As your child heads for birthday number five, school becomes an important topic. Is our child ready for school? Which school? What is the teacher like?
getting ready for school
A positive start to school life is vital for future success. With a little preparation you can ensure your child is ready to face the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead and be able to make the most of her early education.
skills needed
social skills
Your child may be mixing with a large group of children, many of whom will be initially unknown to each other. The ability to communicate effectively (talking and listening) and to express both positive and negative feelings in an appropriate manner will help your child settle into school quickly.
self-care skills
Children who are able to dress themselves, use the toilet facilities appropriately and take care of their own belongings will feel independent and confident when they start school. This also enables the teachers to spend their time teaching rather than ‘looking after’ the class. Label all clothing, shoes and other belongings clearly and teach your child the importance of putting her shoes, sweatshirt, etc, in her bag when she takes them off.
Being experienced with the lunch box and drink bottle will also help eliminate potential upsets in the first days. Go through what is in her lunch box and explain splitting the food between morning tea and lunch. Have a few practice runs at home so you are sure she can unwrap her sandwiches confidently and is able to open her yoghurt or muesli bar. In the weeks leading up to school you could fill your child’s drink bottle each morning and encourage her to drink from it throughout the day. Dehydration reduces concentration, making learning difficult, so make sure your child is well practiced at regular drinks.
pre-literacy skills
Children are not expected to be able to read and write when they start school but some basic pre-literacy skills will help make the learning process easier.
It is helpful if your child can recognise her own name (and perhaps form some of the letters). If you do teach your child to write her name, make sure you only make the first letter a capital, and write the rest in lower case. A child who is taught to write her name all in capitals will have to relearn when she begins school, which may unsettle literacy confidence.
Book handling skills are also a great help such as knowing the front of the book from the back and being able to turn pages. Being able to listen to a story and talk about it afterwards will help your child’s reading comprehension skills.
choosing a school
Your child’s first years at school are more than just an introduction to learning – they are the foundation upon which will rest an entire educational future. So naturally it is important to give careful consideration to which school your child will attend.
One of the first criteria involved in your decision will probably be locality. Will your child attend a school near your home, or near your place of work? Consider transport arrangements – will you be able to drop off and pick up your child, or will she need to catch a bus? What about siblings or friends? Starting school may be easier for your child if older siblings or friends are attending. Some schools have strict zoning rules so you’ll need to check these out before enrolling. For more information visit: www.schoolzones.co.nz or www.ero.govt.nz
The quality of education provided by the school will also be a vital factor for school selection. Most schools have a prospectus or information booklet, which will provide you with an outline of what is provided. Ask to see a copy of the school’s charter (a document that represents the school’s commitment to the Ministry of Education to provide a quality education for all children attending). It can also be helpful to check out their latest report from the Education Review Office (ERO) which can be viewed online at: www.ero.govt.nz
You may also wish to continue setting up an appointment with the Principal and the New Entrant teacher so you can ask questions.
questions to ask
1. How will the school ensure that my child is safe?
2. What will my child typically learn in the first year?
3. How will I be kept informed of my child’s progress?
4. What is expected of parents?
5. What makes this school special?
Ask to visit the classroom to see how your child’s day will work. Watch the interactions amongst the children and between the teacher and the children. Consider whether your child will be happy and secure and whether the learning environment will suit your child.
In a new entrant classroom you can expect to see:
- Lots of literacy all around the classroom: alphabet cards; poem and song charts; children’s art work with captions and a wide variety of books for children to choose from.
- Low tables, chairs and storage areas to allow easy access for children.
- A selection of labelled boxes and containers containing equipment and resources, providing children with variety and choice.
- Special interest areas set up with different activities or materials for children to explore.
- Plenty of art equipment and resources.
- Children working together in small groups at different activities. There will probably be lots of talking and movement (five year olds are not designed to be quiet and still!) but it should be purposeful and productive.
visit several times
Familiarity with the school environment makes it easier for children to settle into their first days. So do a few visits before the first school day. Most schools provide some kind of pre-entry programme (or at the very least a pre-entry visit) for new enrolments. This can be particularly helpful if your child doesn’t know any children already at school. She can meet and begin to get to know her new classmates before her first day.
separation anxiety
The first day at school is a big event for parents as well as children. Facing the reality that your child will be away from you, developing her own independence and individuality, can cause a sense of loss and anxiety for you. It is natural for parents to feel sad and somewhat worried about sending their littlie out into the big wide world.
Remember that the teachers are skilled and competent at helping new children settle and cope with the demands of school life. Trust your parenting skills and remind yourself of all that you taught your child to help prepare for this moment.
If you are anxious about your child starting school, consider organising some kind of support for yourself. Perhaps you know others who recently sent their littlies off to school – arrange to have a coffee with them after you’ve left your child at school and share your feelings. Or you could make a date with your spouse or friend to do something special on the first day to help distract you from worrying.
Most importantly, make sure you do not let your child see or feel your distress. A five year old will probably have enough anxiety of her own without worrying about you. Be reassuring and positive about starting school and talk about how excited you are about all the new things she will learn.
staying connected
Although your child will be away from you for six hours a day there are things you can do to stay connected and let her know you are thinking of her while she is at school.
Add something special into the lunch box - a homemade card with a happy face on it, a cut out star, animal shaped sandwiches, a love heart, a picture of a favourite character. Or try a surprise visit in the playground during a lunch break (stop at the office first to check if it is okay).
Most of all, be proud of this new step in her life and look forward to the progress she will make.
