Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM September 2019 | Page 30

EDUCATION DALANA SOWELLS 832.895.1233 [email protected] www.facebook.com/KumonOfLeagueCitySouth • www.kumon.com/league-city-south Setting Up for SUCCESS IN THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR I n what feels like the blink of an eye, summer is over, and a new school year has commenced. Making the transition from summer vacation mode to a classroom-ready mindset isn’t always easy. Along with the excitement of new clothes, new classes/ school and even new friends, children and parents alike can make a sometimes-difficult transition much smoother by adopting some new or honing some existing habits. Habits that will set up you and your family for success this school year. Here are a few tips that are essential for parents and students of all ages and grade levels:  Establish a study area at home. Find the perfect place to designate as the homework station. Stock the space with school supplies including pencils, sharpeners, erasers, highlighters, and index cards. Remove all electronic distractions.  Communicate with the teacher (s) and/or counselor. It’s important to understand the assignments and the expectations for class. Students should ask the teacher questions for clarity when needed. Parents should request a Parent Conference and know the best way to stay up-to-date with assignments and events to help foster a partnership for your child’s success.  Keep assignments organized. Students should keep the details of their assignments organized in a planner or notebook and write down the dates for tasks, tests, and projects. Some work requires multiple steps to finish, making planning essential.  Support homework independence. Once your children are able to read directions on their own, encourage them to complete their homework assignments by themselves at their own pace. They may continue to ask for help primarily because they enjoy the parental attention, not because they truly need assistance. When your children do their homework accurately without a reminder, acknowledge their independence to reinforce the positive habit.  Develop a growth mindset. Show interest in your children’s studies by asking questions, which can help 28 MOMENTUM foster motivation and a positive learning attitude. Remember to reinforce a positive, growth mindset. Children who understand that hard-work is more important than natural intelligence are more likely to succeed.  Avoid procrastination. Many students wait until the last minute to do their work, so check-in early and often regarding assignments to avoid procrastination. Completing assignments at a speed that the student is comfortable with, rather than rushing to get it done last minute, will show when it comes to their grades and class advancement.  Take notes in class. Listening and note-taking are important study habits for school and careers. Students identify the most relevant information they need to retain and write it down in order to review it later.  Highlight key concepts in materials. Students can use different color highlighters or sticky flags to highlight material in specific classes. Creating a color-coding system is not only great for organization, it is also fun! Combined with taking it slow, a coding system can make all the difference in an effective study approach!  Prepare your backpack before going to bed. Forgetting to bring back completed homework leads to poor grades. Students should ensure their backpack is prepared with homework, books, and school supplies before going to bed.