1. Consider reviewing last year’s final report card. This will give your family an academic refresher and a little remind of the highs and lows of last year.
2. Consider setting some academic goals. Now that you’ve reviewed the outcomes of last year, start considering what academic achievements could be reached THIS year. Both parents and children can identify changes that they’d like to make this school year.
3. Consider a routine overhaul. A new school year is an opportunity to deal with any and all bad habits that can get in the way of learning. These include morning and evening routines, eating habits, after-school routines, and homework and study habits. Fine-tune your family’s routine from the first day of class and settle into a school year with better habits.
4. Consider using an agenda for more than just school. Agendas are more than just a place to write down homework, they are great for keeping track of to-do lists, questions to ask teachers, chores. Students can also use agendas to prioritize workflow, keep track of work hours, extracurricular activities, and countdown until tests and exams.
5. Consider getting extra support right off the bat. School may not even be in session yet, (or it may have just begun) but it’s not too soon to enlist in some extra support. Why wait to find out what will happen with grades this year? Get on top of any potential issues BEFORE they become a problem. Take the bull by the horns. Show this grade who’s boss!

Creating an Academic Action Plan Helps Families Start the New School Year Off On the Right Foot

With every new school year comes the opportunity to make academic changes and improve grades. It’s an opportunity to get rid of bad habits and pick up improved thinking, learning, and studying skills. It’s an opportunity to make this school the best school year ever!

But in order to seize hold of the opportunity that the new school year brings, parents and children need to have a plan for success in place; they need to set academic goals.

When setting goals for a new school year, follow the CAM rule: Goals should be

• Clearly stated
• Achievable
• Measurable

For instance, if a student’s goal for this year is to get better grades in math, it is more realistic to aim to increase math scores by five points per test, and set a goal of doing an extra 15 minutes of math homework a night, than it is to set a goal of getting 95% on the first test.

By setting a clear goal of improving 5 points per test, there is a greater likelihood of success. A realistic goal is an achievable goal.

But starting the school year off on the right foot isn’t only about resolving to get better grades. At-home habits that support in-school learning are equally as important to overall school success. There are plenty ways for families to make at-home resolutions that lead to a better grades.

Use a family calendar. Manage school, family, and extracurricular activities with a daily reminder courtesy of a wall calendar.

Get informed. Be informed of important school dates (big projects, standardized tests) well in advance to avoid last-minute scrambles.

Handle homework. Develop a homework strategy. Set a schedule, stick to a timeframe, and take frequent breaks to keep stress levels low. If necessary, parents should work on something along their children.

Hone study skills. The best study skill is to start early. By being aware of test dates and projects, parents can ensure that their kids are not leaving work until the last minute, which leads to stress for everyone.

Stick to a routine. Set bedtimes and wake up times help establish good morning routines. Kids of all ages need adequate sleep as part of their overall school routine, and parents can help ensure that they are getting the rest that they need to stay sharp in class.

By developing an Academic Action Plan–whether it’s about improving grades or working on at-home habits–parents can help ensure that their kids are on the right path for better grades this school year. And, with support from the experts at Oxford Learning, making this year the year that straight A’s happen is a goal that’s within every family’s reach!

What’s your family’s Academic Action Plan for this year? Brainstorm your ideas and download this sheet to write out academic and at-home goals and track progress!

What do your fingers and hands have to do with how well you remember what you study?

Well, new research is showing that the physical act of handwriting stimulates critical activity in specific areas of the brain that develop a sort of visual memory of words and letters.

In the study, researchers asked two groups to learn an unknown alphabet. One group studied the alphabet by writing the letters out by hand. The other group read solely off computers.

It shouldn’t surprise you that the group who wrote the letters out had better recall and did better on tests of the alphabet.

The Take Away:

There are many ways to go about the process of studying. One of the tried-and-true study techniques is creating study notes using pen and paper.

It may seem an old-fashioned practice given the abundance of personal technology that students have at their fingertips, however, the act of physically writing creates a “motor memory” in the brain that helps both the brain, and the body, remember.

So if you want to maximize your study time, improve recall on tests, and get better grades, grab and pen and paper, open your textbook or notebook, and start making study notes!

That’s the question that we always ask, right? So much of the “stuff” that I learn in school makes no sense to me, and nobody seems to be able to answer my question about why its important, and when I will need this information. So, what’s the point of learning it if I don’t need it later? I mean, we have the ability to find pretty much any answer that we need in a couple of seconds courtesy of Google, a fact that seems to make the stuff we are learning silly. BUT, my real question is, why can’t anyone answer the question properly? Or, does what we are being taught need to change so we have an answer to the question? What are we learning in school, really? Is it important “stuff,” or is it simply how to follow instructions?

I think it might be more about the instruction than the stuff.

About me: I go to South Secondary School in London, ON and I have two younger siblings. I have always been a movie guy. But movies aren’t the only thing I enjoy. In the summer I love to bike with my friends down to the Thames River and ride along the trails. The sights and the entire ride are always beautiful. Anyway, hopefully you’ll enjoy my posts! Remember to leave feedback and comments at the bottom! – Dylan.

Ryan Parker from Toronto radio station Q107 goes back to school with Oxford Learning!

Watch this fun video shot at the Rosedale location to discover how your child can build confidence while learning the ABCs and the 1-2-3s:

Our fall newsletter is packed full of great tips and techniques to help your make sure that this school year starts off on the right foot!

Click to download our 4 page, printer-friendly newsletter

When it comes to back-to-school prep, getting kids ready to head back to the classroom involves more than just new school supplies and an updated wardrobe. Kids need to get mentally psyched up for the return to the classroom. But, when do you start back-to school prep? A few days before? Maybe a week?

How about right now? By re-introducing school-year habits and routines well before school begins, and by engaging in activities that kick the brain into high gear, kids naturally shift out of the summer mindset and get ready for a year of learning.

Our 10 Back-To-School Tips help you get your entire family on track for a better school year…starting right now.

1. Up and At ‘Em. The first bell of the school year rings early—sometimes, much earlier than kids and parents would like. Take the fumbling and grumbling out of school mornings by setting a wake-up schedule now. If kids don’t have an alarm clock, why not get them their own and let them take responsibility for waking up in the morning?

2. Hit the sheets. Nothing makes an early morning routine worse than a lack of sleep the night before. Plus, kids need a full night’s sleep to stay mentally alert all day in class. Start implementing bedtimes…even for older kids. It makes learning (and morning routines) that much easier.

3. Good Grub. Research continually shows the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, especially for students in class all day. Without proper morning nutrition, kids can feel drowsy and distracted. You want your kid focused on the teacher, not on his/her growling belly.

4. What to wear, what to wear. Avoid last-minute searches for green socks, or favourite baseball caps by picking out the next day’s clothes the night before. If you are selecting the wardrobe, give kids a few options and let them choose. They’ll feel a sense of inclusion and responsibility when they feel that they have a say in the decision-making.

5. I’ll take that to go, please. Unless you pay for school lunches, midday grub usually comes packed from home. Get into the habit of planning lunches the day before, whether it’s leftovers, or simple sandwiches, and take the question mark out of lunchtime meal planning. It’s one less thing that you’ll have to worry about in the morning.

6. We now return to our regular-scheduled programming. The school day is all about scheduled timing. Start times. End times. Recess. Lunch. As much as possible, follow a schedule that mimics the school day. This includes wake up times, bedtimes, playtimes, TV time, and lunchtime. Don’t forget to make time in the day for learning too!

7. TV off, homework on. During the school year, TV and computers are kids’ biggest homework distraction. Start eliminating that bad homework habit by turning off the TV during the after-school hours, coming to the table, and engaging in some sort of brain-challenging activity.

8. Read. Reading is probably the single best way to keep kids mentally active all year long. Plus, it’s a great way for kids to practice sustaining their attention span, to build their vocabulary, and to develop their reading comprehension skills.

9. Use the ‘S’ word. Help kids get in the school frame of mind by talking about school. How many days are left until the first day? What are the kids looking forward to? What are they nervous about? What is the best memory from last year? Kids may need some conversational prompting, so reference highlights from last year and be sure to keep it positive to build excitement!

10. Something else? Okay so we could use your help thinking of a 10th item to round out our list! How are you getting your family ready for back-to-school? We’d love to hear your family’s tips! Share your back-to-school ideas in the comments section below. If we pick your idea as our 10th tip, we’ll send you Oxford Learning back-to-school swag!

Another letter from a parent of an Oxford Learning student.

Dear Oxford Learning teachers,

Approximately one year ago we brought our son Jacob, then 9 years old, to see you. We were concerned because he was unhappy at the school he was attending. At the time we dealt with a lot of anxiety, and illness — he was always complaining of stomach problems, and having nightmares etc. We believed that for the most part, the problem was that the school environment wasn’t allowing him to learn what he was capable of learning at his particular skill level, and he was becoming aware of this deficit. We had made up our mind to put him in a different school, but we didn’t want him to have to begin at a new school and find himself behind his new classmates.

After speaking with Oxford Learning we decided to enroll Jacob for the extra push that he needed, and kept him there throughout the summer months.

When the Back-to-school season came around again, Jacob started at his new school. He was nervous, as were we; we didn’t know what to expect. We are happy to report that the school year went very well. Jacob adapted to his new environment quickly, and had a seamless transition into the new grade, and the new school, and we trace a large portion of that ease directly to the work Jacob did with Oxford Learning. By working with Oxford Learning, Jacob was able to learn how to understand what he was reading, and how to apply a specific study skill. He also gained a strong sense of confidence in his abilities to read and understand, even in a new environment.

We watched and listened as you and your instructors worked with Jacob and we talked with him many times about his experiences with Oxford. We are convinced that your work with Jacob has had a profound impact on his abilities in the classroom, his self-confidence in the classroom, and overall sense of self-worth. In the past year Jacob has blossomed like a flower in good soil and sunlight and we just want to say thank-you from the bottom of our hearts for your part in that.

We are moving to a new city shortly, and are pleased that Jacob is looking forward to starting school this fall in yet another new school.

Thank you.

Keri and Bill Lelland
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

A new school year is here! And with the new school year comes new school gear… like new clothes, new binders and new backpacks.

But did you know that choosing a backpack should not be made on the basis of style alone? In fact, backpacks should be considered more like sports equipment – in order to get optimum performance they must fit properly, especially since the load they lug can cause damage to spines, shoulders and lower backs.

According to the COCSA – the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations – an over-packed knapsack can have a detrimental impact on posture and on spinal health because students typically carry more than the recommended national guidelines of 10-15% of their body weight, and due to the added weight up to 60% of children will experience back pain by the time they reach the age of 18.

Follow these simple rules to make sure that the backpack burden isn’t too much to bear:

• Make sure to get a bag that fits properly and is neither too small nor too big
• Look for wide shoulder straps that are padded
• Always wear both shoulder straps to distribute weight evenly
• Tighten the shoulder straps so that the bag sits two inches above the waist
• Heavier items should be placed closest to the body
• If there is a waist strap, use it-it helps with weight distribution.

Child to Backpack weight chart

Here are some tips to make the first days back run smoothly:

• Start waking up early. We know, it’s the last weekend of the summer — who wants to set the alarm clock? Establishing a wake-up time will alleviate the morning rush, and prevent the afternoon lag in energy.
• Start picking out clothes the night before — the less decisions you have to make in the morning, the better.
• Get some shut-eye. Establish a decent bedtime now — after all the alarm will be going off earlier than you’ve been used to.
• Eat a decent breakfast. (This isn’t just for back-to-school, but for everyday.)

But don’t take our word for it. Read this article from Yahoo health which says that sleep and reading are very important for back-to-school preparations.

Or this one from Kaboose.ca titled ’Back to School: Tips to Prepare Kids for the Big Day’.

What are your tips for back-to-school? We’d love to hear them! Post them in the comments.

Have a great labor day!