Preparing for School

As we rapidly approach a new school year, it’s time to determine how you plan on preparing for school! This includes several things, including your schedule, what materials you’ll need, and the day-to-day plans you make in advance to have a successful year.

At KFMA, we keep our focus on education year-round as we believe that this is the key to leading a successful and fulfilling life. We use goal-setting worksheets, back-to-school planners, and even Summer reading worksheets.

Preparing for School – Your Personal Schedule

For most students in elementary, middle and high school, every year there is an academic break for Summer, which typically lasts for 11 to 12 weeks. This break is a wonderful time for relaxing, spending fun time with loved ones on vacation, and enjoying a less-scheduled day. However, as school draws near, it’s important for students to be ready for the more-structured scheduling requirements of the school year.

This starts with making sure you are getting enough sleep. Not only does this help you physically with allowing your body to properly recharge and heal, it also allows the brain to clear out its pathways of toxins. In other words, with proper sleep, your brain has time to ‘take out the trash’ at night and be ready for a new day of learning.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed recommendations for optimal sleep durations for children of different ages, recommending that kids ages 6 to 12 should get 9 to 12 hours of sleep per 24 hours, and teens should get 8 to 10 hours per night.

https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/6630/AAP-endorses-new-recommendations-on-sleep-times

To properly adjust your sleep schedule, it’s recommended that you make changes over a one to two week period.

What Materials Do You Need?

As school draws closer, it’s time to make sure you have all of the materials you’ll need to be ready for the first day of classes. This typically includes a backpack, notebooks, a water bottle, pens/pencils, folders, etc. Most schools will provide a list of essentials for their students, so we suggest checking with your individual school as well for detailed specifics. One suggestion is a simple pack of index cards that can be kept in the top pocket of your backpack that you use to jot down all of the assignments given that day. This will become your to-do list when you get home to make sure you don’t forget any assignments that will be due the next day.

Preparing for School – Day-to-Day Plans

In addition to having set times for waking up and going to bed, you’ll also want to create a dedicated study space and a set time for doing your homework and studying.

Your personal study space should be somewhere free of distractions. This includes turning off your phone while you are studying, so that you can work without interruption. A personal desk in your bedroom, a clear space at the dining room table, etc. can all work. Make sure that your study environment is comfortable with proper lighting and a supportive chair.

Research has shown that breaking-up study sessions on one subject (for example, preparing for a final exam) is more beneficial to long-term retention than one long-term study session. Spacing out your studying for an hour each day on a specific subject will be more beneficial than studying for five hours in just one night.

Some students have study periods at school, which can be a great help in getting a head-start on your homework. At home, you should have a set time that works for your personality and is compatible with any after-school activities and the family dinner time.  This might be starting your studies as soon as you get home, or working on them after your evening meal. Just make sure you leave enough time to unwind and relax before turning in for sleep.

For more information on a step-by-step goal-setting process for making good grades, please see this article:

https://teamkowkabany.com/kfma-tips-if-better-grades-are-your-goal/

As the new school year approaches, NOW is the time to invest your time in a little bit of planning to make it a productive and enjoyable year. In the words of Albert Einstein, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

Our KFMA alumni include doctors, engineers, nurses and attorneys who began training with us in elementary school and high school. The discipline developed through our martial arts training, and the life skills we teach, have a proven track record of developing the skills necessary for success in school as well as in professional endeavors.

For thirty years we have been teaching family martial arts classes in the Westchase, Oldsmar and Odessa areas. For more information regarding our classes, just give us a call at 813-540-5528. KFMA is located at 13910 Monroes Business Park, just two doors down from the Tampa Bay Brewing Company off Racetrack Road.