School is coming to a close! You and your kids can’t wait for summer, but before you put this school year behind you, there are 4 things to do before the school year ends:
1. Show Your Appreciation
Teachers work very hard, but they don’t always get the credit they deserve for educating and taking care of a couple dozen kids all day. No small feat. Here are a few ways to say Thank You:
- Rally the parents and throw a class party. (Volunteer to bring tasty, healthy Tickle Water while you’re at it!)
- Take up a class collection for a big gift or a gift certificate.
- Thank the teacher personally with a note and a small gift. I found some cute options on FamilyEducation.com.
- Get your child involved. Encourage them to write a thank you note to the teacher.
2. Get the Skinny
If you don’t have a scheduled teacher conference, request a quick meeting, call or e- mail convo to find out if your child has behavioral or other issues – like lack of motivation or poor work ethic – that they can work on over the summer. The teacher spent more time with them than almost anyone and might have helpful insights. Then, approach your child in a positive manner about what you learned.
3. Lesson Plan
Children tend to backslide over the summer (more on that in next week’s post!), so ask your teacher for reading suggestions and online educational programs that your child can work on during their break. Institute learning-based activities now and keep them going all summer, and your child will be sharp as a tack when school starts in the fall.
4. Summer Social Calendar
Ask your child if there are any friends at school who they might want to maintain contact with once school is out. Reach out to the parents of those kids via the class email list or at year-end school functions. Not only do you want your kids to have lots to do over the summer, but you also want friendships to blossom rather than fade.
Also, use those functions to chat with parents about what they usually do around town in the summer. A good way to gather ideas and to arrange casual meetups!
