It’s one of the top questions we get asked by parents after the first few weeks of school: “How is my child doing?” The short answer, no matter which child is yours, is that your child is doing GREAT. Every child adjusts at his or her own pace, so whether your child is fully engaged or excited or still shyly sitting and watching from afar, rest assured they are learning and progressing in their own way.
What We’re Looking For
These first several weeks at school, we’re not expecting your child to jump in and enthusiastically participate in every single activity during their new school experience (though we certainly enjoy those fearless students who are already willing to try anything). Instead, we’re getting to know your child, helping them gently adjust to the new school routine, and teaching by example.
Getting to Know Your Child
One of the most important duties of our teachers and staff during these first few weeks is to get to know your children. This goes beyond learning their names; we’re learning about their personality, learning style, how they communicate, and their comfort level in new learning and social situations. We are always sure to be gentle and loving when introducing your child to something new so we can gauge their comfort level and help set them up as well as possible for success.
Learning Student Baselines
Every child comes into Kids Village with different backgrounds, skills, and knowledge. During these first few weeks, we’re getting to know what your child already knows, as well as what they can pick up quickly, and what might be a completely new concept to them. At Kids Village, we keep our class sizes small so we can give each student individual attentions–and so our amazing teachers can provide individualized instruction as able. These first few weeks of school help us know where your child is so we can make goals for how we plan to help them progress during the school year.
Implementing Routines
Children love routines, especially in a new situation, because it helps make things more predictable for the child. At Kids Village, we find that having routines helps children feel more comfortable engaging in new activities. During the first few weeks at Kids Village, we will help our children get used to new routines by discussing what happens each day and by preparing them before we move on to the next activity. We also encourage our families to use our valet drop-off and pick-up service, as using these routines helps children transition more easily when they are dropped off.
Leading by Example
Many children, especially younger children, first learn through observation. One of the most helpful things we can do as teachers and staff at Kids Village is to model excitement for and engagement in the learning process. Our teachers know that some students will prefer to watch the first few times while others may be comfortable enough to jump right in. We never pressure students to join when they aren’t yet ready. We lead by example by being positive and engaged in the activities, and find that students who begin by observing will soon become comfortable enough to jump in. In the meantime, we know that even observation is learning, so there’s no rush or pressure for the student to engage in the activity before he or she is ready.
Questions?
Would you like to learn more about how Kids Village helps new students adjust to school or would you like more information about how your child is doing? Please don’t hesitate to reach out!