Tips for a Magical School Year

Have you been out to the store or mall lately? You can tell it's back to school time by all the people frantically checking lists and filling their carts! Wouldn't it be nice if all the supplies and school clothes magically appeared at your doorstep each year?! I haven't yet had the joy of back to school shopping for children yet, but the time will be here before I know it. I decided to ask one of my dear teacher friends for some advice on back to school, the first day of school and tips for having a successful and magical school year. Mrs. Sarah is beginning her 11th year of teaching. She has taught Kindergarten and currently is teaching 5th grade. Mrs. Sarah is one of those teachers that can keep her cool in the most stressful situations and is great with children of all ages. She has a passion for helping children thrive and is always willing to put in the extra effort to set her students up for success! Below are the topics we discussed and her professional teacher opinion.

Pointers for Buying/Sending School Supplies

"Buy name brand. It will save you from replacing them each month. Off brand products just don't work as well. Also, buy the quantity that the teacher asks for. It may not make sense to you as to why they are asking for that many packages of paper, but please remember they have tried to perfect this number over years of having students. Also, they are trying to save you money by buying the supplies when they are at their cheapest price."

Is it important to attend open house/meet the teacher nights

"I believe that attending open house/meet the teacher night does two things. It helps for you to put a face with your child's teacher. It also allows you to help calm any nerves that your child may be experiencing. Even older children get nervous about starting the school year and having to change from the old routine they experienced last year. This lets your child see that you trust this teacher to do his/her very best for your student."

What can parents do to help make the first day go more smoothly?

-"Begin going to bed at a normal bedtime a week before school starts. Also, set an appropriate bedtime. Kinder students still need 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night...especially starting school. Their brains will be very tired the first few weeks. First graders through fourth graders should be getting 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Even older students will experience extreme fatigue at the beginning of school if they do not get the proper amount of sleep. This will cause behavior issues as well as learning issues."

-"Have dinner as a family the night before at the table together."

-"Prepare their backpacks and lunches the night before."

-"Make the morning before school special."

-"Pray with your student before sending them to school". << I love this! It's such a great way to help calm the child's nerves and remind them that God is there with them throughout the day!

What can parents do at home (before/after school) to prepare children for success in school?

-"Designate a place in the house for their backpack and lunch box to go after school every day."

-"Check their planner or take home folder every night."

-"Ask them about their day and don't except 'I don't know' or 'boring' as an answer."

-"Set aside family reading time each night. During this time, EVERYONE in the family sits down to read for 15 mins. If they're to little to read on their own, then select a book to read together as a family. Could be a picture pick. Could be a chapter book. But show your students that reading is important and that you value reading...and if you don't, fake it until you do. Students who read at home each night are way more successful than students who do not. The statistics prove it time and time again."

-"Stick to the set bedtime. Don't let outside activities dictate wen your family goes to bed. Sleep is very important to the health of a student."

Any other tips for parents for a successful school year?

-"Support your school."

-"Never talk negatively about your student's school or teachers in front of them."

-"Ask the teacher questions. You need to remember that he/she has 20+ students in their class. Which means 20+ parents. We try real hard to stay in personal communication with every parent, but at the end of the day we get tired too and sometimes we forget that we said we would email you back. Also, ask your student's teacher how you can best support them. It will mean the world to them." <<<Great tip! Teachers are taking care of your children, plus all the other children for a huge part of the day. Become partners with them and support each other, it will benefit your student tremendously!!

-"If there is a problem, go to the teacher first to discuss the problem before going to the principal. Many times students will tell their parents about an issue they are having with another student before they tell their teacher. If the teacher doesn't know about the problem, then he/she can't address it."

-"Be forgiving if there is a sub in your student's class that day. The teacher already feels bad that he/she has to leave her students with someone else. It is not our favorite thing to do. If there was an issue, please let us know."

Great tips and ideas from Mrs. Sarah! It's important that teachers and parents can work together so that their child is set up for success. It truly takes a village to raise a child. I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below. Wishing you well as you begin the school year, I hope it is magical!