Back to School "Readiness" - The First Day of School

The advertisements are everywhere, “Get Ready for School ”, luring consumers to buy bunches of plastic doodads, television character lunch boxes, and fancy notebooks. But what does school readiness really mean for the child? If they are armed with the latest school supplies, does it ensure their success? And what of the child who doesn’t have these things, does that mean they’re not ready? School readiness doesn’t come in the form of things, but rather in the child’s disposition toward learning. In the spirit of this, we offer this back to school food for thought from our resident ECE teacher, Diane... The First Day of School A few years ago when my son was eight, I woke on the first day of school a little early just to be sure we were there on time. I was so excited for him, as I was a child who loved that first day. I burst into his room, gave him a hug and asked if he was excited, too. “Mom”, he said holding back a tear, “don’t you know that the first day of school is the scariest day of your life.” I was, to say the least, astonished, as I had never felt like that. He went on to explain that his biggest fear was getting the teacher who didn’t like him or understand him and if that were the case, it would be a “more than awful” year. As a parent my heart ached, wishing that patience, respect and kindness were practiced in every classroom, but sadly knowing that wasn’t always true. As an early childhood teacher myself, I took my son’s message to heart. Those first few days in my own classroom, I looked for signals from every child that they felt welcomed, respected and appreciated and continued that practice throughout the year. My son’s honest assessment reinforced my feelings that school should be place of growing together and that caring comes above all else, no matter the program or the age of the children we serve. As for my son, he was fortunate to have a teacher who cared and nurtured each of the children in her class. Every child deserves that kind of experience, every single one. Diane Spahn We hope all teachers have a renewed sense of purpose, intention and excitement as you return to the classroom for the fall. Let's make it a great year!