EASTPOINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — School is just days away for kids in metro Detroit. However for some kids, this is their first back-to-school experience.
Crescentwood Elementary School in Eastpointe starts up Aug. 29. 7 Action News spoke with some experts on what incoming kindergartners can expect.
“It’s fun. We like have lunch first and then you have recess for a long time. You get to play with toys and at the end of the day, you get food or candy," King Copeland, a second grader, recalled.
First grader Madlin Isho also shared some insight with 7 Action News.
“It was like amazing. Like, the best thing in the world," she said. “I made a lot of friends."
RR Tips Kindergarten by WXYZ-TV Detroit on Scribd
King said, “Yeah, I made friends. The whole class is my friend. Even the teacher.”
He even has advice for parents on how to help their child succeed.
“Teach your kid at home, even if you’re bringing them to school," King advised.
That’s exactly what their reading specialist Lisa Ayrault suggests.
“We recommend first and foremost that a parent reads to their child daily. Reading to a young child helps to increase their early literacy skills such as learning letters, learning sounds, learning how to navigate print and that print has meaning," Ayrault explained.
When it comes to concerns about your child’s readiness for kindergarten, she said, "We meet your child where they are.”
“We find out their skills. We find out their weaknesses, and we make a plan to meet them where they are and take that next step," Ayrault reassured.
Kindergarten Skills Checklist by WXYZ-TV Detroit on Scribd
Also, she said allowing your child some independence is key for their development and an aid to instructors.
“It’s important that children do things for themselves. It’s important that they have the practice to dress, to button, to zip, to take care of their bathroom needs on their own," Ayrault explained.
“When they experience productive struggle, they develop grit and they also develop some pretty savvy problem-solving skills on their own," she added.
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To that point, King has advice for kids who may be feeling nervous or scared.
“You have to believe in yourself,” he said.
Ayrault said it is also important to teach kids to speak up when they do need help. Another top tip is making sure your child gets adequate sleep, so they can function properly.
