Preparing Your Child for Back to School Season

This guest post was written by Esther Nahon. Esther is a certified speech and language pathologist who provides parents with training and education on how to navigate their child’s learning disabilities, social and academic struggles. She is also an active member of the Woodmere Fitness Club community, with offices at our center. With the start of a new year upon us, she shared some wisdom on how to prepare your child to head back to school.

“My child is not the strongest but not the weakest student. His teacher reported that he’s a great kid, but he seems very distracted in class. Recently it has been a battle to get him ready for school in the mornings. We worry that he may be falling behind. How can we help him?”

Back To School season has arrived, and many children are excited to be heading back to learning and socializing with friends; while other children are dreading going back to school where learning and socialization take place.

These students differ in personalities and learning styles, and the ones who are hesitant to head back to school, are the ones who are discouraged because they aren’t managing well over there. These feelings often begin in the early elementary years and lead to much more severe issues in later school years. Parents who begin to notice symptoms wonder if they are typical of development and will pass, or if they are a cry for help. Although some signs may vary between children, there are many common indicators that can help you determine if intervention is required.

Indicators that your child may need intervention:

• Skill weaknesses with reading, writing, spelling, and math

• Short attention span and easily distracted

• Poor memory

• Can’t communicate thoughts and ideas properly

• Unorganized

• Despite trying hard, child remains unsuccessful

• Avoidance of school duties such as homework and reading

• Socially withdrawn, or struggles to establish friendships and maintaining friends

• Poor self-esteem

• Receives no gratification from school and appears angry, disconnected, or unmotivated

If you notice these signs persisting over time, the first step is to gather information together with your child’s teacher to understand why your child is presenting in this way, and discuss possible factors. The next step is to contact the appropriate professional who can help your child. Tutors may be necessary if your child is struggling in a particular subject area such as Math, and doesn’t require assistance with other subjects. A ‘homework helper’ may be appropriate if your child demands your full attention during that time, that of which you can’t provide due to other responsibilities. If deficits are present that interfere with your child’s ability to learn, communicate, or function successfully in a school environment, then a Speech and Language Pathologist specializing in those areas is the person that can help your child.

Learning shapes every aspect of our lives and is expressed in our inner growth and outward achievements. Education is dependent on learning and learning is dependent on six factors: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating (Bloom’s Taxonomy). Going to school is what children do for a living, and if they don’t have the basic tools they need that allow them to be successful at their job, they are discouraged and unhappy. With the proper support implemented, your child will be better able to learn and succeed in school and life.

Speech and Language Pathologist Esther Nahon, creator of the MindInSync Program, utilizes an integrated whole child approach when working with children who require academic support. When all of the systems interact together and function properly children are better able to process and learn information from the world around them. Esther works as part of a team at the Woodmere Fitness Club, collaborating with instructors to ensure that children reach their full potential in and outside of the classroom.