Beyond the Back to School Basics

I'll admit, I'm in a strange position. As a teacher and mother, I brace myself for the "back to school" preparation in different ways. Yes, I do scout out economical and eco-friendly pencils, notebooks, and other stationery wares. Sure, I've reminded my older son to "finish up your summer reading!" However, as we all know, transitioning from summer to school mode often presents its own challenges. After all, the lament of many teachers is "how could they (the students) forget everything they learned in just a few weeks?" I'll respond: EASILY. Contrary to my belief, my students don't find the definitions of irony, the nuances of Shakespeare's Macbeth, or the power of a unique thesis statement to be as riveting as I do. While I have committed such wonders of the English Teaching Realm to my memory, many of my students forget things like "prepositional phrase" as soon as the bell buzzes after class. So how do we--caring parents, caregivers, teachers--propose to help kids (and ourselves!) prepare for the best "Back to School" yet? Here are some of my thoughts on the subject...

Conversation
It's documented --at least in the microcosm of my own classroom--that students who converse and engage in discussion perform more steadily and effectively than students who remain quiet. While there are cultural reasons and other factors that hinder students from volunteering in discussion, a student who feels empowered (i.e "knows the answer" or "has an opinion" on the topic) will take the leap into the "undiscovered country" of class discussion. However, over the summer, thoughtful conversation may dwindle down the way of text messaging. Give your kids the opportunity to talk with you on a regular basis. How? Ask questions--the wackiness that goes on in the news is a great place to cull material for your conversations. I try to ask a lot of "non-threatening" questions; questions that don't have a single answer, or questions that are meant to be rhetorical. For example, asking my son, Matt, "What do you think this is, a restaurant?" is not a question that thoughtfully engages his thinking. Facilitating a reciprocal conversation is, in itself, an art form (thanks, Socrates!). When you generate a bunch of interesting "debatable" topics from the news, explore various perspectives about current events can help your child realize that not everything has a "right" answer--an important critical thinking skill. Keep the talk flowing with your child so that his/ her "conversation muscles" are in top shape for the upcoming school year.

Engage the Mind
It is obviously a difficult economical climate, and while prepping for "Back to School" in my area often features summer enrichment programs for various kids, the cost may be too steep for many families. Recently, I looked into a two-week program for Matt at a local college; the $3000 price tag was prohibitive. Yet, I know that one of the best things that a parent/caregiver can do for a child is to keep that child's mind engaged over the summer. Sure, summer camps, art classes, science courses, and other activities can inspire your little or big kid to interact with the world. But what to do if funds are limited? Make a commitment to find cost-efficient and meaningful ways to broaden your child's horizons so that he/she may bring those experiences back into the classroom.

For example, museums in your area may offer discounts or even free museum visits. Or, maximize your visit to a museum by taking advantage of its free programs for children--the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, for example, has wonderful family events that are free with admission (note: general admission tickets are $20 for adults, but free for kids 12 and under with a paying adult. Also, the $20 admission is "Recommended.") Museums are a fantastic arena for kids to experience the wonders of history, the humanties, and the arts. I enjoy smaller museums, because often the tour guides will give a personalized tour. In fact, in my area are interesting "hot spots" like The U.S.S. Ling submarine/ museum, the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum (featuring an impressive collection of wildlife and jungle paintings), The New Jersey Children's Museum, which was a favorite of Matt's while he was growing up, the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum--with a real Cobra Gunship!--and the Yogi Berra museum. With a bit of research and ingenuity, you can find a lot of exciting activities in your area that are tailored to your child's interests. Your child will find ways to make connections from his/ her summer jaunts to topics that come up in the classroom. From my experience, I've found that students who have "real life" connections and contemporary experiences can often find meaning or relevance in what is happening in the classroom.

Get Organized
One of the biggest challenges that kids have to tackle when re-entering school in the new academic year is getting organized. Students who suffer from executive functioning issues have a great difficulty organizing themselves in order to be successful. Have you ever watched your child do his/ her homework, only to learn that the finished work somehow was lost on the way to school? Has your child been blindsided by a project deadline that the teacher announced daily for the last three weeks, but your son/ daughter "forgot" about it? I know how frustrating it is to see your child lose faith in himself/ herself because he/she can't remember due dates, forgot to bring a book to class, or left a completed essay on the table at home--thus receiving a "0" on the assignment.

Since it takes time to really integrate a new skill set--and for many, getting organized is definitely a new skill--the summer is a great time to start working on it. How do you start?

Academic Planner: Buy an academic planner that is user-friendly for your child, with enough room to write assignments and activities. During the summer, your older child can use it to keep track of appointments or fun outings with friends. You can help your younger child do the same. My more successful students even color-code activities in their planners, and use all sorts of methods to keep it easy to turn to the current date in the calendar: Post-Its, paper clips, and folded pages. Keeping track of assignments, short and long-term, is critical for the successful student. For students who struggle with a planner system, as my older son has for years, they can create a daily "To Do" list that will guide their activities and anchor daily goals in their short-term memory. My son would tape his "To Do" list to the top of his computer so that he would see it frequently throughout the day.

Create a Designated Work Space
Providing your child with a work space creates a mental trigger that says, "Time to get to work!" The work space ideally should be away from the "comforts of home" for your child--i.e. his/ her bedroom, family room adorned with video game consoles and a blaring TV. Although my home is relatively small, when Matt started working at the dining room table instead of his distracting "man cave" of a basement (festooned with video games, a computer, a phone, and a TV), his focus improved. Matt's started really concentrating on completing homework thoroughly, he organized his homework by putting it into color-coded folders (his choice!), and as a result, his grades went up. Because I kept the work space clean--I tried hard to eliminate clutter, especially from the table top--he could see if he left a book or assignment on the table instead of putting it away. I also would take the time to work in the "Work Space," doing my lesson plans or grading. Together, we set a tone of seriousness, and we both got a lot of work done. Keeping our materials close at hand and in this area of the house definitely cut down on "I can't find my homework" and other typical anthems that I've heard over the years from Matt.

Post-its Are Our Friends
Matt started using Post-its to organize his math homework; he had a teacher who would give him a "0" if he "couldn't find his homework fast enough" in his notebook. Considering, at the time, that Matt would write his homework in whatever notebook he had on hand, he often couldn't find the assignments fast enough and earned a lot of "0" marks. So, we implemented the power of the mighty Post-it! Once Matt completes his homework in a notebook, he uses a Post-it to create a visual cue indicating where he recorded that completed assignment. Using our Post-it method has helped him organize his many assignments and taken the stress out of hunting through the myriad of notebooks he has stashed in his backpack. During the summer months, you can encourage your child to try using Post-its as reminders of upcoming activities, as bookmarks on which your child can record thoughts of what he/she read, or as visual reminders in something like a recipe book.

Keep in mind, many adults struggle with organization as well--and many of those people who are struggling have another person to help them get organized, such as an assistant or secretary. With all of the innovations that students must learn quickly to navigate, like computer applications, learning to use a locker, transitioning from an elementary to a middle to a high school, managing deadlines from six or seven instructors on a daily basis, participating in volunteerism, sports, and club activities--no wonder kids can use a little help getting organized. Do not expect that all kids can do it on their own, or that your child is a failure because he can't use a calendar. Find a system that works best for your family and your child, and take the summer to implement it.

Summer is a great time to decompress, but it is also a gift of time that allows families to become proactive and prepare for the upcoming year. Obviously, we all want our children to succeed and find happiness. Preparing for back to school can encompass more than a visit to the drugstore for pencils and notebooks. I hope that some of my tips and advice work for your family as you journey into the next school year!