Much of the country has been “back to school” for a few weeks now. In Michigan, however, today is the Official First Day of School.  My family decided to beat the back-to-school blues that typically creep in over Labor Day weekend and went on a very special Michigan adventure.

We walked across the magnificent, five-mile long, Mackinac Bridge! (Pronounced “mack-i-naw.”)  It is a Michigan tradition to open the bridge one day a year, on Labor Day, to foot traffic.  We were joined by 35,000 other people who were all eager to enjoy this special scene, too.

The Mackinac Bridge is a breath-taking form of architecture that connects Michigan’s two peninsulas. It was an engineering marvel as the longest suspension bridge of its time, and is still incredibly impressive today.  It is built to withstand 70 mph winds and 30-foot ice floes that come pounding across the Straits of Mackinac, where the Great Lakes of Michigan and Huron meet.

Many who are from Michigan, or have visited, know there is a breath-taking moment when you drive north on I75 and suddenly see the stately towers of the bridge come into view. The view from atop the bridge, 200 feet above the Straits, is nothing short of majestic! 360-degree views of glorious blue and aqua fresh-water seas sprawl as far as the eye can see, interspersed with two massive peninsulas and seven islands.

When my daughter was 15 months-old, she had been trapped her car seat for eight long hours due to a freeway closure that added a couple extra hours to our drive.  She was screaming and screeching, trying to play “Houdini” and squirm out of her car seat.

But, as we reached the bridge and gradually angled up, high above that magnificent land and water-scape, she became entranced… Her body was still.  Her tears stopped.  She leaned forward and stared.  At her tender young age, she understood the magnificence of what was beneath her.  “Wooooow!  Oooooh!” she squealed in total wonderment. And, that’s the moment I knew that the Mackinac Bridge does not just have magical powers over me…it’s simply magical!

Our trek today was about eight miles, by the time we walked from our car on one end of the bridge to the shuttle stop on the other end.  I won’t lie; we are tired, hot, and weary as we begin our six-hour drive home. 

But, we soaked it all up and received our certificates for crossing the “World’s Greatest Bridge!” We are satisfied from our adventure…my husband and I are happy to have experienced something we’ve always wanted to do…and something our children instinctively know is special.

Meanwhile, we completed our back-to-school preparations just before the weekend. The supplies, clothes, and shoes have all been inventoried and purchased.  The backpacks are by the back door and food for lunches is in the fridge.

I’m looking forward to a fresh start this year. Last year was a bit of a challenge for us.  On one hand, it was a positive year because of many positive things: my son was healthier, my daughter was a year older and getting a bit “easier,” and my husband was on leave from his teaching job to provide much-needed assistance with SOAR^® and the children.

But, every single one of us was in a transition. The kids were each in a new school.  Brian was in a completely new role as the “family manager.”  I was in a new role as the primary bread-winner…and having to relinquish my tight-gripped control of our day-to-day routines.  (That’s not easy for my type-A self.)

These transitions meant that we had some disastrous times with school and homework! Let me tell you, it is no fun being a “homework and study skills expert” and having to explain to your child’s teachers that you dropped the ball.  Yes, my children need to take responsibility for their work, but we were ALL having trouble keeping track of things.

It wasn’t always graceful, but the good news is that we figured everything out. Ironically, it required a perspective much like that from the Mackinac Bridge…to pull myself above my day-to-day reality in which I am immersed.  Sometimes, the frustrations got the best of me, but anytime I paused to ask myself, “What do I teach others to do that I am not doing, myself?” I always had an answer.

I even pulled out my own “Scorecard” a couple of times and am very pleased to say that the Scorecard led me to my own solutions. (Thank God! I couldn’t live with myself if I was a hypocrite.  My mother subscribes to these newsletters, too; she wouldn’t *let* me live as a hypocrite.)

As this new school year begins, I’ve done my best to look at things from a “200-foot view” so that we can get off to a solid start. I have also reminded myself that the next “homework frustration” must be a signal  to step back and reevaluate.  We can always fix problems…if we are aware they are there to be fixed.

Our walk over the Magnificent Mackinac Bridge was not just an adventure to celebrate the closing of summer; it was a metaphor for the perspective that will help us have a successful school year! The architect of the Mackinac Bridge, David B. Steinman, was also a poet.  He wrote a poem about his beloved bridge and I think the last two lines capture the feeling I get when I am on that bridge…

There it spans the miles of water,

Speeding millions on their way-

Bridge of vision, hope, and courage,

Portal to a brighter day.

The Mackinac Bridge stands for optimism and all that is possible! On this back-to-school eve, I feel very optimistic for this school year and for the future we are working to build for our children.  I wish you and your family a wonderful school year, too!

The Scorecard I referenced earlier comes with the SOAR^® School Success Kit and ADHD School Success Kit for individual families.  For educators, the Scorecard is an integral part of the SOAR^® Study Skills Curriculum:

SOAR^® School Success Kit

http://studyskills.com/products/?product=152

ADHD School Success Kit
http://studyskills.com/products/?product=203

SOAR^® Study Skills Curriculum
http://studyskills.com/educators/study-skills-curriculum/

My Family on the Mackinac Bridge

My Son, Mark, as We Begin Our walk Over the Magnificent Mackinac Bridge

Overlooking Three Islands, Including Mackinac Island

Michigan's Lower Peninsula...the Photos Don't Do the Scenery Justice! You Can't See the Multiple Variations of Aqua-Blue in the Water, the Diamond-Sparkles Off the Water, the 360-Surroundings, or the Space Above and Below Yourself...it's Truly All Encompassing!

-Susan Kruger

(Google+)

If you would like to sign up for the SOAR Newsletter, you can do so here: http://studyskills.com/sign-up-for-the-soar-newsletter/

This time of year is a great opportunity for parents to establish routines and expectations around the home to set a tone for a positive school year. Everyone is in the mindset of making transitions this time of year, so it is a natural time to establish weekly “check-in” meetings with the family, more efficient homework routines, and systems for managing school papers, to name a few. It is even a great time to set the “attitude” for the school year, too.

For example, I recently overheard a mom and her son (I am guessing he was ten or eleven years-old) in the store buying back-to-school supplies. The boy commented that he was not looking forward to school and his mom replied, “I know it is hard when summer is over, but I think you are going to have a great year with Mrs. Chet. You have a lot of friends in her class and I think you are going to find math much easier.” Her son replied, “Do you think I could get a B in math?” Mom answered, “Of course you can!” and they went on shopping. I do not know if the conversation continued and I do not know exactly why they thought math would be so much better this year, but I do know that the mother was really helping her son develop a positive attitude as he faced the anticipation of going back to school.

All parents have this influence, even if some kids are more reluctant to admit it than the boy in the store. It is not always easy when parents are busy and feeling a little scattered with all of the transitions that back-to-school brings for them, too. However, like in the classroom, the investment of these first three weeks will pay dividends throughout the school year!

-Susan Kruger

(Google+)

One year, when I was a classroom teacher, I had been transferred to a new school. The day before school started, I was setting up my classroom when a woman and her son peeked in…Debbie and Logan. Logan would be in my class that year and they stopped by to warmly welcome me to their school; Somehow I knew then that Debbie was going to be a fun parent to work with.

Sure enough, during the first week of school, Debbie sent in brownies and a note thanking me for the Parent Handbook I had distributed. Debbie was a teacher in another district and she had empathy for the amount of time it took to prepare them.

About once a month, Debbie continued to do small things that simply communicated, “I appreciate your effort.” Sometimes she sent in a goodie bag of her latest homemade treats or would jot a short note on Logan’s homework to tell me how much he learned from our latest science experiment. Naturally, I ended up giving Logan some specialized attention because I knew my efforts were being recognized.

This does NOT mean I was ‘playing favorites.’ I simply honed in on Logan more quickly than other children because his mother gave me feedback about what was helpful to her and her son.

Logan was a bright student, but had difficulty learning how to read. He was good at math, but reading -with all of the ‘exceptions to the rules’ that are characteristic of the English language- was not registering very easily in Logan’s logical mind.

Over time, I was able to personalize his instruction. For example, I found books that were interesting to Logan: math-based stories, books about designing automobiles, and how to do origami. His interest in these topics provided important background to help him understand what he was reading and, more importantly, motivated him to read. His mother credits this as the major turning point for him learning how to read and she was even more grateful than ever before!

I have to admit, however, I felt guilty accepting her praise. It is human nature to gravitate and respond to positive feedback. As a teacher, Debbie was simply being the kind of parent that she would have wanted in her class. What she did not realize is that her efforts inspired me to tune into her son and be more effective as his teacher. She also inspired me to be a better parent, myself.

My two-year-old son goes to daycare part-time and his teachers have made our lives wonderful. Their compassion and professionalism give me great confidence and allow my son to love ‘school.’ Debbie inspired me to share my appreciation with his teachers by sending in little gifts or short notes describing something nice my son has said about them. As a result, I learned another great benefit about being a positive parent; when I have a problem or concern, his teachers respond right away and graciously work with me because they know I respect them.

*** Action Plan ***

Regardless of your child’s age –preschool or high school- you can show support for teachers. Keep in mind that middle and high school students will not want to take in a plate of cookies for each of their teachers. However, even if your child is older and has several teachers, you can do simple things to touch base:

- Send an email to say “thank you” for a progress report or to tell the teacher something nice your child said about him/her.

- Drop a candy bar in the teachers’ mail boxes with a note attached (i.e. “Some fuel for the first day of school. Welcome back and thanks for all you do!”)

- Around the holidays, consider sending in a small value gift certificate to a local coffee shop or deli.

These are just a few examples of the countless small and inexpensive ways to show appreciation.

One note of caution: Always be genuine! Never say something you do not mean or teachers will be wary. Do not be too flowery or you will turn them off. Short notes, kind words, and small tokens of appreciation are all you need to make a teacher’s day.

*** In Conclusion… ***

Share your appreciation with your child’s teachers and you will:

- Give a much needed morale boost to teachers.

- Naturally encourage them to pay greater attention to your child, which will make his/her education more effective. -and- – Promote greater cooperation from teachers when you have to address a problem or concern.

It is never too late to let teachers know that you value their contribution to your child’s life. You and your child will reap great returns from your efforts!

-Susan Kruger

(Google+)

Gearing up for back-to-school can be a bit overwhelming; there is a lot to do, a lot of transitions to navigate, and often a sense of blues as the realization that summer has, once again, gone by too fast. However, you can easily turn back-to-school anxieties into positive anticipation for a great school year with the following action plan. Plug these steps into your calendar right now and see what a different they can make!

One Week before School: Week of Preparation

Day 1 (seven days before school): Ease into a “school” bed-time schedule. Slowly transitioning into a “school” sleep schedule ensures proper rest and encourages a positive attitude towards going back to school.

Day 3: Create a place for everything, so everything will be in its place. Designate one basket for each child to store his shoes, book bags, and jackets. Give each child a container filled with standard homework supplies that can be transported from, for example, the kitchen to the computer room. Finally, establish a place for each child to store extra papers from school -a section of your file cabinet or a designated box under his bed.

Day 4: Purchase supplies. Keep the supplies minimal and simple. Fancy folders and notebooks are bulky and hard for students to use. The best system to use is a one-inch binder with a plastic folder for each class, keeping all folders in one place.

Day 6: Set goals with your children. Help your children look forward to the new school year by having each person (including you) share at least two goals for the new school year: one academic goal and one “fun” goal.

First Week of School: Week of Routines

Day 7 (night before school): Have a “Sunday Night Meeting” every week! Each member of the family should grab their planners/calendars for a 10-15 minute “meeting.” Ask your children what they have scheduled for the week (such as sports practices), share your plans for the week (children like to know what to expect, so tell them if you will have a late night at the office or will have to attend a meeting at school), arrange rides home from after-school activities, etc. Your week will be much less chaotic because everyone will be on the same page!

Day 8: Establish a routine for papers that need your attention. Purchase magnetic clips for each child and post them on the refrigerator. Have your children clip papers here that you need to fill out, sign, etc. (Expect to spend four hours filling out back-to-school papers this week.)

Day 10: Get ready for school at night, before you go to bed. Avoid chaotic mornings and forgotten school supplies by having everyone pack up their homework, book bags, lunch/lunch money, etc. before they go to bed. They should also set out their clothes, shoes, and jacket at night, too. (Get the FREE ‘Night Before School’ Tool here.)

Day 11: Is everyone using their school planners? All students need to use a homework planner! Check planners every night until they are part of everyone’s routine.

Day 12: Clean out book bags once a week. Cluttered book-bags are the root cause of lost assignments and must be cleaned out regularly. (The Sunday Night Meeting is another good time to do this.)

Second Week of School: Week of Cooperation

Day 14: Hold your second “Sunday Night Meeting” of the school year.

Day 15: Give each child a choice about something today. The more you can give your children choices, the more cooperation you will get from them, especially when doing homework. Some choices may include giving two options for dinner or two different times to do their homework. When you give choices –and honor their choices- your children feel empowered and will be much more cooperative.

Day 18: Catch your children being good today! Improve cooperation by giving compliments to your children. Keep them specific and succinct (most children are embarrassed by mushy-gushy compliments). For example, “Thank you, Kristen, for coming home and starting your homework right away. I appreciate that.” Positive praise works wonders!

Day 21: Give yourself a break! Congratulations, you have survived the first two weeks of school and you are well on your way to a happy, productive school year. Celebrate by scheduling some time for yourself. You deserve it!

-Susan Kruger

(Google+)