Making A Smooth and Strong Start to the School Year
Starting a new school year can be a mix of excitement and nerves for students. To help ensure a smooth transition, here are 8 practical tips to make the first week back as smooth and strong as possible:
Open Up the Conversation: Before school starts, have a chat with them. Ask them what they’re looking forward to and what’s on their mind. Share what you found daunting at their age and still do now in your professional life. This helps them know they are not alone in their emotions and to voice their feelings, setting the stage for a supportive start.
Plan and Prepare: Get ahead by planning for the week. Create a checklist of what needs to be done before school starts, and ensure that everything is laid out ready the night before, eg. uniform and bag packed. Also, be stocked up on some of their favorite breakfasts and ideally, prepare them the night before, in order to avoid the morning rush and anxious stomachs meaning they go without. Some of our favourites include smoothie bowls or overnight oats as they are easy to prepare in advance and ensure a quick and nutritious breakfast for busy mornings.
Start Academically Strong: Encourage a growth mindset from day one so they feel well set up for the year ahead. Ask them what helps and what hinders their learning? How will they avoid distractions - in the class and for homework? Where is best for them to sit in the classroom? What will they do if they don’t understand some of the lessons being taught? How will they start revising knowledge without waiting for exam season to kick in?!
Some of these answers may seem obvious but let’s not underestimate the strong influence that our habits can have from day one, and how a daunting new environment might stop students from speaking out. If we’re afraid to ask a question in the first week, it only gets harder from then on. Likewise, if we leave all revision tasks till Easter, it then seems an insurmountable task!
Practise Mindfulness and Stress-Relief Techniques: Introduce simple mindfulness exercises to manage stress. Teach them deep breathing techniques—inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts. Alternatively, use one hand to slowly trace up and down each finger of the other hand as they breathe in and out on the up and down movements. These can both help to calm nerves and deal with pressure any time they feel the need.
Create a Balanced Schedule Look at each day and ask when will they have time to stop, pause and reflect? Ensure there is specific time for study, relaxation, sport, social time and off-screen time built into each day, and that students know that these are all equally important as each other, since a healthy mind leads to a healthy body and vice-versa.
Plan Ahead for Challenges: Discuss potential challenges they might face and how to handle them. Ask them, what are the key concerns worrying them, or that have happened in their day? What would help in this scenario, eg. who might they speak to, or what could they do to feel better - such as go for a walk, do some sport, practise a breathing exercise. Preparing for possible hiccups can reduce anxiety and make them feel more in control. As the saying goes - we cannot control the event, but we can control our response to it :).
Visualise Success: Our negativity bias means that when thinking about future events, it’s our natural tendency to imagine the worst. By encouraging students to spend a few minutes each day visualising a positive school experience, and asking them what IF it looks good, what might go well then, and helping them to entertain this possibility. Then ask them to picture themselves navigating their new routine with confidence and ease, focusing on successful outcomes rather than potential worries.
Celebrate Small Wins: Take time to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small. Whether it’s a successful first day, having a friendly conversation or completing a task on their checklist, celebrating these moments boosts their confidence and makes the transition far more positive.
I hope these tips help to smooth any first week nerves and set students up for success. Please share with anyone who would benefit from reading this article.
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