S.O.S. - Starting out Successfully....

Each year I jokingly tell my high school students that they have now become my “kids” by virtue of simply being in my classroom. (Imagine gaining 100+ children in one fell swoop!) Teasing aside, I do feel responsible for the success of my students, and spend much of the year learning their individual needs to customize my lesson plans, agonizing over their trials, and celebrating their successes with them. From September through June, preparing for my “kids” consumes most of my waking hours!

In truth though, the work I do is dependent on the help of a child’s parent/guardian. At the end of the school day, my “kids” return to their families whose roles in their lives never switch off, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Truly parents have a remarkable and awe-inspiring job caring for their children. So it is with great humbleness that I ask parents to allow me to offer a few suggestions for helping to prepare their child for the start of the school year: 

Please purchase school books in advance so that your child has them before starting the first day of school.

Except in rare circumstances (such as a late transfer or a competency issue) most students have their schedules set for the upcoming year before the end of the previous school year or by early summer. Many high schools offer the book lists online with a direct link to a textbook provider. By ordering early, parents prevent students from having difficulties at the beginning of the year when a teacher begins assigning work. If you are truly unable to purchase the books in advance, or they do not come in by the time school starts, send a note immediately to your child’s teacher so that he or she can assist the student with obtaining copies temporarily.

Advocate for your child’s needs, but don’t be an “enabler” of poor habits.

Teachers love when parents let us know about special concerns or the interests of our students. The more we know, the better able we are to tailor lessons to students’ interests and needs. However, we cringe when parents begin making excuses for children with comments such as:

“My child’s schedule is too busy for him/her to be responsible for checking the class website for homework due dates.”

“Being disorganized runs in our family! That’s why my child will not get his/her homework in on time.”

Part of a teacher’s job is to educate the students on life skills such as organization, timeliness, and pride in one’s work. Our job is so much easier when parents support such lessons. Remember, if your child needs help in these areas, teachers can be great resources!

Never ask your child about his/her day by using a “yes/no” question.

My grandfather was a successful restaurateur. He discovered that diners were much more likely to respond favorably when asked “Which one of our fabulous desserts would you like today?” Likewise, children will often respond to an open-ended question such as:

                “Which class did you have the most fun in today?”

                “What was the toughest lesson you learned today?”

                “Which class did you participate most in this week?”

                “Teach me about the coolest lesson you learned this week.”

In class, I never settle for an “I don’t know” answer and nor should you! Often, a follow-up question or two will help get the conversation flowing.

Feign interest, and you may find that you really are interested in even the most mundane details of their day!

I teach 4 of the same level of American literature this year (plus 1 block of freshman literature). This schedule means that I have to present the same material 4 times and make it sound fresh and lively every time! As a result, I will often hear the same kinds of comments or questions from students throughout all my blocks as we delve into the lesson. For each of those students, his or her comment/question is new and original. They do not realize I may have heard it before. However each time I hear a similar comment I remind myself that for this student, this moment may be the “make it or break it” moment for making connections or having a point clarified. This type of thinking allows me to feel pride that my student is participating, and helps me to not focus on the repetitiveness that may occur in the conversations throughout the day.

I totally get how tired parents must feel at the end of their own busy day. My own day starts at 4:30am and ends…well, whenever it can end! Sometimes it is hard to feel interest in small details, but to a child, those details may be the most important moment in their day. The best way to keep them talking is to express interest. Who knows, you may find that you learn something fabulous from your child!

The start of the school year is a critical time for students. Each year I look forward to working with parents on preparing students for the challenges ahead, and engaging student interest in their academic activities. Working together the parents and I can make certain “our kids” have a fabulous start to the school year!