Facing the challenges of the classroom

[Guest guest]

Facing the challenges of the classroom

By Lylah M. Alphonse

Globe Staff / August 26, 2010

Whether your child is starting kindergarten, heading off to college, changing

schools, or returning to the same place they went last year, the end of summer

can bring on the back-to-school blues — for you and your child.

“You spend so much time getting your child ready for school, there’s so much

excitement, and you’re trying to help your child feel good about the

transition,’’ says Amy Gold, director of curriculum and instruction at the Rashi

School in Dedham and the mother of a second-grader. “Parents forget what it

means for them, that their child is going to school, some of them for the first

time.’’

If your child is starting kindergarten or preschool, the advice is fairly

straightforward: It’s important to establish (and stick to) a consistent bedtime

routine, get used to getting up earlier in the morning, and talk to your kids

about what they’ll be doing during school hours.

“Parents need to begin transitioning children into the back-to-school routine

early enough so they have time to adjust — mentally and physically,’’ says

Olson, vice president of education for Kiddie Academy, a national child-care

education franchisor.

If there are any big changes — your child is switching from private to public

school, for example — discuss them and have your child help you come up with a

way to cope with the differences. Even though it’s probably easier and faster to

do it yourself, having kids help pack their own lunches or pick out their school

supplies can help them feel involved in the back-to-school process.

For older students, there’s another issue to contend with: homework.

“Especially for upper elementary school and middle school, they need to know

they have a dedicated space for homework,’’ Gold says. “It should be clean and

free of clutter, a quiet space where they can do work — not the family room

where younger children might be playing.’’ All of the resources they need to do

their homework independently — everything from pencils and paper to a dictionary

and, if age-appropriate, a computer — should be available at that place, Gold

advises.

If you have younger kids who don’t have to deal with homework yet, try giving

them something busy to do while you prepare dinner. It doesn’t have to be

complicated — coloring a picture, leafing through a favorite book, or sorting

blocks by color will do the trick, and establishing a homework-type step in

their routines now will make it easier for them to transition to the task when

they’re older.

And parents, don’t forget that you are transitioning, too — the difference

between a summer schedule and a typical school day can be vast. So, while you’re

establishing a routine for your kids, be sure to establish one for yourself as

well. What do you need to do to get everyone out of the house on time? Will you

supervise homework while you make dinner? How will you schedule any

extra-curricular activities? If you think making lunches the night before might

make your morning go more smoothly, try doing it a few times before school

starts — it’s better to discover that you need more time during a dry run and

not while the school bus is idling outside.

Above all, talk to other parents about how they’re dealing with their

transitions. “Reach out,’’ suggests Gold. “It’s new for everybody. If you can

try to make that connection, it can help.’’

Tips for transitioning back to school

Everyone is in transition as the summer ends — even parents. Here are a few tips

to help things go more smoothly.

Start the transition process early. “Parents need to begin transitioning

children into the back-to-school routine early enough so they have time to

adjust — mentally and physically,’’ says Olson, vice president of

education for Kiddie Academy.

Keep children involved and excited. Talk about the things they’ll be learning

this school year, address any big changes, and ask kids for their input when

picking out supplies or packing lunches. Attend back-to-school events, and try

to connect in advance with kids (and parents) from their classrooms.

Practice new routines at home. Will kids have to lay their school clothes out

the night before? Go to bed earlier? Pack their own lunches? Walk or bike to

school by themselves? Practicing without pressure will help make these and other

routines second nature by the time school starts.

Establish a routine for yourself. Do you know what you need to do to get

everyone out of the house on time? It’s better to discover that you need more

time in the mornings before you actually need more time in the mornings.

Learn how to handle homework. Create a clutter-free, dedicated place for your

children to do their homework. Breaking the nightly assignments down into

manageable steps can help your child avoid feeling overwhelmed. — LMA