A child's readiness for school is not determined solely by whether they can read, write, and count. Psychologist Olha Holubytska, who has 16 years of experience working with children and adults, told UNN more about what parents should pay attention to before the start of schooling and which mistakes are best avoided.
Olha Holubytska notes that preparation for school should begin not with teaching a child to read or write, but with a comprehensive assessment of their readiness for the new challenges at school.
The first and most important criterion is physical readiness. It is called exactly that: "the child's physical readiness for school." The simplest question they ask is, "Have the child's teeth started changing?" Because if the teeth have started changing, it means that the body has already developed sufficiently, the skull is restructuring, and its dimensions and all these proportions correspond to a more mature age
According to the psychologist, physiological readiness is important for a child's ability to withstand the academic workload. She explains that the child's other skills are also assessed separately.
The ability to read, write, and count comes somewhere at the final stage, because there are certain general things that are more important. And physiological readiness is number one, because if it is absent, nothing else matters. Even if someone has already taught a child to read, write, and count a little, that alone is not enough
The psychologist also stresses the importance of a child's ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships. In particular, during assessment, tasks may be used in which the child has to create a story based on pictures and explain what happened and why.
"A child going to school must be able to establish connections between phenomena, understand cause-and-effect relationships, and apply this knowledge. After all, learning is not only the ability to memorize and reproduce something. A child may have a good memory while lacking sufficient development of other important mental processes," the psychologist noted.
Motivation and independence are no less important than knowledge
According to the specialist, particular attention should be paid to motivation to learn. The child must understand why they are going to school and perceive gaining new experience positively.
Ideally, a child should want to go to school because they are interested in discovering new things and learning. It is important for them to enjoy the process of gaining knowledge rather than perceive school merely as a path to future earnings, because such motivation is not sufficient
The psychologist advises talking to a child about school by explaining the meaning of learning and the opportunities it provides. At the same time, parents should not create inflated expectations regarding grades or the speed of adaptation.
"It is worth talking to a child about school through an understanding of its meaning: how the world works, why certain things happen, and what opportunities education opens up. You can explain that at school, a child can better discover their abilities, learn to realize them, and understand how knowledge can become a source of support for them," the expert noted.
Olha Holubytska also advises against forcing a future first-grader to independently practice sitting at a desk for long periods and completing assignments. If the child does not attend kindergarten, preparatory groups can be used for this purpose, where they will gradually gain experience participating in classes alongside other children.
"When parents independently begin accustoming a child to lengthy activities at a desk, in most cases this can have the opposite effect. They do not always cope with the child's emotional reactions, begin scolding or pressuring them, and as a result the child experiences more trauma than benefit," the psychologist emphasized.
Another important component of preparation is self-care skills, the expert says.
"Before starting school, a child should be able to tie their own shoes, fasten and unfasten clothing, eat, pack their belongings, and generally take basic care of themselves. Self-care skills are very important because a child must be able to cope independently with everyday tasks," Olha Holubytska emphasizes.
Why it is important to take your child to kindergarten or preparatory courses before school
The psychologist pays particular attention to socialization. If a child did not attend kindergarten, it is important for them to have experience communicating with peers and being in a group before starting school.
Socialization before school is very important. If a child did not attend kindergarten, it is worth considering preparatory classes where they can gain experience being among peers and working in a group. Then starting school will not be an entirely new experience for them and, consequently, will be less stressful
At the same time, parents should not demand high results from their child immediately or compare them with other children. According to Olha Holubytska, it is important to give the child the opportunity to adapt at their own pace and experience different emotions without judgment.
"Do not pass your expectations on to the child: what they should be like at school, what grades they should bring home, how quickly they should adapt, and what emotions they should demonstrate," the psychologist emphasizes
The psychologist emphasizes that learning will not be effective if a child is constantly under stress. Therefore, before school, it is important to take care not only of academic skills but also of comfort, social experience, and emotional readiness.
"The child should actually feel comfortable, and then they have room in their head to absorb information. But if their mind is occupied with survival or stress, or something else, then we cannot speak of any learning," Olha Holubytska summarized.