The beginning of the school stage is a great challenge for children and for the family. The prior development of preschool habits and skills is a fundamental premise for children’s adaptation to the new educational system to be a success or a failure. The role played by the family in preparing children for this moment is very important for their first school experiences to be satisfactory and positive.
Those of us who have been performing this beautiful task of educating for years will agree with me that families generally worry extremely about buying and providing the future student with all the materials recommended by the school and many others that they consider essential for their children’s academic and social success during the important period of entering school. However, in many cases, they have not dedicated appropriate time to instructive and educational interaction with their child to foster the development of a system of basic knowledge, habits, and skills necessary to face a new stage of childhood that will demand a lot from novice students. The child’s incorporation into early childhood education is a decision that the family must know how to make at the right time to favor the activation and development of sensory-perceptual, cognitive, affective-volitional areas, daily living skills, communication, and social skills.
Another important aspect in this new stage of childhood is to develop in children the ability to identify and recognize the figures who will direct and guide their school life. The student must be able to follow directions and show good attitudes in communication with teachers and all school staff who will work directly or indirectly with them.
Students who have not received active and positive preparation prior to entering school will definitely be at a disadvantage compared to the rest of their peer group. It will be very complicated for them to understand and complete everything from the initial process of school adjustment and adaptation to the acquisition of knowledge, the development of habits and skills appropriate to their age and grade level. On many occasions, it takes them a long time to activate and establish affective and empathetic ties with the school as a pleasant place where they will gain positive learning and educational development experiences. This student population requires rapid and effective intervention from the school’s administrative and educational staff. Guidance and follow-up for the family are very important, as is the design of an individualized intervention plan to explore and define the child’s potentially strong developed areas and which ones need greater stimulation and activation to achieve optimal development according to the academic, communicative, and social demands of the school grade.
Early stimulation and the planning of educational activities aimed at achieving the maximum development of all children’s potential will be the gateway to success for the beginning of school life.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Amado Álvarez Vázquez” h4=”Author”]
Student of the Master’s in Intervention in Learning Difficulties. Bachelor’s in Defectology (Special Education) specialized in cognitive disorders, visual impairments, and language disorders. Assistant Director at the private school “Our Lady of Charity School” in Hialeah, Florida (USA)
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