We’ve talked a lot about how learning shouldn’t stop during the summer, as well as how some time toward the end of summer should be used to ramp up a student’s brain toward the start of school. 

Online learning has become pervasive and free for everyone. But no student wants to take any actual coursework during the summer unless necessary. So what’s the happy balance? Courses in life skills that they will need during the school year and beyond. 

Here are some courses that cannot only provide a warm-up for the school year, but also for life. Most stay on a strict schedule, so they might not line up specifically with the summer. Most also recommend that a parent take the course with the student, not only to help with advanced topics but also just for their own edification.

Time and Stress Management from Saylor.org

No one can dispute that life is more stressful for this generation’s students than those of previous generations. There are just so many more demands for their time and attention. Time and Stress Management can be the difference in a student burning out or having the ability to bolster their transcript with extracurriculars. A big focus of this course is planning, prioritization, and coping with stress.

Creativity, Innovation, and Change from Coursera

Developing creativity is one of the most marketable activities in which a person can engage. Colleges and employers want someone who can think of the next big innovation. Yet a student’s life can be so structured that creativity is hard to come by.

Creativity, Innovation, and Change tries to strike the balance between western and eastern philosophies that attempt to grow creativity from within, providing proven strategies to increase self-confidence and apply creativity to daily life.

Decision Skills: Power Tools to Build Your Life from novoed.org/Decision Education Foundation

Some of the decisions coming up for a high school student might prove to be the most important of their life. Should they go to college? Which one? What should they focus on? Yet almost no schools offer any help when it comes to strategic decision making. Decision Skills fills that void with a scientific approach to choice.

Sports and Society from Coursera/Duke University

Many students play—or are at least interested in—sports, but have never thought deeply about what our sports reflect about our society. Sports and Society takes a deep dive into the sociological, political, and economic aspects of both amateur and professional sports around the world. Not only can this course broaden your student’s thinking about sports, but also prepare them for their social science work in school.

For many, one of the classic rites of passage in adolescence is working a summer job. It’s perhaps the first step on the way toward adult responsibility. Kids come out with a paycheck and experience. Parents come out with the stress of realizing their child is about to leave the nest.

That being said; there’s a lot of guidance that a parent can provide during the summer that can lay the groundwork for a successful school year and a lifetime of work. Here are some things to keep in mind.

They aren’t going to be responsible

You would like your child to dutifully stop by the bank on the way home from a job to deposit their paycheck into some long-term, interest-bearing account. They won’t do that and stop thinking they will. They’re going to blow it on electronics, junk food, and hanging out with their friends. There’s nothing wrong with that.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t a responsible person overall. Kids are going to be kids, especially when they get their first taste of “serious money.” They still get all of their assignments in at school, right? They get themselves up for work, right? If they aren’t, they weren’t ready for a job in the first place.

Don’t let them slip academically

We’ve covered a few strategies about minimizing “brain drain” during the summer, including making sure students keep reading for pleasure and providing learning experiences for them during your family’s summer activities.

Just because a summer job can be a valuable learning experience in itself, don’t let those ideas fall by the wayside. There’s a difference between keeping the brain active with a job and keeping the brain sharp in anticipation of the new school year.

Don’t forget the ramp-up

We’ve also talked before about how important it is to have a period before school starts where the student prepares for the new year. Bed times should be scaled back. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to sleep until noon. In other words, days should become more structured, at least a week before school starts.

This might be aided or hindered by the summer job. Maybe it’s kept the student on a regular schedule throughout the summer. On the other hand, maybe it’s a night job, and they’ve been completely thrown off. If it’s possible, pull back on the reins.

Don’t forget the fun

It’s way too early in your student’s working life for them to equate a job with a meaningless slog with no fulfillment. Summer jobs are supposed to be a fun way to earn a little extra money. Everything else is gravy. If it’s not fun, don’t let them do it. If it’s taking too much of their free time, help them scale back. If they aren’t spending any time with their friends, help them figure out ways to make that happen. Summer is supposed to be a break, even if they enter the working world.

We’re just reaching the halfway point of summer, but it’s not too late to get your game plan together for the start of the school year. First thing’s first, it’s time to meet the teacher.

Let’s go in chronological order of where you typically encounter your child’s teacher and how you can make the best possible impression.

Orientation/Scheduling

Many schools, particularly in the younger grades, have a meet-and-greet the week before school starts where the kids can see their classrooms and the parents can meet the teacher(s) for the first time.

This is not the time for a long, in-depth discussion. This may strike you as common sense, but you won’t believe how many parents want to take this opportunity to explain every one of their kid’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s also not the time for any talk about the curriculum. That’s for open house.

The best impression? Be friendly and approachable. Offer to give the teacher any help they need. Ask them if they need any supplies for the room. And then leave.

Open House

Depending on the school, this happens sometime during the first month of school. The parents visit the classroom(s) again to hear the teacher give a talk about what the kids will be learning this year, what their particularly policies are, and how to get in touch with them.

First, if possible, don’t bring the child. It sort of gives them a spoiler view of the whole year and might make them (and the teacher) apprehensive.

Second, this is also not the time for a long discussion. If it’s middle or high school, the teacher will have another group of parents arriving soon. If it’s elementary, everyone wants to go home. If you want to have a real discussion with the teacher about your child, leave your contact information (and take theirs) and ask about setting up a conference.

Also, make sure your attendance was noted so the teacher has a record of you being an involved parent.

Conference(s)

Now we’re talking. The misconception is that you have to wait for your child to be in trouble to have a conference, or that only the teacher can request one. You can request one at any time. The beginning of the year is actually really helpful if you think the teacher needs to be aware of certain traits of your child (like a slight learning disability, AD/HD, or a special family situation).

Again, don’t bring the child. It is really difficult and awkward to have a frank discussion about a student if the student is sitting in the group. Come up with a plan of action and then bring the child in.

Second, although you certainly have the right to disagree with the teacher, no educator makes up falsehoods about a child’s behavior in class. Their time is simply too crunched to have conferences that aren’t necessary. If you don’t observe a certain behavior at home but the teacher has brought you in because it happens in class, try to come up with reasons why it only happens at school and then work together to rectify the situation.

Finally, and this applies to every setting: make it a point of approaching the teacher as a team member. You all want the same thing out of the school year—for the child to be successful. Working together can go a long way toward making that happen.