Welcome to Grade One Hopeful. At this stage, the children are six to seven years old. They are eager to learn new skills and are challenged by different social situations, as their perception of the world change.
Most of what was learnt in Kindergarten are built upon in grade one. However, these children work towards greater independence. As teachers and parents alike, we must relate to children at this exciting yet demanding stage of development.
I have come to realise that a child’s development is also greatly influenced by factors in his or her environment, and the experience he or she has. At this age children seem to understand more what they read. They learn to decode words and read more fluently. Hence, it is my role as a teacher to foster learning which caters for these emergent learners. The core subject areas are mathematics, Language, Science and Social Studies. In mathematics they understand the concept of addition and subtraction. Their strategies to solve these problems are increased at this level. In Science children at this age tend to struggle between make believe and reality. They sometimes give animals human characteristics, like suggesting what a dog might be thinking.
As a result, I encourage all parents to do all that they can to facilitate learning at the grade one level. Develop an understanding for your child and allow him or her to explore new concepts in a meaningful way; as children at this age enjoy discovering for themselves. Work closely with the teacher to foster rather than hamper learning experiences.
Miss Corrine Liburd
Grade One Hopeful Teacher
