Keeping up with schoolwork and making better grades during the school year doesn’t just happen for many of the students I work with. You have to design your child’s school year before it actually begins. Summer is usually the best time to do this. It’s also a good time to find which skills your child needs to learn in order to get a head start, without the added pressure of homework, projects, quizzes, and tests.
A simple yet strategic adjustment can make a big difference for your child. Especially, for children with learning and/or cognitive challenges due Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, SLD, or Autism Spectrum Disorder.
A few preparations over the summer break can help to make the school better. This means less stress for you and your child.
Below are 3 simple things you can do during the summer break to help your child get ahead. These simple ideas can make the school year your child’s best year yet!
3 Simple tips for a better school year
1. Take an inventory of all the concepts in each subject that your child struggled with during the previous school year. It could be that he/she knew and could solve problems when the concept was introduced. However, later seemed to not recall the steps or even the concept at all.
2. Talk with your child and ask him/her the following questions:
- What were the good experiences he would like to repeat year after year?
- Were there any bad experiences s/he wouldn’t want to have again?
- Which subject did s/he have challenges with throughout the school year?
- What would s/he like to do differently in the coming school year?
3. For middle or high school students, it’s essential that they master the following basic learning support skills. These skills will position them to thrive in the classroom from the first day of school. Hopefully, the skills he learned will help him become more independent and make good grades throughout the school year.
