Getting kids ready to go back to school – From the mouths of your friendly neighborhood teachers

Over the summer, many of us parents have been absorbed in chauffeuring the kids to summer camps, swimming lessons, and the snow cone stand down the street with the awesome macaroon flavor. Who has time to think ahead?

But already, signs in Target and Walmart scream “BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES,” and suddenly, we look at our kids, standing in chewed-up flip flops and chocolate ice cream-stained T-shirts, and realize we’d better start thinking about bus schedules and number 2 pencils.

Thankfully, we have some great teachers in the area to give you a head start on firing those kids up for another year. I've included their full interviews (just click on the name) to a series of questions that should give you some answers for making the first day awesome. My expert panel included the following:

Jamie Minter, fifth grade teacher at John Ross Elementary
Walaya Lupp, a high school reading specialist in the Oklahoma City area
Annetta Cain, second grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary 
Kathleen Schwiebert, sixth grade reading teacher at Deer Creek Intermediate School

Here are the highlights!

How can parents help their kids prepare for going back to school?

Jamie: I don't think you can just pick a day and say, "Hey it's time to get back in the swing of things.” But instead, just keep a flow of creative learning activities throughout the summer months. My number one piece of advice is to READ.  Parents and children both need to pick out a good book for the summer!

Walaya: Children who have a lot of different experiences, such as museums, parks, library visits, or even just a trip through the woods, build what's called schema. This better enables them to connect with what they are learning in school.

Annette:  I sign my four kids up with the Edmond Library to take part in their summer reading program.  It provides little incentives along the way to read, and the children have a chance at winning some pretty big prizes at the end of the summer if their names are drawn.

Kathleen: Start regulating bedtimes and wake up times about a week or more before school starts.  Here in Deer Creek, the Intermediate School starts classes at 7:30 a.m., so if a child has been going to bed and getting up whenever he or she feels like it, that 6 a.m. wake-up time is going to be a shock!

How can parents get kids excited about going back to school?

Jamie: Getting the kids excited comes from the parents being positive and excited as well. Back to school shopping for supplies and clothes should be fun and not stressful.

Walaya: Ask them what they liked about what the older kids were doing the year before, and take your child to any activities the school is having beforehand.

Annette: Communicating in a positive way with your children is critical. Talk about the new and exciting things this school year will bring. Contact some friends from school and try to get together before school starts. 

Kathleen: If parents are moaning about the "end of summer,” kids will jump right in and express that same feeling.  I am a big believer about talking about hopes and dreams and talking about how to achieve those things.

And finally, what do you look forward to most in a new school year?

Jamie: What I look forward to the most is meeting my new students. I am blessed each year to be given twenty-plus students, and it's almost like opening a present. You never know what's inside, and you can't wait to find out.

Walaya: I always look forward to meeting new students and building new relationships with my kids.  I'm a reading specialist, so my love is about growing new readers and showing kids how to pick out books that they like.

Annette: I can't wait to meet my students! Each child in my class is like a puzzle to me, and I love trying to figure them out!

Kathleen: At the end of every school year, when my students leave my classroom, I am quite sure I will never love another group of kids as I have loved them.  Then, when August rolls around, I meet a whole new group of kids, and in a few days, I am learning names and personalities and I start to think - I like these kids, and a whole new journey begins!