School Safety 101

This morning I watched both of my children run out the front door towards the bus stop; both eager for their first day of school. My children spent most of the summer with me. Now, we will spend much of the day apart. The safety of my children is extremely important. Students learn best (and parents worry less) in a safe environment.

Children need to be aware of the proper conduct around a bus. Surprisingly, most children injured in bus accidents aren’t passengers; they’re pedestrians. To avoid this, children need to practice basic safety rules around buses. At the bus stop, stand a few feet away from the curb. Wait until the bus stops completely before attempting to board the bus. Keep seated while the bus is moving and don’t make any loud noises that might distract the driver. Arms and hands should never be put out of the windows. Upon leaving the bus, children should cross the street at least ten feet in front of the bus. Remind your child that riding a school bus is a privilege.

To assist in keeping children safe, most localities levy heavy fines for failure to abide by safety rules. In our locality (Gaithersburg, MD), drivers are required to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus with flashing red lights. Passing a bus with flashing lights will result in a fine in excess of $550 and 3 points.

If a child is walking to school, they should never cross the street between parked cars. Instead, tell them to cross the street in the designated areas (e.g. marked crosswalks) and look both ways prior to crossing. If there are no sidewalks, a child should face traffic, be alert, and walk on the left side.

If a child is riding a bike to school, they need to follow traffic rules (e.g. stop at a stop sign). In addition, they must wear a helmet; our locality requires children under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.

School crossing guards are typically posted at the busiest intersections and are empowered to stop traffic to allow students to cross the street safely. Parents and children need to follow the school crossing guard’s instructions.

Our school offers the convenient “kiss and ride” service. If you are unloading your child, do it onto a sidewalk and/or the right side of your vehicle. Parents should obey speed limits and street signs in a school zone. In our locality, police will assess 5 points and a fine up to $1,000 for speeding in a school zone.

In the classroom, following proper procedures keeps students safe. Our teachers discussed classroom policies the first day of school. In addition, my children were instructed to always walk quietly in the halls. In addition, safety rules were explained for the playground. Thankfully, our school prohibits contact sports at recess.

Students should recognize the fact that teachers are authority figures and are concerned for their well being. All of the rules are created to keep the school and every student safe. Let your child know that their compliance with the safety rules is important and make them a partner in the program. If every child obeys basic safety rules, the school will be a safe place to learn new things and to make new friends.

While we’re on the subject of back to school safety, this is a great time to remind your child about other general safety practices.

- Never talk to a stranger.
- Never answer the door without an adult present.
- Consider posting emergency contact numbers on your refrigerator or other
easily assessable area (e.g. parent’s cell phone numbers, grandparents or
other relative, or trusted local friend).
- Teach your child to call 911 when appropriate.

Learning to Read - Pre-reading Skills

Children need to read, not only for academic reasons but because reading is an important skill to develop. Many of life’s normal activities (e.g. filling out an employment application) involve reading. By laying a solid foundation of pre-reading skills, a child is better prepared to master essential skills when learning to read.

Never underestimate the intelligence level of a baby. From the moment a baby is born the infant is learning about the world through their senses, with particular emphasis on the sense of hearing. Since an infant is listening to the sounds around them, one of the best pre-reading skills a parent can do is to talk to the baby. This allows the child to hear words being pronounced correctly, and to catch the cadence of normal conversation. When the baby is able to sit up, place the child on your lap and read a book to them. Select a simple board book that is colorful, or perhaps one that has a “touch and feel” aspect. Read the same book over and over to allow the child to recognize the book, the cover of the book and the spoken words.

With toddlers, reading a book together should be part of the everyday routine. Now, you can ask the child questions about the story or the characters. When the story is familiar, encourage the child to act out the story with you. As you read, use an animated voice or change your voice to suit the characters. This shows the child the excitement of a book, and whets their appetite for more of the same. Drawing pictures is also an important pre-reading skill. A crayon drawing is often a child’s first attempt at story-telling. A connection is being made in the child’s mind between the verbal and the written word; crayons and paper allow this connection to develop.

As you and your toddler go through your normal daily routine, point out any words that you see. By seeing words on the cereal box, a stop sign or your street’s sign, the child begins to understand the vital link between reading and life’s activities. Words become a part of the child’s life in a meaningful way.

As the time gets closer for the first day of school, teach the child the alphabet. Show the preschooler the letters in their name and how to write each one. Reading should make up an important part of each day. Visit the library often and have the child select books. Ask insightful questions about the stories. These types of activities reveal the link between letters, their sounds and the words that are created. Perhaps the biggest goal to reach with preschoolers is to have them understand that words unlock exciting ideas and thoughts.

At every stage, from infant to toddler to preschooler, the one underlying activity that a parent can do to ensure academic success is to read to the child every day. Open a book and open a child’s mind to success.

Learn Your ABCs at the Dinner Table

This post was my daughter’s idea and she deserves all the credit. Last night while my family was eating our dinner, she told us that we should write a post about Ore-Ida ABC Fun Shapes. She proceeded to tell us that children could use the tater tots to learn their ABCs or even practice spelling their name. She even endorsed the product as she declared they were yummy. Just to be clear, we are not getting any kickbacks from Ore-Ida!

Behind Every Successful Student Stands a Teacher and a Parent

Since they are calling for rain today, I started my morning by looking through my pile of papers to find some summer homework. Interestingly enough, I found a homework packet but I also found a great poem that poetically portrays the results when a good relationship exists between both a teacher and a parent. When they both work together, they produce something truly priceless - an educated child.

Hope you enjoy this poem as much as I did.

Partnership

I dreamed that I stood in a studio
and watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a young child’s mind,
and they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher,
the tools she used were books, music and art.
One was a parent
with a guiding hand and a gentle loving heart.
Day after day the teacher toiled,
with touch that was deft and sure.
While the parents labored by her side
and polished and smoothed it over.
And when at last their task was done,
they were proud of what they had wrought.
For the things they had molded into the child
could neither be sold nor bought.
And each agreed they would have failed
if they had worked alone.
For behind the parent stood the school
And behind the teacher the home.

Author Unknown

Getting Ready for School

It’s that time of year when we are getting ready to embark on another school year. Going back to school can be stressful! To overcome fears, talk to your child about his feelings. In addition, there are several steps a parent can take to make the transition easier.

Visit your Doctor.

Schools require a physical examination and a record of immunizations. This requirement provides a significant benefit to the new student because a healthy child is one that is ready to succeed. Any unaddressed health issues can be detected and treated, which will make a child’s entry into school much easier and potentially reduce the number of absentees. Don’t forget to have your child’s vision and hearing checked. Both of these issues can often be easily remedied. If left untreated, these problems can have a serious impact on the child’s ability to learn. A dental checkup is also recommended prior to entering kindergarten as well as regular check-ups.

Eat Healthy Foods.

By the time a child is ready for school, she should be eating a variety of foods. Healthy food choices will supply the body with the correct amount of vitamins and nutrients, enabling the child to concentrate in class. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, milk and adequate protein are vital for growing bodies. Teach your child to fuel their body with child-sized portions of healthy foods.

Get plenty of sleep.

Most five-year-old children require 10 to 12 hours of sleep. In school, the child needs to be alert and inadequate sleep will limit concentration. Establish a routine for going to bed at a certain time and for waking at a desired time. This should be done before school starts so the child can adjust to the schedule. Make going to bed a pleasant experience by creating a routine that helps the child relax. My family enjoys reading books; we gather in my son’s bed and read for 15 to 20 minutes. We find it’s the perfect ending to our hectic day.

Encourage physical activity.

Encourage your child to play actively every day. Play games with your child like tag or hide-and-seek. Throw a ball or go to a neighborhood park to play on the playground equipment. Go for walks or run in the park. My family enjoys riding bikes. My daughter just learned how to ride without training wheels so she is always eager to go for a bike ride.

Source: www.readyatfive.org

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