The Commercialization of ‘Back To School’

and the Back to School Prep!

By Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview Middle School, Toronto

It is interesting to note the number of ads and sales targeting students going back to school as September approaches! Dresses, school bags and learning materials are being advertised at sales ‘prices’ to attract buyers. The commercialization of the back to school season is very overwhelming to parents. My concern is how to prepare students who are going back to school as parents in spite of the numerous ads for the season in the media. As an educationist, I will also look at what effective preparations students and teachers can make as we head back to school soon.
It’s back to school for most students in both Canada and Ghana. Going back to school or starting school presents problems not only to the students but to their parents and teachers as well. So what do we do as parents, teachers and students when schools re-open in September? A lot! We need to plan ahead, buy the most important materials needed for school at reasonable costs, give ourselves deadlines with the goals we set, get started and review our performances/goals for successes making amends where necessary from time to time.

As Parents:
Perhaps most parents become very happy when it’s September. That’s the time they “ship” their children (with all the headaches they give them at home) back to school and for that matter to the teacher after the long school break. This assumption notwithstanding, parents still have a lot to do for their children and those who teach their kids if we want a successful school year for our children.
Parents have the responsibility (I call it obligation) to ensure that their children are well fed, appropriately clothed and ready with all the school supplies needed before leaving home for school.
Once I asked a friend, “Do you know your child’s new teacher?” The reply was: “No. Why should I care to know? After all, all teachers are the same. I don’t care who teaches my child.” My friend was wrong. Unfortunately, that is the position many parents choose by failing to find out who their child’s teacher is from the very beginning of the new school year! Opportunities are there for parents to know their child’s teacher before they are summoned to the school on their child’s misconduct or poor academic performance sooner than later. In Ontario, parents are allowed to go with their children to the school’s first assembly to listen to the school authorities and meet in person who will be teaching their children. In Ghana, the same goes for open days and Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) meetings. As parents we need to seize such opportunities to acquaint ourselves with the teachers of our children before it is too late. Also, a parent could request a meeting with his/her child’s teacher or visit the child’s school a few days or weeks into the school year at his/her convenience.
Many if not all schools send information and special permission forms with/through the students home at the beginning of the school year. Parents must ensure that such letters and permission forms are carefully read, understood and those needed to be signed and returned to school are duly complied with.
Many parents buy very expensive dresses, shoes and some even cellular phones for their children to take to school at the expense of most needed simple learning materials such as pens, pencils, erasers and notebooks! Yes, your child needs a decent dress for school but not an expensive one. There is no competition in dressing at school. No fashion show. Those learning materials are more important. Let’s demonstrate the sense of responsibility for our children to take us serious. The commercialization of ‘back to school’ should not fool you as a parent into wrong priorities for your child’s back-to-school needs!

As Teachers:
Teaching is a profession and those who enter it must demonstrate professionalism in the duties. It is the duty of every teacher to prepare for the school year. It is therefore incumbent upon every teacher to go through the curriculum he/she will be teaching for the school year and plan the syllabus for the year or at least the term before the students return to school. This will help the teacher to identify the resources and materials that will be needed in the classroom for the teaching and learning process. I am highly impressed with the team work of teachers in Canada, at least as I know of in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Teachers who teach the same grade level in a school often meet to plan the syllabus for the year under a grade lead teacher! This team planning ensures uniformity and agreement on what is taught by the teachers using the provincial curriculum and expectations. Such teacher preparation ensures smooth classroom work for the school year provided class management is professionally handled by the teacher.
It is also important for the teacher to set classroom rules with students and see to their enforcement throughout the school year. Teachers are also obliged to support the school administration in school discipline from the word go! I personally believe in preventive discipline and admire the teacher who employs such administrative tool.
Team work with fellow teachers as well as parents is what I advocate for every teacher at the beginning of the school year. The teacher must introduce him/herself to the parents of his/her students as early as possible. Call home and talk to the parents of your students. Seek the support of parents to make sure your students succeed. Co-operation of parents in the teacher’s work is very necessary and the earlier it is sought the better!

As Students:
There is a Ghanaian adage that says, “no one drinks a medicine for a sick person.” Oh, how true! Students must know and understand that they go to school to learn. Though teachers are there to help them learn, much of how they succeed as learners depends on them.
The long vacation often causes students to forget most of what they have learned the previous year and since the early days of the new school year are used to revise stuff learned at the previous grade level students ought to take such days seriously. There should not be playing of truancy.
Also, parents buy a lot of school supplies for students at the start of the academic year. Students must respect and take good care of such supplies.
Also, when students are back to school they ought to cut the time they spend playing or watching television late into the night. Many students are late to school in the mornings because they do not go to bed early. Punctuality, timely completion of homework and positive attitude toward studies are obvious hallmarks of success at school and all students ought to chalk them!
Obviously, parents, teachers as well as students have specific roles to play to make the new academic year a BIG SUCCESS. Have a successful school year everybody.