1. STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS JAMES SIPIOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

2. WHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT LOOK LIKE?

7. Involvement/Interest/Partnership Be involved in your child’s education and school program by going to school events, meeting your child’s teachers, and communicating with staff. Show interest in what your child is learning by asking questions, looking at their class work and homework, and sharing information and experiences. Partner with your child’s teacher to understand the curricular demands, expectations and goals. Remind your child each morning of the expectations in the classroom, including “eyeballing the teacher” and putting items where they belong right away.

8. Model academic and behavioral expectations Children learn more from what we do than what we say. Show your child that you value and prioritize academics by reading the paper or picking up a book or magazine to read for your own enjoyment or for information. Show your child that you write letters or use email to communicate with others. Show your children that you use math in everyday situations by balancing the checkbook or deciding on the best buy at the supermarket. Model appropriate behavior and language yourself at home by saying please and thank you, and using child friendly language. Do your own homework while they do theirs.

9. Have dinner together Research indicates that families that eat meals together are much more likely to have high achievers and demonstrate positive behaviors. Share your day with your family and have your children share theirs as well. This practices turn taking, listening skills, open sharing, conversational skills, improved language skills, and structures the start of an evening as a spring board for family activity organization.

10. Practice organization Create organization and predictability in the home by scheduling family activities. Making a chart, calendar, or schedule for the day, week or month can improve the chaos that many families feel due to outside activities and commitments. With a schedule or calendar, there is a feeling of predictability that often settles behavior and makes both children and adults feel a sense of calm. Having the ability to anticipate life activities reduces anxiety and increases a sense of control over the many demands we feel.

11. Make it real Information learned in school needs to be bridged into real life situations to increase the probability of retaining that information over time. “Use it or lose it” is a catchy, but true statement of the learning curve. Meaningful memory is much stronger than rote memory, so applying skills learned throughout the day within the home setting and community can be powerful. Use math skills when shopping for the best values. Read the morning paper or a magazine of interest. Write to a friend through paper and pencil or through electronic mail. Making learning meaningful and bridging that between school and home improves skill maintenance.

12. Active participants vs. passive observers Students that participate by raising their hands, offering ideas, and getting involved in school activities before, during and after school hours learn more effectively than those who passively expect the teacher to “do it to them”. Oftentimes, you only get out what you put in, and encouraging your child to be involved will pay off not only in academic success, but socially as well.

13. Student responsibility/ownership Make goals for particular subjects or activities. See how your choices create your opportunities. Own your choices and your outcomes. Be an active part of your own plan for success. You are responsible for your day. Make the best of it!

14. Take care of yourself Eat balanced meals, stay away from high fructose beverages, drink plenty of water, and remember healthy snacks. Exercise at least three times a week. Walk regularly with a friend or adult in a well lit and familiar area. Don’t spend a lot of time in front of the TV or computer monitor playing video games. Make sure you get enough rest. Students require at least 8 hours of sleep each night at a minimum. A lack of sleep can mimic many different syndromes, such as ADHD, thyroid conditions, and negatively impacts academic success.

15. Summary Be involved. Show interest. Communicate and partner with the school. Model your expectations by what you do. Eat dinner together. Practice organization and time management. Make it real, make it meaningful. Participate. Take ownership for your learning. Take care of yourself. Eat right, exercise and get plenty of rest.

16. Thank you and have a successful year at Winchester!