GETTING IN GEAR: A BACK TO SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE

Despite the warm temperatures and sunny skies, many students are feeling a shadow looming as back to school season creeps closer. After weeks of lazy, summer days, late nights, varying routines and minimal mental stimulation, the return to school can seem overwhelming to students of all ages.


To help parents and children get ready for the new school year, we are offering several tips to ease the transition from the beach to the classroom and jumpstart sluggish summer brains.


STUDENTS:
For many students, the first day of school doesn’t only bring new teachers and new friends - it can also be a source of anxiety with homework assignments and tests just around the corner. Starting the school year off on the right foot can help minimize students’ stress levels throughout the year.


Get Cleaning. A dirty, cluttered room is not conducive to studying. Get organized before homework starts piling up.
• Remove seldom-worn clothing.
• Pack away belongings not used on a regular basis.
• For smaller children, label areas so they can easily see where belongings should go.


Carve Out A Homework Spot. Whether it is in your bedroom, the basement, or a family office, find an area where you can work distraction-free and claim it as your official workspace.

• Pick a place that is always available and where you feel comfortable doing schoolwork.
• Stock the area with all of the supplies and tools that are needed to complete homework.


Get Organized. Organization is key to ensure you stay on top of the requirements for each subject.
• Use separate, labeled notebooks for each class.
• Create files for each subject. The folders can hold assignments, essays, handouts and notes taken during classes.
• Purchase a planner or calendar to keep track of important dates and deadlines.


Set Educational Goals. Whether it is striving for an A in a certain subject, handing in all homework on time or preparing for tests well in advance, setting goals can help establish a routine for the new year.
• Set goals that are measurable, specific, reasonable and have personal value.


Stay On Schedule. Minimize last minute cramming or deadline mix-ups by creating a detailed school schedule.

• Include all classes, assignments and key dates, such as project deadlines and test dates. Fill in new dates as they arise.
• Schedule specific times for studying, projects and extracurricular activities. The more thorough the schedule, the more helpful it will be to you.

Know The School. If you ever feel swamped with back to school madness, ask for help. Schools assist students with transitioning from one grade to another. Meet with your guidance counselor and/or teachers. If you are still nervous, ask your mom or dad to drop you off at school on the first day of class.


Be Adventurous. Step out of your comfort zone this school year by trying new things academically and in terms of extracurricular activities.
• Try every type of class and/or activity. You never know what your strengths are until you experience as much as you can.
• Challenge yourself. If you have the opportunity, take the hardest classes - not the easiest subjects.
• Ask questions. There is nothing wrong with not always knowing the answer. Asking questions is the best way to learn!



Think Positive. Yes, going back to school means homework and early mornings. It also means reconnecting with old friends, meeting new people, resuming fun extracurricular activities, learning more about your favorite subjects and improving on your last year’s performance.



PARENTS:



While the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare lunches, fighting over appropriate school attire and regulating the amount of television watched might have you frazzled, take solace in the fact that you can play a big part in getting your children motivated and excited to tackle a new school year.

Depending on your child’s age, your role in the above-mentioned tips will vary. The following are helpful ideas to ease kids of all ages back into learning mode:

Help Your Child Discover His/Her Learning Style. Because each child is special, with different learning styles and academic needs, it is important to personalize the learning process. People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group activity or through quiet thinking time. Talk to your child’s teachers about your child’s learning strengths and how best to support them.



Get Back In The Routine. Ease the transition from lazy summer days to the structure of the school year by re-establishing bedtime, mealtime, reading and homework routines. Talk with your child about the importance of structure and how routines help ensure that he is not overtired or overly anxious about schoolwork.

Develop A Family Event Calendar. One of the most helpful tools for getting organized is a family event calendar. To ease the chaos, track school programs, volunteer work and after-school activities. Family time management is essential if you are going to avoid the tumultuous frenzy of disorganization.

• Depending on your children’s ages, this calendar can be on construction paper with large squares to write in all necessary information, or it can be produced on a white board so that it is easy to revise.

• If it is color-coded by family member, you can clearly see who has an activity scheduled and when the event occurs.

• Place the calendar near the telephone, so when a friend’s mother calls to invite your child to a birthday party, you will know instantly whether it fits within your family plans.
Purchase School Supplies In Advance. Avoid the last-minute rush by purchasing supplies at least one week in advance. Take your child. She can feel excited and in control by choosing her favorite colors and designs.
Be a Cheerleader. Encourage your child to share any concerns he has about returning to school. Reinforce positive feelings by talking with your child about learning and achievement. Support his academic interests and encourage him to get involved in extracurricular activities at school.

How To Make The Transition To A New School

habits and attitudes, selecting courses, discovering talents and interests, choosing mentors, learning new skills and knowledge, and building confidence.

Every student and family is unique, but here are simple tips that can help students make the process easier.

Get to know the school. Attend as many of the end-of-summer activities your school offers. There’s probably an open house – go to it with your child, and invite one or two of her friends to go with you. Explore the school’s website ahead of time. Go to the school and explore the campus. Have his new schedule with you.

Be encouraging. Being upbeat and positive is incredibly important. Encourage your child to join clubs, teams, and activities that he’d be interested in. This is the best way to make friends, discover new interests and talents, put down roots, build confidence, and create a feeling of belonging.

Make friends. Talk about friendships, how to make friends, how to be a friend, how friendships change and evolve over time. Share stories about your school friendships, especially the rare and satisfying ones that have stood the test of time.

Know the teachers. Make every effort to meet and keep in periodic touch with teachers. Know what their expectations are, when report cards are coming out, the due dates of major assignments, the testing schedule. Help your student keep on track by doing your essential parental job of friendly, persistent nagging when necessary.

Know the rules. Read the Student Handbook with your child before school starts. Talk about responsibility.

Set goals and routines. Help your child stay ahead by setting goals with him, planning for important dates and events, establishing routines for his homework and studying, and letting him know you’re aware of his responsibilities.

Keep that confidence up. Talk with your child daily about school to let him know you’re interested in his day and that education is important to you. Show him how to recognize his successes, learn from his mistakes, and look forward to meeting new challenges.

Preparing for the New School Year – Resources that Work

As local students enjoy the summer months, most parents are already looking for resources to prepare their kids for the upcoming school year. To succeed in school and life, Hunterdon and Mercer area students need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills. For many children, the first day of school doesn't just mean new teachers and new friends – it can also be a source of anxiety with homework assignments and tests just around the corner. Fortunately, starting the year off on the right foot can help minimize children's stress levels throughout the year.

Getting ready for a new school year isn't just a job for kids - it also requires parents to be prepared. To help local parents and students kick start the new school year successfully, Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, is offering a variety of tools to improve core skills like math, reading and writing.

Master Your Math:
"Forgotten Math for Parents" and "Algebra Spoken Here" Seminars
Parents wishing to restore their math skills in order to help their children learn can participate in "Forgotten Math for Parents" and "Algebra Spoken Here" seminars offered free-of-charge at your local Sylvan Learning throughout the year. "Forgotten Math for Parents" is an interactive, 90-minute seminar designed to help parents and family members gain confidence in assisting their children with their homework by reviewing many of the key math concepts that are introduced in 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

Do you ever use the phrase, "I'm not a math person"? The "Algebra Spoken Here" parent workshop will provide fun ways to overcome your math "phobia." Hear the latest trends and news about math - and why it's more important than ever!

SchoolMathPrep.com and SylvanMathPrep.com
SchoolMathPrep.com is offered by your local Sylvan Learning as a free math resource for local teachers and students in grades 7-12 to use during school hours - for remediation, enrichment and test preparation, and SylvanMathPrep.com is available for on-the-spot math guidance during homework time at home. The educator-created sites deliver more than 2,000 instructor-led videos, covering 750 lessons in pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and specific lessons designed to address the math concepts assessed on the SAT/ACT. Each lesson includes sample problems demonstrating the work and answers, summary notes, a quiz, a worksheet, and a deep thought question. The resources also feature a powerful search function - by concept or keyword or textbook (for a majority of U.S. middle and high school textbooks).

Educators interested in securing the free math resource from our neighborhood Sylvan Learning center are encouraged to visit www.SchoolMathPrep.com. To obtain extra help with math homework – when and where you want it, visit www.SylvanMathPrep.com for a free trial.

Prepare For College:
"Test Stress: A Parent's Real Guide to College Test Prep" Parent Seminar
College admissions today are becoming very competitive. New tools, such as the common application, encourage students to apply to more schools - which increase the competition, making it more difficult for students to gain acceptance into the colleges and universities that were once seen as safe bets. A well-rounded application, including strong SAT and ACT scores, is critical. Getting a college education requires a lot of time, effort and careful planning by students and parents working together. To help navigate the college prep process, your local Sylvan Learning is offering free workshops for parents and college-bound students, "Test Stress: A Parent’s Real Guide to College Test Prep," dedicated to helping families navigate through the SAT/ACT and the complex college admissions process.

The fun, interactive seminar will feature advice from Sylvan educators and leading college admission experts, college coaches and guidance counselors to help parents understand how to create a successful plan for the test-taking season. Families can then use their free, customized College Planner, Parent Resource Guide and High School Tracking Program to ensure their children are college admission ready.

Read for Fun: Book Adventure
Reading enrichment can be yet another vital activity to prepare to re-enter the classroom. Educational experts agree that the more children read, the more they'll enjoy reading, and the better readers they're likely to become. Sylvan Learning has created a free, interactive reading motivation program called Book Adventure where parents and teachers can help children choose books from more than 7,500 titles, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teacher and parent resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading. For more information, visit www.BookAdventure.com.

Family Resources: DrRickBlog.com
DrRickBlog.com is a one stop resource for parents and educators that provides tips and tools for families of students in grades pre-K to high school. "Dr. Rick," Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Education Outreach for Sylvan Learning, has more than forty years of education experience in both the private and public sectors. Dr. Rick's blog features weekly topics concerning the latest trends in education, advice and creative ideas. In addition, DrRickBlog.com invites visitors to post feedback and comments with their own views, helping to further the connection among educators and education-focused families throughout North America. It also incorporates an inspirational and informative, but fun and interactive tone, providing a supportive destination for parents and educators to visit year-round. For more information, visit www.DrRickBlog.com.

Newsletters, Tip Sheets and More
Sylvan's monthly newsletters feature the latest trends in education and other issues important to educators, parents and students in grades pre-K through 12. Additionally, Sylvan offers tip sheets on topics ranging from holding successful parent/teacher conferences, stress-free test taking, helping with homework and more.

Visit the "Parent Resources" area of www.SylvanLearning.com for additional, free tools.

How Parents Can Help Build Their Child’s Self-Esteem

Approximately 20 to 45 percent of school-aged children do not reach their full potential because they suffer from low self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself. It includes self-confidence, self-respect, pride in oneself, independence and self-reliance. Success builds self-esteem. Because underachieving students do not experience as much success in the classroom, low self-esteem is often the result. Many parents assume that their underachiever may have a lower IQ. In fact, most underachievers have high or average IQs, but their low self-esteem prevents them from succeeding in the classroom.

A school-aged child’s self-esteem is cultivated primarily at home. It is important that parents have a complete understanding of what self-esteem is and how to help build positive self-confidence in their child. It is the way a child feels about himself/herself regardless of how others view him/her. A secure home environment that establishes confidence, respect and an open exchange of ideas, thoughts and feelings is crucial to building self-esteem. The more positive a child’s self-esteem, the more successful he or she will be at dealing with life. Confident children will try harder, be happier and have greater self-respect. At Sylvan, students work with one teacher and no more than two other students and are able to build their confidence.

For the first 5-6 years, parents are the most important influences in a child’s life. When children begin school, teachers and friends begin to play a role. When a child reaches adolescence, peer groups begin playing a more significant role in guiding a child’s self-esteem. The more positive a child’s self-esteem is before adolescence, the easier it will be for him or her to resist negative peer group pressures. Children who constantly put themselves down have low self-esteem. Children who face new experiences with confidence and positive expectations, and shrug off disappointments with an “it will be better next time” attitude, have high self-esteem.

Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offers the following communication tips to help build or restore your children’s self-esteem:

• Have easy-going conversations on topics that are of interest to your children.
• Ask questions that require in-depth responses.
• Be optimistic.
• Encourage children to express their true feelings.
• Listen to how your children fees without making judgments about those feelings.
• Be patient.

Positive self-esteem not only helps students in the classroom, but also contributes to success later in life. Self-esteem must be established at an early age and strengthened throughout every child’s life.

To build positive self-esteem, parents must strive to:

• Help their children to set goals.
• Assist their children in identifying obstacles to success and developing ways to overcome them.
• Remind their children to think positive thoughts.
• Praise their children everyday.
• Everyday, say “I love you” and mean it.
• Allow their children to be free to succeed and to make mistakes.
• Compliment their children and don’t compare them to other siblings.
• Make time to talk to their children every day.

In today’s society, there is a definite demand on students to succeed, and positive self-esteem is crucial. It may be beneficial to send your child to a supplemental education provider that reinforces positive self-esteem. Sylvan Learning has helped more than two million students develop the skills, habits and attitudes needed for lifelong success. Sylvan also helps bolster self-esteem by focusing on strategies for success and providing consistent positive reinforcement to demonstrate that learning is its own reward.

Kickoff a Stress-Free School Year

For many children, the first day of school doesn’t only mean new teachers and new friends – it can also be a source of anxiety with homework assignments and tests just around the corner. Starting the school year off on the right foot can help minimize a child’s stress level throughout the year.

The experts at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, suggest parents help their children prepare for the transition to the next grade level and the return to school by encouraging a structured routine from day-one and staying actively involved in their child’s education.

To help children get ready for the new school year and to minimize academic stress, Sylvan Learning offers these tips and ideas to make the transition from summer to school easier. Tips include back–to-school suggestions and specific hints for the transitional years:

Back-to-School Tips (for each new school year):• Get back in the routine. Ease transition from lazy summer days to the structure of the school year by re-establishing bedtime, mealtime, reading and homework routines. Talk with your child about the importance of these routines and how they help ensure that he is not overtired or overly anxious about schoolwork or the next day of school.
• Set education goals. Help your child set goals at the very beginning of the year. Whether it is striving for an A in reading, handing in all homework on time or preparing for tests well in advance, setting goals can help set the routine for the new year.
• Develop a relationship with your child’s teacher. Take the time to meet your child’s teachers at the beginning of the school year. Teachers can be the best source for information about your child’s scholastic performance and they can recommend ways to help your child or resolve any difficulties he or she is having.
• Homework routine and place. Designate a specific time and place for homework time and help your child discover a regular, quiet place where he can study. Make sure that the area is free from potential distractions and that study tools are at your child’s fingertips to keep him focused on homework and studying.
• Stay on schedule. Your child should keep a schedule of all classes, assignments and key dates, such as project deadlines and test dates. As part of that schedule, she should include specific times for studying, projects and extracurricular activities. The more thorough the schedule, the more efficient your child will be. Organization minimizes late nights completing homework assignments, cramming for tests at the last minute and can ultimately reduce student anxiety about school.
• Emphasize organization. For some students, having color-coded binders for each subject helps them stay on track throughout the school year. Keeping notes organized helps test preparation later in the year, so work with your child to determine the best method for him.
• Encourage learning at home. Promoting learning outside of the classroom helps children perform better in school. To nurture reading skills spend at least one hour per week – 10 to 15 minutes a day – reading with your child. To enhance math proficiency, try allowing your child to help plan the next family trip and encourage him to compute miles, cost of gas, expenses for food, hotel and entertainment.

Transition Year Back-to-School Tips (Children Starting Kindergarten, First Grade, Middle School or High School):• Visit the school. If your child is changing schools with the new year, make a special trip together to visit the school before the first day of classes. Checking out the new classroom and the new teacher before school starts will help ease feelings of anxiety and help get your child into his or academic routine. If it’s available, review the class schedule with your child and prepare him for the new grade.
• Discuss changes in routine. Talk with your child about how the routine for her new school may differ from the previous year. It can be difficult for children to adjust to changes in schedules and workloads. Explain how her schedule may differ from last year. Will there be more homework assignments? Does she have to wake up earlier? Will she have more than one teacher this year?
• Provide extra support. When starting the new school year, especially if it’s a transition year, a little extra support can’t hurt. Talk with your child about her fears regarding school and maintain an open dialogue throughout the year. Discuss what subjects she’s anticipating and any areas she finds particularly challenging. Don’t forget to talk about homework and tests.
• Transition into Kindergarten. Kindergarten is your child’s introduction to elementary school and a first opportunity to learn basic math and reading skills, not to mention a first look at routines and expectations of group learning. As a parent, you are your child's first teacher. The skills that he learns from you – how to get along with others, follow directions and listen to directions – will help him start the year off right.
• Transition into middle school and high school. Transitioning from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school brings many questions and concerns. Organization becomes even more important in middle school and high school when your child must keep track of multiple subjects, homework, teachers, classrooms and books. You can help him to reduce stress by giving him a calendar/planner to help him organize these new items and encouraging him to build good study habits.