How can I tell if a child is ready to go to school and study?
All children are very bright and independent personalities who react sharply to the restriction of their freedom of action and thinking. But just in educational institutions there are a lot of restrictions, conditions and rules that are not always clear to the child, and, accordingly, sometimes are meaningless.
Experienced teachers and psychologists determine the degree of preparedness of the child for the school not only on the intellectual, but also on the physical characteristics of the child. These two indicators are crucial for admission to school, because the specificity of the curricula in our regions assumes the maximum workload of the child, both intellectually and physically, for example, the ability to carry a full backpack of books and notebooks to the school, and perform tasks in physical education classes.
Also, when determining whether a child is ready for studies, the child's desire to enter the school should be taken into account and learns what kind of opinion he has about the school and about learning as a whole. Most quickly, the child already knows a lot about the school from kindergarten teachers, parents and friends and will strive to go to school as soon as possible, since it is already "big." But a very disturbing fact is that the child does not want to study or go to school. In this case, you need to find out the reasons for this reluctance and urgently find ways to eliminate such a problem, since even the most talented children will not be able to achieve academic success if they do not want it.
And the last, the most important factor of a child's readiness for school is his thinking, the ability to analyze information and reflect on the task at hand. Some parents understand this as a child's ability to learn the material, but for a quality learning the child should be able to think about the task set by the teacher and draw their conclusions, rather than "memorize" the program without understanding the subject.
Preparing for school - when to start it?
Most psychologists and educators believe that preparing a child for school begins at an early age, from birth. This is correct, since in the kindergarten and communicating with parents the child receives his first knowledge. Basically, this knowledge, of course, general, designed for an ordinary child. Therefore, when preschool education of a child should take into account the fact that all children are different and have different talents, which need to be developed and encouraged. It is also important to analyze the child's abilities, to identify the advantages and disadvantages in his development, and, if possible, try to correct these developmental shortcomings and knowledge gaps. If the problem can not be solved independently, it is advisable not later than one year before admission to school to contact a specialist for assistance in preparing for entering the school.
Also, an excellent preparation for the school can be special courses for preschool children, which are organized in groups at the school. Studying in such groups helps the child not only to gain new knowledge, but also to get used to a new environment and work in a group of people. These groups usually record children of five to six years of age and the main teaching method in these groups is the gradual education of the child in basic drawing, writing, and writing skills. But do not give the child to express courses, because a quick training in order to "drive" the child's knowledge, can form a strong rejection of school and school.
Also, the main factor in teaching a child in groups for preschool children is the performance of individual homework assignments. Homework helps parents better understand their child's abilities and help him fill the gaps in knowledge.
At the moment, many parents and teachers are arguing about what knowledge a child should go to school. The most common and correct is the opinion that before entering the school parents or teachers of the kindergarten should give the child the initial knowledge - to know letters and numbers, the ability to read small words, draw with pencils and paints, cut out scissors pictures ... If there are doubts about the preparedness of the child, it is better to consult with his future teachers about what the requirements are for future students. In the case of gaps in the skills of the child, parents can correct them independently.
But the most important thing is that when preparing a child for school it is necessary to take into account his individual abilities and evaluate his child's talents, adaptation in new social groups. A correct evaluation of these qualities and help in case of any problems will help the child to successfully adapt to the school and receive from the learning process not only knowledge but also joy and pleasure.