Are you ready to go back to school?
Going back to school can be an adjustment for teachers, students, and parents. Here are some tips to ease the transition from summer to school.
Tips for Parents:
- 2-4 weeks before school starts, establish your child’s school sleep schedule.
- 2 weeks before school starts, arrange playdates with two or three of your kids’ friends from school to reestablish social ties.
- 1 week before school, establish the after-school routine. Determine how long they will have to unwind, get a snack, and then do homework. Make time to practice the routine. Use “homework time” to read and do worksheets in preparation for the school year.
- Create a family calendar or schedule to keep all activities organized.
- Discuss expectations for each child and parent so they feel more prepared. You may want to set SMART goals as a family.
- Attend “Back to School Night” or arrange to visit the school with your kids so they can get familiar with their new environments.
- Get ready for school with the Welcome to School Video on MySigningTime.com
- Watch this video to learn a whole bunch of signs for school from our online Dictionary. Did you know that signing and finger spelling can help your child learn and remember letters, sounds, and words?
Tips for Teachers
- Create a back-to-school checklist of pre-student prep work.
- Review curriculum and the first week’s lesson plans.
- Create clearly defined classroom policies and procedures for the classroom.
- Create a welcome letter for students with classroom policies and procedures.
- Set SMART goals for personal development and growth as a teacher.
- Use sign language for classroom management and learning.
Why use sign language in the classroom?
- American Sign Language is a second language.
- Teaching ASL helps students become more engaged in learning.
- Signing is a powerful tool for behavior management in the classroom. It allows silent cues to communicate with students.
- Reinforces other classroom curriculum.
Early Childhood Educators
K-12 Teachers
- Get the Signing Time Guide for Teachers
- Get the Signing Time K-3 Curriculum
- Get a K-3 Curriculum 6 month or 12 month Site License
- Get a SignIt ASL Site License
Special Education Teachers
Homeschool Teachers
- Check out the Signing Time Guide for Homeschooling
- Get the PreSchool Curriculum
- Get the Signing Time K-3 Curriculum
Resources:
The Essential Guide to Writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals by Kate Eby
Back-to-School Tips for Special Education Teachers by Kandace Wernsing, Reading Rockets