June, July, August. How could it be possible that August has caught up to our yet-to-be fully realized summer plans? All year long, we yearn for the lazy, relaxing days of the warm summer months and then, poof!, the days are gone. Planning for the beginning of school equals planning for the end of summer and with this in mind, children and parents begin to wonder and question, “How do I prepare?” Getting ready for the next transition into the upcoming school year can be described as both simple and complicated.

Preparing for school can be contextualized as simple in that we want our children to be engaged in the learning process. We want them to love to read, love to randomly complete math problems in their spare time, and without question, talk and intellectualize about their curiosities. While this may be the case for the fictional child, most can be found spending their time on sporting fields, in swimming pools, and on family vacations. Notice I did not reference video games and TV watching. Valuable and necessary time spent relaxing outdoors and interacting with friends and family is a development aspect which is crucial to the social, emotional, and academic growth of our children.

As a lifelong educator and a counseling professional working with students on the educational support and transition process, I have encouraged students and their families to incorporate learning into all aspects of life. As we are bombarded with technology including social networking, video gaming, and information overload, children need time to relax, enjoy, and use their innate talents outside of the classroom.

Reinforced learning happens outside the traditional classroom and the summer months are optimal times to enhance the learning that occurs from Labor Day to Memorial Day. We at Buckley Educational Group, LLC, have used the following techniques to engage and encourage learning in June, July, and August (and, of course, during the school year months as well!).

Bring your child into the discussion. What are they interested in doing? What do they want to learn more about? How do they want to learn this new information? Once a person is genuinely and innately engaged in the inquiry, resistance diminishes.

Read. Now we have all heard this suggestion before and when suggested to a child, it may be resisted with a groan or good old passive aggressive behavior. Suggest reading based on a child’s learning modality. Should they be read to? Should they try audio tapes? Would an electronic method of reading entice a student more readily? Visit libraries, museums, and places of learning. Again, what is your child interested in learning? From that premise, magnificent doors may open!

Plan a family expedition. Have a family expedition planned by each child. Where do they want to go? How will they get there? What are the logistics in the development of their plan? What part do other family members need to have to implement the ‘expedition?’ Mapping, researching, reading, and time with family are just a few of the skills honed by the development of a ‘family expedition.’

What about math, science, history, study skills, and more? Doesn’t this sound like a review of the school year? Create an organized review plan for the month of August. Make it a Sunday evening activity. What review will occur each week? Will it be decimals or polynomials? What about study skills? This is the ever-so-necessary component of academic success and one my team and I work on regularly throughout the school year. What plan will be put into place for the upcoming school year? Where is homework completed? What will the structure of the setting be like? Have each child be part of the creation of study time. If a child is part of the creation, they must also be a part of the consequences.

Plan for and talk about the transitioning process. Each year brings much anxiety of the unknown. Unknown teachers, classes, possibly a new school setting, academic expectations, and preparedness for classroom expectations. Know what your child’s strengths and weaknesses are, accentuate their assets, and hone in and strengthen their liabilities.

Lastly, if outside support is needed to prepare your child for the transition, ensure that you enlist a credentialed educator and qualified professional.