The new school year is well underway, and it is possible that students are seeing the shiny gleam of a new school year begin to dull. After the initial excitement of new teachers, classes, school supplies and clothes have worn off, it often becomes increasingly more difficult to motivate your child to excel in their studies, thereby succeeding in school. We know this all too familiar pattern and are here to assist you to cut it off before it becomes problematic! This month we share some tips and strategies to help students routinize their practices and behaviors, thereby helping them to be the most successful and productive learner they can be.
Get Organized: As the schedule begins to fill up with homework assignments, football practice, and dance competitions, it is so important for students to have an idea of what is required and expected from them day-to-day and week-to-week. Often relying on parents or guardians to police their schedules and ensure they are meeting deadlines, teaching your child how to organize their time and keep track of their own deadlines is an invaluable life skill. Using an agenda or maintaining due dates and obligations in their Smartphone calendar will help students take ownership and responsibility for their time and their deadlines. Budgeting time and planning for success is a skill that will benefit students well beyond their educational years and into their adult life.
Sleep: It seems obvious, but countless adults and students do not get enough sleep every night. Full schedules and excessive screen time often lure us away from getting a good night’s sleep. Setting an achievable bedtime that is at the same time each night will establish a routine ensuring your child is getting a good night’s rest. Lack of sleep is alarmingly detrimental to the way the brain functions. If a young brain is routinely denied sleep, focus and processing skills are negatively affected, thereby hindering performance levels in school. Model positive sleeping habits and enforce adequate sleep behaviors in order to best support any student’s learning and maximize their achievements.
Set a Schedule: Acknowledging the importance of our first two suggestions, setting a schedule will honor the first two practices as well as set any student up for academic success. Consider when they are most productive and focused. Do they work better immediately after school? Or is time spent engaging with homework most productive after dinner? Is the most work accomplished in 90-minute work intervals, or do 30-minute work spurts produce better results for your learner? Establish the times that work best and schedule that work time in amongst the other obligations (including sleep!) on your agenda. Find a schedule that works for your child and be sure to stick to it!
The school year is in full swing- we can help to support your child in being the most successful student yet! Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheStudentDen or give us a call at 561.213.3794 to see the services we offer that will help your student excel!
