School is back in session. No doubt if you have children, you’ve already done what you can to get them ready for the new semester; getting them back into a more school-oriented sleeping schedule, for example, or perhaps you took them back-to-school shopping. Whatever preparations you made, have you considered how you might make adjustments to your home to help the students in your life with their studies? We have compiled a handful of easy-to-implement suggestions for you and your children to consider using for the school year.
1. Create a designated homework space.
While more and more elementary schools are adopting “no homework” policies, most older grade school ages and middle to high school students will receive homework assignments almost nightly. One way you can help the students in your home keep their focus as they complete their assignments is by creating a designated space for them to complete their work. The space does not have to be ornately decorated, but it’s best to find some place quiet, with good lighting, comfortable seating, and a solid place to write. This may be something you need to create, or it may be a place you already have available in your home, like a kitchen nook or a parent’s office. No matter the space you choose, designating a specific place for completing homework will help you minimize distractions for your child and allow them to focus better.
2. Invest in a whiteboard, cork-board, or chalkboard calendar.
While some families have begun to utilize digital calendars to keep track of upcoming commitments, many families rely on a whiteboard, cork-board, or chalkboard calendar for communicating events in their family. Place your white, cork, or chalkboard in a central location like the refrigerator, keeping chalk, pens, or sticky notes close by so you and your children can add updates as needed. There’s also a bonus to making a physical copy of the calendar over digital: writing important things down with pen and paper (or chalk!) improves your ability to remember them!
3. Declutter your child’s homework space.
Wherever your child or children complete their homework, keeping the space clean and decluttered will help them focus. While some children are more organizationally-inclined than others, it’s easy and fairly inexpensive to declutter a workspace with a quick trip to the dollar store. Purchase a cup for pens and pencils, folders (we suggest at least one per subject), a set of plastic organizing compartments, and whatever else you think will benefit the students in your house.
4. Turn part of your home’s storage into a “supply closet” for your children.
While not everyone has the benefit of an entire closet dedicated to school and art supplies, with a little reorganizing you can try free up at least a shelf or two dedicated just to supplies your children will need throughout the year. Stock it with pens, pencils, extra erasers, notebook paper, a spare binder, folders, glue sticks, crayons, and colored pencils. As your supply runs low, you can have your children utilize the white, chalk, or cork board to let you know which items need replaced. By always having school supplies available, the students in your home can devote more of their attention to their school work.
5. Let them take breaks!
Well done! Mothers, fathers, and caregivers of students, you’ve done your best to give them a space that will help them complete their schoolwork to the best of their ability, but just as important as hard work is the opportunity to relax. After they’ve finished their homework, remind them to unwind (and go ahead and take a break yourself; you’ve certainly earned it!)
Southern Trust Mortgage would like to wish all students the best of luck in this school year!
