How to Start the New School Year Off Right

As summer break comes to an end and a new school year approaches, your child might be feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. Their daily routine has changed dramatically these past few weeks, so either feeling is completely normal to experience before having to get back to a more structured lifestyle. A new school year might appear as just a halfway point to us as adults, but it can bring a new world of opportunities for your child. 

Did your child find success and meet their goals last year? That's great! They probably worked very hard and needed a break to recharge the batteries. Or did your child struggle to reach their goals last year? It happens! The bright side is they can use this break as a reset and view this upcoming year as a fresh start. No matter what happened last year, there is a chance to improve in the upcoming months. 

With a bit of planning, you can make sure your child starts the new school year off on the right foot. Here are some tips for a great start to this year!

1. Discuss Goals and Expectations 

Have a family meeting to talk about your child’s goals for the new year. These can be broken down into smaller goals as well. Write these down and save it so that you can check back in with the goals as the year progresses. After talking about some of the goals your child has for themself, talk about your expectations. You might have a specific GPA in mind, or your expectations might be to turn in all homework assignments, miss less than one week of school, or be involved in one club or extracurricular activity. If your child starts to fall behind during the year, you can return to these expectations and point toward areas that need improvement. 

2. Talk About Social Responsibilities 

Your child might have more social responsibilities compared to last year. For example, they might be starting a new sport or club in the upcoming weeks. Your child might have earned more free time to spend with their friends outside of school. This is a perfect time to talk about their social responsibilities, set expectations, and determine the consequences for breaking rules. Laying this out in the beginning will help your child stay on track and manage their social life outside of school. 

3. Make a Dream Board 

Dream boards are a great way to stay inspired throughout the year. Have your child cut out pictures and words from magazines, or print images from the internet, and paste them onto a poster board. This should result in a collage with images and words that represent their dreams, goals, passions, interests, and plans. This activity is helpful because it inspires students to think about their future, and it reminds them why their hard work is so important. Returning to the dream board at various points of the school year can give your child a boost of motivation and inspire them to finish strong. 

4. Identify Challenging Subjects 

Talk with your child about which topics they find most challenging. Are there any courses that they are worried about? Once you identify which topics have been the most challenging, you can brainstorm ideas with them to help them be successful. Having a game plan will take off the stress when things get hard. You might consider working with a tutor to make sure that your child doesn’t fall behind from the start. Another way to prepare for challenges is by meeting with your child’s teacher right away to talk about how your child can be successful in the classroom. 

A new school year is a new opportunity. Make sure you start it off right by setting expectations, discussing responsibilities, focusing on goals, and preparing to meet challenges!

The Club Z! Tutoring Difference

Club Z! Tutoring in North Aurora & Elburn Areas specializes in providing individualized, in-home, and virtual tutoring for students K-12. If you want your child to work on developing skills that will translate to improved grades and self-esteem, contact us today.