NEWS

Introduction to first class

All parents of future first-graders ask themselves the question: is my child ready for school? Should I give it away now or wait until next year?

It is certainly better to get an individual answer to these questions, specifically for your child.

But today I will try to give general information about the psychological readiness and maturity of the child who will go to the first grade.

A little funny:

“I don’t want to go to school,” Petya whimpered. “Why?” father asked. “Because they’ll tell me to write an ‘A’.” “Why don’t you write ‘a’?” – Because then they will tell me: write “B”

If your child goes to school and doesn’t want to study there, will they be happy with the role of a student? Of course not. And what will such a child feel? What does this role mean for her? Alarm!

Therefore, the understanding of the student’s role should be explained to the child in advance. It is important for parents to explain about school to their child from their own positive experience, show their first school photos, and promise their own support in case of difficulties. In such conversations, not only a positive attitude of the child to school is formed, but also the psychological readiness of parents for new experiences, through awareness of their own.

It is necessary to explain to the child the existence of certain rules and restrictions in school. You should not frighten them, but you should understand them yourself and explain them to your children. Observing borders is like following traffic rules: if they are violated, there will be sanctions and fines. Such actions reduce the child’s anxiety, because he learns to understand the consequences of his actions.

Your child’s ability to listen and not interrupt is also very important. If she can enthusiastically watch a performance, listen to a speech or story for 20 minutes in a row, she is ready to receive information from the teacher. If not, such a child will quickly throw up at school and will also interfere with the perception of information by other students. Tip for parents: read to your children for at least 15-20 minutes at night, watch instructive videos together, and discuss them with your child. Go to children’s performances and then in the family circle ask the child to retell the content of what he saw.

I consider the development of self-service skills to be a key sign of a child’s readiness to go to school. A child at the age of 6 should already be able to dress, fasten, tie shoelaces, use the toilet correctly, put their things together, eat with a spoon and fork, be able to pour water for themselves, some make their own bed. A child at this age strives for independence. Help them gain and develop their autonomy. Such a child will not feel helpless at school. This will increase their self-esteem and allow them to maintain their school schedule. Of course, if the child does not know how to do this yet, this is not a reason not to go to school. But this should be taught to the child.

And finally about the physiological maturity of the child.

At preschool age (usually in 5-6 years), children have a “semi-growth jump in height”, which consists in a significant lengthening of the arms and legs. Physiologists have found that if a child starts attending school before he has had a half – growth jump, this has a sharply negative impact on his health, primarily mental, and extremely rarely brings success in his studies. Why is that? Because after such a jump in growth, the child’s body becomes more reliable in the biological sense, and therefore more efficient.

The passport age at which this half-growth jump takes place can vary significantly. In some children, it is completed by the age of 5, in others – only after 7 years. After the half – growth jump is completed, the child has real functional capabilities for sedentary, rather long-term work at an even pace (of course, they are still small-they will quickly but unevenly increase as they grow up, but the foundation is already laid)

Personally, I use the “Philippine test” in my practice to determine the physiological readiness of a child. And also an important sign of such readiness is the loss of baby teeth. The beginning of a change of teeth (usually the lower incisors) in 5-7 years is an indicator that the body is physically ripe for school loads.

Recommendations from a primary school psychologist

A child’s entry into primary school is not just a new stage of learning, but a profound change in the way of life, thinking and perception of the world. For a child, this is the first serious step into adulthood, where responsibilities, rules, responsibilities and a new social environment appear. That is why the task of parents and teachers is not only to teach the child to read or count, but above all to help him psychologically prepare for this important transition. The school psychologist plays a key role in this process, because it helps to determine the level of readiness of the child and gives recommendations on how to make adaptation as soft and comfortable as possible.

School readiness is a multi-faceted concept that cannot be reduced only to intellectual skills. Very often, parents mistakenly believe that if a child can read, write or count, then he is completely ready for school. In fact, emotional maturity, the ability to interact with other children, the ability to listen to the teacher and follow the rules are much more important. The child should be prepared for the fact that he will not always be the center of attention, that you need to wait for your turn, work in a team and complete tasks, even if they are not always interesting.

Special attention should be paid to emotional readiness. The child should be able to cope with their emotions, not be afraid of new situations and people, and also not experience severe stress when separating from their parents. If the child is anxious, shy, or too attached to adults, you should work on this in advance: communicate more with peers, attend clubs, and simulate school situations in the form of a game. It is through play that the child best learns new behaviors and learns to adapt.

Social readiness is no less important than emotional readiness. At school, the child finds himself in an environment where you need to interact with a large number of people: classmates, teachers, and other adults. They must understand the Basic Rules of behavior, be able to listen, not interrupt, work in a team, and resolve conflicts peacefully. It is these skills that often determine how comfortable a child will feel at school and whether they will be able to adapt quickly to a new environment.

Equally important is the attitude of parents to school. Children are very sensitive to the emotional background of adults. If parents themselves worry, criticize the school, or frighten the child with their studies, this creates a negative attitude towards the educational process. On the contrary, if we talk about school with interest, positivity and support, the child will perceive it as a new opportunity for development, acquaintances and interesting discoveries. It is important not to create high expectations and not to compare the child with others, because each child has its own pace of development.

The first months of training are the most difficult, because it is during this period that adaptation to the new daily routine, workload and social environment takes place. The child can quickly get tired, be more emotional, and sometimes even refuse to go to school. This is an absolutely normal reaction, and the main task of parents is to support, listen and not devalue the child’s experiences. It is important to create a stable daily routine, ensure sufficient sleep, time for rest and play, because it is the game that remains the leading activity in primary school age.

Dear first graders, school is a new and exciting world where you will find a lot of interesting things. Here you will find friends, learn a lot of new things and learn things that will help you in life. But to make this path easy and joyful, it is important to remember a few simple but very important rules.

First, don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t understand something, it’s absolutely normal. Everyone learns at school, and even adults don’t know everything. Your teacher is the person who will help you understand, so feel free to raise your hand and ask questions. This is not a sign of weakness, but on the contrary – a sign of curiosity and a desire to learn.

Secondly, be friends and respect others. Everyone in your class is different: someone reads faster, someone draws better, and someone counts very well. But each of you is special and important. Learn to help each other, share, support friends, and not offend others. Kind words and sincerity always make the world a better place.

Third, don’t get upset about mistakes. Mistakes are part of learning. When you make mistakes, you actually learn and become smarter. The main thing is not to give up and try again. Even the most successful people once made a lot of mistakes, but that’s what helped them succeed.

Fourth, learn to listen and be attentive. In the classroom, it is very important to listen to the teacher, because that’s when you will learn new information. Try not to get distracted, interrupt, or complete tasks to the end. This will help you better understand the material and feel confident.

Fifth, don’t forget to relax and play. Even if you have homework to do, it’s important to find time to play, walk, and relax. When you rest, your brain remembers information better, and learning becomes easier and more interesting.

And most importantly-believe in yourself. You’ve already taken a big step by becoming a high school student. You will definitely succeed if you try hard, do not be afraid of difficulties and remember that there are always adults around who are ready to help you.

School is not only about knowledge, but also about the development of personality, character and self-confidence. It is in primary schools that the foundation of a child’s future success is laid, so it is very important that this period is filled with support, understanding and positive emotions. The role of a psychologist, parents and teachers is to create conditions in which each child can reach their potential, feel the joy of learning and believe in their own strength.

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