One of my favorite things about working in education is the opportunity for a fresh start each year. After a little break or at least a change in the schedule, teachers, students, parents, and staff come back ready for a great new year.
When our teachers return in August, they thoughtfully prepare the classroom so there are spaces for gathering as a group, collaborating with classmates, taking a break, and working independently. They also make sure materials are strategically placed for easy access. They think about the day's structure, how to build community, communicate expectations, when to take breaks, and so much more. The ultimate goal is to set students up to be successful, feel a sense of belonging, and learn to work collaboratively and independently.
As families think about having a great school year, it could be helpful to consider borrowing from some of our teachers and implementing these strategies at home, too. Here is a Top 10 list for Setting Up for A Successful School Year!
1. Create a routine. This one may seem obvious, but go ahead and prepare a written schedule so that everyone in your family knows the group plan for the day or the week. Review it over the weekend to see what activities are in place and what students need to have or do to be prepared. Remember to include wake-up and bedtimes in the routine so children learn to prioritize sleep.
2. Set expectations. Even very young children want to be feel capable and self-reliant. Set expectations for the responsibilities in the house. Maybe it’s putting away items once children are home from school, preparing lunch, folding the laundry, or setting the table. Expect everyone to commit to helping the family.
This is definitely an expectation at school—being a contributing community member. Your teacher will thank you for practicing this at home, too.
3. Get to know your child’s teachers and other school staff. At VCS, I help with carpool each day - it’s one of my favorite parts of the day. I love seeing our families each morning and having a few minutes to connect with them. Schools are special micro-communities and great places for students and adults to feel connected and belonging. Don’t hesitate to reach out and introduce yourself!
4. Get to know the other students and families in the class. I’ve worked in many different school settings, and one thing I know for sure is that school communities are full of the best people. Go ahead and attend school events and class birthday parties. Set up playdates, dinner dates, and more. Your children will make new friends, and you will too.
5. Read communication from the school. I know my inbox stays quite full, and I bet yours does, too, but try to find a few minutes each week to read newsletters from your school and your child’s teacher. It will help you feel connected to the community and provide opportunities for you to talk with your child. When you ask, “What did you do a school today?” If your child says “nothing,” then having the newsletter in hand will help you ask more specific questions about different activities and events you may have read about.
6. Practice curiosity. We all like to share experiences from our perspective, yet one aspect of self-awareness is being able to see an event through multiple perspectives. As your child shares an experience from school, consider asking how others in the group - friends, teachers, etc.- may view that experience differently. By staying open, we teach children the importance of curiosity over judgment.
7. Find time for play and rest. Rest and play are not four-letter words. They are essential to our minds, bodies, and spirits. Resist the temptation to sign up for all extracurricular activities and consider scheduling time for rest and play, too.
8. Prepare healthy meals. Like rest and play, food nourishes our minds, bodies, and souls. Healthy doesn’t have to be fancy, expensive, or complicated. See what works for your family in terms of having children help prepare meals, making shopping lists, and, for the advanced course, growing food and composting food scraps.
9. Embrace flexibility. I used to play a game with my students called “what if.” We’d think about different scenarios and how we would react. For example, what if we get a flat tire on the way to school? Will we have a big emotion or take a deep breath? What if we can’t attend a party because someone isn’t feeling well? Will that result in a big emotion or finding another time to get together? Practicing flexibility and thinking in advance about managing emotions can be done in the few minutes it takes to drive to school each day.
10. Give yourself and those around you grace. We all make mistakes. Go easy on those around you, and most especially on yourself. It’s going to be a great school year. Be grateful for the joyful moments and for the tough moments; they are all there to help us learn and grow.