Preparing for Back to School Requires More than a Trip to the Mall

Preparing for the new school year means more than shopping for new clothes, shoes, pencils, notebooks and binders.   To achieve academic success, families should prepare themselves mentally, emotionally and physically, according to educators from the Parsippany school district.  

For all students, getting back to a regular time schedule is paramount for a good start to the school year.   Kate Washington, who teachers kindergarten at Mount Tabor Elementary School, suggests the sooner families get back to the “early to bed, early to rise” routine, the better.  

“Families should start preparing for a healthy sleep routine as early three to four weeks ahead of the start of school.   I find that often the anxiety and/or excitement of a new school year can be aggravated by a lack of sleep,” she said.  

With a good night’s sleep under their belts, Washington said children are ready to face the adventures and challenges of the school day.   

A good night’s sleep is vital, but teachers say it is equally as important for the whole family to develop a positive frame of mind about going to school.

Parents' attitudes toward education really influence their child’s feelings. Positive talk and a reassuring attitude within the family go a long way toward helping a young student to be successful.  According to Washington, children may internalize any negative vibe as an indication that they aren't capable of taking on new learning opportunities.

“Be excited for your child's new grade," she said. "Describing new challenges as adventures instead of hurdles goes a long way in setting the climate,” she said. “Whenever my kids would hear of their teacher's reputation for being hard or when they faced what looked like a grueling class schedule, I always answered their worries with a firm ‘You can handle it!’"

Parents have a great influence on a child's experience, but so do students' peers.  Parsippany Hills High School social studies teacher Steve Bechtler, a father of a high school freshman, advises kids to choose their friends wisely.

“Surround yourself with good people,” Bechtler said.  “Make sure your five closest friends are having a positive influence on you, because you will be more likely to succeed."  

After establishing good sleep patterns and adopting a positive frame of mind, it is time to focus on the logistics for starting the year on the right track.  

Bechtler advises middle school and high school students to set goals for the new school year and to establish a plan of action.  

“Start by asking yourself what you want to accomplish this year, then set a larger goal of what you want to fulfill in the next four years," he suggested. "By the time you get to high school, you should establish a 10-year plan by envisioning what you would like to do professionally, so you can start working toward that goal now.”

How can you achieve these goals? Bechtler says you start by learning time management.  He suggests that students put aside a certain time for homework each day.  Even elementary school students should establish a daily routine.  

“Determine a time that works best for you such as the morning, lunch, afternoon or evening and stick to it so that it does not end up at the bottom of your priority list,” he said. 

Establishing a proper work environment is also crucial.  Bechtler recommends students find a place where they can focus on their work without distractions. The work space should be stocked with the tools they will need—for example, safety scissors, glue sticks and crayons for a kindergartner; a computer or a protractor and calculator for those in higher grades; or extra paper, pens and pencils for everyone.  

Once school starts and the learning begins, it is important to be organized.  Students as young as those in second grade are provided with academic planners or agenda books by the Parsippany school district. Getting into the habit of writing down assignments helps students organize and plan their time.  To further help students with managing time, teachers often post daily, weekly and monthly assignments on Moodle, a website available on the district and school servers.

Since teachers often have different requirements for classroom supplies, it's sometimes better to shop for those items after the first day of school.  

Monica Sierchio, a language arts teacher at PHHS, suggests organizing by using a color-coordinated system.   

“If you need separate binders or notebooks for each class, try choosing a certain color to identify that class," she said. "For example, if you choose blue for English, then perhaps you can use a blue notebook or binder, a blue folder for documents pertaining to that class, and blue post-its for note taking. You could even choose to use a blue pen too.” 

So, as summer quickly comes to an end, wise students and parents will focus on getting ready for the start of school.

As Bechtler advised, “Be prepared for school each day, because failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”