Is that child ready for school?

Come September, many parents will send their children to school-some of these young ones will be going to that place of learning for the first time. Many people, who have passed through the stage, may recall that it was a huge excitement as they waited to start school full of expectations and eager to discover that unknown world which appeared to be made up of only children. But that was for those who were old enough to have a little idea of school. But for many children whose parents may work outside the home, school may start as early as in the first few months of life in a day care centre.

In these days when parents may want some peace and a time to do other things without a child demanding something for a few hours, school is still safer and relatively a more secure place to take a child to. So we shunt her off to school.

Sending the child to school for the first time does not mean that we do not miss the company of the child, the innocent chatter which has kept us entertained may make us shed a few tears, but we push sentiments aside thinking that we have done the right thing. But the question is- is that child prepared to survive in a school?

It looks like only a few parents ever bother to ask themselves this question at all because they think that if the neighbour’s child goes to school, their own should be there too. It hardly crosses our minds that two children, even when born of the same parents, develop on different levels and in their own time; it may take a longer time for one child to learn what another has accomplished in a short period but success remains the same, though.

But as schools and part of our educational system are blamed for turning out students who are not well equipped for employment, experts believe that a child who has the right foundation would do very well in school; this right foundation is not the school’s duty at all but a parent’s task. The parent ought to have taught him enough to prepare him for further learning in school where psychologists say is only a place for further learning, not where it starts from.

With even the best of teachers, a mother is still the best teacher because she is the one a child knows, trusts and sees as representing security in a child’s early life. A mother who teaches a child should observe the progress and knows when he goes on to school. It is possible therefore that your child needs more of your guidance before he goes to school; only you can tell if you watch his progress keenly.

When Is He Ready?
A child who goes to school has taken added responsibilities even if he is sent to play school, you expect him to learn all those songs, read rhymes and add more to the few words he had when he went to school. If he has not added to what he knew, you are bound to worry that something might not be in order. And you are not the only one making demands on him.

These are the duties thrust upon a child by the United Nations Educational Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s Child Rights Act. Under the Act, a child’s responsibilities include working towards the cohesion of their families, respecting their parents and elders, placing their physical and intellectual capabilities at the service of the state, contributing to the moral wellbeing of the society. Children are to the quota in strengthening social and national solidarity; preserve independence and integrity of the country, respecting the ideals of the freedom, equality, humaneness and justice for all persons. The Act demands that children relate with others in the spirit of tolerance, dialogue and consultation, contributing to the best of their abilities in solidarity and unity with Africa and the world.

The Act mandates parents, guardians, institutions and authorities whose care children are placed to provide the necessary guidance, education and training to enable the children live up to these responsibilities.

The child may not be aware of what is expected of him and many parents may not know the seriousness of what they take up when they have children. But a school knows its role well and wants to achieve a good result. They may have to push a child too hard and the one who has not the strong foundation may feel stressed or frustrated.

It is the parent’s task to take the child gradually through that informal education which a home only can give. It is what lays the foundation to a formal education at school. The three known results of lack of proper foundation are that a child who cannot follow in school feels inferior and unhappy; his mates may not want to play with him if they think that he lags behind. They may make him feel worse because they see his discomfort as immature and not being strong.

He may find it difficult to learn new subjects in school because he is nervous. He may not improve even with the extra teaching in school because there was no inbuilt confidence to learn and cope in school.

A child who has the right foundation is liked by his teachers and is recognized as hardworking. His peers like him because they see him as being worthy to be associated with.The one without a foundation may also develop a fear for school, when he claims to have stomach ache or headache, with the hope that he is excused from going to school on that day. There may be a refusal to go to school at all in the worst cases.

Many parents refuse to be taken in and send the child to school after treatment because in some cases, the fear of school may have something to do with not getting on with a teacher, the inability to do his work or not having the desire to leave home at all, not because he is truly ill.

Experts believe, however, that when a child is afraid of school, he is not ready because the tasks are too much for him. In some cases, parents demonize teachers and make children fear school when they threaten to report misbehavior at home to school authorities.

But it is important to know the real cause of the phobia and settle it. Think of this, too: “Children are likely to experience the first physical violence in the hands of a male teacher,” this was disclosed by Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation sometime ago. Find out the reason for the phobia and discuss it with the teacher or head of the school.

Generally, a child is seen to be ready to go to school when he can identify familiar objects and discuss events
. Can sing familiar songs
. Knows simple mathematics and understands that numbers are used in counting. He should be able to draw with pen or pencil; can know that many represents number of things and he can say that they are less or more when comparing quantities.
. He/she should be able to remove or put on their shoes or clothing; can adapt to unfamiliar environments; use the toilet unassisted and can say his name and address.