We’re
coming up to the end of summer break and that means it is time to head
back to the classroom for tens of thousands of students around
Vancouver. For some younger students (especially first time elementary
students) this can be a nervous time.
Gearing up for school can be
exciting, but also a bit scary. For parents, getting students in the
“school day” routine can be an important first step to ensure they are
hitting the ground running once they arrive at elementary school. Here
is a top ten list of tips from a number of VSB elementary school
principals for parents looking to get their son or daughter off to a
great start:
- Make sure students are getting back into the bedtime routine – no more late summer nights
- Shop as a family to ensure lunches are both nutritional
and palatable – this will make sure your child ends up eating (rather
than trading) what you packed for them at lunch
- Read aloud to get back in the “book-reading habit” (if they aren’t there already)
- Brainstorm
together a couple of ideas/summer stories that your child can share
with the rest of the class – during the initial back-to-school weeks
there will be a lot of “sharing what we did on vacation” and being
prepared helps
- Set some goals and targets for learning so your child can hit the ground running
- Play
fun games that reinforce and reintroduce skills learned earlier
(counting games, reviewing colors, reading signs). The key is to make
sure the games are fun (not stressful)
- Be
enthusiastic about the start of school. Many students, especially
younger ones, pick up on their parent’s emotions. If you’re pumped about
school, odds are they will be as well
- Set a good example: if they see you reading, your child is much more likely to also want to pick up a book
- Make sure you are aware of traffic, parking and stopping so you’re getting to and from school safely
- Demonstrate
safety trumps convenience. Back to school time can be particularly
hectic in the first few weeks and if you show your child you are obeying
the (road) rules, they likely will too.