Amanda began decorating her homeroom the end of July so she could rest easy she had overlooked nothing her students might profit from and enjoy. There was the reading corner with beanbag chairs and baskets of books attractively arranged and waiting to be read. In another area were multi-colored containers filled with art supplies: paints, brushes, crayons and construction paper. Musical notes covered a wall and a piano sat at the ready for instruction and musical enjoyment; last year it had proved useful as the students square danced around the room. Amanda had also stocked up on foam board to mount pictures so she could display them more or less everywhere, even planning to hang some from the ceiling so her students could appreciate their art everywhere in the classroom. Yes, all of the material effects possible had been readied for incoming students but Amanda was well aware that much of the preparation had to begin at home before her students ever set foot in her room. She wished she could ensure that each child in her room for the coming year would be given the following common sense opportunities to help success be within his or her reach:

1. An established bedtime is a must to ensure your child is ready to face the day rested and in a positive mentality. It’s beneficial to arrange the student’s nightly habits so that possibly a warm bath and the freedom|liberty} to read books in bed will aid him in falling asleep.
2. A good breakfast has proven to be more beneficial than anyone ever was aware of. Leading nutritionists claim this is a extremely significant meal and thought should be given to being sure there is everything a child needs to give a healthy start to his day.
3. Parental interest and strong involvement in your child’s behavior and educational development are a must. It truly sets the student up for achievement when he or she knows that parents are there for any meetings at school or available for even a simple thing such as questions about homework.
4. A specified place to attend to homework is also very helpful. Even if it happens to be a spot at the dining room table with needed pencils and paper in a drawer close by, it can be an effective tool. Structure helps in focusing on assignments and certainly aids in time management. It’s never too early for a student to learn organization and the value of not wasting time.
5. Firm rules and guidelines regarding watching television and playing with video games are such an aid to the way a child assesses what is important and what is a enjoyable leisure activity . While it’s always a good idea to allow play times and carefree pastimes, it is certainly wise to limit the amount of time a child spends in front of the television and focusing attention on the enticement of the video games. Each of these can become almost addicting to a child and can be quite more irresistible than getting homework completed. It is helpful to insist that homework is to be finished before thinking about television viewing or video game playing.