Back-to-school tips for parents and students

Ebony, Sept, 1997

Be prepared. Be positive. And be there. The first day of school is the beginning of your child's academic career. Although the child might have some fear, whether he or she is starting kindergarten, first grade, high school or college, almost all experts say that parental support develops a child's self-esteem and creates a bridge to academic success.

"The corpus of a child's being is really home-centered, and mom and dad are the child's cheerleaders," says Patricia Russell-McCloud, a professional orator and national president of The Links, Inc. "If that is a reality, then children become focused based upon the parents' influences."

Listed below are 15 tips that will help your child become a better student. Many parents of kindergartners and first-graders try to take the morning off on their children's first day. If that isn't possible, try to get well-organized the night before by packing lunches and laying out clothes. This will leave the extra time needed to walk your child to the door, greet the teacher with the child and spend a minute or two in the classroom.

First-grade parents should remember that first day will seem very long for their child -- no more naps! For a lot of children first-grade is the first time they go to school all day. Experts advise parents to try to wean their children away from a nap before the first day. For all children, try to ease into a back-to-school schedule. Older children need their bedtimes moved closer to the time it will be when school starts to get used to getting up earlier. Many teachers complain that tardy students disrupt their classrooms and miss key points of the lesson.

Parents of new junior high students should spend time teaching them how to open a lock. Children who have never opened a combination lock may have a difficult time. It's not a bad idea to get a combination lock and let them practice. Parents of older students should remember to keep the lines of communication open. Preparing for high school begins in elementary school. Try to ask open-ended questions that can't be answered with a yes or no. Ask specific questions, such as, "What did you learn in history class today?" As children grow older, they tend to depend more on peers for feedback, that is why parents have to stay involved with their pre-teens and teens. "A child needs to be able to say it all to a parent," says Russell-McCloud. "If children can't talk to parents, they may become introverted, frustrated, disappointed and feel tat no one cares." That frustration can eliminate their enthusiasm for education, she adds.

Lois Jean White, president of the National PTA, encourages parents to place the emphasis on their child's behavior when they're disciplining them or discussing their grades, rather than on him or her as a person. "Stress that I do not like your actions," she says, "but I like you. In other words, never withhold love and always reinforce that it's the action that's disliked, not the person."

White also emphasizes the basics in preparing your child for school. Make sure that your child has breakfast. "It's extremely important that they go to school after a nourishing meal," she says. "It's hard to pay attention when your stomach is gnawing." White is a music teacher, a parent of three sons, and a grandparent of four. Her oldest son is over 30, and she says she went to school with him in kindergarten when he was 6. "Children depend on a regular routine; they feel comfortable with that." She recommends a regular bedtime and a balanced schedule.

Dr. Charlie Mae Knight, president of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, advises parents to reinforce and support school rules and regulations. "Be sure your children understand that we're all regulated in some form by rules and requirements," she says. "If we introduce that early to youngsters, it is not going to be difficult for them to accept some of the more strenuous rules that they're going to face when they leave school."

And the president of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, says reading to and with your children is an excellent quality-time activity. "You may not have money to take your child to the zoo and to other activities," she says, "but the library is free, and most of its resources are free."

Help your child to become a better student with better organiztioin. When buying school supplies, allow the child to select what he or she needs. Most schools have a supply list for students. Children will tend to use what they choose. Also help your children organize their time efficently, limiting television, interactive computer games and monitoring music. "Although these things are important to children, I think parents should say, 'You have your school assignments and these things can be a distraction to you'," Hamlin adds. She advises parents to map out a schedule for their children. "The schedule should detail that the children should spend two hours reading and doing homework after school, before looking at TV or doing something else," she says. Then decide that whatever your socioeconomic position happens to be, you are going to do all you can to help your child or your neighbor's child succeed academically. You'll discover, in time, that investing your time and attention in a child's education is the best investment you've ever made.