- Monday 20 January 2020
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Whether moving from home, daycare or preschool classes, the transition into full-time compulsory education can be an anxiety-ridden period for both children and parents alike. The following are our top tips to help teachers achieve a smooth transition into foundational education for not only the children, but everyone involved in this exciting milestone.
1. The parent pack
Nothing combats parental anxiety like information. Make sure you provide each student’s parents with a ‘parent pack’ straight away: an envelope that contains the various papers telling them everything they need to know about the coming year. Necessary inclusions are:
- an introduction letter from you, including a brief overview of the curriculum
- a child information form to be filled out, asking for the student’s preferred name, interests, family members, pets etc.
- tips to help their child with separation anxiety (examples below)
- any other school forms that may need to be completed
- a welcome pack for the child. This might include a storybook filled with pictures of the classroom showing children where they will play, where they will put their bag, their teacher’s name and what they look like. It could also include a small gift to get them excited for their first day, like confetti their parents can throw over them before they go to school that turns them into a ‘big kid’
While the best option is to send this pack to parents before school starts, handing them out on the first school day works in cases where mailing is not possible. In those cases, a small calming gift can be handed out on the first day too.
2. Combatting separation anxiety
While there are options for teachers to diminish a student’s separation anxiety, the best techniques start with their parents. Suggestions you can include in the parent pack are:
- The palm-kiss trick—parents kiss their child’s palm before they leave, so when a child feels anxious they can hold their palm to their cheek for a ‘kiss’
- A small, sensory object that students can hold for comfort (a feather, a small rock etc.)
- A goodbye routine—a particular kiss, hug or phrase that shows a parent is leaving now)
If a student is distressed by their parent leaving (or a parent is distressed by leaving their child), try to make the goodbye between them quick and uneventful. A separation problem is easier to manage if it’s not treated as a big deal. However, if children are still upset after their parent has left, have a stuffed animal ready. Introduce your student to the animal and let them carry it around until they forget their worries.
3. Simple workstations
It’s natural for parents to want to stay for longer than usual in the mornings during the first week of school. To prevent the classroom from getting messy and chaotic during that time, set up simple workstations where children are invited to do activities with their parents while they settle in. Good examples include block-building, drawing and playdough, or even just having the classroom library open so parents can read a book to their child. Make sure to keep the options at each station simple: it’s easy for children to feel overwhelmed by too many choices. For example, only have pencils at a drawing station instead of including glue and scissors. This workstation set-up keeps the classroom clean, students busy and parents content.
4. Our class rules
Next to each workstation, include a poster of rules for the relevant activity that you and a child’s parents can help each child understand. For example, at the block-building station, a poster might say ‘Don’t throw blocks’ and ‘Put the blocks away when you’ve finished playing’. Make sure the posters demonstrate each rule in both picture and word form, to help students begin to associate the written words with each visual activity. General classroom rules (quiet voices, no running, be kind to each other) should also be displayed on a poster somewhere in the room.
5. A homely environment
A classroom isn’t supposed to be a frightening place, but it likely seems that way to many children. Make sure this isn’t the case for your students: turn the classroom into a comfortable environment. Have every student’s name and photo on the classroom door that they can see before they enter the room, or alternatively on a wall space in the room, so every child can feel as though they belong in the class. Include a request for a family photograph in the parent pack and make an ‘Our families’ wall display with the photos. Create a birthday chart that they can stick their names on. Build a calming area that students can visit when they feel overwhelmed, with pictures and dim lighting. The options for contributing to a relaxing environment are limitless and all go a long way in helping children feel a sense of belonging in their classroom.
6. Routine, routine, routine
What quickly turns the unknown into the familiar is a well-planned and kept routine. The first weeks of school should be all about this idea. Make each day progress through the same beats and ensure students know what those are. You can even turn the day’s organisation into a picture diagram, so that your students can see at a glance what to expect for that day. As part of this routine, you may want to establish class jobs to help foster independence among your students. This website suggests fun, age-appropriate jobs from greeter to sweep.
The first day of school is an exciting time in a child’s life and a privilege for a teacher to be part of. It’s an important job to set the tone of a positive school life through building a supportive relationship with each child from the very beginning. Whether it’s your first time transiting students into ‘big school’ or you’re a seasoned pro, we wish all teachers the best of luck with helping their new students feel right at home.