Back to school 2023, Secondary

Collège – Lycée: I’m off to a good start!

September 1156, 2023

At collège, it is essential to help your child organise their homework. Homework is updated daily on the school’s Pronote portal, so it’s important for the family to check it regularly. Encourage your child to check their homework every day and to note down important deadlines in a diary or calendar. As a parent, you can play an active role in monitoring homework and ensuring that it is completed on time.

If you do not have your login details, please contact our Deputy Principal, Mme LELEU: proviseur.adjoint@lfrd.net.

After school:

– 5.30-7pm: Work and homework time

– 8.30pm-9.30pm: Bedtime / reading

– Help them plan their homework and create a regular work routine.

– Create a calm, well-organised study environment.

The sleep patterns of children aged between 11 and 15 play a crucial role in their health and well-being.

At this age, children need around 9 to 11 hours of sleep a night to promote their growth and development. However, it is common for teenagers to struggle to meet these recommendations due to various factors such as homework, extracurricular activities and screens. It is essential to establish a regular sleep routine, encouraging consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, even at weekends. Limiting exposure to screens before bedtime and creating a calm, sleep-friendly environment can also help teenagers to get quality rest. By ensuring that our young people get enough sleep, we are helping them to maintain their energy, concentration and mental well-being throughout this important period of their lives.

There are a number of strategies you can adopt to help your child with their homework.

Create a calm, well-organised environment so they can concentrate.
Encourage them to take regular breaks to rest their mind. Get involved by asking them questions about their work and helping them to find solutions when they run into difficulties.
Also encourage them to ask their teachers for help if they need it.

In maths

• Encourage your child to practise regularly by solving extra problems or using online resources.
• Help them create index cards of key formulas and concepts for regular review.
• Use maths games or interactive applications to make learning more fun.

in French

• Organise discussions about the books they read to develop their comprehension and analysis of texts.
• Encourage them to write summaries or analyses of texts to improve their writing skills.
• Use online resources or grammar and conjugation exercises to reinforce their language skills.

To replace screens before bedtime, reading is an excellent alternative for promoting quality sleep in children aged between 11 and 15. By encouraging them to read before bedtime, we stimulate their imagination, soothe their minds and promote a smooth transition to sleep. Choose books that are suitable for their age and interests, whether exciting novels, magazines or comic strips. Establish a regular reading routine before bedtime, giving them a quiet, comfortable time to immerse themselves in an imaginary world. Not only will this help to relax their minds, it will also help to develop their vocabulary, comprehension and love of reading.

Set an example by reading yourself and sharing your own reading with your child. Hold discussions about the books they read and encourage them to express their opinions and thoughts.

“Around the world in 80 days” by Jules Verne

Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman, set out to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days.

“The Lion, the White Witch and the Magic Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Four children discover a magical world through a wardrobe and find themselves involved in a battle against the White Witch.

“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

A young prince travels across the planets and meets strange characters, while learning lessons about love, friendship and responsibility.

In addition to the reading recommended by the national education system, encourage your child to explore more playful and funny reading that suits their personal tastes. Here are a few suggestions by level:

For Year 6 students:

• “Harry Potter at Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling: a magical and captivating saga following the adventures of a young wizard.
• “Diary of a Wimp” by Jeff Kinney: a humorous series in the form of a diary about an awkward teenager.

For Year 7 students:

• “Percy Jackson, Volume 1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: a series combining Greek mythology and modern adventure.
• “Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins: a dystopian trilogy full of suspense and twists.

For Year 8 students:

• “Clan Wars, Cycle 1: Back to the Wild by Erin Hunter: an exciting series featuring clans of feral cats.
• “Les Chevaliers d’Émeraude, tome 1: Le feu dans le ciel” by Anne Robillard: a fantasy saga with knights, dragons and magic.

For Year 9 students:

• “The Selection” by Kiera Cass: a trilogy combining romance and dystopia, in which a young girl is chosen to take part in a royal competition.
• “Divergente” by Veronica Roth: a trilogy set in a world divided into factions, where a young girl discovers that she is different.

The sleep required by young people between the ages of 14 and 18 is essential for their health and success at school. During this period of adolescence, it is recommended that young people sleep on average between 8 and 10 hours a night. Sufficient sleep helps to consolidate memory, improve concentration and promote a good state of mind.

Parents play a crucial role in helping teenagers to succeed at school. They can :

Establish a regular sleep routine by setting an appropriate bedtime and encouraging healthy sleep habits.
Create a sleep-friendly environment by ensuring that the bedroom is quiet, dark and comfortable.
Limit the use of screens before bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep.
Encourage regular physical activity, which promotes better sleep.
By ensuring that their teenager gets adequate sleep, parents contribute to their overall well-being and their ability to concentrate and succeed academically. Good sleep hygiene is a key element in supporting teenagers’ academic success.

🎯 Tip for parents:

• Help them draw up a study plan for the year and manage their time effectively.
• Organise regular meetings with teachers to discuss their progress and get advice.

For Year 10 students:

– “La Méthode scientifique”: a podcast exploring scientific advances and the big questions in science.

– “Affaires sensibles”: a podcast looking back at key events in contemporary history and their impact on society.

– “Superfail”: a podcast that looks at failures, missteps and catastrophes to learn from them.

For Première students:

– “La Fabrique de l’Histoire”: a podcast offering analyses and reflections on history, covering a variety of themes.

– “La Marche de l’Histoire”: a podcast that explores the major periods in history and the events that have shaped humanity.

– “La Méthode scientifique”: still suitable for Première students, this podcast provides an in-depth look at the sciences and an understanding of current scientific advances.

For Terminale students:

– “Les Chemins de la philosophie”: a podcast offering philosophical reflections on a variety of subjects linked to the Terminale syllabus.

– “La Conversation scientifique”: a podcast which looks at contemporary scientific issues and the debates surrounding them.

– “La Grande Table” (The Big Table): a podcast featuring interviews and analyses of topical issues in the humanities and social sciences.

These podcasts offer an opportunity to deepen knowledge in different subjects, develop critical thinking and explore topical issues. High school students can listen to them in their free time or as a supplement to their lessons, to enrich their general knowledge and broaden their horizons.

For students in Seconde :

– “e-penser”: a programme that tackles complex scientific subjects in a fun and accessible way.

– “Nota Bene”: a programme that explores history in a captivating way by deciphering historical events and figures.

– “DirtyBiology”: a programme that demystifies scientific concepts and explores a variety of biology-related subjects.

For Première students:

– “Les SES en vidéos”: a YouTube channel dedicated to Economic and Social Sciences, offering clear explanations and concrete examples.

– “L’Antisèche”: a programme that deciphers topical issues, tackling a variety of themes and offering in-depth analyses.

– Les Bons Profs”: a channel offering lessons and detailed explanations in various subjects, adapted to the school curriculum.

For Year 12 students:

– “Les Philogynes”: a programme exploring philosophy through discussions and analyses of philosophical texts.

– ScienceEtonnante”: a channel that explores complex scientific subjects in a clear and popular way.

– “Les SES en vidéos”: still suitable for Year 12 students, this channel offers explanatory videos and concrete examples in the field of Economic and Social Sciences.

Your children’s success at school depends on the involvement of all the adults around them. By working together, parents, schools and teachers can provide an environment conducive to learning. This autumn, follow this advice and support your children in their educational journey. Together, we can build a bright future for our students.