We all know that summer is gone in a flash and suddenly the new school and academic year is upon us! For teachers with kids, there's more than the usual set of "back to school" tasks that must be taken care of to get your kids ready for re-entry; you have to prepare yourself mentally, intellectually, and professionally for a return to the classroom if you've not been teaching over the summer. It's great to spend the summer playing with your kids, taking vacations, and getting caught up on all kinds of stuff, but as the summer comes to a close, there are some simple things you can do to ease the transition back into "the drill" of the school and academic year for your whole family.
1. Plan ahead and get moving early! Start preparing for school and your new semester at least 4 weeks before the first day of class. One simple way to start this process is to make 2 lists for yourself- one for kid-related school tasks (i.e. school supplies, health checks, clothing/shoe shopping, backpack check, enrolling in after-school activities/sports etc.), and another for new semester-related tasks for you (i.e. write syllabus, check bookstore to be sure your text is there, contact teaching assistants, check class enrollments, etc.). Plan, as much as you can, when you will do all this stuff- set some deadlines for yourself and stick to them. Several of these sample tasks are enumerated below, but there are surely others that you may need to add!
Drill Doctor
2. Physically check in on campus and at school. Prior to the first day of your classes, go to campus and visit your classrooms to make sure you know where they are and to assure that all the A/V equipment you need is there and in working order. Also, if your classroom has moveable chairs, it may be wise to count them to make sure there are enough to accommodate your class (chairs sometimes seem to take a vacation in the summer as well1). For your kids, attend any open houses at the school with your kids to meet teachers and do paperwork. If there is no open house, schedule a visit with your child to see the school and find their classroom.
3. Get thee to a doctor!! Clearly, taking your kid to the doctor prior to the start of the new school year is necessary for sports physicals and immunizations, but it's also a great time, if you have not already done so, to talk with the doc about concerns you have about changes in your child's behavior, school performance, or eyesight. Remember, also, that for all of you, doctor's appointments become much harder to make after the semester/school year starts, so do what you can to dispense with your own appointments as well (physical, dentist, and routine screenings).
4. Settle on activities. Sit down with your kids and discuss activities they want to engage in outside of school, including weekends. For working families, it is often best to limit the number of after-school/weekend activities, even if kids want to take on many more things. Not only does this help kids develop the skills of making choices and prioritizing, but it supports optimal school performance and adequate rest and "down-time". In addition, as a working parent, it's critical for you to be able to plan your days and know when you have afternoon or weekend commitments. Without considerable planning and predictability, it's easy for school activities to interfere with your work and ability to relax as a family.
5. Figure out the logistics! The obvious pieces here are sorting out school or daycare drop-off and pick-up with your partner, spouse, or other kid caregivers. Be sure to include adult after-hours activities and kid activities in the plan as well. Decide on a weekly schedule in advance rather than leaving things to chance, understanding that sometimes an unexpected occurrence will require flexibility. Be sure to include, for yourself, travel time and "mental health" time in relation to your research and teaching responsibilities. A common mistake that can be avoided with some planning and strategy is that parents cut it too close on dropping kids off in the morning, negotiating the commute, and starting an early class. Build in buffers to give yourself time to gather yourself at transition points in the day such as after your morning commute, re-entering the world of parenting at the end of the day, and bedtime.
6. Set up your calendar and use it religiously. Purchase a wall calendar with sufficient room to accommodate all your and your kids' appointments, schedules, travels, and special events. Start the school/academic year by marking all breaks, teacher in-services, holidays, and school-related dates for you and your kids on the calendar. Mark out travel that you know about for vacations, meetings, conferences, business trips, etc... Include any and all recurrent events (symphony, baseball games, etc.). Make a habit of adding all new things legibly to the calendar ASAP.
7. Adjust everyone's schedules. Summer is great because everyone can stay up later, get up later, and hopefully, have less pressure to rush to get ready for school/work in the morning, but things are about to change for everyone! Roll bedtimes back for everyone a couple of weeks before school starts, and start practicing the morning drill of getting up at a certain time, getting dressed (or at least ready for breakfast), and eating breakfast at a certain time during the week. Get yourself in this habit as well by thinking about staging the mornings for your exit, such as packing your lunch and others, getting your computer and other teaching materials ready to go in your briefcase or pack, and thinking about getting your "work clothes" ready for action.
By taking the time to transition back into your academic year schedule and the kid's school or daycare schedule in a systematic and intentional way, you can greatly reduce the stress of reentry into the daily routine of the school year. Remember, also, to take some time during these waning summer days to do some special and fun things with your family and for yourself- it may be time to get ready for school, but summer's not over just yet!!
Christmas Sales Heavy Duty Drill Bit Sharpener with Dual Head Electric 201
Dec 13, 2011 13:23:52
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Christmas Sales Heavy Duty Drill Bit Sharpener with Dual Head Electric Feature
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Christmas Sales Heavy Duty Drill Bit Sharpener with Dual Head Electric Overview
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