Top 5 Back to School Tips for 2020
Check out our top 5 back to school tips to give your child the head start they deserve.
It is fair to say that summer has ended and for most, if not all parents, the back to school routine is now well and truly in full swing! As our kids make the not so easy transition in returning to school life, what can we do as parents to take the edge off in providing them with the best fresh start? At Think Academy UK, we have put together a list of back to school tips that we hope every parent will find super helpful!
Back to school tips – Check out our top 5!
1. Don’t ditch home learning!
At the height of the UK Coronavirus lockdown it is estimated that over 4 million primary school students suddenly found themselves at home due to school closures. Teachers did their best to provide online resources to aid remote learning and help parents build a home-schooling schedule. But was it enough? – That one is for you to decide!
Many of us turned to educational websites such as BBC Bitesize for science lessons, or online maths tutors like Think Academy UK to help ensure kids did not fall behind with their KS1 and KS2 maths studies. If you found that this was an effective alternative method to learning for your child, why stop now?
Don’t be shy to get creative and tell other parents what has worked best in your home. Ask other parents how they support their children going back to school. You can share your ideas in social media groups such as UK Primary School Maths – Tutoring & Tips.
2. Use an online maths tutor!
Or English, or whichever subject your child needs the most help with. With the rising popularity of E-learning and the convenience of learning remotely, the support of online tuition could work wonders for your child.
Think about it like this, if your child is in Year 6 and preparing for their maths KS2 SATs, they only have a limited number of months to prepare before its time to sit their exams. Coupled with the added pressure due to months away from the classroom and their schoolteachers, an online maths tutor can quickly identify gaps in their knowledge and work quickly to resolve this. Ultimately giving your child a competitive edge as they head back to primary school in their final year.
3. Talk about what it’s like to be back at school.
Communication is key. We hear this all the time, but it’s true! Engage your child in conversation and ask them about their experience of going back to school.
We know what you’re thinking – no child is the same and sometimes it can be quite the challenge to get them talking. However, in these uncertain times it’s more important than ever to be positive and encourage them to feel safe in going back to school and wanting to learn.
A study by UNICEF Communicating with Children highlights the importance of positive reinforcement and strengths-based communication with our kids. Don’t just focus on the education side of going back to school. Remind them how fun it is to be in an environment with their friends again. Being away from you their parent, and home, allows them to gain the independence necessary for shaping their character as they move into adolescence and head off to secondary school.
4. Out with the old, in with the new – Your back to school routine!
Start as you mean to go on. Heading back to school is not only a fresh start for both parents and children, it’s an excellent opportunity to introduce new ideas into your daily routine.
If you drive your kids to school, why not spice up the journey with a maths quiz? This might be just the thing your little one needs if they are in Year 4 and preparing for the Multiplication Check. Inventing new and creative ways to learn between breakfast and starting the school day is a fantastic way to learn – while also preparing for the KS2 SATs!
In the evening, you might want to think about adding 45 minutes of screen time for online learning as a supplement to homework or study time. This is a great way to establish a new school day routine while not totally abandoning some of the awesome techniques used in your home-schooling routine.
Screen time isn’t all about fun and games, it’s a new interactive way to incorporate E-learning at home. Don’t forget that at Think Academy UK, we’re offering a free online maths class for primary school students, led by some of our expert online maths tutors – so you can see how screen time and learning online works for your family.
5. Teach your child to be flexible.
Ok, this is not as straight forward as we make it sound. The reality of our current situation means that as great as it is to go back to school, nobody knows to what degree we can return to normality just yet. That’s why now more than ever it is important to try and help your child to remain flexible in their attitudes to learning – and that goes for parents too!
Staying safe at school and practicing good hygiene is one way in which everyone can try to keep things as normal as possible for the foreseeable future. We understand much of this is down to schools, and we will have a blog for you to read on this soon! For now, finding the balance between home-schooling techniques such as using online tutors and valuable e-learning tools will help to support your child with what they are learning at school. Keep on encouraging your child to embrace being back at school, learning in a fun and interactive environment with their peers.
You may also like to read:
How Think Academy’s Online Maths Courses can Help Your Child Better Prepare for the KS2 SATs?
What are Square Numbers? – How to Explain Square Numbers to Your Child
SATs 2021: Complete Guide on KS2 SATs and How to Prepare Your Child
