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Education
Getting in Gear: A Back-to-School
Survival Guide
by the Sylvan Learning Centers of Pinellas County
Despite the warm temperatures and
sunny skies, many students are feeling a shadow looming as
back-to-school season creeps closer. After weeks of lazy summer
days, late nights, varying routines and minimal mental
stimulation, the return to school can seem overwhelming to
students of all ages.
To help parents and children get ready
for the new school year, Judith Adorno, executive director, and
Gina Pugh, center director for Sylvan Learning Center, located in
St. Petersburg, offer several tips to ease the transition from the
beach to the classroom and jumpstart sluggish summer brains.
STUDENTS:
For many students, the first day of school brings not only new
teachers and new friends — it can also bring anxiety, as homework
assignments and tests are just around the corner. Starting the
school year off on the right foot can help minimize your stress
levels throughout the year.
Get Cleaning: A dirty, cluttered room is not conducive to
studying. Get organized before homework starts piling up.
· Remove seldom-worn clothing.
· Pack away belongings not used on a regular basis.
· (For smaller children) Ask your parents to label areas so you
can easily see where your things should go.
Carve Out a Homework Spot: Whether it is in a bedroom, the
basement, or a family office, you should find an area where you
can work distraction-free and claim it as your official workspace.
· Select a place that is always available and where you feel
comfortable doing schoolwork.
· Stock the area with all of the supplies and tools that you need
to complete your homework.
Get Organized: Organization is key and ensures that you can stay
on top of each subject’s requirements.
· Use separate, labeled notebooks for each class.
· Create files for each subject. The folders can hold assignments,
essays, handouts and notes taken during classes.
· Purchase a planner or calendar to keep track of important dates
and deadlines.
Set Educational Goals: Whether it is striving for an A in a
certain subject, handing in all homework on time or preparing for
tests well in advance, setting goals can help establish a routine
for the new year.
· Set goals that are measurable, specific, reasonable and have
personal value.
Stay On Schedule: Minimize last-minute cramming or deadline
mix-ups by creating a detailed school schedule.
· Include all classes, assignments and key dates, such as project
deadlines and test dates. Fill in new dates as they arise.
· Schedule specific times for studying, projects and
extracurricular activities. The more thorough the schedule, the
more helpful it will be to you.
Know the School: If you ever feel swamped with back-to-school
madness, ask for help. Schools assist students with transitioning
from one grade to another. Meet with your guidance counselor
and/or teachers. If you are still nervous, ask your mom or dad to
drop you off at school on the first day of class.
Be Adventurous: Step out of your comfort zone this year and try
new things in both the academic field and the realm of
extracurricular activities.
· Try every type of class and/or activity. You never know what
your strengths are until you experience as much as you can.
· Challenge yourself. If you have the opportunity, take the
hardest classes — not the easiest subjects.
· Ask questions. There is nothing wrong with not always knowing
the answer. Asking questions is the best way to learn!
Think Positive: Yes, going back to school means homework and early
mornings. It also means reconnecting with old friends, meeting new
people, resuming fun extracurricular activities, learning more
about your favorite subjects, and improving on last year’s
performance.
PARENTS:
While the idea of preparing lunches at the crack of dawn, fighting
over appropriate school attire and regulating the amount of
television watched might have you frazzled, take solace in the
fact that you can play a big part in getting your children
motivated and excited to tackle a new school year.
Depending on your children’s ages, your role in the
above-mentioned tips will vary. The following are helpful ideas to
ease kids of all ages back into the learning mode:
Help Your Child Discover His or Her Learning Style: Because each
child is special and has different learning styles and academic
needs, it is important to personalize the learning process. People
learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple
Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically,
mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group
activity, or through quiet thinking time. Talk to your children’s
teachers about your children’s learning strengths and how best to
support them.
Get Back in the Routine: Ease the transition from lazy summer days
to the structure of the school year by re-establishing bedtime,
mealtime, reading and homework routines. Talk with your children
about the importance of structure and how routines help ensure
that they are not overtired or overly anxious about schoolwork.
Develop a Family Event Calendar: One of the most helpful tools for
getting organized is a family event calendar. It will help ease
the chaos by helping you track school programs, volunteer work and
after-school activities. Family time-management is essential if
you are going to avoid the tumultuous frenzy of disorganization.
· Depending on your children’s ages, you can make this calendar on
construction paper with large squares to write in all necessary
information, or on a white board so that it is easy to revise.
· If it is color-coded by family member, you can clearly see who
has an activity scheduled and when the event occurs.
· Place the calendar near the telephone, so when a friend’s mother
calls to invite your children to a birthday party you will know
instantly whether it fits within your family plans.
Purchase School Supplies in Advance: Avoid the last-minute rush by
purchasing supplies at least one week in advance. Take your
children. They can feel excited and in control when they choose
their favorite colors and designs.
Be a Cheerleader: Encourage your children to share any concerns
they have about returning to school. Reinforce positive feelings
by talking with your children about learning and achievement.
Support their academic interests and encourage them to get
involved in extracurricular activities at school.
Sylvan Learning Center's trained and certified personal
instructors provide individual instruction in reading, writing,
mathematics, study skills and college entrance and state exams
test-prep. Sylvan helps transform unique kids into uniquely
inspired learners with the skills to do better in school and the
confidence to do better in everything else. For more educational
resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit
www.sylvantampabay.com or call 1-800-285-4256.
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