Katerina Tiapula
You have survived registration and your child is set to go to Primary One. Now what? How do you prepare them, and what skills do they really need? Can he manage with all the stress and the routine of school?
- What if my child can’t get her food at lunchtime?
- What if she has problems and is too shy to ask the teacher?
- He is very forgetful. What if he forgets his things?
- She just isn’t interested in her studies at all. Is she really ready for Primary 1?
- Mornings are very hard for my girl. She never gets up that early. How will she manage the 6:40 wake up?
- It really is a hard time for parents as well as for the kids. Where do you start?
ReadingMrs. Sam from Athena Educational Services says the most important skill is being able to read independently prior to entering Primary 1.
The lack of reading ability will affect all subjects. From following directions to doing word problems, reading is indispensable. 4 years old is a very comfortable age to begin reading and 7 is really waiting too long to get them into the joys of the written word.
“If your child is starting primary next year, spend a lot of time listening to him or her read.” says Mrs. Sam.
“Let them read stories to you and make sure that they comprehend what they are reading. Ask questions after they have read a passage. Find things that are really interesting for them to read. Remember that each child has different interests and finding the right books can take a little searching.”
Adjusting To A New Routine
Also very important is the adjustment of the routine to accommodate the school hours. It is too hard for a child to manage school at 7am if he is not made to sleep at a regular time.
Doctors recommend that children sleep from 8 to 10 hours a night. A routine takes time to develop, so don’t wait until December 28th to try to get it started. Start at least a month or two before.
Regular Study Time
There is also the routine of regular study time. The actual work is not as significant as the consistency. The child needs to learn to sit and study when it is time. This will help with concentration in the classroom as well as with homework.
Keep in mind that most 6 year olds have an attention span of less than 20 minutes. Keep it short and focused to be most effective.
Social Skills
“Good social skills are essential in school and to make the transition from kindergarten to primary a smooth one, your child should be prepared for the school atmosphere before hand” says Mrs. Khoo, Principal of Far Eastern Kindergarten and mother of 2 Primary school students.
“Kindergarten is much more relaxed with fewer children per class compared to many primary 1 classes. Those P’s and Q’s are so very important once they start their primary school.”
“Kindergarten does help,” Mrs. Khoo continues “but really parents need to take the time to make sure their children know their social graces before going to primary school. Children must be able to take turns, wait for others, share and be polite. Some children find the structure of school difficult.
"Talking to your child about acceptable behaviour and expected behavior is very good. Ask them what they think and give tips on what you think would be good ways of dealing with situations. Many times children react inappropriately because they simply do not know what the correct response should be.”
Shyness is another concern for many parents. How will your child manage alone in school?
For the first month, the new young students are supervised by teachers, older students and even parents who volunteer at the schools. After a month the students will have become more comfortable with the routine and will start to find a place within it. If there are serious problems your child’s teacher will inform you or you can arrange to meet with the school if you suspect a problem.
Take the time to talk to your child about what is going to happen. It is one of the best things you can do. When your child is comfortable, healthy and happy then he or she will be ready to take on almost any task, even Primary 1.
Tips For Parents
- Work on independent reading skills.
- Set up a study area and regular study times that are not interrupted.
- Learn to follow a routine with a lot of sleep and early mornings.
- Practice organisation and planning by packing a daily bag with essentials for the day.
- Talk about social skills and communication skills.
- Talk about how much fun school will be. If they are prepared, they will enjoy the wonderful process of learning and discover the fun of school.
- Keep it fun and happy.
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