For many students, heading back to school can feel a little overwhelming, as not only do they need to adjust to a new schedule, but a higher and often more difficult workload. With academic success at the front of many parents’ minds, it’s important for you to take the time to help your child as they enter the new term. Whether this is encouraging them to get organised or just being a solid support system for them at home, there are lots of ways you can help your child succeed throughout this new school year.
1. Help Them Establish A Homework Routine
If you’re wanting to help your children not just succeed, but thrive during their new school year, it’s crucial to help them establish a study routine. Start by determining a time that daily schoolwork can be completed.For most this will be straight after school while they’re still in studying mode. Others may need down time first and start working a little later on. Once a time has been decided, it’s important your kids stick with it, even if they don’t feel like it.This way homework doesn’t build up, and they will have the time they need to stay on top of their studies.
2. Foster Independence
Communicating with your child regarding school expectations is key, as is holding them accountable for their own learning. Encourage them to ask their teacher for help or to brainstorm their own solutions to any school-related issues. Being a sounding board rather than telling them what to do, will not only foster independence, but really help them succeed at school. It’s also a great idea to help them focus more on building up good habits like time management, organisation, and self-advocacy rather than purely focusing on the grades alone.
3. Be Aware of What’s Going On
As parents it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in your child’s school life. Start by checking their school planner regularly to ensure they’re writing down homework correctly and to see if there are any important comments from teachers. Talking to your kids about how school is going every week is also an excellent idea. Ask them about how they’re finding their workload, upcoming tests and exams and how classes are going in general. This will really indicate if your child needs some extra help when settling into the new school year.
4. Help Your Child Set Goals
Goal setting is an important skill which can really help kids stay focused, motivated, and productive, especially as they start a new school year. Take the time to sit with your child to identify some educational goals and put a plan in place to achieve them for the next few months. Encourage them to pick two or three goals to focus on, help them set a timeline and break their goals down into smaller, manageable tasks. This should help them feel much more inspired and excited to try their best to succeed at school.
5. Create A Helpful Home Environment
Even at a young age, your child will likely have homework. Help them succeed by fostering a good learning environment at home. This includes creating a regular routine at home, encouraging good homework habits as mentioned before, goal setting and having a calm study environment for children to work in. This help at home is invaluable for children and will mean they really get the best chance of success at school.
6. Demonstrate A Positive Attitude About Education
Showing your children that you both value education and use it in your daily life provides them with powerful models and contributes greatly to their success in school. This is especially true when starting a new term, when everything feels a little new and scary, meaning having someone at home demonstrating a positive attitude will help it feel more exciting and worthwhile. In fact, showing an active and positive interest in your children’s education can really help spark enthusiasm and lead them to a very important understanding—that learning can be enjoyable as well as rewarding and is well worth the effort required.
