Just for Parents

Here are a few tips on how to help your child be successful in school:

Nutritional Conditioning: A balanced breakfast is essential for optimal brain function. Examples of a balanced breakfast would be eggs and toast, yogurt, oatmeal, cheese, milk and a non-sugared cereal along with a breakfast meat. A balanced lunch would include some form of protein and fruit, salad, and/or cheese and vegetable items. Drinks should not include high sugar content or food additives/food coloring (i.e., diet drinks w/ Nutra-Sweet-Aspartame, etc.).

Physical Conditioning: Limiting television/video/computer activities will give your child plenty of time for proper daily exercise, including a time for free play and outside exploration after school. Excessive time consumed with electronic media increases the tendency toward isolationism and increased inattentiveness. Outside play promotes creativity. In contrast, children also need a time for rest in a quiet atmosphere. Children at this age-level perform better when they stay on a consistent schedule (i.e., sleep patterns, eating habits, etc.). It is best not to overload children with too many activities during the school year.

Emotional Conditioning: As much as possible, have a home free of emotional turmoil. Children cannot be expected to perform at an optimal level, nor can teachers successfully teach, if the home is constantly unsettled (i.e., sibling rivalry, marital strife, verbal/mental/physical abuse, etc.). A teacher once commented to parents, "If you parent, I can teach."

Cognitive Conditioning: Since children live in a noisy and image-driven society today, it is important that you provide a quiet place in which to study, work, and read. This provision of a quiet place will enhance your child's academic experience and promote creativity. Classical music has a tendency to augment cognitive development and optimal thinking capabilities. Children live in a noisy society. Any sound above 85 decibels has the potential to damage hearing. Most movies, concerts and machinery are well above the safe decibel level for your children and could cause noise-induced hearing loss. Since the school cannot provide all enrichment experiences, it is imperative that parents make available other cultural and academic opportunities (i.e., museums, symphony concerts, science centers, etc.).

Academic Conditioning: Coming to school properly dressed and on time with all neccessary materials helps to ensure success. Being properly dressed includes: shoes tied, hair combed, and shirts tucked in. (Please refer to the handbook for proper school attire.) A child is considered late to school after 8:20. Chronic tardiness is a character flaw.

Spiritual Conditioning: A Christian education entails more than academic learning just for the sake of gaining mere knowledge. Solomon states that the goal of education is "to perceive the words of understanding and to receive the instruction of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:2-3a). This process of instruction is four-fold in nature and by following these biblical principles, a student will develop the following qualities: 1) Wisdom-making the right choices, 2) Justice-conforming to the will and standard of God, 3) Judgment-personal application of practical righteousness in dealing with others, and 4) Equity-living life in a fair, pleasing way (Proverbs 1:3). The family, church and school work together in helping the child to mature and grow in Christ. Our goals in the elementary school are evangelism and discipleship. Sending a child to school with a heart tender toward and surrendered to Christ and prepared to learn will aid in your child's sensitivity toward spiritual matters.

This information is supplied by Mr. Donald Woodward, Pricipal of Southside Christian School, Greenville, SC