Back to School Tips for Parents
Back to school tips for parents
The anxiety scale sometimes tips for parents at this time of year. Although this is common, every parent’s experience is different. As a primary school teacher, I will try to offer some points that can help alleviate your fears for the reopening of school. It is my hope that these can carry you through the entire academic year.
1. Have a heart to heart conversation with your child. Engage your child in conversation about the past year. Allow him/her to say what he/she enjoyed, what he/she did not like and what he/she thinks that he/she can improve. This should be done at every class level. This could then be used as a catalyst for the conversation about the upcoming year. Allow them to freely speak on their expectations. Set goals with them and also inform them that you will be their accountability partner and their best advocate. Encourage your child, on a daily basis, to speak about the kind of day they had at school. Listen attentively, do not be judgmental, and act on the issues that need your attention.
2.Get their books as early as possible. We know that this may not be possible or even realistic for everyone, but there is merit in getting, especially the text books early. This allows students to have a head start on some of the concepts that will be covered.
3.Holiday time would have caused a major disruption with their bedtime routine. Setting and enforcing that routine about the middle of August, will help to set the trend in terms of going to bed by a certain time and waking up with adequate time in the morning. Morning drama could also be minimized once the child has packed his/her bag from the night before, and that includes their homework or any other assignments. The child should also make all the other necessary preparations for school, before heading off to bed. Routines bring a measure of ease and comfort.
4.Importantly, develop a relationship with your child’s class teacher. Parents should always try to work in tandem with the class teacher as this helps with reinforcement of learning goals etc. This amplification of learning will benefit your child.
5.Parents with children with Special Needs, please ensure that you remain in constant contact with the teacher assigned to Special Needs. Please keep abreast with the relevant paperwork, and ask questions about your child’s status in the process.
6.Parents, it is imperative of you to lend support at home and at school. This is needed on your child’s path to success. Do not make it a practice to compare your child with another one of your children, the neighbour’s child, the children in church or even those in the same class. Work with them to help them realise their goals…every child does not bloom at the same rate.
