Summer is starting to wind down which means it won’t be long until your scholar is back to hitting the books and managing their busy school schedule. While back to school is often a time for excitement: seeing friends again, meeting new teachers and getting fresh school supplies, back to school can also cause some anxiety for students. With difficult academic demands and an increased workload as students progress through school, learners and their families can feel the pressure which can sometimes cause tension between parents and children. As we get ready for back to school this month, we take a look at a couple of tips to help make the transition back to school as seamless and stress free as possible.
Reset Body Clocks: Chances are summer has been jam packed with fun and exciting activities which have had students staying up late and sleeping in the next day. This change in sleep habits works during the summer break when kids/teens have more flexibility with their schedule, but will leave them tired and less productive once it is time to head back to school. Starting about 2 weeks before the start of the new school year, have students start to move their bedtime up by about 20 mins every 3 days or so. This means students do high excitement activities like going to the movies and chatting with friends earlier in the evening so that they have the time to wind down before it is time to go to sleep. This will help to “rewire” their body clocks, allowing the transition to waking up earlier in the morning to get ready for the school day to be a smoother one with reduced complaints when the alarm goes off in the morning.
A Work space that Works: Most likely your son/daughter’s regular workspace has since been taken over by discarded clothing, electronic paraphernalia and other items collected over the summer break- not exactly a place that encourages focus and attention. As we all have different organizational strategies, the workspace set up that you prefer may not work for your student. As such, have your child/teen set up their work space in way that makes sense for them. Alternatively, have them come to our workspace where we can gently oversee their homework needs or provide more hands on assistance for the student that needs the extra attention. With us, students also have access to a Peer-Mentor called an EmpowerMate which will help to reduce the stress and tension you and your child may experience at home when you are trying to get through the list of required assignments.
Expect Success: Perhaps the best way you can support your student this school year is to expect them to succeed. This does not mean that you are putting unreasonable amounts of pressure on them to be the best in the class and to only achieve 100% on all assignments. But it does mean that you encourage your student to do their best in everything they attempt so that they can always be proud of what they are capable of accomplishing. If you make this expectation clear from the start and provide a home environment that supports it and promotes learning, you are helping to set your child up for a successful school year.
We can help your student succeed! We can give you and your learner the tools needed to remove the stress and tension that often accompanies homework and studying and help your scholar excel in their academics this year. We are capable of accommodating your busy schedule and have many solutions for academic help and support. Give us a call at 561.488.6360 (Boca West) or 561.362.8336 (Boca East) or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheStudentDen to see how we can empower your student!
