Preparing your child for school

• Admin
• 11-Mar-2022

“The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet”, these famous words of Aristotle remind us about the struggle of getting our child to cross the hurdle of the first interview. The exercise ranges from deciding the school to securing admission and settling your tot in the new atmosphere. In today’s competitive world, the admission process in schools has also become more complex and tough. Unlike before, a child as well as the parents is subject to school interviews and in some cases, written tests too. Good CBSE schools help learners step up the level by checking age appropriateness and suitability and provide unique learning matching unique needs of the child.

Why Do Schools Conduct Interviews for Admission?

Most schools have mandatory oral interviews, while some of them conduct written entrance tests also. School interviews help school authorities figure out any special needs of your child so as to enable any required learning support. School interviews also gauge your child’s readiness for kindergarten entry, and help to get to know a student beyond the academics. It also helps parents to question and ask anything they would like to know about the school.

Tips to prepare your child for School Admission Interview

1. Built Rapport with Your Child

A child goes through various stages of psychological transformation. The age between 0-2 years is about hope and trust. The trust developed by the child for the parents can be used in building the confidence in a child. You should develop a good open relationship with your child so that they feel they can trust you.

2. Research about the First School Interview

Do a thorough research about the school in which you want your child to be admitted into. All schools are very specific about what they expect from their future pupils. Collect as much information as possible including the questions commonly asked in a particular school. This will help you in preparing your child to face the interview.

3. Keep a Peer Check

See if someone else you know is also trying to get admission in the same school. Keep a check whether your neighbors or your ward’s friends are taking admission in the same school. If so, you can develop a bond with them and allow your child to mingle with the same crowd so that they won’t feel they are in a strange place.

4. Play Smart

The authorities will judge your child’s communication, interaction, motor, cognitive and academic skills. Identify your child’s shortcomings and work harder on that aspect. It could be speech, body language, attention, handwriting, anything. Puzzle solving is another great way to hone a kid’s dexterity and problem solving skills.

5. Praise and Encourage them Positively

Encourage your child for each good act. Give some small gifts for their small achievements. Never underestimate your child. But over praising also can cause trouble. So praise and encourage positively.

6. Tackle the Tantrums

As our little chums are closer to us more than anything in this world we tend to shower them with all the love. This sometimes makes them a little aggressive and demanding. Throwing tantrums in public should be handled with trick and compassion. This helps the child to be calm in school.

7. Encourage Them to Talk

Most children shy from expressing their views in front of the strangers. To overcome this hurdle during admission, target their social interaction. You may let your kid recite poems to elders; insist on conversing in English at family gatherings. Ask them to introduce themselves by making eye contact, shaking hands and answering questions. Encourage them to order their meals at a restaurant or answer the phone.

8. Make Learning Fun

Boost the learning process of your child by helping them observe hoardings, the colors and alphabets in them, the number plates of vehicles, certain words written on books, newspapers or the display boards at shops and malls. This way the learning would be more fun and interactive.

9. Stimulate Curiosity

The authorities may want to test the observation skills and alertness. Always point to the things in your child’s surroundings and encourage them to understand the scenario. Ask them questions and allow them to question each thing. Be patient and answer all questions. Clear the doubts in any possible way you can. This is actually preparation to face the school interview and the child automatically becomes confident and well informed. It helps in developing his interests and knowledge.

10. Develop Social Etiquettes

First impression is the last impression. Give some tips on greeting someone; ask them to calmly voice their opinion. A child who says “sorry” and “thank you” definitely creates a good impression not only about the kid but of the entire family. Good posture and pleasant expressions are also crucial.

11. Don’t Stress Your Child about the First School Interview

Do not pressurize your child with your worries. This will make them nervous. Ensure healthy and enjoyable preparation. Allow them to rest and provide healthy food. Reward their efforts rather than pressurizing them to attain goals.

The Mount Olympus Approach

Mount Olympus along with other top CBSE schools aims to nurture the child to attain all round development in the domains of ethics, intellect, physique, social skills and aesthetics and also to motivate and help students discover their true strength, build over it, hone their skills and make them stronger. We aspire to produce winners, keen mutual learners, progressive thinkers and great orators. We encourage them to find the joys of learning and make life an extremely mindful and meaningful experience.