Useful Back-to-School Tips for Students and Parents

Here are some useful tips for students and parents to prepare for the new school year:

Tips for students:

If you want to plan for your new school year with your parents, you can start by initiating a discussion with them. Share your aspirations, and any challenges that you anticipate.

The second step is to reflect on the past year. Review your previous school year's achievements, and areas that might need improvement, such as extracurriculars, social interactions, and time management.

The third step is to set realistic expectations and specific goals. You can work with your parents to turn vague goals such as “Get better grades” into specific ones, such as Raise my math grade from a B to an A minus.

The fourth step is to focus on different areas. Identify goals in various aspects of your life, such as academics, extracurriculars, personal development, and well-being.

The fifth step is to create an action plan. After you outline the steps needed to achieve each goal, you can discuss with your parents the resources, study strategies, and potential obstacles that you might encounter.

The sixth step is to ask your parents to do regular Check-ins with you. Like, you can mark your calendar and schedule regular check-ins with your parents throughout the school year to review your progress. So you can celebrate achievements together and discuss if there are any challenges or adjustments.

For example:

Tips for parents:

When discussing grades and academic performance with your child, it's important to:

1. Maintain a supportive and non-judgmental tone to create an open and comfortable environment for your child.

2. Focus on your child’s efforts and progress, rather than solely on the grades.

3. Encourage a two-way dialogue and allow your child to express their thoughts and concerns.

4. Emphasize the importance of a balanced approach to academics and well-being.

5. Explore potential solutions or strategies for improvement together.

6. Avoid comparing your child to others. Focus on their individual growth and development.

7. Reiterate that mistakes and setbacks are part of the learning process, and should be viewed as opportunities for growth.

8. Keep lines of communication open for future discussions and updates on academic progress.