Here are some tips to help parents and the future student to prepare into shsat test and get used to the new, school life.
It is very important to help the first-grader believe in himself, his strengths and abilities, then he will be more confident to take his first steps in school. “I believe in you”, “You are so good at this job”, “What kind of skillful fingers you need to have in order to make such a craft” – these are the words with which you need to address the child. In this difficult time, he needs emotional support (especially when not everything is working out), in a calm, friendly environment at home. Support in the child his desire to become a schoolboy. Your sincere interest in his school affairs and concerns, a serious attitude towards his first achievements and possible difficulties will help the first grader reaffirm the importance of his new position and activities.
Avoid negative attitudes towards the child and school and http://argoprep.com/worksheet-generator/: “If you go to school, they will take care of you. Decorate the image of school in the child’s mind, don’t talk badly about school, participate in school activities. When your child enters school, a person more authoritative than you appeared in his/her life. This is the teacher. Respect your first grader’s opinion of his or her teacher.
Don’t criticize your child for writing poorly trace letter d, reading slowly or being sloppy. Criticism, especially in front of strangers, will only make his problems worse. Be sure to find something to praise your first grader for in each piece of work. Remember that praise and emotional support (“Well done!”, “You did so well!”) can markedly increase a person’s intellectual achievement. Support the student with the words: “I did it not at first time too”, “It was hard for me too”. It is possible to express dissatisfaction with individual actions of the child, but not with the child as a whole. Thus the discontent with the actions of the child shouldn’t be systematic, otherwise it develops into rejection.
Do not compare your child with others – this will lead either to increased pride, or to envy and a drop in self-esteem. You can only compare your child’s new successes with his previous achievements. However, praise your first grader for his or her successes and achievements. It is important to encourage your child not only for his or her academic achievements, but also for his or her good deeds, creativity, and diligence. This also shapes his personality and self-esteem.
Allow the first grader autonomy in self-care and academic work. His parents’ control of his learning activities should be moderate and reasonable.
Every day be interested in school events, attitude towards school, the class in which your child is studying, relations with peers, the teacher. Ask your child “What was the most interesting thing today?”, “Who did you make friends with?”, “What was delicious in the cafeteria?”, etc. It is very helpful for the child to just listen. If children can’t answer seemingly simple questions, don’t worry, don’t get upset, and most importantly, don’t get annoyed. To help parents, read the article “25 Ways to Ask Your Child How He’s Doing at School.
In the early stages of learning, it’s important to show your child clearly and unequivocally what his new responsibilities are. Don’t make noise in class, don’t talk to a neighbor, don’t engage in extraneous activities, raise your hand, sit up straight, and don’t bend low when writing. Parents and the teacher can help the child quickly master these rules by discussing them with the student, showing how important it is for him and for other children to do them perfectly. The parent’s and teacher’s demands should not contradict each other.
Take into account the temperament of your child in the period of adaptation to school education, his individual characteristics (pace of work, fatigue, attentiveness, sociability). Active children find it hard to sit in one place for a long time, and slow children find it difficult to get used to the school rhythm. Make with the first grader a daily schedule that is comfortable for the child and make sure it is followed. Think through the schedule in such a way as to alternate sedentary activities with motor activity, intellectual and physical activities. Control the duration of the child’s homework (in first grade – 1-1.5 hours, including reading), as well as sleep time (sleep should be at least 9-10 hours a day for proper rest). Going to school significantly changes a child’s life, but should not deprive it of diversity, joy, and play. A first grader should have enough time for play activities. Develop an interest in learning through play.
Do not miss the difficulties possible in the child in the initial stage of mastering learning skills. If your first grader, for example, has speech problems, try to deal with them in the first year. If you are concerned about something in your child’s behavior, his academic affairs, do not hesitate to seek advice and counseling from a teacher or psychologist.
The love of parents should be felt by the child all the time. Let your child know that you care for him/her, that he/she is important, that he/she is just a good person with friendly glances, affectionate touches and, of course, words like “It’s so good that we have you!”, “I love it when you are home” and the like. Hug your child at least 4 times a day – according to psychologists, this is the norm that a child needs to survive, and for good health he needs at least 8 hugs daily. Rudeness, harshness, violence can generate a lot of negative consequences.