For youngsters with learning disabilities or who simply struggle in school, these are bittersweet times. Summer still is in its full glory, but back-to-school commercials and store displays announce that a return to the classroom isn’t far away. For most of our students, that isn’t a happy thought.
“This can be a tough time of year,” says Lawrence Kloth, co-founder of Reading Success Plus. “Our kids usually don’t like school very much, and it’s always a difficult transition for them to go back to classes after a summer of sleeping in and vacation and camps and just relaxing.”
So how can parents help make the transition back to school as smooth and pain-free as possible? Lawrence says parents can work on two goals now that will make the upcoming return to the classroom easier and set up your student for lasting success: get organized early and set up communication with your child’s school long before they step foot into class.
Get organized early
“The best thing parents can do now is get their ducks in a row,” Lawrence says. “Get ready now by setting up after-school schedules as best you can and deciding on a homework routine. Your kids need stability and consistency, so try to give it to them from the start.”
In establishing a homework routine, be conscious of how your child functioned best in the past.
“Some kids like to come home, maybe have a snack, then boom, boom, boom! They want to get it done and over with,” Lawrence says.
Other students need some time to decompress after school. They may need to run around and play to burn off some energy or have time with their friends. Maybe screen time or listening to music relaxes them.
“I was a kid who needed a few minutes of break after school,” says Lawrence, who has dyslexia and ADHD and struggled throughout much of school. “I would watch ESPN for a little bit after school because I was into sports. That’s how I decompressed, because school was so hard for me. I needed time to do that.”
For other students, extracurricular activities may take up that immediate after-school time, but the same principles apply. Make sure the child is physically and mentally ready to study – that usually means after eating dinner – and has a set time to work.
Consider other things in setting up your child’s homework routine. Give them a comfortable spot that limits distractions. Make sure they have everything they need, whether that be pencils and paper, calculators, or access to reference sources. And check that they’re doing their assignment.
“Kids aren’t perfect, and they might forget an assignment. Make sure you monitor that,” Lawrence says. “We encourage some students to make a list of their assignments before they leave school, so if they do that, check it. Maybe their school has an online account you can access that lists their assignments. Check that. Just tell them, ‘Let’s review what homework you have for tonight.’ They’re less likely to forget, and you can catch them if they’re just trying to blow it off.”
Homework isn’t everything
Don’t be afraid to incorporate outside activities into your daily routine. Pursuits such as sports, arts, 4-H, scouting or church groups – whatever your child enjoys – shouldn’t be regarded as unnecessary distractions from schoolwork. These are the interests that make our students complete, happy individuals, the activities that give them confidence and success that often eludes them in school.
“Kids need to have fun, hang out with friends, do social activities, and find their passion, what they’re really good at. If they find that passion and do well with that, it’s going to make all the difference in the world. A lot of our kids have low self-esteem because they do poorly in school. These outside activities help them like themselves.”
Tutoring is another after-school activity you may want to include in your schedule.
“I highly suggest making sure your student gets the help and support they need,” Lawrence says. “They will progress faster in school, and their success will build their self-esteem and make them happier.”
If you have trouble working tutoring into the schedule, online sessions may be the solution.
“It’s hard for families to schedule tutoring, especially if there are multiple kids or travel issues,” Lawrence says. “Online work might make that possible.”
Early communication
Parents have some control over their child’s homework environment outside schedule, but what happens in school can seem distant and out of their hands. Regular communications with teachers can lower that barrier.
Anne Kloth, Lawrence’s mother and the other co-founder of Reading Success Plus, remembers her approach to student-teacher communication when Lawrence was in school.
“We went in before school started but the teachers were already there,” she says. “It’s less stressful than waiting until there’s a problem and then starting communication. If a problem comes along, you already have a relationship you can build on.”
If your student already has an IEP or 504 plan, details can be discussed before school starts so everything is in place from Day 1. Likewise, talk about any accommodations your child needs so they will be in place from the start, allowing your child an easier transition back into class and a head start on a successful school year.
This also is a good time to ensure that parent-child communication is open. Talk about the child’s feelings as school approaches, taking their nervousness and worries seriously. If appropriate, their feelings can be part of your conversations with the teacher.
“Once school starts, keep the communication going,” Lawrence says. “That support is going to be huge for the student. Ask how their day has been and really listen – give them a chance to say what’s going on. Maybe there’s bullying, or something else that they’re uncomfortable with.
“You want to find out early so you can help the child have a smooth transition, because during the first couple of weeks, it is going to be very difficult for them to get used to the school routine.’
Create path to early success
Don’t wait for problems to show up later. Take steps now to make the transition back to school as easy as possible. Waiting until the child has a crisis pushes the child farther behind and makes catching up more difficult.
“If you lay the groundwork before school starts, or in the worst case, in the first few weeks, the next nine months are going to be way easier,” Lawrence says. “Otherwise, you’re looking at October or November and it’s almost too late, especially in high school. You can recover from some bad grades in elementary or middle school, but in high school, everything counts.
“Planning ahead can save a lot of heartache during the school year. We want these students to be the most they can be and excel in environments in which they typically don’t excel in.”
Many students don’t have happy or fulfilling school experiences, but that can change.
“I was one of these kids who was absolutely miserable, not wanting to go to school,” Lawrence remembers. “But eventually I got the help I needed. Things can turn around. They did for me, and they do for a lot of our students.
“But get prepared now, because school is right around the corner. It’s going to happen – sooner than you think.”
Reading Success Plus has offices in Grand Rapids and Troy and offers one-on-one tutoring online or in person in reading, math and writing. You can get more information at readingsuccessplus.com. To contact us, call 833-229-1112 or go online to https://readingsuccessplus.com/#contact.