School Success-Vital Factors
Does coming to the best school in town automatically mean the children are all top students who attend Harvard? What happens from Playgroup to grade 12? The school hires properly qualified teachers, the PYP, MYP and IB are a world class curriculum and students attend every day of school. Key unseen factors that impact educational success are motivation, ability and support. There are additional factors that research says affect student outcomes. Research identifies early language stimulation (before school entry), social emotional stability, parental involvement, study habits, attitude toward homework, good nutrition, sleep and low stress levels at home and school make a significant difference.
It is more than just paying the fees and dropping students off at school. That is the minimum. The supportive environment is the meat on the sandwich. This affects motivation to learn and is the part that brings a child to his/her full potential. A supportive environment is a parent who cares what the child is learning and is encouraging, takes the time to show an interest, is curious not critical, a parent who provides healthy snacks and lunches, not packaged sweets. It is oranges, cut up fruit, whole grain breads and crackers, dates, meat, cheese, seeds, carrot cucumber slices and tomatoes.
A supportive environment is a parent who knows good restorative sleep makes a healthy brain and makes sure bedtime is regular and early. A supportive parent talks a lot to young toddlers to stimulate their mother tongue to ensure it is well developed for building neural branches in the brain for a second language. Supportive parent makes a happy home a priority with balanced time for children by going for walks together, shopping together, visiting family together, playing games, showing interest in what the student is interested in, laughing together and eating together. Providing access to physical activities, parks, exercise and sports as well as museums, art galleries and cultural events increase mind development. .
It is not all just roses and lots of love, there has to be rules and consequences too. The use of rules and boundaries gives children security and reduces anxiety. A secure set of what is OK and what is not is clear for children. They are then sure of how to please adults, have their feelings respected and the adults respect the caregivers and nannies in the home, which reduces confusion. This is how classroom teachers manage 25 students in one class. There are rules and they have consistent consequences, the children are clear on what to expect, thus children know what to do and what will happen. Chaotic inconsistent responses to children’s behavior confuses children who are more likely to give up, act out and feel bad, which affects their learning in school. Inconsistency, uncertainty and confusion reduces motivation.
Our precious children deserve the best. Children in families who are in partnership with schools and can maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle do best. We as school counselors are always happy to support balancing the happiness part. We have access to excellent services for building healthy happy families because we know this is a critical part of your child’s success.
Vivian Huizenga M.Sc
Primary Counselor
