This is my first ever blog! I’ve only ever written a guest blog before, which I really enjoyed writing so thought I would give my own one a go.
I had no idea where to start but it feels appropriate to start with my eldest little girl, whose school place we have found out today and who inspired me to set up my business.
I’ve heard lots of phrases today…
“I can’t believe where the times gone”
“It doesn’t seem possible”
“My baby is growing up”
“I feel so emotional about her starting school”
And whilst I feel all of these things too, I think in reality today I’ve felt numb and really detached like it isn’t even happening. I obviously know it is happening, but I can’t quite picture it yet.
From Teacher to Parent
It seems symbolic that as I step out of education, my daughter is stepping into it. I’ve spent 12 years teaching other people’s children and last month my time as a teacher came to an end, as I handed in my notice in order to run Little Story Shapers full time. Now it’s time for me to be the parent and for someone else to be the teacher. But not just any teacher, ‘my daughters’ teacher.’
Being a Primary School Teacher means I know exactly what she’s walking in to. In some ways, I feel lucky as I haven’t got the anxious feeling of the unknown. Instead I know exactly what school is like and I’ve spent years teaching children just like her.
On the other hand, I feel like I know too much. I know her teacher will have worked really hard to set up ready for a new class, I know the pressure her teacher will be under, I know how hard it is to juggle 30 different children’s needs and balance the constraints of the curriculum. Being a teacher is not any easy job but it’s certainly a rewarding one.
A love of Learning
School is such a wonderful place for children to be and nothing beats learning new things. A love of learning is all I want for my daughter. Because if she loves learning she’ll be self-motivated to succeed at school.
When I set up my business, I wanted to use my drama skills to help propel children’s learning and shape who they are.
Before our children’s can tackle the academic side of school, they first need the confidence and communications skills to approach new tasks and interact with new people. Drama has this super power which shapes children’s confidence and boosts their communication and social skills.
I strongly believe that developing a love of books is the first step to reading. Before our children even start recognising letters and sounds, if they have the desire to read then when it’s their turn to learn to read they’ll want to because they already love books.
Preparation
I think the best way we can prepare our children for school is by reading and playing with them. Role-play is such a powerful tool as it provides a safe place for children to experiment with what they are learning and hearing. They get to ‘act out’ scenarios before they happen and as parents we can guide our children’s play by planting little nuggets of knowledge to help prepare them for what’s to come and give them strategies for how to cope.
I think I need to take my own advice, and start playing ‘schools’ with my daughter so it sinks in for me that she’s actually going!
Emotions
I’ve spent 12 years teaching other people’s children but it’s only now that I am a parent myself that I can understand the emotions that parents go through. I have a newfound respect for the parents of children I have taught because now I’m not the teacher I’m the parent.
A while back, in a ‘transition meeting’ at my daughter’s preschool I found myself welling up, I swallowed back the tears because I didn’t want to be ‘that parent’. But actually, our emotions are valid, and we will all experience different emotions at different times. I don’t know why that meeting made me cry yet finding out my daughter school made me feel like it wasn’t even happening.
At gymnastics, another Mum told me how she felt really detached and numb to finding out her child’s school, just like I did.
So, however you are feeling about your child starting school, know that you are not alone. I think we will all have our different triggers and maybe it won’t actually sink in that she’s going to school until I see her in her uniform, or she’s there at the school gates.
But if my time as a teacher has taught be anything, it’s that watching children learn new things is the most rewarding experience and that my daughter is going get the opportunity to learn so much. I’m going to get to be that proud parent at parents evening sitting listening to her teacher talk about her achievements instead of me being the teacher talking all about other people’s children.
Our roles have reversed and although that doesn’t quite feel real yet, I’m going to embrace this new change.
Resources
Alongside Sue from Littlelifesteps I have designed a whole range of different resources for helping to prepare children with starting school. I will be using these to help prepare my daughter and me for whats to come. If you interested in finding out more, joining my mailing list to receive updates, free resources and more information.