Learning disruptions have been rampant this last year. Children in all grades have suffered learning losses because of school closures and a sudden shift to full-time online learning. Although now things are looking up and schools are all set to open in the fall, we have a lot of work to do before that happens.

We need to address the learning gaps caused during the previous year so that when children move ahead, they do not have to struggle with the sting of not knowing or understanding a concept. We have to act now because ‘later’ will only widen the gap and make it difficult to manage.

Holistic Intervention at Home

Learning at home requires holistic intervention from parents. By holistic, we mean a balanced approach where children can enjoy the break they deserve while staying in touch with current and previous lessons. Since every child learns differently, parents need to do some homework to understand the best approach for their child.

Learning with Play

Learning with play is the best way to do it for little minds. You cannot enforce a study routine on younger children. They have to be taught through play, through routines where they do not feel compelled to focus. At home, parents have to devise fun ideas to teach the basics with the help of chores, play, and more.

Embedded Evaluation

All the forms of learning at home should have embedded evaluation in some form. Parents have to test their children to gauge their understanding of a concept. Without it, parents may fail to identify learning issues and fix them on time. Evaluation can be as simple as singing a poem together to as serious as a times test of the latest lesson.

Back-to-School Courses

Back-to-School courses are one of the most powerful tools against learning losses and gaps. Summer break is a big chunk of the year that can be used to optimize learning with extra lessons and practice tests. Back-to-School courses provide children with professional help and put them back on track with the lessons in just a few weeks before schools reopen. These courses also come in handy in the fight against the unfortunate summer slide.

eTutorWorld offers structured Back-to-School courses that are customized according to a child’s learning requirements. These courses quickly walk through important lessons before the summer break ends and arms a child with the tools to navigate next year without learning problems.

This year, as we all hold our breaths for the fall session, let’s prepare our children thoroughly by not overlooking the learning gaps. Yes, teachers may help the students in school but the next academic year is going to be hectic and teachers are also exhausted. It won’t take much for the learning gaps to get lost and broaden in the school setup.

Let us take the responsibility of covering the gaps caused by the pandemic before the break ends. Let’s do our bit to help children walk towards the fall session with full confidence.

The summer is finally winding down, and you all know exactly what that means—back to school time will soon be here whether you like it or not. For younger elementary school students, the start of a new academic year usually brings with it lots of excitement and the chance to finally see all their school friends again. Of course, many middle- and high school students tend to be less than thrilled about their summer finally ending. In fact, it quite common for older students to report increased feelings of stress, anxiety and even depression associated with having to start the new school year. Still, the best way to prevent this is to make sure you’re fully prepared and ready before the first day at school. In this sense, it can help to make sure you know what to expect during the first week of school so you don’t find yourself quickly falling behind.

Navigating the Challenges of the First Day at a New School 
The very first day of middle school or high school can be one of the scariest experiences of a child’s life. It is completely normal to be nervous on your first day at a new school, and these feelings only increase when you suddenly find yourself back at the low end of the totem pole. Still, the most important thing you can do is to not let yourself be overcome by your nervousness, which is where it helps to be prepared.

Starting at a new school means suddenly having all new classes, teachers, and classmates, and it also means having to navigate around a new building to find your classes. All of this can make the first day at school extremely overwhelming if you don’t already have at least some idea of what to expect. Therefore, it is a good idea to spend the days and weeks leading up to the first day going over your schedule, exploring the school so you know where to go and catching up with friends to see if you have any classes together. As well, if your school offers a new student orientation, this is definitely something you should attend. Essentially, anything a student can do to help themselves feel more comfortable on the first few days is sure to help.

Dealing with Increased Responsibility 
As students progress through middle and high school, each passing year tends to come with more and more individual responsibility. Your teachers will have many more students and thus less time to check up and make sure each one is doing their homework and learning as they should. This puts more of the responsibility for learning, doing homework and getting passing grades on the student themselves. Unfortunately, some students find themselves quickly falling behind as soon as they don’t have a teacher constantly checking up on them. Therefore, it is essential that older students understand and are prepared to accept the increased responsibility that will inevitable be put upon them.

Doing Much More Homework 
Many students are shocked to find out that some of their teachers are prepared to assign homework on the very first day. Nonetheless, part of the increased responsibility also means a much larger amount of homework, and this is virtually guaranteed to start in the very first week. What this means is that it is essential that students come to their first day prepared and ready to learn. Obviously, this isn’t possible if you haven’t done all of your back to school shopping yet. Therefore, it is vital that you don’t wait until after school starts to at least buy basic school supplies like pencils, pens, notebooks and a backpack for all your new books. Your teachers will likely inform you of other supplies you may need to buy. Still, if you come to the first day without at least the basic school supplies, you risk giving your teachers a bad impression that you may have to work hard to overcome.

In truth, each new academic year generally isn’t all that different than the one before. There are sure to be some challenges and differences when starting a new school. Still, the fact is that school is still school, which means you should find yourself getting back into the rhythm of things within the first few weeks. Nonetheless, making sure you’re fully prepared before the school year starts should help you get into the swing of things even in quicker.

Are you ready for an A+ school year?

The beginning of a school year is always filled with anticipation, last minute shopping, getting your books and your wardrobe in order, and most importantly, gearing up to ace your academics the coming year. And there are all those tests, worksheets, and home assignments to deal with. Enter the eTutorWorld Back to School program!

Did you know that research has proven time and again that supplemental learning and enrichment programs help students achieve enhanced math and reading skills which in turn lead to higher academic performance?

To help you start off the new academic year with a bang, eTutorWorld has designed the Back to School program. This program has been designed to help lay a firm foundation for core topic competence even before the school begins. It isn’t a one size fits all, though – it is individually tailored as per your needs. Our simple Back to School diagnostic test will assess your strengths and areas of improvement, and our tutors will customize the Back to School program to suit your individual needs.

The eTutorWorld Back to School program is interactive, personalized and fun with LIVE, ONLINE learning. What’s more, it’s super affordable!

Sign up today to go on to be an A+ student this year. We want to make it even sweeter for you – use coupon code BTS10 to get a 10% discount (valid until August 31, 2016).

Note: Both new registrants and current eTutorWorld students are eligible to avail this offer.

Also don’t forget our referral program – a $20 Discount Coupon for every friend you bring in!*

*To be used on your next purchase, when your friend makes a minimum purchase of $50.

For children, the end of summer break seems to arrive much faster than its beginning. Many of them enjoy sleeping until late hours of the morning, staying up late with family and friends or going on vacation. Before they know it, it’s once again time to get up early and get on the bus or the car to go back to school.

There are a few ways to help fight the back to school blue that can help make the beginning of the school year a little easier for parents and children.

1. Schedule

In order to get the mind back on a school schedule, children should go to sleep at the time they would when they attend school about a week before the first day. They should perform all of the activities that they would do, such as packing lunches and picking out clothes, so that they know how much time they will need in the evening. A run through should also be done each morning so that no one is rushed on the first day of school.

2. Supplies

Make sure all of the supplies needed for each child are purchased well in advance of when classes start. Stock up on less expensive items, such as notebooks and folders, so that children will have them through the year if something breaks or they run out of paper. It’s also a good idea to start shopping early so that you have the best selections possible. Using books, pencils, crayons and bags from last year will help you save money and also teach your little one to do so.

3. Clothing

There are some schools that require students to wear uniforms. If your children attend a school like this, you need to know what is appropriate and what should be avoided. There are certain clothing items that aren’t allowed even if they are the designated colors by the school. There are some online sites and consignment stores where you can get bargains on school uniforms. If uniforms aren’t required, then go ahead and plan a few outfits for the first week of school.

4. Organization

Try to find ways to stay organized through the school year. Make labels your friends as you put them on items for school lunches, boxes for important papers and extra supplies that might be needed. If children pack their lunch, then consider placing various foods in small containers and letting children pick what they want to take. This will make them feel in charge of their lunch while making sure they have something healthy to take.

5. Planning

Get a head start on learning early in the year. Make a place where children can study and do homework with no interruptions. There should also be a calendar where assignments and projects can be posted.

6. New Classes

Instead of waiting until the first day of school to find out about the class, consider going online tutoring or getting a book at the library about the subject. This can give you a way to understand some of the basic concepts of the subject, especially if it’s a new area of study. Getting started earlier on academics will help you get a head start once school reopens. If needed get help on subjects that you did not fair too well on last year. Detailed explanations and additional practice work on subjects like math, science and English will help your child assimilate better and gain confidence in the classroom.

7. Paperwork

The first few days of school often involve paperwork that needs to be completed and signed. While this is important, it’s also important to make any updates to personal information through the rest of the year. This might include a new cell phone number or a new address.

8. Eating Healthy

Children will usually do better in school if they eat a healthy breakfast in the morning and a healthy dinner at night before getting a good night’s sleep. Try to get children to eat a balanced meal while at home if they don’t eat a lot while at school.

9.  Don’t Worry

The most important thing is to not worry. Everyone will be starting a new grade and making new friends. There will be groups to join and teachers to talk to, so enjoy the beginning of the year so that it leads to the best one yet.

10. After School Activities

Once school starts, so do after-school-activities. Considering different grades have different after school activities and it’s always good to know about the various activities your child can be involved in. Connecting with the school, teachers or some child older than yours will be able to guide and give you tips about these activities. So if your child will be playing after-school-soccer, getting her a pair of soccer shoes at the on-going sale will help you save money and also the trouble of a last-minute-rush.

Conclusion

The first day of school can be intimidating. Getting on a schedule for the year early can make a big difference through the rest of the year. Children should stay healthy by eating properly and sleeping enough at night. If you follow a few simple steps, then the school year can often get off to a beautiful beginning.

Keep up your resolution of being a A+ student this year. Register for a FREE lesson with us today.

Use coupon code BTS10 for a special 10% discount.
Etutorworld Back to School Sale is valid till August 31, 2015.

Note: Etutorworld registered students are also eligible for this offer, please login to your account and use coupon code BTS10 when making a purchase.