Making The Transition To A First Grader

 

 

Making The Transition To A First Grader

 

On the first day of first grade:

 

 your child will walk into a classroom that is completely different then kindergarten. As a new first grader they may be overwhelmed by the number of differences, that first grade means.  The room may no longer have play stations. There may be desks instead of tables. The children will be learning more, faster than they did in kindergarten.  They also will have to brace for doing more writing, reading and math homework on a daily basis.  First grade is the start of what school will be like for most of their remaining years.  Be sure your child is ready for it.

 

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Talking With Your Child

 

Prior to the start of first grade, be sure to tell your first grader about the differences they are likely to face during their next year at school.  For one, let them know they may have different friends in their class this year (especially if your school normally mixes two or more classrooms of grade levels together each year.)  Be sure to let them know they will also have a new teacher this year.  As a first grader, at about the age of six, the new environment may still overwhelm them especially if they are not prepared for it.

 

Talk to your child about what it means to be a first grader including the things they will learn.  In first grade, most children learn letter sounds and how to put them together to read.  They learn basic math skills.  They learn about science, health, art, and phonics.  They will likely spend a good amount of time reading and writing.  They still will need to hold onto the skills they learned in kindergarten including social skills.

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During The Summer Before

 

A good way to prepare your kindergartener for first grade is to work with them on their skills throughout the summer months. Be sure they are practicing all of the skills they learned in kindergarten now.  This will include things like letter and number names, how to write their name, and how to count to 20. In some schools, children will know how to put letters together to form basic words.  They may also have sight words they need to remember.  Practice these skills throughout the summer months so that on the first day of kindergarten they are not behind on their education.

 

You also may want to take the summer to work on improving any problems they are having.  Summer activities and tutoring programs can help them to strengthen skills. This may include academic skills, social skills or even emotional skills.  Any areas in which your child is struggling can have work during the time leading up to first grade.  They will feel more confident and encouraged by it.

 

Be sure to spend at least some time exploring the world around you in the summer, too.  Trips to the library to get books for you two to read together are always a good way to reinforce learned skills and perhaps to teach new ones.  You can also find skill practice books through most schools that will also offer help not only with reading and writing but also on science, health and social studies topics.

 

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Get Them Used To Learning

 

During the first grade, your child will do a lot more work. There is less free time to play with friends or to do fun projects and more time focused on learning concepts important to their future educational goals.  At this time, it is also important for you to convey this to them.  Get them ready to learn.  Have them sit down each afternoon in kindergarten and the summer to talk work on a coloring sheet or to do some reading.  This prepares them for the homework they will do as a first grader.

 

Structuring your child's playtime and learning skills around what first grade will be like is an important step to insuring your child will do well in the coming year. It does not have to mean a lot of nose to the book, but rather the start of a routine and acceptance that learning is good and even fun to do.  They will adjust well once they are able to grasp this concept.

 

 

 

With my best wishes