In what may seem like the blink of an eye, summer vacation is coming to a close as schools begin to open for the upcoming school year. And in these few weeks, your child may have a rush of different emotions: first day jitters, excitement, nervousness, and maybe even hopefulness for the school year ahead. These feelings are completely normal, and valid, as your child embarks on a new journey. However, as your child emotionally prepares, there are ways you can encourage them to look forward to, and prepare for, the upcoming school year.
As children begin school and learn more about their upcoming school year and teachers, it can benefit them to reflect on their intentions. Identifying goals can create a positive outlook and keep your student accountable throughout the year.
Reflection
Reflection is a great first step for creating positive intentions. Reflections helps your child think back on the successes and areas of improvement from the previous school year. After goals are set, children can incorporate reflective practices in their daily routines throughout the school year. There are many great reflection prompts and self-regulation workbooks that can help you and your child monitor their emotions and intentions throughout the school year.
Goal Setting
Reflection and goal setting can be used together to promote intentional focus for the school year. Many teachers use goal setting strategies to help students take accountability of their learning throughout the year. This helps set positive intentions for the upcoming school year because students are aware of specific skills they need to work on throughout the year and will learn self-monitoring skills to guide them.
Visualization
Children can explore and present these goals in a number of ways: graphic organizers, letter to themselves, vision board, or even technology based modes (Canva, Powerpoint, Google Slides Prezi, etc). This helps your child create new intentions for the school year, and express them creatively. Creativity can be challenging for some students, so exploring different forms for creativity can help your child feel more confident in their abilities and even inspire positive intentions.
Morning Routines
Morning routines can incorporate some of the different strategies listed above to set a daily positive intention. Children can create habits that include reviewing goals, setting a daily intention, reflecting on the previous day, or choosing a mindfulness strategy to prepare their brain and body for the upcoming challenges of the day.
Weekly Focus/Daily Affirmations
A weekly focus can help children learn how to segment their large goals into smaller, more manageable pieces. Using a weekly focus or daily affirmation can also reinforce a positive mindset and encourage children to start each day fresh. There are many books children can use for guided practice.
Setting positive intentions with your child will help them feel prepared for the upcoming school year. These positive intentions should be practiced frequently and continued throughout the school year. Even though specific goals may change, positive intentions can help children learn how to cope with some of the more challenging emotions and think positively about their desired outcomes.
Written by Ami Z.