10 tips for a successful new school year

August 18, 9:47 PMParenting ExaminerKaren Deerwester

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It's true parents are a child's first teacher.  You are also your school's partner for the upcoming school year.  Here's how to make the most of this new year.

1. Be positive about your child's education.  Research shows that your child's school performance is strongly influenced by your attitude and opinions.
2. Ask your child's teacher how to be an active partner in your child's education.  Each teacher has personal preferences about parent involvement and the best way to support classroom learning - be a united team.
3. Be honest about your child's strengths as well as weaknesses.  Use your child's strengths to make learning easier and to create strategies to compensate for skills that don't come as naturally.
4. Be informed about school policy.  Pay attention to the notes and the protocol.  If you don't know how something works, ask.  It saves everyone time and effort.
5. Keep after-school routines simple the first few weeks of school.  Starting a new school year can be exhausting - new rules, new expectations, new friends.  Give your child down-time to regroup and recharge.
6. Be ready to listen when your child wants to talk.  Children aren't good at telling you about their day when you ask.   Yet, the most interesting feelings and observations percolate up if you give your child a little time and space.
7. Read about "bullying" before there's a problem so you can teach your child a healthy respect for himself and for others. See   Stop Bullying Now and   PBS Kids for explanations and strategies.
8. Be patient with regression.  Learning is a state of disequilibrium - 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.  Focus forward instead of getting stuck on short term setbacks.
9. Model effective problem solving throughout the year.  There are no perfect schools; but there are great schools willing to help resolve any problem that arises during the school year.  Speak up respectfully before problems escalate.
10. Make a list of your hopes for this school year.  If you know what you expect of your child and your child's school, you'll be able to communicate those wishes more clearly.

Hope this is your child's best year ever!