A back-to-school guide for parents - Education

Ebony, August, 2002 by Joy Bennett Kinnon

THE end of summer brings mixed emotions to parents and children. Children miss summer play, but for parents, particularly working mothers, summer provides a mental vacation from the monumental scheduling demands of the school year. But as the lemonade-lazy days of summer wane, parents are gathering school supplies, shopping for school clothes and again arranging schedules.

Preparing for school is often an expensive proposition as well, with a recent study stating that parents will spend an average of $457 per household on back-to-school shopping this year. One of the most important things that parents can do, however, doesn't cost a dime, and that is to communicate with the child's teacher to ensure his or her success in the forthcoming school year.

Experts say a consistent schedule helps ensure a child's success. With a little planning by parents and students alike, the beginning of the school year can be smooth for students and parents.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Because most children today have been involved in pre-school programs, that first day of kindergarten isn't the dramatic step it was years ago. But it is still a big step, and parents should be prepared. "It's important to acknowledge that this will be a change," says Paula Young Shelton, a classroom teacher and program associate in early childhood education with the National Black Child Development Institute in Washington, D.C.

Young says parents should prepare the child socially, emotionally and physically for the change from pre-school to regular school. Parents should "make sure children know where they are going," she says. "If possible, take a tour of the school in advance and introduce your child to his or her teacher." She also advises parents to come prepared with immunization records and other paperwork the school requires. On that first big day, parents, she says, should wait until the child is settled into the classroom before leaving. "Don't sneak out," she says. If possible, make the first day of school a half-day, she says, to allow the child to make the adjustment.

Before the first day of school, during the summer months, parents should expose their children to a variety of activities. Maisie and Jim Sparks do just that. The Chicago-area parents of Philip, 11, and Andrew, 8, make sure their sons enjoy a wide variety of activities during the summer months. "Summer [moves at] a different pace," says Maisie Sparks, an author and corporate freelance writer. "We try to do a lot of things not done during the school year." With two young boys, the family does a lot of sports activities, including tennis, golf, basketball and swimming, but also finds time for piano lessons, computers and the school's summer reading list.

This year, for the first time, their older son, Philip, will buy his own school supplies. "We'll use the beginning of school to teach life lessons, like how you spend your money, how you budget and how you shop around to get the best deal," she adds. "It's time to step back and let them take over more of the responsibility," adds Jim Sparks, a sales and marketing representative with Discover Business Services.

Parents should also be advocates for their own children and should be involved in their classroom and in the school, says Shelton. "Remember to advocate for your own child to protect his or her interests and in turn ensure that all the children in your child's school receive a quality education," she adds. To be an effective advocate, she advises parents to:

* Start the year with a positive attitude. Assume the best from the beginning that this teacher will do a great job in educating your child.

* Offer your support to the teacher.

* Introduce yourself and your child to the principal. Tell the principal how you will contribute to the school and make sure he or she knows your child by name.

* Listen to your child.

* Get involved with your children, and don't give up.

HIGH SCHOOL

Students entering high school are taking that first step toward adulthood. It may be hard for a parent to picture that this young teen, who still looks like a baby, will mature in the next four years to the threshold of adulthood.

Preparing for high school is a continuation of elementary school preparations, says Dr. Joyce D. Kenner, principal of Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago. "Students who are successful at Whitney Young have always been readers," she says. "Reading is the most important thing a parent can do to prepare the child academically."

Whitney Young provides summer reading lists for its students, including incoming freshmen, to help ease the transition, she says. She also encourages parents to get more involved, not less involved, with high school students. "I tell the parents that they can't wash their hands [of the child] once their child gets into high school; they need to become more involved than ever."

On the high school level, as on every other level, parents should familiarize themselves with the school and meet their children's teachers.