Give them a gift

Helping your child transition from kindergarten to first grade is a small but powerful gift you can give them. The transition from kindergarten to first grade is a very pivotal time in early development. With a little summertime work and fun, you can assist your child in making the leap emotionally, academically, socially and functionally. This does not mean you need to give up your entire summer to prepare for the next year, but rather take mild steps to help prepare him or her for greater personal responsibility.

Start a routine

Many of us have fond memories of summertime. During the summer months of interior Alaska, staying up late is practically a requirement. I remember our boys’ first summer in the interior. We sent them out to play on a warm July afternoon and told them to “come on in when the street lamps came on.” Of course, there were two things wrong with that; first there are no street lamps on Badger road and second, even if street lamps did exist, the sun was up throughout the whole night. We would commonly let them play until late at night and enjoy this great land we live in. As the school year drew close, however, it was time to start a routine. It was time to get to bed earlier, get up and take care of chores, and get back into the routine of life. We found this was foundational not only for starting the school year, but continuing through the dark winter months. Be intentional and disciplined with your routine. Children thrive with order, not chaos!

Prepare your child to be responsible

Age appropriate increased responsibility is one of the major functional leaps between kindergarten and first grade. First graders will be assigned homework that may be challenging and difficult for them. Your teacher will expect your child to complete that work, and for you to act as a coach. You can help prepare them for this by giving them small tasks to complete. These tasks may be anything from reading a book to everyday chores. In our home, our boys were never paid for completing chores. These were things that were accomplished to help the family unit. Likewise, it is rarely a good idea to pay children to complete their homework. The tasks given by their teachers should be treated as a privilege and opportunity to learn.

A note on homework… Remember teachers and parents need to work in harmony with your child’s development. You may feel like the amount of homework is to great for your child. Rest assured, the homework that is being assigned by the teachers at NPCS is not something the teachers drempt up to be tough. We have objectively chosen to use a curriculum that has been a standard for over 50 years. If your child needs help, please discuss this with your teacher. Never criticize the amount of homework in front of your child. This will only create a habit of building excuses, and thwart the development of personal responsibility.

Get familiar with your school

Fear of the unknown can inhibit the learning process. Children, like all learners, function best when they are ready to learn. Some fears cannot be avoided, however anything we can do to help a child be familiar with their surroundings will assist in the learning process. Make an appointment to visit the school about a week or two prior to school. Your child’s teacher may even be available to introduce him/herself. Walking into the school and classroom ahead of time alleviates the unknown. Our goal is to take that fear of the unknown and turn it in to excitement by previewing the room, books and maybe even their desk!

We are here for you

The faculty and staff of NPCS is available to talk with you and/or your child. If you sense there might be something that prohibits the learning process, let’s see if we can turn that around into excitement! School should be an exciting time in life!