Jump-Start School Days With a Plan

Step aside summer, a new season approaches.

International childcare college give importance to their students, they always make sure that their students are fully equip with knowledge after they finish the course. For many, fall signifies a return to routines. Habits that may have been broke with those lazy days of summer must soon be adjusted because what lay ahead is the more rigorous and unrelenting schedule of school days.

If you have children who are heading back to school, or starting school for the first time, it helps to get organized before the school year begins. Before you head out to purchase all those classroom must-haves, think about your home space and what you can do to help set your child on the path to school day success. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Develop a back-to-school plan-Map out exactly what you need to do and items you need to purchase for your child as they to the classroom. If you are very diligent, you may want to take some time to create a plan on your home computer, with a checklist of items so that your course of action won’t go astray. Assign each task or item a date so that nothing gets missed. Some items may require immediate attention (for example, sought-after backpacks, binders and lunch bags that every student fashionista MUST have before they sell out) while others (pens, pencils, colored crayons and note paper) that are classroom basics.

Designate a workspace-Some researchers advocate that providing children with a designated workspace, and all the tools they need to do their homework (including quiet time with televisions and other electronics turned off), yields the best results for children to actually accomplish the task of homework. It can be a place in your home office, dining room or in the child’s room-anywhere that is free of distractions. Keep the workspace tidy and make available some of the necessities your child may need: extra notepads, a drawer, pencil case or holder for pens, pencils and erasers, rulers, Post-it Notes, scissors, glue sticks and staplers. The National Association of School Psychologists has an excellent article about homework research and some strategies that you can adapt to help your child succeed.

Create a central calendar-Keep track of those appointments and after-school activities by placing a family calendar in a central place of your home where everyone can see it. Throughout the year, you will want to add school trips, volunteer appointments, special lunch days, school assemblies and concerts and other important events so that they are never missed by anyone in the family.

Plan a menu for the week-This is something that the whole family can participate in. At the beginning of the week, or when you do your groceries, think about the meals that you want to prepare for the week ahead. Prep what you can if you have time on weekends. Packing lunches can be particularly stressful, so get everyone involved. Think about doing it assembly-line style with each member of the family holding down different “stations” in the preparation of lunches. One person may be the sandwich maker. Another may be the fruit packer. Packing lunches the night before can save a lot of hassle the next day.

While these are just a few tips, the important thing to remember is that when you plan ahead, you are helping to jump-start a successful school year for your child.