After kindergarten, your child is ready for elementary school and first grade. Starting first grade is one of the most memorable and exciting years for your child. However, it's the most challenging year, if you don't prepare your child ahead of time.
As your child transitions from a play-based learning environment to a structured classroom setting, they may have a difficult time adjusting. St. Paul Lutheran School can help you in preparing your child for their first-grade year.
How to Prepare Your Child for First Grade Private School
1. Daily Summer Reading
Some of the best private elementary schools in Oakland County have some of the most extraordinary reading programs, and St. Paul Lutheran School is no exception. To prepare your child before they start their first-grade year at a private school, it's beneficial for your child to adopt the habit of reading each day.
You don’t have to require extensive reading assignments. Rather, have your child practice reading things that are in their environment.
Books are another item that your child can start reading to prepare for a tough yet exciting primary school curriculum. Just 15 to 20 minutes a day will prepare your child for comprehension tasks at school and a routine at home. As a result, your child's vocabulary will grow, allowing them to understand a variety of concepts in various school subjects as they enter first grade.
2. Practice Writing Skills
In the first grade curriculum, your child will learn to spell words and write clear, coherent full sentences. By the end of the year, your child will be forming short paragraphs and writing basic short stories.
Before the school year starts, you can have your child keep a notebook at home and encourage your child to draw pictures and write about fun story prompts, and create lists. Early writing will not only improve your child’s spelling, but it’s also a way to practice reading and sentence structure.
3. Take Weekend Field Trips
Another way to prepare your child for first grade is by taking fun, exciting, and educational field trips during the summer months. Check out your local museums, botanical gardens, art galleries, and theaters to see if there are any free or low-cost programs or exhibits going on. You and your family can make plans to visit different places in your community as well as travel to other areas.
Summer field trips are a great way for your child to explore new environments, prepare for private elementary school days, and develop an interest in life-long learning.
The summer before your child starts first grade should be full of exciting learning opportunities and time spent to get them ready for the upcoming school year. St. Paul Lutheran School near Oakland County offers a supportive, welcoming, and compassionate Christ-centered atmosphere for students, teachers, and parents.
If you would like to know more about our private school and first-grade curriculum, contact us.