The new school year is rapidly approaching (where did the summer go?), and that means it’s time to get back to the academic grind. But “Back to School” time doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few ideas on how to stay organized and make it a great year.

1. Get a planner. Not only that, but actually use it. Don’t let it get shoved in the bottom of your backpack or under your bed. Use it. Write down assignments and test, and even include extracurricular activities in there. Use different colored pens or highlighters to differentiate between regular assignments, tests, presentations, and so forth.
2. Get back into the habit of going to bed at a reasonable time. Teens need at least nine hours to feel rested, and younger kids need more than that. Plan out when you will need to go to bed during the school year and start aiming for that time now.
3. Lay out what you are going to wear and pack your lunch the night before. Doing this at night cuts down on time in the morning and thus gives you more time to hit the snooze. If you have your backpack all packed up and your (empty) lunch bag near it, you’ll be less likely to forget something. It’s a win-win-win!
4. Participate in class. Ask questions. Answer questions. Be a volunteer. I know for some this seems intimidating, but the more involved you are in class, the more likely you are to retain the information you learned. The more you remember, the better you will do on your assignments.
5. Ask for help if you need it. There is absolutely no shame in needing the teacher to further explain something, or even seek help outside of the classroom. We at Learning Ascent are a great resource for the Fox Valley and Tri-Cities area, because we are familiar with D-303, D-304, and BPS-101 and the curriculum they use. contact us today at (630) 587-2795 or check out our website here.

Let’s make Back to School “Back to Brilliant!”