A first-graders psychological state, physical well-being, and desire to attend school in the first year of study are largely determined by the ability to adapt. For some children, it occurs with certain difficulties that need to be paid attention to in time. In difficult cases, the help of a psychologist may be required, but this should not be scary. Timely work with a specialist will help to avoid problems in the future.
Difficulties Of The School Adaptation Period
Adaptation to school is the process of physical and psychological adaptation of the child to new social conditions within the framework of an educational institution and the transition to systematic schooling. The duration of the period depends on many factors and takes 3-6 months on average.
First grade is considered the most important year in a student’s life. Proper adaptation positively affects the learning process, motivates one to acquire new knowledge, and makes joining a new team and making friends easy.
Getting used to school after kindergarten is difficult for almost everyone. At preschool age, the child did not require special discipline, classes were held in a playful way, there was time to run around, and an hour was allotted for sleep and rest. In the first grade, the usual mode of life changes, and children have to adapt to the changed conditions. The child falls under the influence of factors that collectively affect his psyche:
- new daily routine;
- restrictions on outdoor games at school;
- the need to build relationships with classmates and the teacher;
- new environment and unusual duties for the child.
Adaptation to school is more difficult for children with individual characteristics of the nervous system. The risk group includes:
- Hyperactive kids. Their concentration of attention is reduced due to the peculiarities of the psyche. They need to constantly move, and sitting through a whole lesson at the desk for them is a real feat. Such first-graders most often violate the order at school, and the first months of study practically do not learn new material.
- Children with a high fatigue threshold. This may be due to individual personality traits or chronic diseases. Schoolchildren with increased fatigue cannot concentrate on completing tasks for a long time, which reduces their academic success.
- Gifted first graders. Before entering school, these preschoolers already have a vast store of knowledge, and the first months at school can be simply boring for them. Because of this, they can indulge, not listen to teachers. These first-graders are often recommended to switch to an individual training program, including remotely.
Adaptation problems at school may be associated with the increased demands of parents. However, you should not expect the impossible from a child – addiction can take more than one month, and this is considered normal.
What Indicates The Normal Course Of The Adaptation Process?
The duration of the child getting used to a new school life for him can take from several days to 6-7 months. The duration of the adaptation period depends on the nature of the child, the degree of his psychological readiness, the type of school, the level of difficulty in obtaining knowledge, and the intellect and personal qualities of the teacher. In the first months for a first-grader, the support of the family is also very important – parents, older brothers, sisters, and grandparents.
The fact that the child likes it in the first grade and does not require additional help in adapting is indicated by several signs:
- The kid visits a school with pleasure, talking about classmates, teachers, and lessons and remembering funny and awkward moments. But at the same time, he clearly understands that he goes to classes to gain knowledge, not for entertainment.
- There is no marked fatigue after exercise. The kid is active, has an excellent appetite, and there are no complaints of headache, fatigue, or weakness.
- New friends have appeared, about which the student is happy to talk.
- The child likes the teachers and the process of obtaining knowledge at school.
- The child has no desire to return to kindergarten.
The social adaptation of a child in the first grade will be much easier if the preschooler is prepared for the educational process in advance. You need to teach him how to cope with his clothes without any problems – fasten buttons and, tie shoelaces, put on outerwear correctly. The student must be able to communicate with adults and correctly navigate inside and outside buildings.
Problems Of The Adaptation Period
In most cases, adaptation difficulties at school are quite surmountable if timely attention is paid to them. Preparing the baby for school should begin long before he enters the first grade. But the problems that arose in the process of studying can be eliminated.
Signs that the child is not doing well with his studies and infusion into society:
- Poor progress. The child may lag behind or completely not perceive the school curriculum. The problem is exacerbated if parents expect too high results. Exaggerated demands and even hidden dissatisfaction worsen the period of addiction, make the first grader insecure, and prevent him from fully perceiving educational materials. The progress of kids in the first grade should be treated gently, and loyally, it is advisable to praise them even for the slightest success. Do not focus on failures.
- Laziness. There are plenty of reasons for it. This is a lack of motivation, that is, the student’s passion for other things or games, natural slowness, self-doubt, and fear of saying or doing something wrong. Laziness can also be the result of being spoiled. You can get rid of it only by systematic work at home with the child. It is advisable to motivate a first-grader in some way, avoid scandals, and make strict demands in every possible way.
- Low level of productive activity. The presence of the child in the lesson and their calm behavior do not mean that he understands and assimilates what the teacher says. The problem may be related to personal qualities, excessive distractibility, and family problems. Some first-graders perceive the stay at school as an opportunity to escape from the conflicts at home. This problem can be solved only by paying more attention to the baby, showing him your love, and creating a calm atmosphere in the family.
- Disobedience. This problem most often affects children spoiled by attention. The habit of always being in the center of the universe and rejecting generally accepted rules leads to conflicts in the class. Naturally, everything ends with a call to the mother’s school, and a conversation with a social pedagogue and director. That is, the child again receives a portion, albeit negative, but attention. In most cases, this does not solve the problem but only exacerbates it. Therefore, the only correct decision is to ignore the antics of the baby for some time. Of course, if they are not critical of others and do not interfere with the learning process. Parents should develop their own tactics of behavior together with an experienced social teacher.
- Verbalism. This term denotes a high speech level of the child, proceeding with a delay in thinking. The brisk speech of a first-grader and even the memorization of long verses do not indicate that he is mentally capable of adequately perceiving the school curriculum. A child in such a situation needs the development of figurative and logical thinking, which is achieved by systematic exercises – gluing applications, sculpting, drawing, and simple tests.
School adaptation is a difficult process for many preschoolers. The teacher and parents’ task is coordinating assistance to the first grader. When identifying difficulties, moms and dads should not be afraid to approach the teacher and talk about their doubts and fears. The teacher, in turn, should talk about what worries him and offer options for solving the problem.
