C RY D E R
P O I N T
SEPTEMBER 16
4 ways to get ready for school no matter
where your kids are learning
(BPT)–The new school year will look
different for everyone this year, but
whether students are gearing up for an
in-person, online or hybrid learning experience,
the right school supplies can help
keep them motivated and productive all
year long.
Now more than ever, teachers and parents
are heading online to prepare for
the school year. In fact, according to the
National Retail Federation, online school
supply shopping is on the rise, with more
than half (55%) of K-12 shoppers planning
to buy their supplies online this year.
If you’re setting up an at-home learning
space or preparing for a safe return to
the classroom, online stores like Amazon
make it easy to get everything you need.
Here are some tips on how you can prepare
for the new school year:
STOCK UP ON
ESSENTIALS
Start the year off fresh and organized
with a new planner, an ample supply of
notebooks and fun, colorful folders. A
mesh desk organizer will help your kids
stay organized so they never misplace
their pens and pencils (or their homework).
For younger students, stock up on
crayons, markers and colored pencils, to
give them a chance to unleash their creative
side. Additionally, if the kids are at
home all day, you may need to load up on
more snacks this year. Try something that
comes in single-portion servings for an
easy snack that won’t leave a mess in the
kitchen.
SET UP AN AT-HOME
LEARNING SPACE
An organized and productive learning
16 CRYDER POINT COURIER | SEPTEMBER 2020 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM
space can help keep students motivated
while learning from home.
Upgrade your student’s setup with a
desk, a comfortable chair and a printer
like the all-in one HP printer, to start.
Add a cool lamp to help brighten up their
space or a fun desk accessory, like a plant
to add some color and life. Finally, boost
connectivity with routers to ensure you
have top-notch Wi-Fi throughout the
house, making any room a perfect classroom.
UPGRADE YOUR TECH
A whopping 40% of parents are looking
to invest in digital resources to supplement
school education, according to
the 2020 Deloitte back-to-school survey.
Whether it’s full-time, part-time or supplemental,
digital learning is an important
part of education. Also remember to manage
screen time by setting rules for usage.
Set up healthy routines
Getting out of “summer mode,” especially
this year, can make sticking to a
routine difficult. With the start of the new
school year fast approaching, start easing
back into healthy routines now by setting
earlier alarms or having family reading
time in the evening.
As the school year gets going, make
quick, healthy lunches extra fun by packing
things ahead of time in colorful, reusable
lunch containers like Bento boxes.
And don’t forget hydration–keeping a durable
water bottle with your kids whether
they’re at home or school is important.
But if your kids are spending their days
learning from the kitchen table, don’t
forget to take breaks throughout the day.
Just taking a few breaks during the day
to stretch or go for a walk can keep your
family moving and active!
6 simple tips to stay organized
for back-to-school 2020
(BPT)–Whether it’s the first day of middle
school or the first day away at college,
students of all ages are preparing for a new
school year. Students might be learning at
home, in the classroom or a combination
of both, so now is the time to get organized
and prepared to help you tackle the
year ahead. Here are some useful tips and
tricks to help you succeed this school year.
DESIGNATE A STUDY
SPACE
Whether it’s used for homeschooling
or homework after school, a dedicated
study space helps you stay organized and
focused on learning. Once you have your
desk area decided, add your go-to essentials
for easy studying, including paper,
pencils and erasers.
ADD SOME FUN
PERSONALITY
Make a study space you’ll want to be in
by adding personalized touches throughout.
Pictures of friends and family are
always a fun way to make a space feel
like your own. Adding favorite colors or
designs can help as well, such as colorful
folders, bright accessories and fun notes
to easily jot down reminders or even affirmations
to keep yourself motivated.
CREATE MOBILE
STUDY BINS
When the kitchen table or shared desk
are being used, mobile study bins can
make moving around hassle-free. Personalize
a plastic bin for each student in your
home and fill them with grade-appropriate
essentials. Give your kindergartner
their favorite box of crayons and your
high school senior some flags and tabs
for easy note taking. That way when space
is at a premium, they can grab a bin and
head to a quiet corner, their bedroom or
even outdoors to study.
KEEP A JOURNAL OR
CALENDAR
With so much going on, to-do’s can slip
through the cracks. That’s why keeping
a journal or calendar is a good habit to
adopt. A personal agenda can go from
home to the classroom and beyond so you
never miss a beat. Additionally, a weekly
family calendar can help keep everyone
connected, especially when schedules get
hectic. A weekly planner is great for hanging
in the kitchen or mud room for everyone
to easily access. That way the whole
family can stay in the know.
USE A “DO NOT
DISTURB” SYSTEM
Studying at home can be full of distractions.
Consider adopting a system that
indicates if you are busy or not. For example,
use Super Sticky notes to create door
tags in different colors. Green can mean,
“come on in.” Yellow can mean, “knock
first.” Red can mean, “do not disturb.”
UTILIZE LISTS
Lists are one of the best tools you can
use to stay organized. Whether it’s a list of
facts to study for an upcoming test or a list
of supplies needed for an important project,
writing items out in a memorable way
will ensure you don’t forget a thing. Plus,
when you write something down you help
your brain remember it better, so make a
list to support cognitive function.
No matter what the new school year has
in store for your family, with a positive attitude
and an organized approach, you’ll
be sure to have a successful and productive
school year packed with learning and
fun.
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