5 Back-to-School Reminders

The Fall semester begins as early as August 8th for students in my area, so this post highlights strategies to get a jump start on the new school year.

Elementary and secondary level stakeholders, primarily educators and parents, will want to bookmark this back-to-school checklist. From school supplies and attire to reminders about back-to-school nights, this checklist promotes proper preparation to prevent poor performance in the coming school year. Some strategies on the list are reminders; others you may be reading for the first time.

School Supply Lists
As outlined by the GreatSchools Staff, there are certain staples students need across grade levels. These include notebooks, paper, pencils, and pens. I've gathered a couple of resources that offer grade-appropriate school supply lists below. We want to have these on hand for learners, so they're equipped to meet the challenges to come.

• School-Supply-List.com offers a printer-friendly list by grade level (K-12) or visitors can email the list to themselves and friends.
• Office Depot & Office Max sell supplies online and in stores. Supplies are categorized by grade level through college; plus, there's a section for classrooms.

Budget cuts are a hot topic in education. This causes schools to shift responsibilities to families. Often, parents and teachers dole out funds for basic school supplies needed to succeed. The cost of school supplies adds up quickly for families already strapped for cash. This year, consider buying supplies for a family that's less fortunate. Implement a drive in your community. If you'd like to join the effort, Jackson Education Support is collecting school supplies to donate during Fall semester.

Uniforms & School Attire
Having access to appropriate materials and resources solves part of the problem. It's not enough for students to be equipped to play the part, they need to look the part as well. For younger students, this is less of an issue. Conversations with students about proper school attire may have lifelong effects. Discuss: What is proper school attire? How does school attire differ from street clothes or casual dress? Expose students to the notions that uniforms are intended to foster focused learning environments and that, in the absence of uniforms, wearing proper school attire has similar effect. In worst case scenarios, students learn to disagree without being disagreeable as they understand reasons behind the rules.

Back-to-School Night
When is it? Where is it? Who's my child's teacher? Who is my professor? These are a few questions to ask early on. When the big day arrives, make every effort to attend. Work schedules make this next to impossible for some. If you find yourself in this category, think outside the box. Think beyond parental engagement. Think family engagement! Often times, information shared early on is integral to student success. Share this information-gathering responsibility with family members and friends.

Prepare for student success with discussions centered on these questions...

1. What are your goals for the course?
2. What resources (e.g., books, websites, apps) will you use during the course?
3. How often will you require homework?
4. May I have a copy of the syllabus or pacing guide?

Build rapport with conversations centered on these questions...

1. What is the best way to monitor progress toward learning goals?
2. How can I support your classroom management system?
3. When is the best time to contact you with questions or concerns?
4. How can I encourage learning at home?

Academic Pacing Guides
Pacing Guides are tools used by K-12 educators to prepare students for state assessments. They're similar to syllabi handed out the first week of higher education courses. Classroom learning activities are chosen based on pacing guides. Lessons are designed based on pacing guides. Educators are also assessed based on how closely classroom instruction at any point in time aligns with grade-level pacing guides.

Mississippi pacing guides are available by an assessment company known as TE21, Inc. (Individual districts make these available as well.) TE21, Inc produces CASE Benchmark Assessments. Benchmark assessments gauge student performance during the school year; assessment results provide timely feedback to teachers and are used to inform classroom instruction. Though pacing guides may differ from district to district, consider printing the Mississippi Pacing Guides offered by TE21, Inc.

The goal of this reminder is that parents print pacing guides early on to prepare students for learning challenges. A student who struggled with fractions last year will like struggle with fractions in the Fall semester. With pacing guide in hand, we morph into a super heroes. As students transition from one language arts concept to the next, stakeholders predict the future by simply following the pacing guide.


Online Performance Records
We live in a data-rich society. Technology allows us to make data-driven decisions more quickly now than ever before, and educators are leveraging this fringe benefit of the 21st century. Districts aggregate student data in online portals. Parents access to student data in real-time by logging into these portals. Teachers share virtual (online) grade books that reveal attendance, missed or late assignments, and exam and homework grades. Applications like PowerSchool afford an opportunity to help students correct behavior and address misconceptions about content in a timely manner.

After viewing my top five back-to-school reminders, I hope you feel more prepared to help students bridge the transition from summer to school mode. Jackson Education Support offers a number of options to aid this transition that include exam proctoring, parent and student events, private tutoring, and writing assistance. Specialty subjects include literacy, math, and science. Visit je411.com to learn more.

The Secret to Student Growth

Do any of these sound familiar? Mindset is everything. Challenges make life interesting. Think positive thoughts. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond. 

Time and again, we realize how outlook influences outcome. The wisest among us leverage this fact to manage stress and respond to obstacles with novel ideas. At age 19, Jessica Matthew invented SOCCKET ball to help those living in developing countries recuperate from power outages. She is quoted saying, "It's not just about providing off-grid power. It's about believing what you put into something can give you something in return".

All too often, the connection between outcome and outlook becomes clear in hindsight. More important, students may not have the skills to develop logical connections between effort and experiences. Honing this skill requires heavy lifting. Much work is required to change the figurative zebra's stripes, but it's possible.

The old way

Traditional views of learning tend to align with the fixed mindset, the antipode of growth mindset. Individuals with a fixed mindset believe they are defined by things they're good at; having a fixed mindset fails to account for the value of effort and the benefit of mistakes. Promoting fixed mindset qualities in students decreases motivation, causes disengagement, and stifles growth. 

The new secret

Today's psychologists and educational thinkers are rallying behind a way of thinking coined growth mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck. Adopting a growth mindset requires one to become self-aware. The secret to student growth involves training students to monitor their thoughts; then, use results to strengthen character. 

Monitor thoughts

By reflecting on internal processes, we identify helpful and abandon harmful story lines. The following questions prompt student reflection.

1. What strategies worked well for me?
2. What strategies did not work for me?
3. What should I do next time?
4. Do I need some help for next time?

As educators and parents, we want to model growth mindset characteristics through reflection exercises as well. Consider making this internal process visible to learners by "thinking aloud", and challenge learners to do the same. Demonstrate the thought process needed to improve a second (third or fourth) iteration of a task.

Strengthen character

Knowledge of character strengths helps us improve those traits working against student growth. Equally important as brainstorming solutions with learners is doing so with a positive attitude about options. (This may call for above average acting skills, at times.)

Not sure where to start? Character Lab offers a number of tools to help. It's a great option for aggregating student and stakeholder feedback on growth. Character Growth Cards are similar to Report Cards in that they promote discussion about strengths and weaknesses; this helps learners leverage strengths to build up weaker skills. The primary difference between Growth Cards and Report Cards lies in the qualitative nature of the former. In place of alphanumeric scores, Character Lab's Growth Card reports qualify student efforts in each of eight character strengths (or character traits). An added benefit is the goal-setting feature used to collaborate with families, build confidence, and improve performance.

Character development is the secret to student growth. Developing character strengths is a strategy for addressing academic challenges and behavior issues. Contact Jackson Education Support to learn how we can help.

Summer Learning Loss is Real!

Heard about summer learning loss? This is likely a new term for parents and an all too familiar challenge for educators. Summer learning loss refers to loss of knowledge and skills over summer vacation.

Here’s how summer learning loss begins…

During summer months, many families opt out of academic summer activities. They are so excited to have a break from the "school year" there’s next to no time spent on reading about current events or practicing math skills. Instead, people prefer to reconnect on family vacations, plan cookouts with friends, and relax at home. 

Though you may not have heard of summer learning loss, you’ve likely experienced it. The week-long trip to the theme park… plus weekly trips to grandma’s house… combined with baseball and girl scout camps... may leave little time during summer months to review mastered skills and build weaker ones. By early August, anxieties swell. Parents hustle to secure copies of books, and fears of starting a new school year rise in students. A couple months into the semester, everyone is overwhelmed – teachers, parents, and students alike.

What is it really?

First Lady Michelle Obama launched United We Serve: Let’s Read, Let’s Move in 2010 to encourage Americans to fight the summer reading gap (also known as summer learning loss). This effort is borne out of the fact that youth who do not read during the summer can lose months of academic progress.

The U.S. Department of Education reports that “for far too many children, reading achievement either stalls or becomes worse when schoolwork stops during the summer”.

It seems the magic number is 5! From the research published by the Department of Education to that published by RAND Corporation, reports confirm that children who read at least five books during summer months begin the school year on track.

Understand the impact

• Math and spelling are the areas most affected by summer learning loss with students losing an average of 2.6 months (nearly 80 days) of math knowledge and skills along with an average of 2 months (60 days) of spelling knowledge and skills.
• Teachers spend 4 to 6 weeks (about 30 days) re-teaching material students have forgotten. Addressing the effects of summer learning loss causes teachers to lose ground  when it comes to preparing students to meet benchmarks.
• You may be thinking… families and educators that survive Fall months are in the clear... they’ve won the battle with summer slide. Though possible, it’s not always the case. This phenom doesn’t just impact performance in the Fall semester. High school curriculum placement and dropout rates are directly related to accumulation of aforementioned challenges.

Take Action

Identify summer camps that emphasize academics. Locate summer courses that are convenient to attend; this may mean registering for an online course you’ve considered. Teaching others is also a great way to sharpen skills. Students volunteer with organizations like United Way to help peers and younger learners build skills over the summer in many communities.

Sports and the arts are vital to rearing well-rounded young people. Any environment that cultivates student desires offers a quality learning experience. But, we want to keep academics in the mix. It’s imperative that students strengthen literacy, math, and science skills during summer months.

Jackson Education Support has a history of supporting learners in literacy, math, and science year round. Support options include private tutoring, online tutoring, and small group events. If you’re in the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area, consider registering your child for Summer Saturday Camps. The Math Camp is scheduled for June 2016, and the Literacy Camp is scheduled for July 2016. Parents of learners entering grades 3 - 5 in Fall 2016 are invited to register here.