10 Back-to-School Tips to Help Your Early Learner Succeed
10 Back-to-School Tips to Help Your Early Learner Succeed
Susie’s Snapshot
With some schools around the country reopening in mid-August, many of us are already seeing ads for school supplies, backpacks, lunchboxes, and fall clothes. For some families, the return to school comes with a sense of excitement for familiar faces, new friends, the challenge of new classes, and participation in sports and other extracurricular activities. But for others, the return to homework, standardized tests, and projects can come with anxiety. If your young student struggled academically last year, the end of summer can mark a return to tears, fears and low self-esteem.
Luckily, there are things you can do to help increase your chances of success this school year. We’ve compiled a list of 10 tips to help parents encourage and support their young student while maximizing their full potential for learning. Implementing these ideas may help your student start the school year with a newfound sense of organization, routine and confidence. Even early learners attending school for the first time can benefit from a foundation of good habits and engaged parenting.
1. Boost their accountability.
Admittedly, every student forgets something at school once in a while. But if your student regularly leaves important homework, textbooks or project materials at school, it could be a sign that their executive functioning skills need a boost. Executive functions are mental processes that we use to plan, remembers, pay attention and multitask. One remedy that might help: have your student create an end-of-day checklist to review each day before leaving school. To address the root of the problem, you may want to invest in a cognitive skills program designed to target and train executive functioning in early learners.
2. Teach time management and organizational skills.
Let your student pick out their own calendar then teach them about deadlines, the pitfalls of procrastination, and the benefits of staying organized. Start by brainstorming on ways to break down projects, such as a book report, into smaller tasks (e.g., reading the book, outlining the report, writing the introductory paragraph, completing the report and proofing). Teach them how to prioritize to-do list items on a list and discuss how to use folders, labels, highlighter pens and flashcards in a way that is not only helpful, but also creative and fun.
3. Build self-confidence through independence.
Sending a young child to their room for two hours to complete homework doesn’t necessarily build independence. Consider yourself a guide as you answer ask and questions about their process, timelines and tasks. Be prepared to offer assistance on where to find instruction to solve a problem or question without giving them the answer. When in doubt, shift to asking questions that can help them problem-solve on their own. For example: “Do you remember reading about that in a previous chapter? What keywords could you look up in the index to help you find that passage?”
4. Do weekend homework on Fridays, whenever possible.
You know how weekends can just sort of slip away from you? It’s a phenomenon that doesn’t just plague working adults. Waiting until Sunday night to attack a pile of homework can fill even the smartest kids with a sense of dread. Instead, aim to have them complete homework assigned over the weekend on Friday night when the material is still fresh in their mind.
5. Rebrand homework time.
If your young learner is returning to school or has witnessed the homework struggles of an older sibling, now is the time to rebrand the task. Designate a space in your home that can provide uninterrupted time and a well-stocked, accessible stash of school supplies. Provide a healthy snack and beverage, discourage other family members from watching TV or using technology nearby, and, if possible, sit down to read, pay bills or do your own work alongside your child. You may also want to discuss the option of a “study buddy” with a similarly aged friend or neighbor.
6. Acknowledge progress and celebrate achievements.
Getting a C+ might not be cause for a high-achieving student to celebrate, but for a student who previously struggled in a subject or who doesn’t test well, it can feel like a real accomplishment. The same goes for everyday tasks, like remembering to bring home the necessary materials for a project or completing homework without being asked. Acknowledging academic, organizational and even behavioral progress can be incentivizing. Did they read a passage without making a mistake? Are they soaring through their multiplication facts? Did they choose to read a book instead of a video game to pass the time in the doctor’s office? Be vocal about your student’s successes, not matter how small, and celebrate achievements along the way.
7. Reevaluate medications.
Even the most beneficial medications can come with side effects. Talk to your pediatrician during your student’s back-to-school physical about things like allergy medications, which can affect alertness and focus, and stimulant drugs for ADHD, which can lead to trouble sleeping, irritability and headaches. Be sure to ask about potential alternatives, such as allergen immunotherapy or nonstimulant-medication options for attention deficits.
8. Establish a healthy sleep routine.
Getting the recommended hours of sleep isn’t just about getting into bed on time. A healthy sleep routine may include “winding down” in the hours before sleep or easing into your morning well-rested and relaxed. Consider dedicating the hour before bedtime to reading, meditation, yoga, writing or a warm bath. Limit not only the time restraints on technology, but also the proximity of the device to the bed, as some studies have indicated that high-tech devices can disrupt our biological clocks.
9. Evaluate class selections.
Just because your student scored well enough to be in an advanced math group doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for their personality, pace or comfort level. Initiate a conversation with your student about the classes they’ve been assigned to and if you have concerns, schedule a meeting with the teacher to ensure it’s truly a match.
10. Invest in an early learning program.
Building strong cognitive skills early in childhood offers a lifetime of benefits that students can carry over into later grades, work and life in general. Consider giving your early learner a head start on school readiness to decrease the risk of them falling behind their peers. For young students, such as those in preschool through second grade, early learning programs are designed to engage learning and thinking skills by using fun games and activities, feedback, correction and rewards. LearningRx’s LiftOff® program, for example, uses 35+ years of brain training research and practice to build a strong foundation of skills that include:
• Paying attention, ignoring distractions and basic multitasking
• Remembering key details during lessons and activities
• Imagining sounds and understanding spoken language
• Picturing mental images and processing visual information
• Basic problem solving, logic and reasoning abilities
If you’re looking to give your student a chance to maximize their potential in their early school years or are already recognizing struggles with homework, test-taking and confidence, it’s worth investing your time in learning more about what’s available. Visit https://www.learningrx.com/atlanta-buckhead/early-learning-program/ to get more information on how an early learning program might help make this the best year yet!