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- Ep 2: Back 2 School
Happy Friday, everyone!
You will learn how to help your kiddo start the school year strong in <5 minutes of reading!
Skip down to the cute baby pic (my niece!) if you want to get straight to the how-to guide!
As the new school year approaches, I thought it would be fitting to provide a guide on preparing students for a successful return to school 😊.
Bookmark this one and come back to it as needed! ✅
If YOU are not learning neither is your student
While many high-performing countries prioritize education year-round, the US school system typically offers a 2-3 month break (WHOOO! Summer break ☀️ ), during which much of the knowledge gained in the previous school year can fade, especially in subjects like math and science that require consistent practice. See for yourself from an analysis done by The Brooking Institute here.
Visually, the effect of the summer learning loss makes us look pretty bad, globally: 🌎️
Further, in an increasingly globalized economy, our future workforce will have an ever-increasing challenge to compete in the modern workplace (If you’re in tech or healthcare, you know it’s already happening!)
Learning how to learn is imperative and its starts in grade school but can be picked up by anyone!
So, here's how my team and I usually help our students gear up for the new school year and how YOU CAN TOO!
Embrace failing to invite learning
Before diving into the details, it's worth noting that most classes, especially in math and sciences, start with an initial assessment. This helps teachers gauge students' abilities, grouping them as top performers, middle-tier, or needing additional support.
Interestingly, the gap between top-performing and middle-tier students often stems from the amount of practice and engagement over the summer. I've personally worked extensively with top students throughout the summer, over the past 10ish years now, which reinforces this observation!
Where a student begins the school year can significantly influence how they're perceived by their teachers and thus the relationship they build with their instructor. The warmer the start, the more positive the teacher's outlook and thus the attention and direction your students get! Teachers (I used to be one for high school students in a summer program at my alma mater, UC Berkeley, after college!) are just people. They have their favorites and not as favorites and YOU can determine which one your kid is going to be. This initial foundation sets the tone for the year ahead.
picture of my niece, Maya 🌻
Here's our approach to priming students for school, particularly if they haven't had summer learning experiences:
Start with the Goal: Begin with a diagnostic test for the upcoming grade. Setting a clear goal, akin to a child's play, is essential for effective learning. Just like a child learns to stack blocks by seeing a desired outcome, students learn better when they have a target in mind.
SMART Goals: Use SMART goals for each lesson – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Applying this approach can make learning objectives clearer and more achievable. 🤓
Going into 8th grade? Start here
Going into 9th grade? Start here
etc! Whatever grade your student is entering, find the appropriate assessment/topic of interest of the grade prior to identifying weaknesses and where you can reinforce their skills.
Personalization: When it comes to the actually learning part, tap into students' interests – whether it's sports, fantasy books, or video games – to fuel their learning. Make analogies and connections to their passions to keep them engaged. Using visual aids works WONDERS for retention. Did you know, over 50% of our thinking brain is dedicated to visual perception? Use this fact to make mnemonics! Use spaced repetition with tools like Quizlet to really lock information in for the long term.
Active Engagement: Connect those ideas and images into stories by encouraging students to verbalize their thought processes while solving problems. This helps identify misconceptions and fosters a deeper understanding for both students and teachers! If you’re not learning something new about them, they’re not learning anything from you. You’ll know you’re on the path towards effective teaching when YOU’RE learning about how they learn 😃
Embrace Failure: This underlies it all—foster an environment where failure is embraced, even encouraged. Learning often involves stumbling before standing. Blocks falling before they can finally stand. This approach shifts the focus from fear to growth! 📈
Efficient Re-Learning: Re-learning is often quicker than initial learning, provided the right techniques are applied consistently. Reinforce corrections through practice and engage in a feedback loop. 📊
Time Management: Employ the Pomodoro technique, a proven method for task management. Breaking learning into focused intervals enhances productivity and retention. See here for more info on how to implement the Pomodoro technique. I have an app on all of my devices called, Focus To-Do. Give it a try!⌛️
Feedback Loop: After taking the initial assessment, celebrate your child's effort, whether they score high or low. Celebrate that they have effectively identified areas that need improvement and provide support for targeted learning by rinsing and repeating the above^ 📚️
Remember, creating a safe space for failure is pivotal in the learning journey. Building rapport, understanding body language, knowing when to take breaks, and reminding students of their goals all contribute to successful learning experiences.
😨 Shift the focus from fear to growth 🤓
As we climb the academic ladder, the responsibility for learning falls more on us. Embracing a learning mindset not only benefits students but also tutors, parents, and our collective futures!
Feel free to adapt and personalize this approach – after all, it's about finding your own unique way to stack those learning blocks 🧱.
Wishing you a wonderful back-to-school season!
I got some great responses from my last post so please, keep them coming! If you have any other tips or tricks that you have found useful, please share by responding to this email 🎯
If you found any benefit from this newsletter, please pay it forward to someone else who may benefit 😇
Have a great start to the weekend!
See you all next week~
Deepak
Currently: reading | watching \ team messages
📚️: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
📽️: The Strays on Netflix
🥷: Math Challenge of America Competition (Attn: our high school high performers!)