The experts at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, suggest parents help their children prepare for the transition to the next grade level and the return to school by encouraging a structured routine from day-one and staying actively involved in their child’s education.


Depending on your child’s age, your role in the above-mentioned tips will vary. The following are helpful ideas to ease kids of all ages back into learning mode:

Help Your Child Discover His/Her Learning Style. Because each child is special, with different learning styles and academic needs, it is important to personalize the learning process. People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group activity or through quiet thinking time.

Get Back In The Routine. Establishing bedtime, mealtime, reading and homework routines. Talk with your child about the importance of structure and how routines help ensure that he is not overtired or overly anxious about schoolwork.

Develop A Family Event Calendar. One of the most helpful tools for getting organized is a family event calendar. To ease the chaos, track school programs, volunteer work and after-school activities. Family time management is essential if you are going to avoid the tumultuous frenzy of disorganization.

Set education goals. Help your child set goals and revisit them throughout the year. Whether it is striving for an A in reading, handing in all homework on time or preparing for tests well in advance, setting goals can help set solid habits and attainable education success. 

Encourage learning at home. Promoting learning outside of the classroom helps children perform better in school. To nurture reading skills spend at least 30 minutes per day reading with your child and talking to them about what they’re reading.. To enhance math proficiency, try allowing your child to help plan the next family trip and encourage him to compute miles, cost of gas, expenses for food, hotel and entertainment.

Develop a relationship with your child’s teacher. Take the time to meet your child’s teachers at the beginning of the school year. Teachers can be the best source for information about your child’s scholastic performance and they can recommend ways to help your child or resolve any difficulties he or she is having. 

Be a Cheerleader. Encourage your child to share any concerns he has about returning to school. Reinforce positive feelings by talking with your child about learning and achievement. Support his academic interests and encourage him to get involved in extracurricular activities at school.

Locate resources to help you help your child. Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, is offering a variety of tools to improve core skills like math, reading and writing. Sylvan offers free seminars, one-on-one consultations throughout a student’s instruction for parents and teachers, 24/7 online tools for students including SchoolMathPrep.com and SylvanMathPrep.com, informational resources like DrRickBlog.com for parents, and reading tools for families and teachers like www.BookAdventure.com.