This week Kathryn Westfahl, a school counselor, explains how you can prepare yourself and your
child for starting a new school.
Planning is all the more important to insure a good beginning. As a parent,
there are several things you can do to make the transition easier. Listed
below are some suggestions.
- Visit the new school
Your child will feel more confident going the first day if he/she
has seen the new school. Remember how frightening unknowns are to
all of us. Take a tour, if possible, and see his
or her classroom. At least wander around a bit. Be sure to
look around the outside so entrance doors and playgrounds
will also look familiar.
- Meet some of the staff
Being able to find a familiar face will be important to your child. The
secretaries and principal are usually in school two weeks before school
starts. The teachers may not be there until a day or two before the start
of school and are typically expected to be in meetings for a major portion
of
that time. So your child's teacher may be hard to find. But
even knowing some of the office staff will help put your child
at ease. Remember how many times you've told your child not
to speak to strangers! Well, the school will be full of adults
who are strangers unless he or she has the opportunity to
meet some of them before school starts.
- Get a supply list
Many schools hand out supply lists in spring for the next
grade. If your child's school does that, try to get one from
the school or a neighborhood child in the same grade. Your
child will feel much more like he "belongs" if he has the supplies
other children have to start out the year. If there is no
supply list available, send your child with the basics, geared
to his/her age and grade level. Pencils, crayons or markers,
a few pocket folders, and a notebook or two are pretty standard items for
all classrooms above kindergarten.
- Look for neighborhood children who attend the same school
Children of all ages feel better if they have a companion, even
if the child isn't the same age.
- Let the school know if your child has any special needs
Try to do this even before the first day of school. It is very helpful
for the school to know about allergies or other special health concerns,
learning concerns, such as needs for
preferential seating, or any other special concerns from the very first
day. Send a note to your child's teacher even before
the school year starts or leave a message in the office asking
the teacher to call you when he/she returns for the year.
- Let the school know about any changes in your child's life that may affect them in school
Is part of the family living in the old house in Wyoming until
it sells? Did you move in with your parents because of
financial pressures? Was the moved caused by a divorce?
Sometimes parents feel this kind of information is not the
school's business. In some ways, it isn't. But if the situation
is affecting your child's ability to concentrate and learn, it is
probably best to share it with the school. It will help the
teacher help your child do his/her best, and there may be
other services available through the school to which the
teacher could refer you.
- Check for special services for new children
Many schools have New Kids Clubs or buddy programs for new
students. If there are no such programs in your school, see
if the teacher can assign a buddy to your child for first few days.
- Maintain a positive attitude
Be positive, but don't just gloss over any concerns your child raises. If
your child expresses fears about going to school, try to help him or her
problem solve and come up with solutions to the problems.
- Find out about lunch
Don't presume hot lunch will be served the first day. If you
can't find out for sure, pack a lunch to be safe. A hungry child
is an unhappy child.
- If your child will be taking the bus to school . . .
This can be very frightening for a child going to a new school. Some of
these ideas might help ease their fears, and yours.
- Try to find a child in the neighborhood who can be a "bus buddy" for
the first few days.
- Drive the bus route in your car. Point out landmarks
along the way so he/she will have a way of identifying
his/her stop. Give your child a few landmarks just
before the stop, also. And remember to look at both
sides of the street. You can't be sure which side of
the bus your child will sit on.
- Have identification and bus information easily available to school
staff assisting with bus boarding. If they receive a bus pass from the
district, it can be laminated or put in a plastic bag or case and hung
from the child's backpack or school bag.
- Some parents put their child on the bus on the first day and then drive to school and meet them when they get off. They do the reverse
at the end of the day. This is difficult for working parents, but gives peace of mind for parents and child.
I've worked with many new students over the years. For most of them, a week or two is all it takes to feel comfortable and confident in their new
surroundings. For a few, it takes a little longer. And for some, a little
extra help is needed. Don't be afraid to ask for that help from school staff
if it seems to be taking too long for your child to adjust or if fears seem to
worsen. Good luck to all of you starting this new adventure this fall. I
hope some of these ideas are helpful.
|
Back to Experts' Advice
Legal Stuff You Should Know
|