Gratitude is one of the most important skills to nurture in our children, and creating a thoughtful gift for their teachers is a great way to show it!

Sit down and brainstorm gift ideas with your kids. To get your creative juices flowing, here are two great, gratitude-based ideas to get you started.‍

How to Create an Acrostic Poem With Your Teacher’s Name: ‍

1. On a rough piece of paper, start your first draft of the poem by printing your teacher’s name in capital letters vertically on the page. Then, brainstorm everything you can about your teacher, e.g., what are his/her characteristics and funny habits? What’s your favorite memory of him/her? What are some important things you learned from your teacher?
2. Each line of the acrostic poem starts with a letter in the teacher’s name, written vertically. Using the ideas you brainstormed, match words with the appropriate letter. Younger students may want to choose one or two adjectives for each letter. Older students can try writing sentences using figurative language and rhythm — you don’t have to complete each letter in order.
3. When you finish your first draft, reread it a few times for edits and use a thesaurus for more accurate and engaging vocabulary. Listen to your poem as you read it aloud to make sure the words sound pleasing together.
4. Check for accurate spelling and grammar.
5. Create a “good copy” with materials such as construction paper, pencil crayons, crayons, markers, tissue paper, and glue.

The Perfect Hand-Written Note For Teachers:‍

1. Encourage your child to print a note for their teachers on attractive stationery or craft paper. Before writing, have your kids talk about their teacher. Reflect on memories of the year and feelings of gratitude. Show your child how to create a hand-written note with a greeting, two to three sentences on why your child appreciates their teacher, and a closing (i.e., a conclusion),
2. Writing thank-you cards is a dying craft in our digital world. Still, it’s a skill that encourages thoughtfulness and sincerity. When your kids take the time to put pencil to card and share their appreciation of their teachers in a heartfelt way,  you’ll leave an impression on the recipient. You’ll make their day, too!
3. If there are classroom assistants, be sure to show your appreciation for them as well.

Showing gratitude boosts our overall mental health. Build this skill with your kids at the end of the school year and show how much you appreciate them. In the process, your children will build strong communication skills and bring a smile to their teachers’ faces.

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My tips blend well with many suggestions I share in my first book, Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic & Personal Success (without being a helicopter parent), which launched in January 2021.

-buy it today at www.righttrackeducation.ca/shop and use BACKYARDCAMP20 to get 20% off!

The post Why Teacher “Thank You” Notes Matter appeared first on TWINS Magazine.

Even in a regular year, school reports can cause tension in families — add in the impact of COVID, and you can expect that tension to increase.

Teachers share what’s happened so far in the school year in progress reports: a child’s transition to the classroom and grade, curriculum covered, learning skills development, academic progress, and next steps for improvement. It’s a time to celebrate strong efforts; for others, disappointment about aspects of their child’s performance and behavior.

With that, here are suggestions about how to prepare for your child’s school reports amid the pandemic:

Set realistic expectations: This is a tough year, for obvious reasons. Students are dealing with many challenges, and with respect to school, it’s “all vegetables and no dessert,” to quote psychologist Dr. Lisa D’Amour. All the fun stuff about school isn’t happening right now, and there’s a ton of other stresses on kids. Be realistic.

There’s more than one way to assess your child’s progress: Remember that teachers use various assessment methods when measuring student progress. Many of these methods are observation-based. Remote learning (and limited in-person activities last fall) may prevent teachers from getting a complete picture of your child’s progress and abilities. Kids may not come close to fulfilling their potential, thanks to all the masks, screens, and social distancing rules. All of these things can get in the way of kids really showing what they’re capable of.

Smart kid, wrong context: Consider that your child may not demonstrate their skills development in the assessment and evaluation methods available and used.

Report card reaction: First, take a deep breath. When you open your child’s report card and read it, pause, then breathe. Don’t “freak out” or punish your child. Again,  remember the current learning conditions are less than ideal. Instead, start a conversation with your child, and begin with the positives. Take note of the good comments and grades. Talk about the entire report: the good and the bad. However, try to focus on your child’s efforts instead of results or outcomes.

Reach out to the teacher: Book an interview and include your child in the meeting. Together, prepare discussion topics and questions for the interview. Get your kid ready to do lots of talking (this is the best chance to practice how to self-advocate!). Going forward, keep communication lines open with your child and their teacher about school activities, expectations, hopes, and goals.

Focus on solutions: Help your child set new goals. Make a plan for the remainder of the year. Hire a tutor, if needed. Don’t be afraid to outsource! Oftentimes it’s more effective to hire someone else to help when kids are struggling.

Finally, accentuate the positive: Reflect on how well things are going under the circumstances during the pandemic. Start and end your conversation with your child with aspects of their education that are going well.

Let’s put an asterisk beside this academic year and give everyone involved a bit of a break—students, teachers, and parents alike. However small they may be, celebrate the wins and acknowledge how well your family members are coping during these extraordinary times.

Best wishes!

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My tips blend well with many suggestions I share in my first book, Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic & Personal Success (without being a helicopter parent), which launched in January 2021.

-buy it today at www.righttrackeducation.ca/shop and use BACKYARDCAMP20 to get 20% off!

The post Preparing For Your Child’s Report Card appeared first on TWINS Magazine.

The holidays will be different this year. We can’t travel or gather with loved ones, and there are few things to do in the community, thanks to closures. This, combined with the lack of routine that comes with school holidays, will make this break harder than ever for parents.

Despite this, you can still prepare for a holiday that’s relaxing and fun — one that has a comfortable balance of family time, independent activities, and rest. You can create new memories while also staying sane and healthy (mentally and physically!). Consider some of these suggestions:

1) Brainstorm with your family.

Ask your kids what they want to do over the break, and make a list. Include activities indoors and out, on screens (think movie nights and family Zoom parties) and off (board games, crafts, and baking), solo, and social. Try to come up with things you’ve never done before. Everyone in the family gets a voice here!

2) Mimic the school day — with flexibility!

Think about how your child’s teacher schedules the school day to make things work: there’s a balanced variety of activities to keep kids interested, motivated, and burn some of that limitless energy. There are also passive activities, when kids aren’t “on” but still learning something. Use the school day as a guide to set up your day, and plan the day’s events together with the kids! Better, do this the night before at bedtime!

Include fun activities that involve creativity and focus, outdoor play, physical activity, social connection, and something passive. Keep an eye on the time, but let the schedule/plan go if the kids get into “flow” in an activity.

3) Let go of your screen time boundaries — for now.

We know the drawbacks of too much screen time but the reality is, screens help us stay sane during long stretches of time with the kids. Under these “indoor” (winter) circumstances, use screens as needed. Remember: screen activities in which learning and creating occur are beneficial, and, social and more passive activities such as YouTube viewing are fine in moderation. Even video games have benefits (can improve higher-level thinking, social and communication skills to name a couple).

4) Encourage independent play (or “quiet time” for the older kids.)

Everyone needs some daily “down-time,” so set up a routine for it. Pick at time of day (mid-afternoon would be divine!) and model this activity consistently. Mom and dad can take a nap or read a book, and that’s the signal to the kids that it’s time to find something to do without you. They can learn to get comfortable in their own skin.

If you haven’t already done it, set up a personal workspace with your child, for your child. Find a place with few distractions — their bedroom is perfect! Provide things to encourage creativity, focus, and imagination. Include books and school supplies, puzzles, toys, instruments, and craft materials. Set up a formal desk with a task light for concentration and homework, and provide a cozy spot to curl up with a book or screen.

Establishing this routine takes work and patience — and probably a ton of reminders. Set expectations in advance, use a timer if you need to, and be consistent with follow-through. It’s tough to set up this routine, but worth it in the end. You can do it!

5) Let your kids figure it out.

Don’t worry if you don’t have every minute planned or if your plan goes off track. Boredom is good for kids! It’s a place for creativity and problem-solving skills to grow. You don’t need to have a jam-packed schedule of exciting things to do, with kids behaving perfectly all day long.

While this holiday season will be different — stranger — than any other, this break may be the most memorable one, ever! There are always silver linings. We’ll have to think outside the box to enjoy this school vacation, but I’m guessing families will bond more than ever in spite of the challenges and sacrifices.

Happy holidays and stay well!

More about Jane Kristoffy

‍A teacher and guidance counsellor for over 25 years, Jane founded Right Track Educational Services in 2012. She’s a popular speaker on a variety of education and parenting topics, and a regular expert on national television news programs. In 2021, Jane will release her first book, Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic and Personal Success (without being a helicopter parent), which is jam-packed with no-nonsense tips for parents about how to get their kids through school and ready for the real world!

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