Practical Suggestions For A New School Year

In just a few days, a new school year will begin. For parents of young children, it’s often the moment of “emancipation” for which they’ve been waiting for a number of months. For kids, it’s always a time of new beginnings that makes their stomachs tingle with excitement one moment, and ache with uncertainty the next.

Most parents want their child’s learning experience to be a positive one. But because the school day happens outside their immediate sphere of influence, it’s not always easy to insure this will happen. So as new school year begins, it is important to quickly establish a working relationship with your child’s teacher. Doing so from day one, will greatly improve the chances of educational success during the rest of the year.

Here, then, are some simple suggestions that can help make the first week of school, a smooth but effective transition for both you and your child:

- Take your child to the school campus as soon as class lists are posted. Act excited about who his or her new teacher will be, even if they’re not your first choice.

- If the campus is open, walk to the classroom that day so its location will be familiar to your child on the first day of school.

- Attend any initial school meetings that are offered. Some campuses hold a “Meet Your Teacher Day,” for orientation purposes, and almost all conduct a “Back-to-School Night" the week school begins.

- If it’s an adult meeting, leave your child at home. That helps eliminate distractions, and makes the information seeking process easier.

- Read and save all handouts given you at those first meetings. Ask GENERAL questions if your unsure about policy or procedure. Save questions based on your child‘s specific needs, for either after the meeting, or at a conference scheduled for another day.

- Introduce yourself to the teacher, being sure to tell him your child’s complete name, especially if last names are different. Be pleasant and positive. Convey that you’re looking forward to a great school year.

- Be sure the teacher has received an Emergency Card which includes your contact information. Also find out the best times to call him should the need arise.

- If your schedule allows, sign up to volunteer in your child‘s classroom. There is nothing more interesting (and often instructional) than seeing your child interact with his teacher and classmates in a live setting.

- After returning from any meeting, reiterate to your child that what you saw and heard there convinces you this is going to be one of the best school years ever.

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

- When you take young children to school on the first day, there may be “separation anxiety” after a long summer at home with you. So, assure them you’ll be back to pick them up when school is over, give them a hug or kiss good-bye, then TURN AROUND AND LEAVE WITHOUT HESITATION. If a few tears occur, they’ll be nothing like those generated if you hang around and try to talk your way out gracefully. Please know this… children almost always settle down once they’re in the classroom with their peers, and their parent “crutches” are gone.

- Be aware that brand new clothes, (especially shoes that have never been worn), are often quite uncomfortable. Try to dress kids in something weather appropriate, that they’ve “broken in” prior to the first day of school.

- Do NOT send young kids to school with fancy school supplies on the first day. Things like pencils with bobble-head erasers, and binders with secret pockets full of stuff they’ll rarely use, almost always become a problem rather than an asset. Your child does not need any such distraction the first week or so of school, so keep the supplies simple, if you buy any at all.

That’s it for now. Here’s wishing you and your youngster, a WONDERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR!