Author: Mel WAGENAAR
Educational Psychologist, Teacher and Mother, South Africa
There is much pressure in the Hong Kong system which highly values strong academic performance; the practice of many extracurricular classes from English to Mathematics and everything in between adds to the parental concern of getting your child into a “good” school. This has resulted in practices that include rigorously preparing very young children for ‘interview’ classes with the hoped-for result of their doing “well” in rigorous interviews at multiple schools, thus providing parents with choices for the “best” schools for their children. This includes ensuring the children have an impressive CV of achievements and abilities.
School readiness begins the moment your child is born – whether you as a parent realize this or not. Your loving behaviour, active engagement, secure attachment, stimulation, and playing with and talking to your child, are all sequential building blocks in this journey. It is often assumed that if you send your child to a “good” playschool that they will automatically be ready for formal learning and entering the broader educational system. Most children are. But are there things that parents should rather be doing at the most basal level to make sure that all the “essential” elements are covered?
Traditionally, there are four essential aspects to “school readiness” per se: the emotional, the social, the cognitive and the physical. However, my practice as an educational psychologist has led me to the conclusion that there is a fifth, very important element that is almost always overlooked: parental readiness.
PARENTAL READINESS plays such an important part in a preschooler’s transition to school. Parents need to prepare themselves for the practical and logistical aspects of school as there will now be new routines. Is your child familiar with the type of transportation you will be using to get to school? The first day is not the day to do the school route for the first time with your child. A supportive and informed parent can greatly help a toddler get ready for school. Guard against the following:
Overprotectiveness: Displaying overly emotional reactions about separation can make a child anxious about being apart from their parents.
Overly Dramatic Stories: Sharing exaggerated tales about school experiences can instill fear rather than excitement.
Visible Anxiety: Parents showing their own nervousness can make a child feel that school is a scary place.
Inconsistent Messages: Switching between excitement and fear can confuse a child about how they should feel about starting school.
Foster independence by encouraging self-help skills, such as dressing and using the restroom. Communication skills are also vital; parents can support this by engaging their toddlers in conversations and reading together. Have collaborative fun with your children and make them view learning as an exciting and enjoyed part of everyday life. Research has shown that creativity in school-going children is actively enhanced through fun activities like play, dance and song when they are still emergent learners and preschoolers. Using techniques such as drill and repetition in a rigid manner is likely to result in boredom and disinterest, making it harder for children to stay engaged in learning. Children may feel constrained and unable to explore their ideas if creativity and self-expression are not encouraged. A rigid learning environment can also create stress, making children anxious about making mistakes or meeting expectations.
As for the traditional “BIG FOUR” aspects, you may have noticed that I have placed EMOTIONAL READINESS first in the table below and COGNITIVE READINESS last. This is intentional as the child who is not yet ready for formal learning emotionally tends to struggle – particularly when there is academic pressure to perform. SOCIAL READINESS and PHYSICAL READINESS are just as important.
So, what skills should you help develop through practical, everyday things that you can do at home? Here are some ideas and practical examples that you can apply as a type of checklist for your preschooler, bearing in mind this is just skimming the surface:
Throw and catch a big ball
Draw a simple picture
Copy their name
Name body parts
Rote count to 20
Sort objects according to shape
Sort objects according to size
Name the shapes
Build a 24-piece puzzle
Recognize the numerals 1-9
Match objects to numerals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Copy a simple pegboard pattern
Clap sounds in words, e.g. dra/gon/fly
Balance on one leg for 5 seconds
These are merely guidelines, and you should talk to your child’s teacher if you are unsure, or you have further questions. If you have additional concerns regarding your child’s development, get the correct referrals for further professional guidance or assessment.
Active participation in your child’s education is valued, and parents should seek opportunities to engage in school activities and learning. However, the most important aspect of parent readiness is acknowledging that a balanced approach that nurtures emotional, social, and cognitive skills is better for your preschooler than an environment with a solely academic focus.
