School readiness (maturity) means that the child is ready to start the next stage in his life - school education. He is physically, intellectually and emotionally developed enough to meet the requirements of the new environment, which is school. Check if your child is already ready for school or should remain in kindergarten.

School readiness (maturity)means that a child achieves a level of intellectual, socio-emotional and physical development that allows him to meet the requirements of the school. Accordingly, school readiness largely depends on the harmonious development of the child in all these zones. In order for it to run smoothly, the kindergarten carries out a one-year obligation to prepare for education at school.The Curriculum of Preschool Educationsets teachers numerous goals of didactic and educational work, thanks to which children are to acquire competences and skills necessary to start school education.

The situation of first graders is changing dynamically. Since 2009, preparations have been made to lower the age at which children start school. Thus, six-year-olds were sent to the first grades - initially only those whose parents had made such a decision themselves. Later, compulsory education from the age of 6 was gradually introduced. These changes aroused strong emotions among both supporters and opponents of the reform. Parents who did not agree with their six-year-old children starting education earlier, and those who thought that their children were not ready to go to school yet, reported their children to the school readiness test to a psychological and pedagogical counseling center. If, after the tests, the lack of school readiness was diagnosed, the child could be postponed, based on the advice of the counseling center. The situation changed again in December 2015. Not only the compulsory schooling for six-year-olds was abolished, but also the pre-school compulsory for five-year-olds. Who will go to school in September?

School readiness of seven-year-olds, but …

Currently, compulsory education covers children at the age of 7. Those who are 6 can go to first grade, but they don't have to. Importantly, nothey even have to have pre-school preparation, the so-called kindergarten (which was required previously). A child who never attended kindergarten can also become a student. The parent only needs to go to a psychological and pedagogical clinic with him to assess school maturity - if the child receives a positive opinion, you can buy him a schoolbag. The changes also apply to kindergartens - children aged 3 to 5 have the right to pre-school education, and six-year-olds are obliged to appear in a kindergarten or kindergarten department at school, the so-called kindergarten. There are situations where compulsory schooling can be postponed for up to several years - such a possibility is available to children with a certificate of the need for special education (with intellectual disability, motor disability, multiple disabilities, with comprehensive development disorders from the autism spectrum, including Asperger Syndrome). These children can attend pre-primary education until the end of the school year in the calendar year they turn 9.

Child's school readiness (maturity) - who judges it?

Pursuant to the regulation of the Ministry of National Education, the teacher is obliged to conduct in-depth pedagogical observation, thanks to which he can assess the school maturity of the child (assess what skills, which are part of school readiness, the child has already achieved, and what still needs to be worked on) . He must share his observations with the parents by the end of April of the school year preceding the school year in which the child will be able to start primary school or will be subject to compulsory schooling. Only on the basis of this information, an interview with the kindergarten teacher and the child's own observations, the parent can decide whether to send the child to school or postpone schooling.

School readiness (maturity). Is your child ready for school?

Detailed requirements for the skills of children finishing pre-school education are specified in the core curriculum for pre-school education. According to its provisions, school maturity consists of developmental achievements, which can be summarized in three basic spheres: physical, mental and emotional-social.

1. Physical maturity

For a child, learning is an effort that requires immunity and fitness. Therefore, it must have coordinated movements, both in terms of gross motor skills (regarding the work of the whole body) and fine motor skills (precise hand movements). A seven-year-old should easily jump on one foot, maintain balance while standing on one foot, overcome obstacles, run and jump. Usually, children of this age are cycling, climbingladders.

Coordinated body work is needed not only during physical education classes. During the lesson, the child pastes, cuts, thread beads, draws and writes. It requires precise hand movements, precise work of the fingers. Physical fitness also manifests itself in independence - the child dresses and undresses (fastens buttons), changes shoes (ties shoelaces), and packs a backpack. In addition, the little one has to physically endure sitting in a bench, jogging during a break, wearing a schoolbag.

2. Mental maturity

The child is curious about the world (including school and the role of the student), can communicate with the environment in full sentences, focus on the activity performed (has the ability to direct attention to the indicated object and maintain it for a long time) and has a well-developed memory . In addition, he has a well-developed visual perception (e.g. be able to find differences between pictures) and auditory perception (e.g. be able to distinguish all sounds auditory). However, most importantly - he is quite independent, i.e. he can tell about his needs, dress and undress himself, wash, use the toilet and eat a meal.

He also has basic math skills: he can add and subtract, helping himself to count on fingers or on objects (the core curriculum does not specify how many a child should count up to).

Importantly, the child does not need to know letters, be able to read or write (however, he should be able to determine the direction and place on a piece of paper, draw a border from the left side). These skills will be learned at school. It should only be interested in reading and writing.

3. Emotional and social maturity

Studying at school is significantly different from going to kindergarten or being with mom and dad. First of all, you have to accept the fact that you spend half a day without your parents, and for this time you take over the command. And that's what you should listen to. A little man must also endure the frustration associated with contact with peers, fight for his position in the group, negotiate respecting his rights. He has to endure the fact that apart from him you have twenty other children, equally eager for attention, that you have to wait your turn, give way.

Unfortunately, sometimes you also have to bear the fact that a friend from the bench draws something better and that a colleague will give the correct answer faster. You have to admit to yourself that something is not doing well. For this you need to be very mature emotionally. A ready-to-learn child does not cry when something fails, but tries again. He is able to adapt to the rules in the school, listens to the teacher's instructions and reacts to his admonitions.A seven-year-old is able to establish relationships with a group, although of course he does not have to like everyone.

School readiness (maturity) - when the child is not ready for school?

Your child is not ready to go to school if:

  • is fearful and very afraid of new situations;
  • she can't part with her mum or dad in kindergarten;
  • is unable to control his emotions - he often panics, has uncontrolled outbursts of anger or crying;
  • is dependent on everyday activities;

In such a situation, it is best to go to a specialist who will help determine the stage of development of the child and suggest a way to solve any problems. If they are not overcome and the child does not reach full school maturity before the start of the school year, it is better for him to go to school a year later. Sending a child who is not ready to go to school may have negative consequences. For example, it may lead to the development of school neurosis or the occurrence of aggressive behavior (as a result of failure to cope with the set requirements).

When is it worth postponing learning

In most cases, a child usually grows up spontaneously to the role of a student. However, there are children who find it difficult to reach school maturity. They require extra work to improve the disturbed functions. It is worth starting work with them with research in a psychological and pedagogical counseling center. If a parent notices that his six-year-old in "kindergarten" is having difficulties, is reluctant to sit down to the exercises proposed in the worksheets, is not interested in learning, has difficulties in maintaining attention, he should register the child for examination.

You just need to submit an application to the local psychological and pedagogical counseling center, attach the opinion of the tutor from the kindergarten and register for the examination (it is free of charge in public counseling centers). In the clinic, a psychologist, educator, and in some cases also a speech therapist or sensory integration therapist will work with the child. A team of specialists will conduct a variety of tests to help determine how your child is developing, whether he or she is ready to start learning, and what activities can help him reach maturity.

When to attend the examination? Whenever the parents are concerned about the development of their child or when the educator insists on carrying out such tests. It's worth listening to his tips. The teacher is a person who evaluates the child objectively, is able to relate his achievements to the developmental norm and observes them in various situations (conflict in a group, competition, failure). A good momentis to obtain a descriptive diagnosis from a kindergarten teacher (usually parents get it by the end of April). The indication for postponing compulsory schooling is incomplete speech development, emotional immaturity, problems with concentration, perceptual-motor disorders, a disease that interferes with learning or delayed intellectual development of a child.

POZYTYWNA NOTE is an action that storms into Polish schools. What is going on? Anna Zapał - mother of Nikodem and Anna Bartoszewska, a teacher from Primary School 52 in Targówek, the capital, told more in Michał Poklękowski's broadcast "Drogowskazy" on Eski Rock. Listen for yourself:

Category:

Child's he alth