BlogsStudent LifeResidential LifeUpper SchoolBoarding
Residential Life: The Importance of Establishing a Routine
Sep 4, 2012 9:54 AM
By Matt Peer - Faculty
I start and end each workday the same, by sitting at my desk, answering emails and listening to music on my Pandora radio account. For me, this routine is important because it is something that I have control over. This routine sets the stage for my day. It allows me to see what my day will look like. It also helps me to end my day with closure to the events that have unfolded. Having worked in boarding schools for over thirteen years, I have learned that creating a routine and establishing patterns is a fundamental key to a student’s success.
As I prepared to hit send on the last email in my inbox Friday afternoon, one of my favorite songs, “Uncle John’s Band” began to play on Pandora. The song opens with the line “well the first days are the hardest days.” As I listened to the song, I began to realize how much this opening sentiment rings true with every student here at Darlington. Whether they are beginning their fourth year as a boarding student or are living away from home for the first time, the first days and weeks of the school year are indeed the hardest.
During these first two weeks of the year, our students have not only met new teachers and peers, but are also taking more challenging courses than they did last year. In addition, they are also expected to get back into the routine of getting up early, going to classes, participating in after school activities, and finishing the day by completing their homework. These long and busy days are most likely very different than the leisurely ones they experienced this summer, which is why it is so important to establish our routines.
In house meetings, school assemblies, and during advisor meetings, we will be stressing the importance of routine. We will encourage each student to get involved in extracurricular activities, join clubs, participate in servant leadership, and to meet with their teachers for support, whether they feel they need the extra assistance or not. Participating in these activities may seem like an extra burden to your sons and daughters; however, by actively engaging them in these activities, we can begin to lay a foundation for a successful school year. The lyrics in the second line of the song go on to say “don’t you worry any more.” Many of the students will begin to feel more comfortable in the coming days as they learn to navigate the ebb and flow of the school days and weeks.
As your sons and daughters begin to find their niche here at Darlington, it is just as important that you as parents develop a routine of your own to help support your child. Communication with the school is an important key to establishing this routine. Please make sure that you are in regular contact with your student’s Head of House. The Head of House will be there to help you understand how your child is doing socially, emotionally, and can tell you the level of effort they are putting into their academic course work. The Head of House will know your sons and daughters on a personal level and can help answer questions you may have as well as help put action plans in place for their academic, social, and emotional growth and success.
Communication with your child’s advisor and classroom teachers is just as important. Remember, you can set up your child’s grade book to email you with daily or weekly updates on your their progress. If you see something of concern in the reports, please communicate with either the academic advisor or directly with the classroom teacher. As you develop your routine, it is important to remember that you should choose one time per week to monitor your student’s online grade book. Checking grades and conduct too often may cause you undo stress as a parent. Checking grades at the same time each week will allow the natural ups and downs that homework, tests, and quizzes can cause to balance themselves out and give you a more accurate view of your student’s performance. Remember that all of us are here to help your child succeed and we aim to partner with you to push your student forward to a successful life, no matter how they choose to measure success. Whether you live 100 or 10,000 miles from campus, we are always just a phone call or email away.
The next line of "Uncle John’s Band" says, "cause when life looks like easy street there is danger at your door." Some of you may communicate with your children hourly, others may do so daily, while others may only hear from your children when they want permission to do something, need more money, or are in crisis mode because of something that happened that day. No matter how often you talk to your child, it is important that you continue to encourage him or her to establish a routine; to get involved in the fine arts, athletics, or servant leadership opportunities; and stress to him or her that reaching out to teachers for extra help will only help develop a routine for success.
We may listen to very different types of music on our Pandora stations, but I can assure you that developing a routine will help us all have a successful school year. I will be at the desk in my office every morning and afternoon answering emails, and I look forward to hearing from you so that we can help you and your child succeed at Darlington.
As I prepared to hit send on the last email in my inbox Friday afternoon, one of my favorite songs, “Uncle John’s Band” began to play on Pandora. The song opens with the line “well the first days are the hardest days.” As I listened to the song, I began to realize how much this opening sentiment rings true with every student here at Darlington. Whether they are beginning their fourth year as a boarding student or are living away from home for the first time, the first days and weeks of the school year are indeed the hardest.
During these first two weeks of the year, our students have not only met new teachers and peers, but are also taking more challenging courses than they did last year. In addition, they are also expected to get back into the routine of getting up early, going to classes, participating in after school activities, and finishing the day by completing their homework. These long and busy days are most likely very different than the leisurely ones they experienced this summer, which is why it is so important to establish our routines.
In house meetings, school assemblies, and during advisor meetings, we will be stressing the importance of routine. We will encourage each student to get involved in extracurricular activities, join clubs, participate in servant leadership, and to meet with their teachers for support, whether they feel they need the extra assistance or not. Participating in these activities may seem like an extra burden to your sons and daughters; however, by actively engaging them in these activities, we can begin to lay a foundation for a successful school year. The lyrics in the second line of the song go on to say “don’t you worry any more.” Many of the students will begin to feel more comfortable in the coming days as they learn to navigate the ebb and flow of the school days and weeks.
As your sons and daughters begin to find their niche here at Darlington, it is just as important that you as parents develop a routine of your own to help support your child. Communication with the school is an important key to establishing this routine. Please make sure that you are in regular contact with your student’s Head of House. The Head of House will be there to help you understand how your child is doing socially, emotionally, and can tell you the level of effort they are putting into their academic course work. The Head of House will know your sons and daughters on a personal level and can help answer questions you may have as well as help put action plans in place for their academic, social, and emotional growth and success.
Communication with your child’s advisor and classroom teachers is just as important. Remember, you can set up your child’s grade book to email you with daily or weekly updates on your their progress. If you see something of concern in the reports, please communicate with either the academic advisor or directly with the classroom teacher. As you develop your routine, it is important to remember that you should choose one time per week to monitor your student’s online grade book. Checking grades and conduct too often may cause you undo stress as a parent. Checking grades at the same time each week will allow the natural ups and downs that homework, tests, and quizzes can cause to balance themselves out and give you a more accurate view of your student’s performance. Remember that all of us are here to help your child succeed and we aim to partner with you to push your student forward to a successful life, no matter how they choose to measure success. Whether you live 100 or 10,000 miles from campus, we are always just a phone call or email away.
The next line of "Uncle John’s Band" says, "cause when life looks like easy street there is danger at your door." Some of you may communicate with your children hourly, others may do so daily, while others may only hear from your children when they want permission to do something, need more money, or are in crisis mode because of something that happened that day. No matter how often you talk to your child, it is important that you continue to encourage him or her to establish a routine; to get involved in the fine arts, athletics, or servant leadership opportunities; and stress to him or her that reaching out to teachers for extra help will only help develop a routine for success.
We may listen to very different types of music on our Pandora stations, but I can assure you that developing a routine will help us all have a successful school year. I will be at the desk in my office every morning and afternoon answering emails, and I look forward to hearing from you so that we can help you and your child succeed at Darlington.
