Andrea Galyean

Special for The Republic

Want to have your best school year yet? Well, so do your teachers.

We asked six Phoenix-area educators how students and parents could upgrade their education experience, and ensure they have a great school year. Those educators handed out assignments; here they are:

What students can do

1. Get a full night's sleep. Every night.

2. Eat a good breakfast (because it's hard to pay attention when your stomach is grumbling).

3. Bring everything you're asked to bring, even on the first day.

That means pencils, pens, notebooks and books. If you're assigned a laptop or tablet, bring it — and the charger, too.

4. Smile.

Michael Buist, from Knox Gifted Academy in Chandler, said the most important thing students can bring is a positive attitude. Even if you don't know what you're doing, he promised, "just be in a good mood and I'll be in a good mood."

5. Make new friends.

"Look for the kids who are by themselves," advised Shannon Moxley from Chandler's Tarwater Elementary School. "Talk to them. Offer to sit with them. If you have recess, play with them."

6. Be a student first.

"School is basically your job," said Eden Lewkowitz, who teaches at Arizona School for the Arts in Phoenix. "We know there's a lot going on in your lives, but your education needs to be the most important thing because it's the key to everything you'll want to do later."

7. Ask questions.

The secret to learning, said Moxley, is "being willing to admit you don't know everything, which nobody does — not even the teacher. When we ask questions, that's when we really start learning."

8. Don't be afraid to be wrong.

It makes for a boring class when students clam up rather than risk making a mistake, said Lewkowitz.

Instead, he advised, break the silence and just try. It'll be more fun and you'll learn more, too.

9. Get involved.

"Find an activity that'll connect you with other people," suggested Theresa Ratti from Mesa's Westwood High. "Whether it's a service club or choir or sport; a positive group of friends can make even a big school seem small."

10. Make time for fun.

Watch a goofy movie, dance around your bedroom or just do stupid kid stuff.

"Kids can be under a lot of stress," explained Melissa Kuhlman from Arizona School for the Arts.

"I'll ask: 'What do you do for fun?' And often, their 'fun' is a high-pressure sport or organized activity. But kids really need a release that's just total, unstructured fun."

However: Don't try flipping your water bottle in class, said Ratti. It won't work out the way you think it will.

What parents can do

1. Establish a routine.

Set a consistent dinnertime, bedtime and deadline for completing homework. And no sleepovers on school nights, warned Moxley. "They'll be up 'til 3 a.m."

2. Make sure your students have all their supplies — and that they're organized. If you think you're too busy to oversee binder set-up, imagine the teacher faced with dozens of them.

3. Stay informed.

Provide a reliable email address and phone number to the school, and notify the teacher if you prefer to have paper announcements sent home. And read everything.

4. Organize, don't overload.

Instead of drowning in back-to-school info, set up a system to keep track of dates and events, whether that's an email folder, a clipboard, or a calendar on the fridge.

5. Advocate for your child.

If your child is struggling in any way, speak up early and often.

"Nobody knows your kids as well as you do," Kuhlman said. "We want to support them, but first we have to know what's happening."

6. Treat teachers as partners.

"It's impossible for us to do our job without help from parents," said Lewkowitz. Parents should feel free to ask questions, he said, but trust teachers to teach — and back them up by holding kids accountable.

7. Encourage independence.

Don't pack lunches, carry backpacks or micromanage homework. "Let kids take ownership," Buist said. "If someone is always telling them what to do and when and how, they won't develop those skills," he explained. "But if you back off, they can step up."

8. But do check in.

Parents should verify that kids are doing their work, said Moxley.

"We want them to be self-motivated," she said, "but younger kids may need some coaching."

Besides, said Kuhlman, students of all ages do best when parents show that they care.

9. Allow your kids to fail.

This is hard, Moxley admitted, but crucial. "If they leave something at home, or make a mistake, let them see it's not the end of the world," she said. "They need to figure out how to deal with problems. This is a safe place for that."

10. Celebrate learning.

Lupe Cota, from Stevenson Elementary in Mesa, said kids are typically eager to come to school and see friends, but parents can direct some enthusiasm toward education itself. "Encourage your kids to be positive about learning," she said. "Kids really do love to learn."

Sounds like a great year already.