Page 31 - FWG Issue 2 March 2024

Today’s Child

A PARENT’S GUIDE TO

SURVIVING GRADE FOUR

B Y NICOLA KILL OPS, EDUC A TION AND MEDIA SPECIALIS T (AND MOM)

s each school year begins, you can a rather strange reputation among parents more critical, such as how their child is coping
be sure of one thing: Your social (which ultimately trickles down to the kids.) day to day.
media feed will fill up with proud For instance, one of the first things parents
Aparent posts, showing excited, bring up is exams, usually written for the first Grade four is possibly the most significant
smiling children who don their uniforms for time in grade four. And the little ones walking adjustment your child will need to make in
the first time and start their grade one year. through the door on their first day are already their school career. The Foundation Phase
terrified of them. focuses on Literacy, Numeracy, and Life Skills,
There is also a fair share of grade eight but suddenly, kids are thrust into a more
parents sharing the start of their child’s high I always played them down and gave formal academic world, complete with a
school journey. And, of course, there are plenty of pep talks (mainly to the parents) string of subjects, cycle tests, a wider variety
those nearing the finish line and beginning on approaching the subject without of teachers, and the need to work quickly in
their matric year. These years are considered fearmongering. I reminded them that no one order to keep within the school timetable.
important milestones that mark the is expected to run before they can walk, and Then, there is the added peer pressure
educational road. They bring new challenges as the year progressed, they would mature and hectic extra-mural commitments with
and exciting changes and are a rite of passage. and be ready. But it’s also not THAT big of a minimal downtime.
deal.
But there is a critical year in a child’s school life Like most things, some will take to it like
that usually starts without as much fanfare – This may sound strange coming from a a duck to water. But some really struggle,
grade four – a rollercoaster ride if there ever teacher, but the truth is that many parents put especially those who have already found
was one. so much emphasis on a few tests at the end the academic world more challenging than
of the year that they lose focus of the rest. As expected. Some have already been referred
I taught grade four for many years, and it has a result, they could miss out on something far for assessments by this stage due to their

Fourways Gardens • 29 • March 2024