Five tips to help your child prepare for the new school year
With school back for the year, now is the best time for your child to start developing good study habits. We list a few tips to help them enjoy their year and succeed academically.
Look for the positives
The end of the holidays is not usually something students look forward to, but there's usually something exciting around the corner. Older students may be keen to try out some new subjects or electives, while younger students might look forward to a new teacher or classmates. Some may be excited to take on a leadership position, while for others it's performing in the school musical. Maybe just the idea of being one step closer to the finish line is enough to motivate them.
Set some goals
Having a goal to work towards can be great for motivation, particularly in the first few weeks back. Goals could be as simple as making sure they get to class on time or not leaving assignments to the last minute. Your child may also look to improve their grades in a certain subject or across the board. Or perhaps their goals will have nothing to do with academics at all instead aiming to earn a spot in a school sports team or participate in more community service activities.
Seek help early
It's important that your child seeks help from their teacher if there is an area they are struggling with. This is particularly important for senior students, who will find that it's easy to fall behind with so much content to cover. By staying on top of homework, your child will be able to seek help before they become too overwhelmed with assessment. Teachers will generally be more willing to help if they're approached early on, rather than on the morning of an exam.
Look for study resources outside of the classroom
While class notes and set readings will likely give a solid grounding for assessment, you should encourage your child to look for resources beyond what they are provided in class. This will ensure they have a thorough understanding of the content and may help them wrap their head around concepts they were unsure of by explaining them in a new or more detailed way. Your child may want to look for university lectures, online videos and tutorials, library books or even study apps on their phone.
Explore future study or training options
If your child is approaching their final years of school, it's time that they start exploring their post-school options. Starting research early can help motivate them to work hard to gain entry into their desired course and will give them plenty of time to consider their future study options before decisions need to be made. Your child may want to start attending open days for institutions of interest or, if they're looking to get a head start on future study, consider undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, a VET qualification or a university subject with a local university.
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