,j J'~ Montessori_Parent ....•...............................•...................•......•.•••..•.••.•.........•.•.•..•.........•.•.... As you walk your child into school for the very first time, you may think, "How is this possible? I can't believe she is old enough to go to school! It seems as if just yesterday. , .," and your thoughts drift back to the day your newborn arrived, You remember cradling her, admiring the peach fuzz on her cheek, marveling at her long eyelashes, and taking in the sweet smell of her skin, She seemed so per- fect and yet so helpless, You couldn't imagine that one day this baby would not need you. Dropping your child off at school in the fall, whether it's the first day of school ever, the first day at a TIew school, or the first day at a school the child has attended previously, can be incredibly emotional or even frighten- ing to both you and your child, You may worry, "What if he cries all day?" "What if she misses me?" "Will the teach- ers love him?" However, your child needs your support and encourage- ment to learn to separate, When she took her first steps, you held out your arms, smiling and urging her to walk toward you, If he fell, you encouraged him to get back up and try again, The same is true with separating! Prepare yourself in advance, men- tally and emotionally, There will be other occasions in which you will be "letting go" of your child-the first time she has a sleepover at a friend's house, the first time he rides his bike somewhere without you, or the time she gets her driver's license-and it will be helpful to have a strategy to support this lifelong process, Recog- nize that this is a big step for you: 60 By Melody Patton, MBA Reassure yourself and be confident in your decision, Prepare your child as welL Attend any orientation events the school offers, Take your child to activities that familiarize him with the school or teachers, When your child is new to any environment, it can take time to become comfortable. Be upbeat and positive when talking to her about school. Young children are very intu- itive and easily pick up on your wor- ries or concerns, even if you are not voicing them. Come up with a consistent good- bye routine that you can follow every day, such as a hug, a kiss, and "Have a good day at schooL I will be back to get you after lunch (or nap, etc.)." This gives your child something specific to look forward to. "I know Mommy (or Daddy) always comes back after I eat lunch." She can take comfort in the routine of the day, knowing when you will return. The child should walk in on his own. Remember that Montessori advised that if the child can walk, allow him to walk A child who is walk- ing in on her own is deciding to go to schooL Once she has walked in, you must leave. It is not helpful to linger, even if your child is showing signs of distress. Walking away after saying good-bye communicates that you trust he will be okay without you. As you walk away, you could say once more, "I love you. I will be back after lunch." Teachers should support you through this process, first by greeting the child. "Good morning, Marla. It is good to see you at school today!" A MONTESSORI LIFE FALL 2014 teacher may take a reluctant child by the hand. At this point, it is his or her job to take over. If the child is dis- tressed, the teacher will comfort him or find a favorite activity with which to engage her. If and when your child shows signs of concern about your return, the teacher can remind him, "Remember, Mommy/Daddy always comes back at carpool time." When parent and teacher partner together to help a child separate, it often only takes a few days for him to begin walking in confidently. 1£it takes longer, contact your child's teacher to talk about how to make the separation more comfortable for everyone:"--'- The first day of school is just the beginning of your child's journey toward becoming an independent, confident, and capable adult. Just think-one day you will be taking him to college! MELODY PATTON, MBA, has taught Toddler and Early Childhood classes at Children's Garden Montessori School in Denver, CO, for 10 years. She is also an instructor at the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies in Boulder, CO. She is AMS-credentialed (Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood). Contact her at mapatton @att.net. Teachers and administrators, please feel free to copy this page and distrib- ute it to parents. It is also available online at www.amshq.org > Family Resources> Support Materials.
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
,jJ ' ~ Montessori_Parent....•...............................•...................•......•.•••..•.••.•.........•.•.•..•.........•.•....
As you walk your child into school forthe very first time, you may think,"How is this possible? I can't believeshe is old enough to go to school! Itseems as if just yesterday. , .," and yourthoughts drift back to the day yournewborn arrived, You remembercradling her, admiring the peach fuzzon her cheek, marveling at her longeyelashes, and taking in the sweetsmell of her skin, She seemed so per-fect and yet so helpless, You couldn'timagine that one day this baby wouldnot need you.
Dropping your child off at schoolin the fall, whether it's the first day ofschool ever, the first day at a TIewschool, or the first day at a school thechild has attended previously, can beincredibly emotional or even frighten-ing to both you and your child, Youmay worry, "What if he cries all day?""What if she misses me?" "Will the teach-ers love him?" However, your childneeds your support and encourage-ment to learn to separate, When shetook her first steps, you held out yourarms, smiling and urging her to walktoward you, If he fell, you encouragedhim to get back up and try again, Thesame is true with separating!
Prepare yourself in advance, men-tally and emotionally, There will beother occasions in which you will be"letting go" of your child-the firsttime she has a sleepover at a friend'shouse, the first time he rides his bikesomewhere without you, or the timeshe gets her driver's license-and itwill be helpful to have a strategy tosupport this lifelong process, Recog-nize that this is a big step for you:
60
By Melody Patton, MBA
Reassure yourself and be confident inyour decision,
Prepare your child as welL Attendany orientation events the schooloffers, Take your child to activities thatfamiliarize him with the school orteachers, When your child is new toany environment, it can take time tobecome comfortable. Be upbeat andpositive when talking to her aboutschool. Young children are very intu-itive and easily pick up on your wor-ries or concerns, even if you are notvoicing them.
Come up with a consistent good-bye routine that you can follow everyday, such as a hug, a kiss, and "Have agood day at schooL I will be back to getyou after lunch (or nap, etc.)." Thisgives your child something specificto look forward to. "I know Mommy(or Daddy) always comes back after Ieat lunch." She can take comfort in theroutine of the day, knowing when youwill return.
The child should walk in on hisown. Remember that Montessoriadvised that if the child can walk,allow him to walk A child who is walk-ing in on her own is deciding to go toschooL Once she has walked in, youmust leave. It is not helpful to linger,even if your child is showing signs ofdistress. Walking away after sayinggood-bye communicates that you trusthe will be okay without you. As youwalk away, you could say once more, "Ilove you. I will be back after lunch."
Teachers should support youthrough this process, first by greetingthe child. "Good morning, Marla. It isgood to see you at school today!" A
MONTESSORI LIFE FALL 2014
teacher may take a reluctant child bythe hand. At this point, it is his or herjob to take over. If the child is dis-tressed, the teacher will comfort him orfind a favorite activity with which toengage her. If and when your childshows signs of concern about yourreturn, the teacher can remind him,"Remember, Mommy/Daddy alwayscomes back at carpool time."
When parent and teacher partnertogether to help a child separate, itoften only takes a few days for him tobegin walking in confidently. 1£it takeslonger, contact your child's teacher totalk about how to make the separationmore comfortable for everyone:"--'-
The first day of school is just thebeginning of your child's journeytoward becoming an independent,confident, and capable adult. Justthink-one day you will be taking himto college!
MELODY PATTON, MBA, has taughtToddler and Early Childhood classes atChildren's Garden Montessori School inDenver, CO, for 10 years. She is also aninstructor at the Montessori EducationCenter of the Rockies in Boulder, CO. Sheis AMS-credentialed (Infant & Toddler,Early Childhood). Contact her at [email protected].
Teachers and administrators, pleasefeel free to copy this page and distrib-ute it to parents. It is also availableonline at www.amshq.org > FamilyResources> Support Materials.
Related Documents
