Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
For those who teach primary school, it can be a fun time to serve children whose personalities are still forming and who see the joy in virtually everything. Honestly, there is never a dull moment with this amazing energy in the air. But there are also challenges for those who teach young learners.
Being aware of what they might be going through on a daily basis will ultimately help you assist your child’s teacher in their endeavors to educate your little one. Here are just a few challenges your child’s teacher could be experiencing.
Short Attention Spans
As you know, children can have short attention spans. This can be especially true for young children and those that have underlying medical or emotional issues. Though you may be able to handle this situation at home with one or two children, consider what a teacher could experience with a whole classroom of youngsters.
Among the top frustrations your child’s teacher might have is getting children to listen and follow directions, as well as retaining information taught. If you have trouble with this at home with your child, there could some things to do to help the situation, depending on the child’s age. Talk to the teacher to see exactly what’s been happening at school and try to come up with a viable solution to lengthen attention spans.
Children Struggling to Read and Write
Reading and writing take a long time to master. In 2nd grade, children still might be using memorization to master words rather than understanding how to sound them out for understanding. Understand that just because your child goes to school doesn’t mean they are getting all the instruction they need. Every child is different and needs specific help, practice, and attention.
As a parent, you can contribute greatly to your child’s learning experience by first knowing where they are. Consult with his/her teacher about any struggles your child is having in reading or writing. You can then supplement with at-home practice sessions and tools such as worksheets from places like Studentreasures Publishing.
Kids Understanding the Difference Between Reality and Fantasy
It’s not always clear to younger children what is real and what is make-believe. While this is not a problem with every child, even one incident could be a problem in the classroom, as children are impressionable.
For example, if the kids are play-fighting and hurt one another accidentally, they might not understand that the injury is real and may laugh at the situation. These behaviors need to be addressed at home in order to create a safer and more respectful environment at school. Teachers can also struggle with knowing how to handle questions like “Is Santa real?” and “Will Iron Man save me if I’m in trouble?”.
Teacher Stress or Burnout
While there are situations that can test our patience as parents, consider these can be multiplied for teachers. They are not immune to things like overwork and burnout just because they love to work with children. And, though you aren’t responsible for a teacher’s mental health, there are some things you can do to help them reduce stress from overworking. Perhaps, you can volunteer to help in your child’s class more often. Or what about hosting a fun learning party at your home? It would also be kind to let your child’s teacher know how much you appreciate him/her.
Do consider your own family situation and find ways to support your kids and reduce their stress. Calmer kids will, in turn, help the teachers stay healthy and happy.
