Every name tag is in place, every learning center in order, every pencil sharpened.  The date and first lessons are written on the board. The activities for the month are planned in minute detail. The energy out in the hallway is unmistakable. It’s the first day of school.  It’s a mixture of excitement, anxiety, sadness, and fear for both students and parents.  It’s not easy to say goodbye.

As a former kindergarten teacher of eight years, I witnessed my share of first-day jitters.  Sometimes it was manifested in the form of a long and tearful goodbye, or even a violent display of emotion.  The occasional sprinting escape artist was one of my favorites… said no teacher ever.  Then there was the most heartbreaking: the tame and timid child who follows every direction without complaint, only with silent tears running down her cheeks to reveal the deep sadness in her heart.  Having had the chance to experience time and again this exciting and often challenging transition, I have a few suggestions that might help everyone ease into the school year with a few less tears.

Recognize the Emotion

When emotions run high the first year of school, there are always a few parents that react negatively to the point of anger or humiliation.  Some may threaten punishment (“I’m going to spank you”), belittle (“You’re being ridiculous”), or lie (“Teacher is going to lock you in the closet if you don’t stop’).  Yes, someone actually said that. When a child is not coping well with the thought of you leaving them behind, the frustration you may feel is understandable.  But remember that from a child’s eyes, transitioning from home to school is the biggest adjustment they’ve ever had to make and some confusion or sadness is expected.  Try to meet that with compassion.  Simply vocalizing that you comprehend the enormity of it may help volumes.

Prepare in Advance

Begin talking about school, at the very least, weeks before hand.  Make it real for them.  Go supply shopping together, practice “school” with them, take them to some community story-times, even arrange to leave them with a sitter, daycare, or camp for short periods of time to get used to being dropped off and picked up.  Make sure your child is confident with their basic care such as using the bathroom, dressing and feeding themselves, carrying their own belongings, and putting them away.  Practice basic classroom rules such as taking turns, raising their hand, walking (not running), using a “quiet voice”, and asking for permission.  Anticipating and addressing potential challenges will help tremendously when the time for school comes.  Don’t skip Meet the Teacher Night; it can help make the transition go more smoothly.

Have a Plan

First, make a routine and stick to it.  Just like any other move towards independence, such as learning to sleep on their own, you get the best results when there is a predictable routine.  Prepare belongings the night before, have an early bedtime, and give adequate time to get ready in the morning before school.  Secondly, prepare emotionally.  Some pray together, others read books or sing songs that are familiar or comforting.  Laced within all of this activity should be communicate with the child as to exactly why their routine has changed. Don’t hide anything from them.  Thirdly, have a clear and simple plan for dismissal from school and communicate that to the teacher in your child’s presence, as “Who will pick me up?” is often the student’s biggest anxiety. Finally, have an after-school plan.  This can be a special outing or just an ordinary activity.  However, reminding them that they have something to look forward to doing with you after school will help them get through the day.

Don’t Linger

You may do all of the above and still have difficulties that last for days, even weeks.  The best thing to do for all in this situation is to leave.  Long, lingering goodbyes can increase your child’s anxiety and/or give them hope that somehow you’ll change your mind if they continue the behavior.  Your child’s teacher may invite you to stay a period of time, but if she does not, she is signaling you to move on.  Believe me, the teacher wants nothing more than for your child than to be happy and successful at school.  Allowing her to handle the situation the way she is experienced in doing will speed up the process.  Many teachers keep close communication with parents throughout the day via email, phone, or text in situations like these, allowing the parent to check in.  If your anxiety is high, ask the teacher to send you a photo once or twice a day until things improve.

Celebrate!

Sometimes, even when the child is ecstatic to go to school, the parent suffers from anxiety and sadness. Take steps to care for yourself and work through the emotion.  One way of coping with the change is to celebrate the milestone.  Create first day of school traditions to make the occasion joyful and exciting.  This might take form of First Day Photos, First Day Breakfast, First Day Eve Dinner, creating a first day of school craft, or giving a first day of school gift.

Parents, students, teachers: it is our wish for you all to have a smooth and productive school year. Hopefully you will find some of these tips helpful the first weeks of class.  Remember to take heart. It’s all gonna be okay!

Christy Ortiz is a Fort Worth native, and is proud to say so.   She earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She taught for FWISD for eight busy years before switching gears to stay home with her two small children.  Her hobbies are interior decorating for friends, photography, and flying kites with her kids.  Her South American roots and love for the Spanish language and Latin cultures add to the diverse voices of our group.

The post It’s Going to Be Okay: Kindergarten and the First Days of School first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

In recent years, studies have proven it is increasingly important to capture the mind at a much younger age —3 and 4 years old. That is when children’s minds are the most malleable and absorb and retain the most information. And the more sophisticated testing available in Fort Worth allows for diagnosis at a younger age. So it is great news that Hill School recently announced its new kindergarten programming.

“It’s a natural extension for Hill School, since more students are being identified with learning differences, such as ADHD, high-functioning autism, or language and processing disorders, at a young age,” said Roxann Breyer, Hill School’s Head of School. “Early interventions have the most impact, and by starting with the youngest learners, students may gain the strategies and skills needed to transition into a more traditional school environment after just a few years at Hill School.”

The strategies and skills my brother learned at Hill School helped him grow and maintain confidence in the learning environment provided. They also customized their lessons to how he learned the materials, which was different from standard blanket methods commonly used in public schools. Hill School has always been able to assist students in a small group setting, and still does, regardless of its growth and increasing admission numbers, because they kept their small student-to-teacher ratio. The Hill School helped my brother with communication skills and encouraged him to stay focused and organized when others could not.

“It was a very positive environment,” my mother said.

For children to have access to that kind of attention at a younger age through intensive multi-sensory language instruction, guided mathematics, and development of social skills through social thinking initiatives only increase their chances of success.

Teachers at Hill School have been trained in the Orton-Gillingham method, which is “is an instructional approach intended primarily for use with persons who have difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing of the sort associated with dyslexia,” according to the Academy of Orton-Gillingham website.

The research for these teaching methods dates back to the early 20th century to neuro-psychiatrist Samuel T. Orton and educator and psychologist Anna Gillingham, who compiled instructional materials based off of Orton’s findings as early as the 1930s. The method begins by assessing each student’s learning needs as they are all different, even if their diagnoses are similar. They also usually come in unique packages. For example, my brother was severely dyslexic, but he also had ADHD, and other learning challenges that went undiagnosed as testing in Fort Worth in the 1970s was not as sophisticated as it is now.

“Multi-sensory methods” means learning through seeing, hearing, and feeling. Through frequent feedback and success, the student gains confidence, which inevitably leads to success.

For math instruction, Hill School incorporates hands-on learning through materials such as toys relevant to the lesson in small group setting. And for students who struggle with high functioning autism, Asperger’s, or any learning differences, social skills are so important to sharpen in a safe environment surrounded by caring educators and peers toiling with the same problems.

Erin Zagotti, one of Hill School’s current Lower School teachers, will lead the new kindergarten program. After earning her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction for Special Education from the University of West Florida, she taught pre-kindergarten students with disabilities in the public school environment for four years before moving to Hill School to teach first and second graders.

Hill School’s kindergarten program starts August 2017 with limited admission to ensure an enhanced learning experience in an intimate community and learning environment. Located in the safe TCU neighborhood since 1962, this school comes with more than 45 years’ experience and passionate dedication in helping student reach their fullest potential.

Parents interested in learning more about the program can contact Linda Sherlock, Director of Enrollment, at lsherlock@hillschool.org.

Jocelyn Tatum has been either publishing nonfiction work and/or teaching journalism at Tarrant County College for ten years. She began her career as a daily newspaper writer and general assignments reporter in 2008. A fifth-generation Fort Worth gal, marriage finally brought her back home six years ago where she became a full-time freelance magazine writer known for her long-form narrative style. With an undergraduate degree in philosophy, several study abroad stints, and a masters from the University of North Texas in narrative nonfiction writing (fancy journalism) as a Mayborn Scholar, she is always looking at the world around her with child-like wonder expressing what she sees best in the written word. Her passion is writing human-interest stories to give a voice to the voiceless, a face to the faceless. She has a 5-year-old boy who is the love of her life and best friend. Everything comes second to spending time with him. When she’s not mothering and writing, she is up at 5 a.m. running, taking Jen Keita’s spin classes, attending hot yoga, or riding horses. You can find her work most frequently in Fort Worth, Texas magazine, but also in CEO magazine (Fort Worth Business Press affiliate), and 360 West (Weddings), and more.

The post Kindergarten Comes to Hill School first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.