From Summertime To The Start Of School

The start of school is just around the corner and it’s time to start preparing your children for a successful transition from the carefree days of summer to the routine of school.  Taking active steps toward preparing for the new academic year will assist in making the first weeks proceed smoothly.

In my experience as an educator, parents do a good job of taking care of the basics:  buying school supplies and uniforms.  However, one of the things parents tend to overlook in equipping their children for the start of school is the necessity to systematically convert summer sleep patterns to the upcoming schedule.

Often, parents wait until school starts to begin the school sleep schedule.  During the first days and weeks of school, I have observed many students who appear lethargic as they transition into the routine of school.  In order to address this, I suggest that parents begin working toward the school schedule two weeks before the first day of school.  During week one, begin sending the children to bed a few minutes earlier each night along with waking them up earlier each morning.   Their sleep patterns should be on the school pattern by the end of this first week.

Children who have already transitioned their bodies to the school routine are typically more focused during the early weeks of school as compared to other children.  A good beginning is a springboard to a successful school year.

A second component of initiating an effective school routine is preparing your children’s minds for academics.  At the two week mark, prior to the start of school, begin to direct attention toward formal times for reading and math.  Set aside at least twenty minutes a day to read.  This will perk their interest in a return to learning.

In addition to reading, a math review is needed to refresh some of their lost skills.  Take ten to fifteen minutes a day to review basic math facts for elementary children.  Math flash cards can be purchased at local stores and free work pages can be downloaded from numerous websites.

If your children prefer to use the computer, there is a wide variety of websites that provide academic materials.  One of the websites that is a favorite of my children and one which I find to be a strong resource is www.gamequarium.com.  As well as being entertaining and interactive, it has activities for all grade levels in all subject areas.  Once you have established this daily review routine, it will shift naturally into a time for homework once school has started.

Many components contribute to a child’s success in the classroom, but you as a parent are the most important factor.  Preparation before school begins sends your children a message that education is important and that you are going to be actively involved.  Getting a head start with the bedtime and study routines will lay the foundation for a great start to the school year.

Tags: , , , ,