Fostering your Kindergartener
I am often asked many questions about being in Kindergarten by concerned parents.
This page is intended to help parents better understand their Kindergarten child and hopefully suggest ways to help nuture their spirit and foster their learning abilities.
When your kindergartener starts the school year, my ulitmate goal for him/ her is for him/ her to be an independent learner and thinker.
Encourage your child to share belongings, toys, books, his time, and to empathize with his peers, to understand, make and respect rules. Your kindergartener will greatly benefit from the use and model of good manners at all times. Seeing his parents displaying a good sense of self-control helps the kindergarteners model the said behavior in his settings. Talking with your child about your values will help her understand right and wrong behavior, making new friends and not purposely leave another out. She will be able to make up fair rules for a game to share with others and develop a sense of pride that will carry her throughout her life.
When a child enters kindergarten, I usually observe many stages of readiness. Allah has created us all as individuals and He has created us as He wills. The kindergarten child is a young child, and there could be a difference of a year in chronological age between him and his peers. He may not have the same maturity, physical characteristics, attitude and or aptitude as the rest of the class. It is very rare that a child is advanced to first grade without Kindergarten.
Often, the best way to help foster your child is to know your child and encourage him in every area he shows an interest. Don't compare him with anyone. Praise his effort - not the outcome. Listen to her and engage in conversations. Don't always give a ready answer, instead say " well, let's go find out". Give your child a sense of ownership by involving the child in some family decisions (what would you like to do this weekend?).
My best advice to parents - allow your child to be.......
in a Native American proverb - "Take a child fishing - he eats for a day, teach a child to fish and he eats for a lifetime!"
"Provide your child for a boat trip - pack his boat, teach him to swim, give him provisions, shove the boat off and stand on the shore and wave good bye!!"
For more info on helping your child succeed in school, please visit:
http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml