​With the fourth quarter beginning and spring getting into full swing, many students and families begin to think about the end of the school year. High school seniors aren't the only ones who experience "senioritis".  Elementary school students can also begin to shut down and dial back their efforts towards the end of the school year.  Here are a few tips to help your student finish the school year strong.
 
Get Organized
It’s time to take stock of end-of-the year assignments and to see what is due and when. Help your student make a schedule to stay on top of term papers, tests and reading assignments.  At this time of year, binders can become full and cumbersome. Desks and lockers can be cluttered with old projects and notes, creating an organizational nightmare. Help your student go through his or her workspace, binders, and notebooks, clearing out information that is no longer needed. Organize current files and projects and then create an end-of-the-year timetable and set milestones for class work and commitments. This de-cluttering effort will help your child stay focused and more productive.
 
Continue Reinforcing Routines
This is an important time of year to hold strong with family routines including time for studying, recreation, family meals and sleep. Children thrive on consistency and definitive boundaries and they find comfort in knowing the expectations and routines of the family.
 
Incorporate Play into Your Day
Even as adults, sunny days make it tempting to take a little longer lunch break or cut out of work just a little early.  However, as a kid, staring out the window or daydreaming about recess won’t get them anywhere.  Make sure your students get the outdoor time they need after the bell rings.  Ensuring they get their daily dose of fun in the sun after school means that they won't feel like they're missing out as much between 9 to 3.
 
Keep a Family Calendar
Springtime can be a very busy time of year with testing, sports and extracurricular activities, not to mention the distractions of the warmer weather.  Kids, as well as adults, have a hard time remembering everything that they have to do.  A family calendar can be a great way to keep everyone on the same page with schedules, practices and upcoming assignments.
 
Find Excitement in Every Day
Rather than viewing this phase as the "final countdown," continue to encourage enthusiasm in each and every day. Whether it's anticipation over a field trip, a surprise note in their lunchbox, or a classmate's birthday, make sure that they have something to look forward to every day as they head off to school.
 
 

1. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
2. Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric Kimmel or Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott 
3. Bark, George by Jules Feiffer 
4. The Berenstain Bears series by Stan and Jan Berenstain
5. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
6. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
7. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
8. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault 
9. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
10. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell 
11. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judy Barrett
12. Curious George by H.A. Rey
13. Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
14. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! By Mo Willems
15. Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
16. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel 
17. Froggy Gets Dressed or Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London 
18. George and Martha by James Marshall 
19. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 
20. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
21. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion 
22. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? By Jane Yolen 
23. I Stink! By Kate McMullen
24. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura J. Numeroff
25. Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber 
26. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
27. Leo, the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus 
28. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber
29. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
30. The Magic School Bus Series by Joanna Cole 
31. Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh 
32. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
33. Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
34. Miss Nelson is Missing! By Harry Allard and James Marshall 
35. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
36. My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett 
37. Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat 
38. Owen by Kevin Henkes
39. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
40. Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig
41. Pierre: A Cautionary Tale by Maurice Sendak
42. Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault
43. Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky
44. Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola
45. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
46. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
47. Tough Boris by Mem Fox
48. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf, by John Scieszka
49. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
50. Yoko by Rosemary Wells

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Source: http://www.education.com/magazine/article/50-books-child-read-kindergarten/

Organizational skills do not come naturally; they are a learned ability that can help your students in their academic and personal lives. With large class sizes and demanding curricula, most teachers barely have enough time to teach coursework, let alone study skills.
If your child is forgetting to do homework or assignments or failing to turn things in, their grades could seriously be impacted. Not being able to prioritize tasks and organize activities means they don’t leave enough time to study or do their assignments. When this happens, bad grades and a feeling of being overwhelmed can cause damage to confidence and self-esteem.

Roadmap to success
One of the biggest problems for students is simply forgetting upcoming tests, assignments and homework.  Providing your child with a planner or agenda book can be the first step to helping them stay on top of their work.  Encourage your student to write down assignments the MOMENT they hear they teacher assign them.  When there is no homework, write “None” so that every class has something under it’s name and you can be sure that you have kept track of everything.  Help your student to set weekly goals and discuss together ways in which they can achieve their goals each week.
 
Prioritizing tasks
One of the biggest obstacles to being organized is an inability to prioritize. If your child is falling behind, evaluate their after-school activities to see if they aren’t overloaded. If social or extra-mural activities are taking up study time, it may be time to reconsider.
Another important aspect is to say no to social interactions during study time. This means no texting or calling during times marked off for studying. Students don’t always have to say ‘no’ to social invitations, but they must learn to say ‘not now’.

The right environment
Creating an organized, quiet, well-lit and comfortable study area is imperative. If you want your student to be focused and to make the most of their study time, then provide them with a space that is free from distractions, noisy siblings and TV. If your home cannot accommodate this space, consider the library, a neighbor’s house or even a quiet coffee shop.
 
Get a tutor
At Total Tutoring Services we realize that sometimes a student needs more than just tutoring in one particular subject.  Every day we hear from students and parents about late/lost assignments, inefficient study habits, and “I thought I was ready for the test.” Working with students on improving their academic skills is at the core of what we do. Simply providing content-based tutoring for a subject may not directly address the real problems holding a student back. Our goal for every student is to teach him the skills necessary for success on his own. 
Key areas of academic skills coaching include:

• Organization
• Planning
• Time Management
• Note Taking
• Improving Test Taking Skills
• Managing Long-term Assignments
• Increasing Motivation
• Building Self-Confidence

Since each student is unique, our approach is tailored to fit the needs of each individual.  We all have different learning styles, different strengths/weaknesses, different levels of confidence, different backgrounds, different habits, etc.  While some students meet with an academic coach one/week, others may do better with meeting multiple times per week.  
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Our academic coaches teach kids and teens to plan, prioritize and organize efficiently and effectively. They prepare students for success not only academically, but for life!