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New School Year, Fresh Start!

By Tricia Brock Madden, Education Consultant August 18, 2011

Here are a few quotes to inspire you as you are helping your children transition back into the routine of school.  I hope you all enjoy the excitement of the beginning of a new school year!

"Holidays are enticing only for the first week or so. After that, it is no longer such a novelty to rise late and have little to do."  ~Margaret Laurence

Children take great pride in a hard day's work. Whether it is a 2-year-old given the great task of building a block tower, or a 10-year-old required to practice their multiplication tables daily, we need to encourage the seriousness with which they take their school job responsibilities. 

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."  ~John Dewey

In this era of standardized testing, it is important to remember that the process of learning is just as valuable as the result. Of course results do matter (grades, test scores, report cards, etc.) but they are certainly not the only measure of a child's success and they do not tell the whole story of all that has been learned during the school day.   

"Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves."  ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928

Resist the urge of becoming a helicopter parent, constantly hovering over your child's every lesson.  As parents it is our responsibility to set up a good learning environment and provide a home that is conducive to afterschool study. It is not our responsibility to do the homework or learning for our children. 

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."  ~G.B. Stern

Thank the teachers! Throughout the entire year, let them know that you appreciate their constant care and energy that they bring to the classroom everyday. Tell them anecdotal stories about when your child speaks fondly of them. Partner with them and ask what you can do at home that will help support their efforts with your child.