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Sylvan Learning
Center Offers Tips to Stop
Stress at the Start of the
New School Year
For many children, the first
day of school doesn't just
mean new teachers and new
friends ' it can also be a
source of anxiety with
homework assignments and
tests just around the
corner. Fortunately,
starting the year off on the
right foot can help minimize
children's stress levels
throughout the year. Parents
can help ease anxiety and
make a smooth transition
from summer to school by
starting a routine with
their children early in the
school year.
'While some children are
excited to begin a new
school year, others dread
the first day of school
because they're reminded of
homework, assignments and
most importantly, tests,'
says Mary Lee Naccarato,
Director of the Sylvan
Learning Center in
Greensburg. 'The return to
school can bring about
feelings of anxiety for
students, especially in
transition years '
kindergarten, first grade,
the start of middle school
and the first year of high
school. But parents can help
children prepare for these
transitions and the return
to school by encouraging a
structured routine right
from day one and staying
actively involved in their
child's education.'
Sylvan Learning Center, the
leading provider of
in-center and live, online
tutoring at home to students
of all ages and skill
levels, offers tips and
ideas to help children
prepare for school and
minimize academic stress.
These tips include
back'to-school suggestions
and specific tips for the
transition years:
Back-to-School Tips
(for each new school year):
Get back in the
routine. Ease
transition from lazy summer
days to the structure of the
school year by
re-establishing bedtime,
mealtime, reading and
homework routines. Talk with
your child about the
importance of these routines
and how they help ensure
that he or she is not
overtired or overly anxious
about schoolwork or the next
day of school.
Set education goals.
Help your child set goals at
the very beginning of the
year. Whether it is striving
for an A in reading, handing
in all homework on time or
preparing for tests well in
advance, setting goals can
help set the routine for the
new school year.
Develop a
relationship with your
child's teacher.
Take the time to meet your
child's teacher at the
beginning of the school
year. He or she can be
the best source of
information about your
child's scholastic
performance and can
recommend ways to help your
child or resolve any
difficulties he is having.
Homework routine and
place. Designate a
specific time and place for
homework time and help your
child discover a regular,
quiet place where he can
study. Make sure that
the area is free from
potential distractions and
that study tools are at your
child's fingertips to keep
him focused on homework and
studying.
For more information
regarding the Sylvan
Advantage', call
724-834-2255 or visit
http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com.
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Stay on schedule.
Your child should
keep a
schedule of all classes,
assignments and key dates,
such as project deadlines
and tests. As part of that
schedule, she should include
specific times for studying,
projects and extracurricular
activities. The more
thorough the schedule, the
more efficient your child
will be. Organization
minimizes late nights
completing homework
assignments, cramming for
tests at the last minute and
can ultimately reduce
student anxiety about
school.
Emphasize
organization. For
some students, having
color-coded binders for each
subject helps them stay on
track throughout the school
year. Keeping notes
organized helps test
preparation later in the
year, so work with your
child to determine the best
method for him.
Encourage learning
at home. Promoting
learning outside of the
classroom helps children
perform better in school. To
nurture reading skills,
spend at least one hour per
week ' 10 to 15 minutes a
day ' reading with your
child. To enhance math
proficiency, try allowing
your child to help plan the
next family trip and
encourage him to compute
miles, cost of gas, expenses
for food, hotel and
entertainment.
Transition Year
Back-to-School Tips
(Children Starting
Kindergarten, First Grade,
Middle School or High
School):
Visit the school.
If your child is changing
schools with the new year,
make a special trip to visit
the school before the first
day of classes. Checking out
the new classroom and the
new teacher before school
starts will help ease
feelings of anxiety and help
get your child into an
academic routine. If it's
available, review the class
schedule with your child and
prepare him for the new
grade.
Discuss changes in
routine. Talk with
your child about how the
routine for her new school
may differ from the previous
year. It can be difficult
for children to adjust to
changes in schedules and
workload. Explain how her
schedule may differ from
last year. Will there be
more homework assignments?
Does she have to wake up
earlier? Will she have
more than one teacher this
year?
Provide extra
support. When
starting the new school
year, especially if it's a
transition year, a little
extra support is beneficial.
Talk with your child about
her fears regarding school
and maintain an open
dialogue throughout the
year. Discuss what subjects
she's anticipating and any
areas she finds particularly
challenging. Don't forget to
talk about homework and
tests.
Transition into
kindergarten.
Kindergarten is your child's
introduction to elementary
school and a first
opportunity to learn basic
math and reading skills, not
to mention a first look at
routines and expectations of
group learning. As a parent,
you are your child's first
teacher. The skills that he
learns from you ' how to get
along with others, follow
directions and listen to
directions ' will help him
start the year off right.
Transition into
middle school and high
school.
Transitioning from
elementary to middle school
and from middle school to
high school brings many
questions and concerns.
Organization becomes even
more important in middle
school and high school when
your child must keep track
of multiple subjects,
homework, teachers,
classrooms and books. You
can help him to reduce
stress by giving him a
calendar/planner to help him
organize these new items and
encouraging him to build
good study habits.
For additional educational
tips, visit
http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/learning-tools/index.cfm.
Learning feels good' at
Sylvan Learning Center, the
leading provider of
in-center and live, online
tutoring at home to students
of all ages and skill
levels. With more than 27
years of experience and
nearly 1,200 centers located
throughout North America,
Sylvan's
scientifically-proven,
personalized methods have
inspired more than two
million students to discover
the joy of learning.
Sylvan's trained and
certified teachers provide
personalized instruction in
reading, writing,
mathematics, study skills
and test-prep for college
entrance and state exams.
Sylvan helps transform
unique kids into uniquely
inspired learners with the
skills to do better in
school and the confidence to
do better in everything
else. For more
information regarding the
Sylvan Advantage', call
724-834-2255 or visit
http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com.
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