Start the New School Year Off Right
 
 
A new school year is almost here, and with it comes the opportunity for students to erase mistakes from past years. This year could be the year that students finally stop procrastinating when it comes to homework.  This could also be the year that they start enjoying math, or learn to organize their study notes.
 
Aside from the occasional back-to-school jitters, it’s a great time to be a student—the school year is fresh and new, and full of possibilities. As the first days of school pass into the first weeks, jitters begin to fade. Students settle into the routine of their new classes.
 
Unfortunately, they can also find themselves settling back into bad habits from previous years.  Before too long, your family is rushing around in the morning, homework is being forgotten, and poor test marks are rolling in.
 
“It’s important to start the new school year off on the right foot. The habits that students develop in the early days can stick with them for the entire year,” says Elizabeth McCarthy from Oxford Learning Collingwood.
 
According to McCarthy, the sooner that students make good school habits part of their daily routine, the more likely it is that they will keep these habits for the entire school year. The trick is, she says, to implement those good school habits from the first day of class, or even before.  This takes some preparation and planning.
 
So how do parents and students prepare to start the new school year off on the right foot?
 
McCarthy recommends that parents take out last year’s final report card and review the comments and any areas of concern.
 
“If there are school issues from last year that weren’t addressed over the summer, it’s likely that they will become problems again this year,” she says.  “Knowing what the challenges are ahead of time, and getting help with these areas before they become issues is a great way to start the school year off on the right foot.”
 
McCarthy also recommends that parents reintroduce school-year habits such as limiting TV and computer time, setting bedtimes and wake up times, and using a family wall calendar to keep track of chores and social activities.
 
Of course, purchasing new school supplies is also a great way to help kids feel motivated, even excited, about starting a new grade—excitement for school is a great way to start off a new school year.
 
For more information about back-to-school habits and helping students get on track, contact Elizabeth McCarthy at Oxford Learning Collingwood.  Phone: 705-445-6022; email: collingwood@oxfordlearning.com; or visit Oxford Learning online at oxfordlearning.com