Preparing for school

As the fever and tension mounts to have children ready for the new school year, it may be timely to remind parents about some of the overlooked aspects of preparing for school. While the focus is usually on the acquisition of school supplies, namely uniforms, books, stationery and transportation arrangements, the mental and emotional preparation is an area often overlooked and taken for granted.

Parents must first instil in their children a burning passion and yearning for education. Too often children have no value for education and go through the motions, not realising that the educational opportunity they are able to enjoy comes at great sacrifice on the part of their parents and at tremendous cost to the State.

Children must understand that the right to free public education they enjoy came through great sacrifices of previous generations.

This lack of understanding on the part of many of the nation’s youth lies at the heart of their failure at school.

Parents must invest time and energy to instil in their children the notion that educational opportunities should not be taken for granted. Children must “want” to succeed at school and be prepared to make sacrifices to so do.

In addition, parents have a duty and responsibility to educate their children about what is acceptable behaviour displayed at school.

Many children have no concept of discipline because parents fail to set and insist on limits of behaviour at home.

Good parenting demands that parents impose “rules” on their children from a tender age as part of the process of preparing them to adjust to a world where rules of engagement govern every facet of society. Simply put, parents cannot allow their children to say and do almost anything at home.

Unchecked, such behaviour is then brought to school and teachers have the task of adjusting such behaviour. This creates great resistance and children then find difficulty adjusting to school life and rebellion is the outcome, severely disrupting the teaching and learning process.

While some parents may question the rules that schools impose on their children, they must recognise that the teaching and learning process is facilitated and enhanced in a disciplined environment.

School rules are there to enhance a child’s success and their cooperation in this regard is vitally important.

Consequently, parents should become acquainted with the rules that their children would be expected to conform to and firstly come to terms with such codes of conduct themselves, and then ensure that their children are mentally prepared to conform to them.

Should parents have difficulties with such codes of conduct and behaviour, they should engage the school authorities in a serious dialogue to gain an understanding of the rationale and purpose behind the development and imposition of such structure. Many schools now see it necessary to have orientation sessions for new students and parents must take these sessions seriously.

The social adjustment to school life is an important aspect of the education of the whole being.

Children must be taught that there are acceptable codes of social engagement. While teachers continue to do their part in this regard at school, parents must supplement such efforts at home, thereby ensuring that the home and school are operating from the same page.

Parents must enable the school to successfully impart academic curriculum by ensuring their children are mentally, emotionally and socially prepared to access schooling.