Keeping Your Students Learning over the Holiday Break

3 Ways to Make the Most of School Breaks

Though Brightmont Academy stands out in many ways from other schools, there’s also something we hold in common. We love giving our students and staff the opportunity to spend extended time with family and friends. We love the celebratory spirit of the season. We love winter break!

At the same time, we realize that school breaks can be challenging for some young people, especially those with learning differences. How can students and their families make the most of school breaks? We propose three important ways that parents can help their kids both stay on course and enjoy their time away from school.

1. Stick to a Structure

The key to a happy school break? Make a plan! Students thrive when they follow a schedule at school—and the same is true at home and in all facets of life, including during school breaks.

What does a school break schedule look like? Consider these ideas:

Rely on tools like calendars and to-do lists - Saying your family is going to stay on a schedule is one thing, but showing it is another. There is power in depending on simple visual aids to guide your days at home and to make the most of your time together. Promote buy-in by asking everyone in your family to help create calendars, to-do lists, and other time-tracking tools.

Link school topics to real-life experiences - Resist backsliding by bringing your child’s studies to life. Visit a museum with exhibits related to something they learned in History. Take in a performance that demonstrates concepts covered in English. Or create a school-break budget to help them exercise their Math skills. In other words, meaningful opportunities abound to help students realize the connections between their school activities and the real world.

Balance togetherness with solitude - It might be tempting to spend every waking moment with each other, but we all know where that can lead. To head off the possibility of family strife and stress, make sure to work in some time to be alone. This is key to enjoying some rest and refreshment during school breaks…

2. Remember to Rest and Refresh

Another important component of a breaktime schedule? Make sure it includes plans to have no plans! This is especially important when it comes to sleep, a critical factor in brain development and mental sharpness. Countless studies have shown how sleep affects concentration, impulse control, and retention, not to mention attitude and self-esteem. Needless to say, morning and bedtime routines are as critical during breaks as they are during school days.

In addition to sleep, pastimes also provide beneficial rest. This doesn’t mean whiling the day away playing video games and watching hour upon hour of TV; your family’s plan can certainly make room “to just chill,” but also consider students’ more interactive interests. Favorite pastimes such as hiking, playing board games, and baking not only offer joy and refreshment, but also the makings of special memories.

3. Prepare for Post-break Adjustments

Teachers enjoy the opportunity to rest over their breaks too, but more often than not, they are also thinking about new learning strategies to implement within their classrooms. Your part? To talk about those possibilities at home.

Brightmont is always attuned to students’ progress, as well as the areas where new interventions are needed. In turn, our teachers are regularly adjusting their approaches to ensure the very best educational outcomes for each and every student. At the same time, our teachers are cognizant of challenges related to change and do their best to navigate transitions well with their students. When parents partner with us in this effort, there’s a noticeable difference when we welcome students back to school day after day, week after week—and after break.

So how will you make the most of break? We hope you enjoy not only time away from your regular routine, but also all of the benefits that prepare you and your child well for the weeks and months to come. Happy break to you and yours!