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(NC)—After months away from school and homework, it's time for parents to help their children prepare for class.

A successful school year, according to Dr. Andrea Pastorok, an Educational Specialist with Kumon Math & Reading Centres can depend on how smooth a child transitions from vacation.

"Some parents would like to believe that buying school supplies and new clothes will make everything run smoothly, however, this is rarely the case," says Dr. Pastorok. "Parents should spend some time with their children setting up the ultimate learning environment in order to get children organized and excited for the new school year."

Dr. Pastorok suggests the following ways parents can get their children excited and ready for a successful route back to school:

• Set up a quiet, clean and well-ventilated area for your children to study, with minimal "in-house" traffic. Ideally, the area should be closed to pets and free of stereos, TV, radio, telephone, video games and other enticing distractions.

• Provide your children with school supplies including pens, paper, erasers, coloured pencils and markers. The study area should also contain resources such as a dictionary and thesaurus.

• Establish a consistent homework routine at the very beginning. Schedule a daily homework time in your house so that it becomes a part of your family's routine. This also helps children see that homework is a priority in your home.

• Make time to get acquainted with your children's teachers and relay to your children any academic goals you discuss with their teachers. These partnerships will help ensure that the student, teachers and parents work together towards a common goal.

• Focus on the positives. Talk to your children about what they achieved while away from school. The summer can give your children the opportunity to excel in athletics, explore the arts and form good relationships with friends and family. Be sure to point out the skills that helped your children succeed and explain how these skills can be applied to school.

Planning ahead will help children and parents be prepared and organized for the upcoming school year, which can make a big difference in leading students down the road to success.

- News Canada Home

Last modified: 08/23/03