Intention and Action: 3 Ways to Support Students at the Start of a New School Year
By Kiran Bhai
Schools & Parenting Programs Director, Making Caring Common
Cheryl Walker
High School English Teacher, The Ask Academy
Education Advisory Board member, Making Caring Common
As a new school year arrives, do any of these questions sound familiar to you?
“How do I help my students start the school year strong?”
“How can I make this school year better than the last?”
“Will my child feel like they can be themselves and that they belong in their school?”
As parents and educators, we care deeply about the kids we’re raising and educating. So it’s understandable to want to start the school year in a cinematically perfect way, setting a strong course for the entire year.
And how you start the school year does matter. But so does every day between now and when the bell rings on your last day next spring. The school year isn’t a sprint. It might not even be a marathon. At times, it will likely feel like an ultramarathon—to you and your students.
So how can we start strong, but not “borrow from tomorrow” in order to make today perfect?
Set intentions for the year. — In the flurry of school supply shopping, classroom preparation, and transition from summer to school schedules, it’s easy to miss taking a moment to reflect: What’s most important this school year—for your children, for the students you lead at school, and for you? What do you hope happens for your students this year? What role do you want to play in their lives?
Block out pockets of time (even small ones) to take action. — What could you do with 15 minutes this week to help make your intentions concrete? You might begin to memorize the names of each of your students, helping them feel seen and cared for. Or you might write out a few questions you can draw from when you’re catching up with your child after school each day, to help push beyond “How was your day?” Again, the goal isn’t perfection. We want to find meaningful, consistent ways we can support students so they feel cared for and encouraged to care for others.
Adjust plans to meet reality. — Every school, classroom, family, and student is different, and not always what you plan for. A student shuffles into your classroom the first day of school with a chip already on their shoulder due to a poor school experience the previous year. Or your child’s friend unexpectedly excludes your child from their friend group. You may have to shift your approach with your students and your children throughout the school year. And that’s where your clear intentions can help once again. We can ask ourselves: Now that my student or child is in this specific situation, what new actions can I take to care for them and help them care for others?
Making Caring Common wants to support parents, caregivers, and educators as they start the school year and all year long. We’ve built K-12 programs and resources to help educators create schools that cultivate empathy, caring relationships, and students’ commitment and skills to advance fairness.
We’ve also developed parent programs and dozens of free resources and articles for families to use as they navigate the school year with their children.
Our intention—our dream, actually—is to help create schools and homes where every child feels safe and loved, cares for themselves and others, and experiences magical moments of depth and connection with you and their peers.
