Recently in Amy's Weekly Documentation F10 Category

Each child's adjustment to school will be different. Some will jump right in, others may need more time to establish trust and feel comfortable. As time passes they will become comfortable, develop feelings of competency and confidence. In order to help them in the beginning, you can instill confidence in your child by letting them know that you trust the teachers and also trust your child's ability to become more independent. When you convey the feelings of "you can do this" they will believe it themselves as they go through this process.

You know your child best and what their needs will be as they begin their school experience and you are welcome to stay in the classroom as long as you would like. For those of you who need to (or would like to) leave but your child is having a hard time saying goodbye, let me know so I can provide support.

Sometimes it helps to make a plan with your child ahead of time. If they are involved in making the plan it will give them a sense of control over the goodbye process, a feeling they may be craving. Your child may decide to show you something in the room, work on a puzzle together, or listen to a book with you on the couch. As the parent you decide a reasonable number of activities ahead of time so you can manage your time. Always say goodbye and let your child know when you will see them again.

Social Development
-Establish relationships: child-child, child-teacher, and teacher-teacher.
-Establish routines that are clear and consistent.
-Establish clear and consistent classroom rules and guidelines that are simple and easy to understand.
-To become familiar with each child's social style and general level of social development.

Emotional Development
-Establish a sense of trust and security.
-To convey to each child that he/she is a valued and important member of the classroom community.
-Encourage and support independent action and thinking, including problem solving, decision making and self-help skills.
-To become familiar with each child's general level and style of emotional development.

Physical Development
-To become familiar with each child's physical capabilities, activity level and energy level.

Cognitive Development
-To become familiar with each child's general level of intellectual functioning, his/her conceptual understandings and style of learning.
-To become familiar with each child's verbal abilities.

Creative Development
-To become familiar with each child's:
-enjoyment of novelty and approach to investigation of unfamiliar materials.
-approach to problem solving.
-willingness to take cognitive and creative risks.
-ability to express themselves through a variety of media and their interest and enjoyment in doing so.
-interest in, and enjoyment of, fantasy and imaginative play.