Photo By Helen Klein | Back to school tips for Strong Beginnings Parents. (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall PAO...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Parents are the first and most important of their children’s teachers, and with school in session or about to get underway throughout much of the National Capital Region, many are looking for ways to ensure the academic year gets off to a great start.
Shirley Roseboro, a Strong Beginnings teacher at Cody Child Development Center on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, said one of the keys to preparing pre-kindergarteners for school is for parents to reinforce learning at home.
“We ask the parents to read at least 30 minutes every day,” she said. “Read everything. When you’re at a stop sign, call out the letters. Talk about the colors, talk about the shapes of the signs while you’re driving.
“Let them do things for themselves,” she continued. “We try to push the kids to do things for themselves, to be independent, because that’s what they are going to have to do when they go to school.”
Strong Beginnings is a program that is designed to prepare children for kindergarten. Kids enrolled in the program are taught during a structured learning time for three hours a day, going over the Pledge of Allegiance, the calendar, weather and news of the day.
They also work in small groups and focus on language and literacy skills, math, science technology and social studies.
“The children will also participate in Smart Start, a program where they learn to play different sports,” she said.
Roseboro said she also talks with the Strong Beginnings students about what it will be like when they walk into 'big' school for the first time.
“In this building, they are the big kids,” she said. “I talk to them and let them know that they are going to be considered the little kids. I tell them don’t be scared, don’t be intimidated, because the kids are all going to be nice. They are confident. They know they can do it.”
To further ease the transition, Roseboro said parents should also visit their kindergartner’s new school and teacher before class starts if that is possible. Make sure the child gets a great night’s sleep the night before school and has breakfast before heading out for the first day.
“We talk about the first day jitters,” Roseboro said. “The parents can help by letting the kids know it’s okay. They can talk about what it was like on their first day.”
She also urged parents to quickly leave the classroom when dropping off their student on the first day.
“Separation anxiety is one of the hardest things,” she said. “I find once the parents kiss the kids good-bye and leave, it’s easier on the kids and on the teacher.”
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2015 12:24 |
| Story ID: | 174422 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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