critical look at your child’s extra-curricular activities. Look especially hard at team sports, which require long hours of practice. Is your child overscheduled, trying to do far more than a child should do at this age? If so, you may have to consider cutting back to leave more time and energy for learning.

8.   Remember the power of praise. Let it work its magic to motivate your child. Displaying a child’s best work is a form of praise. Add a special touch to an especially good paper by having it laminated. You can do it yourself with clear contact paper.

9.   Celebrate your child’s successes, no matter how small. Learning is not always easy for children, and sometimes their progress may be measured in very small steps. When your child does master a new skill, rejoice together.

10. Save time for fun. Play restores the body and stimulates brain connections, which makes learning easier in school. After all, there’s more to life than long division. 

 

Isobel L. Livingstone is a teacher with 31 years' experience in elementary education.