Newsletter August 2009
August 18, 2009
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We strive to bring you the most helpful and up to date information every month, and this month's newsletter is no exception.
You can scroll down through the articles below, or you can click on a headline you like to go directly to that article.

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This Month's Headlines:

Start School Mornings Out Right
Back to School Stress Free
The Right Way to Read

Start School Mornings Out Right

It’s true that when a day starts out frantic and late, the rest of the day can seem to follow suit. Likewise, a smooth morning can make for a successful rest of the day. Back to school days are just around the corner, and with just a little effort, you can make sure your child gets a proper start in the morning, leaving them ready to spend the rest of the day learning and focusing on school.

Here are some tips to help you.

1. Have a plan. If your child is always running out the door last minute to make it to school on time, this is an especially important one for you. Planning the night before can work wonders with organization and efficiency in the morning. Lay things out, including clothing, books and homework, lunches—whatever you can prepare the night before helps your child start the day stress free and on time.
2. Catch some ZZZ’s. Good sleep is important for both parents and children. Agree on a bedtime and stick to it. It’s a good idea to set one that is on the conservative side; you can always choose to extend it if they’ve shown good behavior. This way, when you let them stay up a half hour later, they look at it as a reward, rather than a punishment when you tell them they have to hit the hay earlier.
3. Give some extra time. Don’t time everything down to the exact minute. It’s a good idea to leave some extra time so that the morning routine can be done in an easy, relaxing way. This is also good in case something takes longer than usual—i.e. a bad hair day, or an extra long shower. If you’re left with some extra time, use it to talk about what they’re learning in school, go over their homework one more time, or address other issues that may be on their mind.
4. Mornings their way. Not everyone is a morning person, so you may have to compromise to get your child going bright and early. If they need to listen to some music to get them up and at ‘em, or sing in the shower, go for it. Whatever avoids the “I hate getting up! Just one more minute…” routine is worth it!
5. A healthy start. You’ve heard it time and again, but breakfast really is an important start to the day. Make sure you feed your child something that gives them sustenance and nutrition; this helps them get through the day and focus without being distracted by hunger.
6. Make contact. Make sure you give your child some affection before sending them off for the day, whether it’s a hug, a high-five, or a kiss on the cheek. This may get harder the older the child, but it’s important; you never know what the day will bring and how much that hug might matter to them—whether they admit it or not.

Source: Igafo-Te’o, Jackie. “9 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Positive Attitude Before the Bus Comes,” wrightslaw.com.
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Back to School Stress Free

We all know it’s fast approaching—back to school time. For most students, this is a time of mixed emotions, as children are sad to see the freedom of summer days go. They also, most likely, are looking toward the school year with both excitement and perhaps some nervousness. Students are entering a new grade level, with new peers and a new teacher. Some of them may even be attending a brand new school. Whatever the case, back to school days can bring a bit of anxiety with them.

One of the best ways to help quell your student’s fears is to be available for them. Set aside some time where you can talk with them about school in a relaxed manner. This isn’t the time to harp about homework or test scores, just to find out what’s on their mind and what is worrying or exciting them. If they are reluctant, pose open-ended questions like, “What do you think 5th grade will be like?” or “What classes are you excited about this year?”

But be careful not to beat a dead horse. If you child is feeling an unusual amount of anxiety about returning to school it’s a good idea to plan other activities that help dispel this stress. Physical activities often work wonders at getting their minds off of something and helping them be more calm and reasonable.

Friends can also help with stress. If you know which friends will be in their class your child can start making connections with them. Having someone in the classroom to share with often makes the experience seem less daunting.

It’s also a great idea to start getting into the school routine a little before the actual first day approaches. That means easing into a new sleeping schedule and getting up early for breakfast. This way, the first day doesn’t feel like a shock to their system. For those who are moving on to a new school, it might be a good idea to go to the school and do a brief walk through. Sometimes just being able to picture where your locker or homeroom class is in the building brings a sense of order and relief. If they want to, you can even walk through their schedule and find each classroom so they know where they will be going.

And of course, if you feel your child needs extra help don’t be afraid to speak with teachers, counselors and other school administrators. Once school has started, if they feel overwhelmed, find a tutor who can help them get back into the swing of things. It can be hard to pick up schoolwork right where you left off after a few months of fun summer play.

Source: Parker, Wayne. “Cutting Back to School Stress,” fatherhood.about.com

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The Right Way to Read

We’ve heard countless teachers and organizations preach the benefits of parents reading with their children. But new research is looking more closely at this notion, and also finding that it’s not only important that we do read with our children, it matters how we read with them.

Dr. Annemarie Hindman, assistant professor at Temple University College of Education, points to the concept of warmth/responsivity as an important one. By her definition warmth includes acts of affection and positive reinforcement, while responsivity relates to understanding what individual kids need and providing that for them.

It seems logical that a warm and responsive teacher would lead to better learning. But according to Hindman, it goes beyond the classroom walls. “There is an emerging body of evidence to suggest that warm and responsive home and classroom settings help to support kids’ social development, which in turn supports kids’ cognitive development,” she says. Other researchers agree with her perspective, believing that this development indirectly contributes to literacy growth.

Dr. Frederick J. Morrison, professor of education and psychology at the University of Michigan, conducted studies that showed links between parents who were found to score high in warmth/responsivity measures and their children being more self-regulated and able to get along with others. Likewise, children who play well with others often have more advanced cognitive and language skills. Morrison also believes showing genuine curiosity about a child’s statements enhances their vocabulary and communication skills directly.

How can you read with more warmth and responsivity? Try some of these tricks:

• Share story time. For most adults reading is a solitary exercise. But for kids, reading can be much more social. Share the reading experience with children—let your child turn the pages, or have a chance to pick out a book. Talk about what is happening in the plot and let your child make guesses as to what might happen next.
• Patience is key. It’s not a matter of quantity over quality. If your child wants to take his or her time reading a story, let them. The authors and illustrators behind children’s and young adult’s books put a lot of work into them to try to appeal to children on multiple levels. Let children linger over the pictures and delight in silly characters, unexpected plot turns or whatever captures their imagination.
• Engage in your own dialog. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask or answer questions. This is an important part of the learning process, and helps cultivate curiosity in children at a young age.
• Make it fun. Gone is the old concept of reading and struggling through literary tomes because they are “classics.” The truth is reading is not often at the top of a child’s list of fun things to do. But with your help, children can see that books were meant to spark the imagination and convey a sense of wonder. This one also goes back to sharing the reading experience and making sure you choose books that interest your child.
• Let them know asking for help is okay. Make sure your child knows that it’s okay to ask for help with reading problems. If they don’t know or understand a word, or got lost in the plot of the story somehow, don’t be afraid to stop and go over it with them. Story telling usually builds on itself linearly, so it’s important that students can follow along and understand what’s happening throughout the book. If you feel your child needs help with these kinds of activities, tutoring sessions that focus on literacy development can be beneficial for them.

Source: Hoffman, Todd. “Literacy Learning: It’s Not What You Read, But How You Read It,” education.com.