The new school year brings so much promise and excitement. Besides the new pencils, supplies, folders, and planners (my personal favorite), there is also a high energy this time of year that gives you and your kids the feeling that anything is possible.
Anything is possible, as long as you set up your child for success at school.
If you’ve tried before but don’t feel as though you really made it work, try these school success tips this time around.
Set Goals. You can’t call something a success or failure unless you have set goals so that you know what to compare the result to.
- Ask your child what they want to accomplish this school year. While you want them to shoot for the stars, you also want the goals to be reasonable. That’s where you come in. You can help guide your child so that the goals they set are realistic.
- Set a timetable. Maybe the goal your child wants to reach is for the first few months while others are more of a year-long goal.
- Write down the goals. Once a timetable has been set, it may be helpful to use a calendar to jot them down so that you and your child have a visual guide for what they want to achieve.
Create a quiet homework/study space. Children need a quiet place where they can do their homework and study. Sitting on the couch with the television in the background isn’t going to cut it.
- Set up a quiet zone in their room. Just be sure that space is also free of distractions and any screens that may tempt them. Also make sure there is an upright seat so that they can try to focus on their work instead of lounging around.
- Have snacks. Kids get hungry when they’re doing school work. Have some healthy, protein-packed snacks ready to go. Apple slices with nut butter are a good choice as well as vegetables. Stay away from the sugary stuff that will make them lethargic.
Get Involved. We all know it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to help them to be successful. If you take an interest in your child’s education and are aware of what they’re learning, you are helping them to become more successful. Also, having an open line of communication with your child’s teacher can help to keep you in the loop.
Encourage your child to read. Even if your child’s teacher doesn’t give reading as assigned homework, encourage them to read every night. Reading helps with language development and writing; both skills they will need their entire lives. If your child is just learning to read, be there to help out with any difficult words.
You can also show your kids just how important reading is by doing it yourself. I started doing this with my girls. I set up 10-15 minutes where we allread, myself included. We all find our little nooks and read to ourselves. This way they can see that I find reading so important that I’m also adding it into my day. Plus, it’s actually nice to sit down with a book for a few minutes instead of being distracted by other things.
These are just a few school success tips to try out this year. What can you add to the list? Share your tips below.
Written by: Kristina Cappetta
Edited & Designed by: Christina Denham
My name is John Haber. I’m a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and the founder of Nogginsland. I became a COTA in 2003, and then went back to school much later, receiving my Master’s Degree in OT from Mercy College in New York in 2016.
Over the years, I’ve worked with a variety of populations in different settings, from school districts, to developmental disability centers, to children’s hospitals.