Tip of the Week

July 27, 2020

Important Considerations for the Fall

As we approach August, school systems are beginning to clarify what the start of the school year is going to look like in our communities, with final guidance being shared in early August. Whether students return to school fully in person, fully remote, or in a hybrid model, it’s not going to be a perfect fit for every student. In thinking about your child, one of the primary questions to consider is: What can I do to help ensure my child has as strong a school year as possible?  

  1. Create consistency for the long haul. Whichever model your school starts with, it is unlikely that it will remain consistent throughout the year. This will require a great deal of flexibility on your child’s part and yours. If your child doesn’t do well with change even under normal circumstances, it will be critical to find a way to keep some level of consistency in their life. One way to do that is to identify a consistent presence who can be there to guide them through the various changes step by step. That person could be you or a person outside the family such as a teacher, coach, or mentor.
  2. Executive function skills are increasingly important, especially in this environment. Managing online files, multiple class websites, keeping track of homework assignments and work to be done during on/off days/weeks can be overwhelming, even for students who until this point have been able to figure it out. It will be imperative to find ways to help your child strengthen some of these critical executive function skills. We invite you to explore our Tip of the Week archive as a place to start. 
  3. Hope needs a partner: action. Hope alone isn’t enough to affect change or influence outcomes. If the spring was difficult for your child and/or family and you haven’t done anything to affect a change in habits, hope alone isn’t going to bring about the change you and your child are eager to see. Even the best of intentions fall short when there’s no action plan in place that impels the student to do things differently. We urge you to sit down with your child and identify specific actions your child will take to make this fall better than last spring. The more things don’t change, the more they stay the same. For a Tip on action plans, please see “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
  4. Begin developing a plan now. A delay in developing a plan will leave you flat-footed when change occurs and your child will be playing catch-up. If you stay ahead of it, you’ll have a much better chance at creating a successful learning environment during what promises to be an unconventional school year. 
  5. How Engaging Minds can help:
    1. One-on-one executive function coaching in-person and remote
    2. Off-day or off-week small group study pods on site with an instructor 
    3. Enrichment electives designed to excite students, maintain academic engagement, and add rigor for those students that need it.

Let go of the stress and uncertainty of this school year. We will be a constant in your child’s learning no matter what the school year brings. Learn more.