Karen Restivo
In Other Words....
There’s nothing like a bumpy re-entry returning to reality following a week of Spring Break.
So much anticipation occurs in the planning stages of destinations and activities.
Living in Matagorda, we witness the descent of tourists and locals settling in for days of sun and leisure.
Daylight Savings Time is a huge benefit allowing more time outside before sunset.
As much as we enjoy the escape of routine, after seven days of unlimited fun, lack of sleep and tons of fast food there is no place like home.
Returning home comes with a plethora of tasks the moment you roll in the driveway.
If your re-entry happens Sunday afternoon, you have a lot of yards to cover with unloading the car, unpacking, washing clothes, getting food on the table for the family and getting your kids to bed at a decent time.
Ah, the Sunday night dread. The sun and leisure of Spring Break seems so long ago.
How in the world can you make the return to school survivable?
Planning and preparation is the answer.
For kids, parents and teachers play a significant role in making the landing as smooth as possible.
Schoolstatus.com has a few suggestions throughout this week to assist in students’ re-entry into school.
In their article, “How to Ensure a Successful Return from Spring Break,” they suggest:
n Ease Back In.
“It’s tempting to hit the ground running after a break.
There’s always more content than time, and teachers may project their own energy and urgency onto the students.
Students, however, may need a gradual return to build up their scholarly stamina.
As educators, we are familiar with the summer slide and academic regression during breaks.
But scholarly behaviors are learned skills, and they may need a tune-up or reinforcement after a short pause.”
“Instead of launching with major projects or standard-length assignments, give students bite-size work with short time frames to rebuild the habit of planning and producing.”
Succeed Together.
“Part of rebuilding students’ confidence and capacity is reminding them what success and accomplishment feel like.
Imagine the difference on day two between students that had a fun and energetic day one compared to those who felt drained and overwhelmed.
Commit to Finish Well.
If the break was a time to pause and refresh, now is the time to build on that energy and accomplish important learning.
Bottom Line.
Reframe the return from Spring Break as a springboard rather than a sentence.
Let optimism and preparation become a self-fulfilling prophecy of a strong relaunch.”
Re-Entry to routine is challenging for everyone.
The key is making it as smooth as possible for everyone you support.
In doing so, it eases your own transition to routine.
In other words, preparation and kindness can make all the difference between landing safely and crashing in your driveway.
Karenrestivo57@gmail.com