The beginning of school is just around the corner, and there is much talk these days about how we can help children who start for the first time, or how to help make the period of adaptation in nursery school bearable and positive. But little is said about the transition from Infant to Primary, and how much it can affect children who, from one day to the next, begin to hear comments about "how great they are", or how important is the step "to the school of elders."
We have interviewed Mariló Ruiz-Poveda, Primary and Primary Education teacher, about how children live this important change in their school stage, and how can we help them from home.
What implications does the passage to Primary have?
Nobody usually questions the change that the beginning of the nursery school entails for a child's life: losing sight of their attachment figures and starting this new stage can generate fear and insecurity, and both families and teachers should try to help them .
But when the child finishes kindergarten and goes to Primary, he is exposed again to important challenges and changes that often go unnoticed by adults, who consider that "our children are old and mature" to successfully face this new stage.
In Babies and more Back to school: plan to rearrange children's sleep schedules in ten daysAnd although it is true that with five years children have already reached a high level of autonomy and independence, we should not underestimate the such a drastic change for them the beginning of this new educational cycle.
"The change from Infant to Primary is very large: the rules, schedules, classmates, teachers and methodology change. It even changes the way of sitting in class, because in Infant it is common to do it in teams, while in Primary (especially in more advanced courses) the student sits at individual tables, with a U-shape or in pairs "- Mariló explains.
"It also changes the way of learning, since it goes from a playful and globalized learning through areas of knowledge connected to each other, to a formal and serious learning based on differentiated subjects, which are distributed throughout the day following a schedule" .
How can it affect the child emotionally?
Just as the Infant teachers advised us when we talked about the adaptation period, Mariló also insists on the importance of empathize with the child and respect his feelings and emotions before the change, because although in general this step is usually accepted willingly, we can also find children who accuse him especially.
"If it is difficult for us as adults to change jobs, how is it not going to affect them to change the classroom, space, teachers, routines, classmates, norms ...? In essence, do an exercise of empathy with our children in this new stage"" Some kids may develop insecurity, fear or mixed feelings. And adults can not and should not downplay what they feel, with phrases like "what nonsense" or "you are a brave! How are you going to be afraid of the school of elders." If they find it hard to start, you have to understand, respect and accompany them correctly "- advises this teacher.
How should the passage to Primary be?
Mariló is clear that The transition from kindergarten to primary education should be done very gradually, and working together teachers of both cycles to achieve the greatest benefit and welfare of all children.
In this regard, this teacher, who fired last year a group of children from the last year of Infant who had been teaching since they were three years old, has told us how she prepares her students for the change of stage :
"I decided to carry out a project in collaboration with the Primary teachers, to better prepare my students for the cycle change. To do this, I asked them what did they expect from Primary, what they were afraid of change or what doubts they had"
"The children told me that they feared not being able to sit all together in class, not being with their friends, having exams or having to learn difficult things. So I decided to make them a" spy card "and enter the Primary building to spy on how the students worked there "
"This activity was coordinated with the Primary school teachers, but it helped the kids understand that they were not going to have such a bad time as they thought, in addition to making them aware of their abilities and everything they had learned during their time in Infant."
The teacher explains that In all schools, teachers are very aware of the important step that the children give with the change of stage, and even more when performing after the summer holidays. So you want to reassure all parents whose children are soon in this situation.
How can we help from home that change flows naturally and positively?
The main change that students experience with the cycle step is the increasing autonomy and responsibility they must win. The children they will no longer have a teacher watching them every moment, so it is important that they gain confidence and determination when performing certain functions.
The teacher insists that from home parents can contribute to promoting this autonomy involving the child in family activities, as well as giving responsibilities and tasks according to his age and ability.
"Parents must work autonomy with our children, assigning them tasks according to their age such as taking care of the pet, helping to set the table, tidying up their toys, making their bed ..."
"You have to keep in mind that in Primary the children no longer carry baby, so they will have to take care of their hygiene at mealtime or work so as not to stain their clothes. Also, the lunch they used to take in class supervised by the teacher, now they will take it in the yard and without supervision, so they must be responsible for their food, as well as the hygiene habits they have to have before and after eating. And all this we can start to encourage it from home. "
In addition to these tips, Mariló offers the following:
Ask the child to help us prepare his daily lunch menu, not only to decide (within the options we give him) what he wants to take, but to get involved in this family planning task.
Ask for help with the purchase and preparation of school supplies, label it, place it, store it in the backpack ... This way we will be holding you responsible for your personal items.
Create from home a series of routines set by a schedule, to help them adapt to the rigid schedules that will be found in Primary.
About school duties
One of the aspects that usually marks the passage to Primary in many schools, are homework. Although Mariló is not a supporter, as such, of homework, she does recommend that children take a daily time to read and write, as it is the basis of any future learning.
"I believe fundamental in Primary find a little time for the child to read and write. It is not necessary to do it in an academic plan, but as part of an activity that excites and motivates you, such as writing a letter to your grandparents, or helping to prepare the shopping list. And after this fun moment, the children must spend the afternoon playing"
In Babies and more Back to school: how to help them overcome the normal syndrome after the holidaysWhat if the child has not completed Early Childhood Education?
It is important to remember that Early Childhood Education in our country is not a mandatory stage, and although most families choose to take their children to school after three years, there may be cases of Children who start Primary without having attended school before.
In those cases it is convenient to know that At the end of the Infant stage, most children already know how to read and write, but it is the work of the teachers to adapt to the rhythm of each student, so if your child has never been to school and will start Primary without reading or writing, you should not worry.
"My recommendation is that, once the month of September has passed, the families that need it will meet individually with their child's guardian to explain their specific circumstances and see how to help that child in their adaptation to the new stage "- concludes this teacher."Upon starting Primary, teachers make an assessment to know the level of each student and adapt their work methodology to the particular needs that are encountered. Teachers know that children who can't read or write can come, as well as others who, having learned it in the last year of Infant, have forgotten about it after the summer "
Acknowledgments | Mariló Ruiz-Poveda, author of the blog El baúl de la Seño
Photos | iStock
