Writers at Work Reflection – A Guide for Primary 1 Parents

By WR!TERS@WORK

The Ministry of Education Singapore has announced on 16 May 2024 that the Primary 1 registration exercise for admission to schools in 2025 will begin on 2 July 2024. Many parents are anxious about their child transitioning to this new phase. With a new environment comes its own challenges, from coping well with the academic workload to getting used to having more independence at school. It seems like only yesterday; their children were so little! Now, they are going to primary school – how the time flies! Parents may nervously be trying to prepare for this time by getting their child to cram for primary school in advance, so not to worry! Whether your child may be gearing up for PSLE or O Level English examinations, WRITERS AT WORK and its team of experienced teachers are here to offer the best English enrichment courses for both primary and secondary school students in Singapore.

Should You Make Your Child Cram for Primary 1?

It is only natural for parents to want their child to be well-prepared. Some parents enrol their child in enrichment classes to boost their readiness for school. However, this could backfire if not done properly. WRITERS AT WORK educators are deeply aware that every child is different in their development – inevitably, they will pick up skills like reading, critical thinking, and writing at different paces. If you are anxious about your child’s performance, your child will sense these high expectations and feel disappointed and anxious if they are not able to meet them. Going to primary school for the first time should not be a stressful experience – it should be about experiencing learning, something that WRITERS AT WORK holds highly.

It is recommended not to bog down your child with too much homework. Allow them to enjoy their childhood instead of worrying about their deadlines. Once primary school commences, they will experience their fair share of assignments and academic challenges. There are more important aspects than merely academic prowess – arguably, a child’s emotional and social development is far more important than his studies, because these are his formative years.

Sometimes, preparing a child too much can backfire. If the child has completed all the material in assessment books before primary school rolls around, they will feel bored and disinterested in class as they have already covered the material before. This is a negative precedent to set – you want your child to associate the classroom with a positive emotion, such as the desire to learn. Your child should not associate the classroom with being bored. During lessons, if the child is feeling bored, they may disrupt their other classmates’ learning instead of allowing the class to focus. This is not his fault – he is simply done with the material and is bored with it. Through years of professional experience and the latest MOE iterations, WRITERS AT WORK educators have developed curricula to keep your child engaged and enthusiastic about learning whatever level they may be registering at.

Getting Your Child Used to a New Environment

Many parents worry that their child will not be able to make friends in a new school environment. Parents should practise with their child on how to introduce themselves. If their child is a little shy, parents should speak to their class teacher about it during orientation or the first day of school so that the teacher can guide them. During the first week of primary school, primary school will hold class bonding activities to help students get to know their classmates.

Parents should talk to their children to ensure that they are aware of their feelings. If your child is nervous about being dropped off, parents should practise dropping off their child at school. Let them know that they can always approach their teacher for help. Parents should acknowledge their child’s emotions instead of dismissing or trivialising their concerns. If your child is worried about buying food in the canteen, there are plenty of opportunities to practise paying for things at the supermarket, convenience store or hawker centre. By reassuring your child before school, parents will be able to assuage their fears when they are on their own.

At home, parents should foster good habits to get their children ready for school. Electronic device usage should be kept to a minimum and children should have an established bedtime routine. Having enough sleep will help them feel alert and ready for school, which is good for their learning. Parents can teach their children how to pack their school bags according to their timetable so they can easily find their learning materials when they need them. If your child forgets something, tell them not to be anxious – it is just a part and parcel of growing up.

How Can You Further Support Your Child?

Children are extremely sensitive to what their parents say or do – they are always copying their role models’ actions and words. What you say and do can shape your children’s attitude towards learning. Parents should take an interest in their children’s lives, asking them questions which make them think – “How do you find your English subject?” or “What was something interesting you learned in class today?” To help them through their Mother Tongue and English classes, parents should take time to read books with their children and interact with them.

To build a positive attitude towards learning, parents need to celebrate their child’s accomplishments and efforts. If your child is trying to find out an answer to one of their questions, parents should commend them for trying to figure out the answer and find the answers to their questions together with their child. Going on a field trip, borrowing books from the library, and looking up online resources will pique your child’s curiosity and challenge them to try things beyond their comfort zone. This will help your child stay motivated to keep working on a task to complete it, instead of giving up and shrugging their shoulders in defeat.

Be There for Your Child.
Some children may take more time to adjust in primary school. Parents should listen carefully and pay attention to what their child needs. They should refrain from comparing their child to others or reacting too quickly if their child is not doing well. Parents should approach the issues their child faces calmly, without becoming hysterical or blowing the situation up. If their child is not doing well, parents should maintain an open communication channel with their child and his/her teachers so that they can make a concerted effort to better support the child. Parents should be there for their child and support them, praising their effort and progress along the way. WRITERS AT WORK is an education centre offering some of the best English enrichment courses for primary and secondary school students in Singapore, empowering your child with more confidence to grow into their full potential.

Master the English Language with WRITERS AT WORK!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS@WORK has expanded to 9 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS@WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. Is Creative Writing Good for Kids?

Creative writing is good for children as it teaches them how to use their imagination. Children have a vivid imagination and will enjoy coming up with different storylines and characters. Through the use of creative writing, children can express themselves using the English language, which is also good for their emotional development and maturity.

2. What are Good Creative Writing Topics?

A good start is to write about what you know. Students can start by writing about things that are familiar to them, such as school or family. Then, students can move on to more complex topics, requiring them to use their imagination about events which would be unlikely to happen in real life, such as a fairytale or an adventure story. Older students can write descriptive essays about being in a situation or about more abstract concepts, such as regret.

3. How to Begin a Story?

A good story should have just the right amount of exposition to illuminate the setting and the characters for the reader without giving away the entire plot. The story should begin where it is relevant, and the general gist of the situation should be outlined. The writer should know how to move the plot along from where they start easily, and the story should flow logically.

4. What are the Basic Steps in Creative Writing?

A good first step would be to plan out the story – it is important that the story follows a Plot Curve which has a logical sequence of events and a clear conclusion. The main and supporting characters should be clear – there should not be a whole village of characters – just enough to further the plot. Moreover, the central conflict of the story should be clear.