Starting School
With the Northern Hemisphere recently beginning their school year and many parents in the Southern Hemisphere considering Kindergarten for their child, it’s probably a good time to discuss what can be done to help children begin their educational journey. Starting school is an extremely important step in a young child's life. It is a huge milestone both for your child and also for us as parents! It should be an enjoyable experience, giving children the opportunity to make new friends and experience new things.
Psychologically, the way a child starts a process will often determine his or her success. Getting off to a good start does make a difference and parents are very much part of this process. So be prepared to focus more of your energies and attention toward your child than usual as they settle in at this important time.
While starting school has the potential to be quite scary, there are many things that you can do to make the transition easier. Parents can begin to implement changes to the daily lives of children, if not already doing so, in preparation for this major change. The information below is a sample of the types of activities covered in our Learning Guide titled Transition to School.
Firstly, in relation to health and physical well-being, it is important to set a consistent night time routine to ensure adequate rest time. This will give your child the appropriate energy and concentration levels to last the whole of the school day. Also, by following the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolsecents there will be enough ‘fuel in the tank’ for the business of any school day.
Secondly, cognitive development skills such as language, numeracy and physical skills are required for a successful transition. Learning how to follow instructions, differentiate between opposites, or even putting on / taking off clothes independently are all necessary precursors to readiness to engage in school activities. There isn’t enough space to describe all the strategies and activities that can be done here, but the good news though is that you may already be doing some of these things in your normal routine.
Finally, personal/social skills are also paramount to a successful start to schooling. A child’s ability to share and manage a range of situations has been identified as one of the most important aspects to successful early schooling. Parents can implement a range of strategies that will both model and enhance their child’s ability to deal with and handle various forms. Games that require sharing or playing cooperatively towards a joint goal will provide an environment where some of these skills can be both taught and practiced. Additionally, simple board games involving chance (like snakes and ladders) also provide experiences in losing gracefully; a necessary although difficult part of life!
For further information about transition to school, please send me an email, I will reply back to you more information about what you can do to help your child achieve!
I look forward to speaking to you soon,
Shane
shane@learningguardian.com
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