We hear the term “school readiness” being thrown around all the time. It is a phrase that can cause anxiety in any parent because it forces us to ask the question “Is my child really ready for school?” From there, the common spiral begins: “Did I do enough?” “Should we have read more?” “Is my child behind?” We all ask ourselves these questions even though we don’t truly know what “school readiness” even means. The truth is that there are no set in stone qualities that actually define school readiness. There are, however, a few categories we can look at to decide for ourselves if our children are ready for school.
First and foremost, it is vital to say what school readiness is not. It is not about a child’s academic ability. Their ability to read, write, or solve equations does not define their readiness. Sure, we all want our children to be ahead of the game, but it is important to remember that they attend school to learn those skills. 
We’re not saying you shouldn’t try to teach your child those skills if they are interested and ready to learn, but it certainly does not define or predict their success in school.
So then what is school readiness? According to the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), the three skills that are most important are confidence, independence, and curiosity. Let’s delve a little deeper into those areas to see how and why those skills are essential.
Confidence – The school environment is going to create challenges that a child has never experienced. New environments, new situations, and new forms of interaction like making friends can be incredibly overwhelming. Having confidence that they can handle those challenges, that they don’t need their parents around to do so, makes all the difference in their success. Does that mean they won’t trip up, make mistakes, or struggle? Absolutely not, but having the confidence to tackle all that new stuff will make the transition much easier.
Independence – Along with the new challenges, school brings the expectation of independence. Routines must be followed in a group setting where a student may not have direct supervision from a teacher. Things like washing hands, tying shoes, putting bags away, and getting out supplies. Not only that, but children are expected to work on their own or in small groups without someone looking over their shoulder. The ability to function independently is perhaps the most helpful skill when it comes to school readiness.
Curiosity – This basically comes down to whether or not a child has the desire to learn. Do they enjoy getting new information? Do they want to explore the world around them? We want our children to be naturally curious.Their one and only job in this world is to absorb new things and learn to process them. Shared family experiences, asking questions, and encouraging natural interests go a long way toward fostering curiosity and preparing children for the school environment.
All three of those skills can be built up over time with intentionality, but sometimes even with the best of intentions and effort, you need a little help. That’s why The Helm has created The Academy, a school preparatory program with individualized, data-driven instruction provided by highly trained ABA therapists. The goal of The Academy is to have parents feel confident in answering ‘yes’ to that anxiety inducing question, “Is my child really ready for school?”. To learn more about The Academy and what it has to offer, click here or give us a call!