Ready Set Go 2020: Week 6

Hello new Breakthrough families! 

In the last edition of Ready Set Go, I shared several tips and activities from some of our kindergarten teachers that you can use at home to help rising kindergarten scholars get ready for school.  In this edition, I am sharing some tips from some of our middle school Principals about how your scholar can successfully transition to middle school and how you can help.

• Read, Read, Read – Encourage your middle school scholar to read as much as they can
• Type it up - Practice typing on any typing websites (students love nitrotype.com)
• Conversations and thoughts - Have conversations about current events with your child and encourage them to be comfortable with sharing their thoughts
• Get Organized and Use a Planner - Help your scholar make a plan for what they're going to do and when they're going to do it. This will make sure they're always ahead of the curve - literally.
• Divide it up - Homework & studying isn't always fun, and your scholar will likely have homework/studying every night...in each subject area ☺. Split up the work into smaller chunks and allow your scholar to reward themselves when they finish each chunk to make studying (a bit more) fun.
• Sleep - We start school at 8am sharp! Your scholar needs a good night's sleep so they can show up with laser-like focus and a strong memory. Don't underestimate the importance of those eight hours of zzz's every night!
• Set a schedule – Help your scholar to determine if they work better right after school or after they've eaten dinner? Find a schedule that works for them, and stick to it. Consistency is key!
• Take notes - Taking notes will not only keep scholars more engaged during class, but will also help them understand what they need to study when test time rolls around --it’ll also help during homework time!
• Study - This one might be obvious, but did you know that there's a right and a wrong way to study? Scholars should review the material several days ahead of time, in small chunks, and in different ways (for example, write flashcards one day and take practice tests the next). It’s important to do well on assessments.
• Ask questions – Let scholars know they’re in school to learn, so they should not be afraid to do just that! Asking for help from a teacher, a tutor or friends - is a sure way to make sure they truly understand the content.
• Hold yourself accountable – Scholars are in control of their success at school and should hold themselves accountable for their success.
• Support, Support, Support - We provide support, but it’s up to scholars to have high expectations for themselves. The surest way to do this, is to consistently model the 5 Keys to Success: Perseverance, Courage, Respect, Responsibility, and Self Discipline.