Tips for Effectively Returning to School

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As we return to in-school learning after extended time away, it's vital we make sure all systems are "go" once that day arrives. Gloria McDaniel-Hall, Ed. D., senior curriculum and instruction specialist, National Heritage Academies (NHA), offers several tips.

Dr. McDaniel-Hall, based in Chicago, has been with NHA since 2008 in several administrative roles. She is also a university assistant professor in educational leadership. Dr. McDaniel-Hall separates her suggestions for a safe return into three buckets: psychological, physical, and education-focused ways to prepare.

Psychological:

• Parents – take care of yourselves. Make sure you have someone with whom to process your feelings. You can't help others for long if you don't take care of yourself first.
• Prepare your child(ren) for the ways that school will be different. Most people really enjoy physical connections with others, so this may be a hard change, especially for youngsters.
• Ask your child(ren) how they are feeling about returning to school. Let them know they can share those feelings and you will help process them or find a resource. Anticipate there may be things your child will initially struggle with in terms of classroom management and behavioral expectations.
• For young ones, visit the school and their classrooms. Have them meet and speak with their teachers.
• Ask a lot of questions. Connect with other parents. Establish playdates, carpooling options, even get additional ideas for return preparation. Try to maintain this circle of friends.
• Get excited! Discuss the positive aspects of returning.

Physical:

• Determine the social distancing directives within your school; discuss how this will look with your child(ren).
• Be sure your child knows not to share things like pencils, water bottles, and other supplies with classmates.
• Practice safety habits such as coughing or sneezing into your elbow, conversations from a distance, and wearing masks daily at home for a few hours.
• Check your child's temperature daily. If they are demonstrating any symptoms, do not send them to school; however, make sure you have a way of getting their homework.

Education-Focused: 

• Get back into the routines of school, sooner rather than later. Set times for waking up, eating, reading, and going to bed. Be positive, not punitive about this.
• Set aside a "study time" starting now. During this time, remove distractions, such as the television, and focus on school-related activities. This time can then become homework time once school begins.
• Make use of your library. The children's librarians' love to help find books to use for study times.
• Advise the teacher or school leaders if your child is having trouble with the transition once school begins.

Most importantly, enjoy going back to school and make this the best school year ever!

About National Heritage Academies:
National Heritage Academies, is a network of 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For information, visit nhaschools.com.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies