Academics Plus Tutoring Center

An Interview with Michele Lo Bosco: How to Start the School Year Right!
Michael F. Shaughnessy
Senior Columnist EdNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University

1) You have written some books about success in school. What led you into this endeavor?

Well, my partner and I have been in the independent education business for about 14 years, and over the years we have seen our fair share of students who, for a multitude of reasons, do not perform to their potential.

And sadly, as a result of trying and failing, many lose hope and faith in their own ability. Seeing so many students struggle, we began to ask: what are all these subtle and often unrecognized factors that contribute to success?

What we came to realize is that a student’s academic success is the result of a multitude of academic and personal factors, and that variables such as stress, level of motivation, self-concept, and family dynamics often impact academic performance just as much as innate intelligence and knowledge.

It became very important to us to share this information with parents, students and educators alike—to demystify in a sense—the sometimes elusive concept of academic success.Our hope is that as this information is received and applied in a practical sense, more children will begin to experience a level of success that is commensurate with their potential.

2) You have also written about helping students do well on the SAT. What are those books and where are they available?

Our SAT workbook, How to Ace the SAT Without Losing Your Cool is currently available on amazon.com.This book introduces our unique and holistic approach to the SAT, which we call the Enlightened SAT Warrior program.The program promotes not only the development of academic and critical thinking skills necessary for the SAT, but also provides students with tools to increase their self-awareness regarding their learning styles and preferences.We have also written a personal workbook that supplements the academic workbook called, The SAT Success System Personal Workbook, which will be available in a few weeks.

Currently, we are writing our third book called Academic Success: What Helps a Child Achieve It & What are the Obstacles that Stand in the Way? Answers from the Top Educators in America.This book, which we hope will serve as a valuable resource for parents, children, and educators will be a compendium of contributions from some of the most committed educators and learning specialists in NYC and Los Angeles.The final product will include various pedagogical philosophies, strategies, real-life issues and anecdotes on the topic of success.

3) What are some things that parents can do over the summer to get their kids ready to have, as Bill Cecil says “their best year ever”?

The summer months offer parents the opportunity to re-create a safe space for open and honest communication with their children. During the school year, family dynamics can sometimes become strained; students with heavy school loads often experience overwhelm or lack of sleep, and parents are managing their own personal responsibilities as well as those of the household.

It is not uncommon for agitation or resentment to build, and for a previously loving relationship to deteriorate into one characterized by negative feelings. Families can find themselves interacting in a manner that does not support trust, good will or open communication.

The summer is a great time to start anew.Over the summer, we encourage parents to take some time to evaluate the quality of their communication with their child.Take note of what is working and what is not.Set time aside each week to spend quality time together.Ask questions and listen closely. Implement positive communication strategies. This is time well spent because without healthy communication, the chances for a successful academic year are compromised.

When the child knows that they can turn to their parents for support, encouragement and positive and honest feedback, they tend to feel more capable of achieving goals, be more willing to take on responsibilities, and be better able to constructively overcome obstacles that stand in their way.And these, certainly, are the characteristics that set the groundwork for the “best year ever.”

4) Many parents spend a lot of time buying school supplies- are these supplies all that important or should parents be working on attitude and motivation as well?

Helping students develop a more positive attitude about school and boost their levels of motivation before the start of the school year would, in my book, trump shopping for school supplies.And a great first step parents can take in this direction is to take the time to communicate about, and truly understand, their children’s attitudes and expectations about school.

We find that the process of exploring and identifying goals and aspirations with students engages them more fully in their learning process and unleashes their potential to succeed.When students are able to connect with that which is really important to them, they almost invariably become more involved and motivated to do what it takes to achieve it.Children may also need emotional support and a safe environment to voice their concerns or fears about school, and it is important for parents to be open to this type of communication.

That being said, starting students off with the proper materials so that they are prepared and organized can be instrumental in keeping them on top of their studies throughout the school year.In addition, the time spent shopping for school supplies can be viewed as an effective, even ideal, environment to initiate conversations about attitudes and expectations about the school year.

5) Clothes- how important is it for kids to return to school well dressed?

That’s a great question.I believe that what is most important is that kids return to school feeling comfortable about the way they look.Self-esteem and confidence can play a large role in how a student performs academically and very often self-image is very closely tied to self-esteem and confidence.

One great way to help kids feel comfortable about the way they look is to give them some freedom to choose their own clothes. Giving kids the opportunity to make choices regarding attire and style can be an exciting and empowering process that elicits a stronger sense of self. By allowing them to explore, experiment, and make decisions, you set the stage for them to develop a deeper sense of purpose. In addition, this process often results in a deepening of self knowledge and understanding, and the development of a healthier self-image.

6) What do teachers really want kids to be doing over the summer?

It is certainly important for students to have the opportunity to relax and refresh over the summer. The typical middle school and high school course load can be pretty taxing and the toll on the student can be significant, so it is always beneficial to use a portion of the summer months to recuperate.That being said, the summer can also be a great time to build foundational skills or do test prep, because without the burden of school assignments, quizzes and tests, students are able to allocate all their resources to learning new skills.So finding and striking that correct balance is really what will optimize success once the semester kicks in.

7) You talk about establishing a routine and structure to help kids get back into the groove or routine of the school day.

Why is this important?

Creating a more regulated schedule a few weeks prior to the start of school can set the stage for the routine and structure that needs to be maintained throughout the school year.School semesters that are characterized by organization and effective routine are often the most successful.

Many bright and capable students underperform each and every year simply because of disorganization or overwhelm.And the disorganization and overwhelm they feel can often color the situation, and make school life seem intolerable. Routine and structure can act as a stabilizing force, enabling children to keep things in their proper perspective and allow the student’s potential to come to fruition.

By helping our children establish constructive and effective structures—places to keep their school materials, times to do their school work, equipment that helps them stay organized—we are fortifying them with the foundational support that allows them to realize their potential. When a student is well-organized, it becomes much easier for strengths to become fully developed and for weaknesses to be identified and addressed.

When the student is disorganized, there can be a lot of smoke and mirrors making it difficult to support the student in a meaningful or effective way. So in essence, routine and structure can be viewed as the essential and primary foundation upon which success is achieved.
How can parents instill a love of learning at home over the summer months?

The best way to instill a love of learning during the summer months—and all year long for that matter—is to create an environment at home that models a love of learning.Children learn by example; therefore it is important that parents act as role models for their children, behaving in ways they expect their children to behave rather than merely telling them how they are expected to behave.Not only does this create trust and respect between parent and child, it sets the stage for the development of effective and positive habits.

Optimally, parents would set aside time to spend with their children to read and learn together, have discussions about current events, and visit museums, exhibitions, and cultural events.However, many parents have very busy schedules and are sometimes unable to spend as much time as they would like interacting and exploring with their children.At the very least, parents can encourage their children to do summer reading.

Find books or even magazines that your child finds interesting or engaging and have him or her set aside time every day to read.Choose small tasks that he or she can accomplish and feel good about.And make sure to acknowledge your child’s efforts and celebrate his or her accomplishments on a regular basis.This acknowledgement process helps children recognize their own ability to succeed, and leads to a healthier self-image and a greater sense of independence.And when learning becomes associated with fulfillment and potential, students tend to develop higher levels of motivation and a love and respect for the learning process.

9) Do you have a web site or an 800 number where parents can get more information?

Yes, we have a website (www.academics-plus.com) that provides information about our services, programs and books.

10) Michele, as I sit here, it is June 21, literally the first day of summer. When should parents begin to get their kids ready for school?

It is never too early to start planning for the start of the school year. Setting the stage for a successful and effective school year can start as early as the last few weeks of school.Use this time to speak to teachers and gather information about the upcoming school year responsibilities. In addition, teachers often have firsthand knowledge of a child’s strengths and trouble spots, and can make suggestions or point out areas in which the child would benefit from review.

Parents can then use the summer months to hone in on these areas and provide their children with the support they need. We interact with many students each and every year who are experiencing difficulties in school, and it is not uncommon for the trouble to be traced back to a deficiency in the basics. What is interesting is that a very large percentage of exceptionally bright students lack foundational skills.

And often, because they are so bright, they have been able to develop compensatory mechanisms that allow them to achieve reasonably high levels of success in school.

Most often, the problem isn’t recognized until the student is having trouble in a higher level subject whose understanding requires fluency in the basic skills.What is unfortunate about this is that, often when the discovery is made, there isn’t enough time to address and rectify the situation.

The student simply has too many homework assignments, upcoming exams, and extra curricular activities bidding for his or her time.

We have to implement the band-aid solution; we teach the student enough to get by and complete all the homework, obtain acceptable scores on quizzes and tests, and the problem, at a core level, is never fixed.

Thus, the summer is a wonderful time to build and develop any of the foundational skills, that for whatever reason, the student did not acquire during the course of the school semester.

We also suggest parents encourage their children to do as much summer reading as possible. If the genre or subject material is one the student enjoys, the reading can begin right after school ends.Reading over the summer keeps the mind fresh and continually exposes students to new vocabulary.

Towards the end of the summer, a few weeks prior to the start of the school year, we suggest that parents procure all the tools their child needs to stay organized throughout the year. It is important to start the year off as systemized as possible, and a good organizational foundation can be all the difference between a successful and a not so successful year. Being proactive in this area really pays off.

Things like day calendars or chalkboards (hung in a convenient place in the home) on which upcoming assignments, quizzes, and school activities can be noted can help provide an organizational support system that serves to help the student address and meet his or herschool responsibilities throughout the year.

11) What resources do you have for parents?

Our website includes an informative blog, which serves as a resource to students and parents seeking information on the SAT, the college application process, and effective study and test-taking skills.The site also offers parents and students access to a number of downloadable articles on such topics as academic success and SAT preparation.

12) What question have I neglected to ask?

One of the questions we are often asked by parents is: How can I best support my child?

Most often our answer is: learn about, accept and accommodate your child’s individual learning styles and needs. Every student comes to the table with his or her own individual talents, goals, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Strategies that work for one student might not work for the next. What inspires and motivates one child might fall flat with another. Some students are visual learners, others learn best through auditory means. So, it is important to develop a clear and comprehensive understanding of your child, and let this insight guide your personal process.

Also, be sure to share this information with your child.This knowledge is empowering as it provides the child with a deeper understanding of herself and her own learning process and allows her to better navigate her own lifelong learning process.

Published July 10, 2007

Comment #1 (Posted by jjohnson) Rating: Unrated
Ms. LoBosco shows a unique understanding of the complexities involved in school achievements. School success and personal success should not be separate issues. I was pleased to see her address issues not confined to study, study, study. Parents would do well to realize how many small factors contribute to success. Kudos to Ms. LoBosco.

Comment #2 (Posted by an unknown user) Rating: Unrated
great article

Comment #3 (Posted by Mia) Rating: Unrated
Excellent insight about what it takes to have a healthy, enjoyable learning experience.

Comment #4 (Posted by Kristien) Rating: Unrated
Excellent article with useful tips I can use

Comment #5 (Posted by Amy Torres) Rating: Unrated
Excellent, useful article. I will be sharing it with parents and educators.

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