29th August 2017 1:00
By Blue Tutors
The one thing that will ensure a smooth transition into the new school year and give students the best chance of success across all years is preparation, planning and organisation. Any steps that will ease students into the routine of going to school and let classes run smoothly will reduce stress and leave more energy and attention available to dedicate to learning. Make sure that all the right materials, books and logistics are in place so that students can focus on learning in class not running around making pick up arrangements or borrowing pens. This is all the more important for the younger students who have a lot of new things to deal with, or those starting with a new and unfamiliar school, who need to feel comfortable and calm about the practicalities of school.
It is also very important to prepare the mind and body for learning. The simplest and most effective thing to get right here are food and sleep. After weeks of lie-ins and unscheduled fun, even time zone changes and jet lag for other, sleep patterns and therefore brain function is disrupted over the summer. It is very important to start getting sleep cycles adjusted before the early mornings start so that they do not waste the first week being half asleep in morning classes. Equally, there is a large body of evidence that shows a good breakfast in the morning is key to success in concentrating and retaining knowledge in classes so getting a morning routine in place that includes a healthy breakfast is another preparation that will pay off longer term.
For those older students who are used to the demands of school timetables, homework and extracurricular activities, it is also important to make sure their brains are not only awake but up to date with the academic material. School builds each year on the year before, and with substantial amounts to get through each year, teachers need to move on right away. The best way to prepare and not get left behind from the start is to dedicate a little time before heading back to school to reviewing the material from the previous year to get back up to speed. In an ideal world, the summer would have been spent ironing out the kinks and reinforcing the foundations in weaker areas, but realistically most students start the year having regressed somewhat. This is particularly an issue in subjects like maths where practice is key to retaining concepts and abilities. So a little time spent, for example going over end of year exams or revision notes, to get the mind back in the right gear can pay great dividends in class.
There is also a certain responsibility for the parents in their children’s back to school success. Make sure to know what is expected of them this year. Talk to administrators or teachers to understand what you should be looking out for as the normal expectation of homework requirements for the level they are at. Having this knowledge early prevents them slipping too far behind before you notice any issues that may arise. Some students are naturally organised, some are not, either way there needs to be some sort of structure around how homework is dealt with and scheduled tests are studied for, and it is best to have this in place before the assignments start piling in.
The most important thing, however, is to ensure a sense of fun around school and a positive outlook on learning. Make sure they know the value of education and the behaviours they should be demonstrating in (and out) of school. The challenges and social learning will also vary with age but is also a key part of the education school provides so ensure children are heading back to school ready to learn knowledge but also how to be a responsible part of a community.