The beginning of the school year is chaotic. There are school supplies to buy, new schedules, new teachers, new classrooms, and so much more. But what can you do to make the new school year a good one? What can you do to help your child get their school year started on the right foot?
I’m Georgia-based school assembly performer Ken Scott. For the last 30 years, I’ve presented engaging and fun school assemblies in GA, VA, TN, FL, and other states. My goal with this and other articles I write is to give busy teachers, parents, and school personnel some ideas for making their jobs a little easier!
One of the biggest influences in your child’s school days is their teacher. You may have enjoyed a good rapport with last year’s teacher…or maybe not! The easiest way to get your school year for your child started on the right note is to meet their teacher.
Every teacher has their own way of doing things. Some are more permissive. Some are authoritative. Some may implement rules and discipline you’re not familiar with. By meeting your child’s teacher early in the school year, you can discover what makes them tick!
Meeting your child’s teacher helps you understand what policies are in place. And with this understanding, you’ll be able to better monitor your child’s progress in homework, projects, and tests. You’ll be able to help your child meet their teacher’s expectations. And you’ll be able to avoid misunderstandings deeper into the year!
That brings up another important point. Don’t view that meeting at the beginning of the school year as the last one. Be sure to maintain a regular schedule of meeting your child’s teacher to discuss their progress throughout the school year.
Children thrive best on schedules. Create a strict bedtime routine. With a solid, strict bedtime routine, you’re making sure your child is well-rested and ready for each day. But a good schedule doesn’t end there.
A strict mealtime schedule is important. Depending on your schedule, your child may not only eat lunch in school but breakfast too. Ensure your child has a schedule for dinnertime and any other meals eaten at home. Proper nutrition is important for your child’s physical and cognitive development.
Unfortunately, many larger schools schedule some grades for lunch as early as 10:30 am or as late as 1:30 pm in the afternoon. If this happens to your child, make sure when they do get lunch, they are getting proper nutrition to help fuel them for the long period between meals.
With a new school year comes the possibility of your child making new friends. Socialization is good, but what are these new friends like? Be sure to get to know your child’s friends. And it’s a great idea to meet the parents, too.
As diverse as our country is, you may wind up butting heads with your child’s friend’s parents. Not everyone will have the same values as your family. By getting to know your child’s friends (and their parents), you have the opportunity to keep yourself informed and cut off any future misunderstandings.
An important part of every successful student’s life is homework. But how and where they tackle their homework can have a massive effect on how well they complete their assignments. Want your child to do their homework effectively and efficiently?
Have a dedicated space for doing homework. This space can be their bedroom, a dining room in your home, or any place with minimal distractions. If your child shares a bedroom with another sibling, doing homework without distractions becomes more challenging.
Have a family meeting. If the dedicated homework space is going to be a common area (such as a dining room), then everyone in the household needs to respect your child’s homework schedule and leave them alone while they are working.
Want to get your child’s entire school fired up at the beginning of the school year? Be sure to check out my incredible character education assembly program “The Magic in You.” This assembly is filled with amazing magic, kid-friendly humor, and join-in fun. It includes messages of respect, good habits, and much more. Contact me today for details!