Thank you so much to everyone who came to the Ready for Year 1 Masterclass last night! It was so great to get to chat to so many people and answer all of your questions about your child's transition to Year 1.
A few big questions that came up were -
How to help your kids feel connected to you when they go in to school - I've found drawing something small on their wrist (like a little heart) is hugely successful, as it's constantly with them and they can look at it whenever they need. This is also more practical in a Year 1 classroom than something physical which is much more likely to get lost or damaged which, understandably, is very upsetting for our little ones!
Building resilience - this is a huge one for Year 1, and the best thing you can do is encourage your child to think of their own solutions. If they're upset, let them calm down (whether through cuddle time, or whatever works for your little one) and then talk to them about what upset them and what they might be able to do. For example:
If they spelled a word wrong, you can tell them how proud you are of them for trying to remember, and talk through where they might be able to find something to help them check their work.
If someone is sitting in their carpet space, you can talk to them about how they think they can solve it, whether that's by letting the teacher know, or by sitting next to them, or asking them politely to move.
These suggestions may not always work, but by talking them through you're helping your child think of ways they can problem-solve, which helps to build both independence and resilience.
When should we be concerned about Dyslexia - more specifically, reversing letters - It's almost impossible to assess for Dyslexia before the age of 8, and children naturally reverse letters up until this age anyway (as they're learning how letters are formed and often rotate them in their heads). This is actually a good thing as they're developing their spacial awareness and it often drops off through Year 1 and 2. If you have concerns about Dyslexia, however, talk to your child's teacher or your doctor and see if they have any similar concerns.
If you've thought of any other questions since the session (or just ones in the back of your mind anyway) let me know! Just hit reply to the replay email and I'll answer ASAP!