As The School Year Comes To An End
Preschool is such a brief moment of time in a child’s life, but it is often their very first exposure to the classroom environment and fundamental to their first experience of formal learning. Hopefully it is a safe and positive space for your child, but inevitably, the time will come to move on. Does your child seem less than excited about summer break? Perhaps they are anxious about the disruption to a familiar routine, upset about not seeing their friends every day, worried about September and a new school or classroom. School vacation is a great time to refresh and prepare for the year ahead. Help your child approach the year end optimistically with these strategies.
Talk It Through
Guide your child to process their emotions about the end of the school year by encouraging conversation. A great strategy is to ask them to think back over the past year and remember their favourite moments. Was it a field trip to the zoo? Making new friends? Playing with clay during art class? Reflecting on the good times of the school year will help your child feel positive about their preschool experience. Take this opportunity to ask your child if there is anything they are worried about when they think of the upcoming school year? Is it having a different teacher? Finding the washroom in a new school? Talk about things they can do to navigate the challenges that worry them. Now ask them about what they think they can look forward to during their next school year. Meeting new buddies? A new pair of indoor shoes? Looking back with fondness and looking forward with anticipation can help your child be in a more positive mindset.
Talk About Goodbyes
If your child is upset about saying goodbye to their teacher and friends, encourage them to brainstorm ways to make that easier. A handmade thank you card can help your child express their appreciation to their teacher. Let your child exchange phone numbers with their closest friends and set up a few play dates for the coming months. Have your child take some photos of their classroom, schoolyard, and classmates, so they can look back when they are missing them.
Make Some Summer Plans
Help your child look to the summer months with excitement by talking about some of the activities you have planned for school break. Are you going to go camping? Take a trip to visit grandparents? Hang out at the community pool? Mark some dates on a calendar and begin a countdown to summer fun.
Look Ahead
If your child is moving to a new school or even just a new classroom and teacher, plan a visit. A tour that includes a peek at the playground, classroom, and washrooms at the new school can help your child feel less anxious and maybe even excited for what is to come. If your child is staying at the same school, but moving on to a new teacher, set up a meet and greet before the year’s end so the new adult becomes a familiar face. Let your child ask where they might sit or where they will hang their backpack. Finding answers to even a few of the unknowns can ease some worry.
Equally challenging is the child who is so enthusiastic about summer break that they are having a hard time staying focused on school activities as the month winds down. For these excitable preschoolers, routines, sufficient sleep, and healthy eating are very important. Help your child stay in the present with the countdown calendar (“after today there are 15 more days till summer”) and keep them engaged in a learning mindset with activities like a homemade thank you gift for the teacher and beaded friendship bracelets for close pals.
Getting Ready For Summer At Grey Matter Montessori Preschool
Every child will experience the closing of the school year differently. Some will be excited to celebrate how far they have come and charge into the future. Others may be sad to say goodbye and anxious about what comes next. In our classrooms, we continue to develop our preschool students with fun, seasonal activities, community engagements, and child-led opportunities to learn right up until the last day of school. The Montessori Method focuses on meaningful exercises that promote self-determination, inclusivity, empowerment, and curiosity. We promise to help your child develop the tools to prepare them for the coming school year.
If you are interested in exploring the benefits of a Grey Matter Montessori education for your preschool or pre-kindergarten aged child, contact us to book a time for a school tour at our NW Calgary location. We are accessible just off of Symons Valley Parkway in the NW community of Evanston. Call us for more info on our early child education programming at 1-587-707-4739.
FAQ
Q: Is it better for my child to stay in a Montessori program for their entire school journey?
A: We may be biased, but we believe every child can benefit from a Montessori education. However, the reality is that Montessori education is not widely available for every student from preschool to grade 12 in Calgary. And factors such as location, community, finances, and availability will influence every family’s decision about where to send their children to school. But even if a Montessori preschool program is the only exposure to the Montessori Method of child-led learning your child will have, the impact of this philosophy of education will set the groundwork for future academic and social success.
Q: Is there a checklist of things my child must know before attending preschool?
A: At Grey Matter Montessori in Calgary, we value the differences that make each child unique. If your child is aged 3-6 they may be ready to begin to explore learning and we are ready to facilitate it. Learn more about exploring your child’s readiness for preschool here.
Q: Is a Montessori education better for my child’s mental health?
A: There is an interesting research project exploring the connection between a Montessori curriculum in early childhood education and elevated psychological wellbeing in adults. Read more about this groundbreaking research here.
