The holiday season is upon us and students everywhere are looking forward to some much deserved rest (and turkey too). However, as parents, we want to make sure that our children don’t get a little too relaxed, and so the upcoming months are the perfect time to make sure our kids are on target for a successful second semester.

If they need a little refocusing, use the holiday season to help get them back on track.

Also, remember that your Rio Grande Valley Sylvan Learning Center is here for you during the holiday break and all year long. So make sure to use the holiday season checklist below to stay on track for a wonderful spring semester.

Gobble, gobble those books.

The holiday breaks experienced throughout November and December are a great opportunity for your child to get in some fun reading. Allow young readers the chance to pick their own books and encourage your teens to get through any winter reading assignments early on in the break. Daily reading greatly affects vocabulary and can give your child a boost during those lazy fall and winter vacation days.

Speaking of vocabulary…

Just as daily reading can enhance your child’s or teen’s vocabulary, so can a little time playing games. Think about a game of Scramble or Words With Friends to get that brain going. Also, consider having your child look up unfamiliar words and create a story or play using those new terms.

Your teenaged child can also benefit from this game by utilizing SAT and ACT vocabulary terms in order to prepare for the test. This exercise will reinforce reading comprehension and writing skills.

Use report cards to prepare.

Here in the Rio Grande Valley, most students will be receiving their second report card relatively soon (if they haven’t already), meaning you’ll have an opportunity to analyze where your child needs a bit of extra support.

If you’re surprised by a report card then take into consideration that you may need to be a little bit more attentive to what’s going on in your child’s scholastic life. Create a blueprint for the spring term that you and your child can follow to ensure a positive second half of school.

Keep the conversation going.

Hopefully prior to the new school year (back in August) you and your child had a conversation about expectancies and goals. Well, these next couple of weeks are the best time to review goals and see where you stand. How are grades, class participation, extracurricular activities, and personal goals coming along? Is everything on target? Well then celebrate with some holiday cheer. Is there a subject that needs a bit of a boost? Decide with your child what needs to take place in order to reach those year-long goals.

Keep an eye on spring deadlines.

This can be especially important for your high school kid, as they are working on timelines to register for PSATs, SATs, ACTs, college, financial aid, scholarships, and a plethora of other events. Encourage them to use some of the down time of the holiday season to knock these out of the way as the spring term usually brings state test preparation and other academic responsibilities.

Prepare for projects.

Are there any spring term projects coming up? Use the fall and winter breaks as an opportunity to get ahead on science projects. If there isn’t anything major, consider asking your child’s teacher for some worksheets or projects that can be done over the holidays. Take about 20 to 30 minutes a day during vacation time to review math concepts, spelling words, or any area your student may need help with.

Don’t be a grinch and have some holiday fun.

Learning doesn’t always have to happen through reading; consider giving your child an opportunity to learn outside of the house by attending free cultural events, plays, art galleries, and local museums. Having fun is a great way for kids to retain information and they’ll probably be super grateful they were able to get out of the house for a bit.

Evaluate home and school routines.

Just like reviewing academic goals, you’ll want to evaluate any routines revolving around homework time, bed time, family time, curfews, and time spent on extracurricular activities.

Does your child seem like they are managing everything effectively? Remember that the workload tends to get tougher during the spring because of state testing, so if they seem burdened now, consider what might need to change to keep them from burning out before the end of the school year. Get help as needed and don’t forget to offer some rewards if they’ve been successful thus far.

Your Rio Grande Valley Sylvan Learning Centers remind parents and students to stay focused this holiday season!

One of the most important things to remember is to stay positive, focused, and provide your child the support they need through any bumps in the road. With half a school year nearly behind us, it’s important to keep up a positive attitude, especially as things begin to toughen up. By staying focused this holiday season, your child can accomplish anything!

And if you’re looking for some holiday season fun, then look no further than Sylvan’s STEM programs. With programs ranging from coding to robotics, this fall means your child can definitely have a cool time.