Teach first graders
65 Tips, Tricks & Ideas
First grade is a year full of adventure! First grade learners begin to see themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, and more. To help make it the best year ever, we’ve scoured our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook and the web for some of the best tips and ideas for teaching first grade. While it by no means covers every possible topic, we hope this list of gems will inspire you whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran. And we’ve organized the list by topic to make it easy to cruise for ideas!
Getting Your Classroom Ready
1. Create an inviting classroom
Need ideas? We’ve gathered real-life first grade classrooms for you to browse!
2. Gather all the supplies
Not sure what exactly you need for the first grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential first grade classroom supplies.
3. Welcome your students with a big, colorful bulletin board
Image source: Doodlebugs Teaching
Seeing their names up on the wall will help students instantly feel at home, and the bright colors will create a festive mood in the classroom. Check out these bulletin board ideas.
4. Get a jump start on lessons
In first grade, teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it? Check out our favorite Teachers Pay Teachers sellers for first grade.
5. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook
Image source: Polka Dot Teacher
Your first graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks.
6. Fill your classroom library with these classic first grade books
Here are 50 of our favorite first grade books.
7. Set up sensory tables
Early childhood teachers know that hands-on learning is essential. Sensory play encourages open-ended thinking, language development, and collaboration, and builds fine motor skills. Sensory materials are magically both engaging and calming.
Here are our favorites!
The First Days of School
8. Introduce yourself creatively
If you’re teaching 1st grade, you have the honor of being one of the first teachers a child will meet! Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer! For creative ideas, check out 30 Unique Ways To Introduce Yourself to Students This Year.
9. Get to know one another with icebreakers
Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Click here for lots of great ideas.
Create a Classroom Community
10. Start the day with Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting is an engaging way to connect with your students at the beginning of each day. An objectives and agenda board, along with a morning message, will help your students start off on the right track. For more morning meeting ideas, check out Responsive Classroom.
11. Establish a culture of kindness
Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.
12. Teach citizenship
Image source: First Grade Wow
Read the story of Johnny Appleseed with your students, then analyze the qualities that make Johnny a good citizen. Help students brainstorm ideas about how they might show these characteristics in the classroom and at home.
13. Teach the difference between reporting and tattling
Image source: Mrs. Warner’s Learning Community
Save yourself a lot of headaches by teaching your students the difference. Read the Child Mind Institute’s Is It Tattling or Telling?
14. Assign jobs
Give your students ownership of the classroom and teach responsibility by assigning jobs. Remember the saying: Many hands make light work! Here are 38 Ideas for Flexible, Fun Classroom Job Charts to choose from.
15. Read stories that build your students’ social-emotional skills
Learning how to be in school and be a good friend are a huge part of being a first grader. Share these stories that will not only teach lessons but start conversations.
Ideas for Language Arts
16. Incorporate daily writing prompts
We’ve gathered 25 writing prompts that you can download and use to get your first graders practicing their writing skills.
17. Stock up on fun tools to use for guided reading
Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade
Learning to read is hard work! Make it as fun as you can with the great ideas found at the blog Guided Reading: A Little Novelty Goes a Long Way. For more information on guided reading, check out What Is Guided Reading?
18. Encourage critical thinking with writing prompts
First grade teacher Heather M. shares, “I give students questions that take more thought than our simple carpet discussions—questions that they had to apply what they know to answer. It helps them get away from answering without thinking just to be first.” Here are 37 suggestions from Journal Buddies to get you started.
19. Differentiate reading instruction
“Read Works is an incredible resource for teaching reading!” says first grade teacher Kellie P.
“At least once a week, I use a reading passage and question set in either ‘guided reading’ or ‘read to someone’ for small-group practice. I can easily differentiate because they provide the Lexile levels. I found this resource to be very helpful, especially with nonfiction, to integrate science and social studies concepts into Daily 5.”
20. Have your students create personal word walls
Image source: Cara Carroll
Instead of having one massive class word wall, have students create and post their own personal word walls in your classroom. Your first graders will love showcasing their skills! Check out the Just Cara Carroll for a free personal word wall template.
21. Have fun with literacy centers
We love this big list of ideas for grades K-2.
22. Make things interesting with foldables
Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class
Foldables are a great and easy way to make any literacy activity more fun. The one above helps students group words with the same blend.
23. Teach them how to retell a story
Use these reading comprehension anchor charts to review stories with your first graders and strengthen their recall skills after reading.
24. Use paint strips to work on CVC words
Image source: Serving Pink Lemonade
Practice making new words by adding word parts to different beginning letters and letter sounds. And check out these other fun ways to use paint strips!
25. Teach sight words
Image source: Make, Take, and Teach
Check out these 43 sight word activities for the classroom!
26. Make phonics fun
Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these 20 phonics activities.
27. Use games to teach blends
Image source: The Measured Mom
Check out these six free, low-prep games for teaching blends.
28. Introduce interactive notebooks
Image source: Teaching With Love & Laughter
First grade teacher Lori shares, “Using interactive notebooks is a great way for children to learn and interact with new information, as well as review and practice skills already introduced.
They really took pride in their notebooks and were very proud to share their work with others. Unlike completing worksheets or other printables, which go home right away, these books are always available to the children.”
Ideas for Math
29. Keep your math manipulatives organized and easy to access
Check out these creative ways to use math manipulatives.
Plus, here are some additional ideas from first grade teachers:
- “Use labels with words and pictures on bins. We take actual pictures of the materials.” —Amy L.
- “I give my kids the things they use the most, like counters and linking cubes, in a ziplock baggie to keep in their desks. When we need them, I just tell them to take out their math tools. It saves a lot of time passing them out every time they are needed.” —Diane D.
- “I put my manipulatives into clear shoe boxes and label them with words and pictures. I have a set of shelves in my back room where the kids can access them.
” —Kelly H. - “Save baby wipe tubs and give each student their own set of place value books to keep in the desk.” —Ann M.
30. Keep math journals
Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade
Making a chart that connects the numeral, word, and picture for each number will help reinforce number concepts with your little ones. Check out this article for more great examples of how to use math journals!
31. Differentiate math work by using online resources
There are tons of online resources for differentiating math work. For a huge list of suggestions, check out our best math websites for teaching and learning math.
32. Play math games
Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for first grade.
33. Watch math videos
Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube.
34. Teach shapes
Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these activities.
35. Count the days of school and celebrate when you reach 100!
There are so many different fun ways to celebrate the 100th day of school. We’ve got a whole collection of activities for you.
36. Have “Number Talks”
You can build mental math and computation skills with Number Talks.
First grade teacher Stephanie W. shares, “Our students need to be able to explain their thinking on math assessments, so this is a perfect way to get them comfortable with reasoning aloud. They learn to explain clearly and logically. It also helps them to see their errors since you write down the problem exactly the way they explain it. If they can’t see the errors, other students can help clarify. It also gives value to working problems in different ways.
As children develop a deeper number sense, they decompose and manipulate numbers in more complex ways.”
37. Get to know the hundreds chart with number puzzles
Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class
These easy-to-make games will help students see what one more, ten more, one less, and ten less look like.
38. Share math word problems daily
We’ve got 50 free math word problems for your first grade class! Use them for math word problems of the day or a warm-up whenever you need it.
Ideas for Science
39. Create “apple eruptions”
Image source: Growing a Jeweled Rose
Conduct an apple-volcano science experiment. Fun and yum! Click here for step-by-step instructions. Plus, check out these apple science activities.
40. Get hands-on with science
Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty in. Try these 35 first grade science projects for inspiration.
41. Try daily STEM challenges
These STEM challenges are designed with your first graders in mind.
Try one each day or each week to get their minds thinking outside the box.
42. Use a science journal to teach the seasons
Image source: Today … in First Grade
Students will draw trees in each season, describe what they wear during the different seasons, and journal about what makes winter, spring, summer, and fall different as they fill in this science journal.
43. Look for resources from an old friend
Check out these awesome lesson plans for teaching first grade science in the kitchen, on the playground, and throughout the day from PBS Kids.
44. Take a field trip
There’s something about the first grade field trip that’s so special. We’ve rounded up our favorite first grade field trips that students will remember forever.
Ideas for Classroom Organization
45. When it comes to decorating your classroom, less is more
Anyone teaching first grade is going to have the urge to decorate, but check out these HELPLINE readers’ thoughts on why simplicity rules:
- “I have learned to start with a blank slate and let the students ‘decorate’ the classroom through the year with their work.
” —Sarah H. - “I made the mistake of covering every wall with decor and then had nowhere for anchor charts!” —Ann M.
- “You will see people go overboard with themes. Don’t bother! I saw the cutest classroom where the teacher had bought a pack of plain borders with various colors, and she just alternated the colors on the wall with alternating butcher paper. Go simple.” —Suzanne H.
Plus, check out our minimalist guide to classroom design.
46. Keep paperwork organized with labeled three-drawer bins
Image source: Learning to Teach
Hurray! No more messy piles everywhere when teaching first grade! For more organization tips, read Ten Teaching Hacks That Make You Go Duh!
47. Create classroom mailboxes for students
Image source: The Teaching Thief
Use mailboxes to return work and have students write and deliver letters to one another! Personalize them to match your classroom decor.
48. Craft milk-crate seats with built-in storage
Image source: The Apple Tree Room
These adorable seats can double as bins for easy materials storage.
Check out other creative ways to use milk crates in your classroom.
49. Use “absent folders” to help students catch up when they return to school
Image source: Teaching With Terhune
Partner students at the beginning of the year. When one student is absent, have their partner put work in the Absent Folder for them. When the student returns to school, send the folder home. Total time-saver!
Ideas for Classroom Management
50. There’s a chart for that
These classroom management anchor charts tackle every possible issue.
51. Use a snappy call-and-response to get their attention
For fun ideas for quieting a noisy class, check out these attention-getters.
52. Take a brain break
Check out these 25 brain-break videos, gathered just for your first graders.
53. Reduce stress during dismissal
Dismissal time doesn’t have to be chaotic. Check out these great tips on handling dismissal time.
54. Let students pick their own seats (carefully)
Teaching first grade is part of easing kids into the school experience.
Let them practice their independence with these tips for letting students choose their seats.
55. Have students use colored sticky notes to communicate their understanding of a concept
Image source: Love, Teach, Inspire
Students signal if they’re struggling, stuck, or solid on a concept they’re learning! You can use sticky notes or colored index cards.
56. Set up a “Calm Down Corner” and toolbox
Image source: Creatively Teaching First
The calm-down spot is a classroom space where students go to regulate their emotions and redirect their behavior. Stock these spaces with tools students can use to help them calm down and make better choices. Learn more about Why Safe Spaces Are Critical in Today’s Classrooms.
Need more inspiration? Here are 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Consider Including in Your Elementary Classroom.
Other Ideas
57. Use
all the anchor chartsHere are 22 anchor charts for teaching first grade.
58. Build relationships with your students’ parents
Check out these 11 Teacher-Tested Ways to Make Your Classroom Parents Adore You.
59. Make art
Check out these 45 art projects are just right for first graders.
60. Set the tone for work time with background music
From Piano Guys to Afrobeat to the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, you can find a Pandora station for every occasion.
61. Play with your kids
First graders are hilarious! Don’t forget to have fun with them. Here are a bunch of old-school recess games you can teach your students.
62. Use technology to organize classroom volunteers
Sites like SignUpGenius are free and user-friendly. You could also assign one of your classroom volunteers to manage the content and delegation of any project or extra hands needed using this service. If you are looking for more ways to use classroom volunteers, here are 6 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Classroom Volunteers.
63.
Display student work from the ceilingImage source: Kroger’s Kindergarten
This is the perfect solution for teaching in first grade classrooms with limited wall space, which is the case in most classrooms. Dangle student work from the ceiling! Check out more clever ways to display students work in the classroom and online.
64. Get acquainted with running records
What are running records? When used meaningfully while teaching first grade, running records can really help you move the needle. Running records are a valuable reading-assessment tool used in many primary classrooms.
65. Grab inspired dry erasers
Image source: @kinder_charm
This is one of the best money-saving hacks I’ve seen in recent years! After all, inspiration can come from all sorts of places. They’re perfect for little hands and they really get the “erasing” job done. Bonus: They’re cute too! Check out more of our favorite money-saving classroom hacks.
What are your top tips for teaching first grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out our guide to teaching in a first grade classroom.
The Ultimate Checklist For All Your 1st Grade Classroom Supplies
There’s so much to teach in first grade! First graders are eager to learn new things and they’re curious about everything. Your students will go on new reading adventures as they begin to discover who they are as readers, they’ll grow into confident writers sharing their own stories, and they’ll become creative problem solvers and flexible thinkers in math. You’ll need a lot of 1st grade classroom supplies to help students learn and grow by leaps and bounds!
Here is our ultimate checklist of the top 50 first grade classroom supplies that every teacher needs for an academic year filled with lightbulb learning moments!
(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. Thank you for your support!)
Individual compartments for name/project tabs on each slot of this brilliant classroom file system make it easy for 1st graders to keep their own work organized.
Step right up to reading! You’ll need bookshelves for your reading nook, and these tiered easy-to-reach shelves, or any of our other top bookcases, are the perfect addition to any first grade classroom.
You’ve got the bookcases, now it’s time to fill them with books! We’ve gathered some of our favorite first grade books for getting students excited to read, from The Princess and the Pit Stop to Maurice the Unbeastly.
First grade readers need access to lots of books. These bins make the perfect container to hold the books they’ll need for every reading event.
These multipurpose nameplates are more than just a name line. They include the alphabet, a number line, shapes, an addition chart, and a number chart. They’re perfect for identifying each students’ work area.
An easy-to-use visual twist timer. This countdown timer is great for helping students anticipate transitions between rotating times. Or check out our list of other timers for the classroom!
Magnetic hooks are perfect for hanging precious art pieces and projects above each students’ desk.
They can be hung from metal ceiling frames. Add a plastic hanger to each hook and clip on work samples and projects. Voila!
Two-pocket folders are great for a variety of purposes. They’re perfect for holding your students’ writing pieces. Add a green dot on the inside left pocket and a red dot on the inside right pocket. Works-in-progress are placed behind the green dot. Finished writing pieces are placed behind the red dot. Two-pocket folders work great as “take-home” folders. One pocket holds items to “keep at home” and the other pock holds items to “return” to school.
Keep it together with a sturdy stapler! This one is jam-resistant, making sure you’re not stuck taking it apart on repeat throughout the day.
Reinforce documents or make instructional items tear and spill-proof. We’ve gathered the top laminator picks so you can easily save those first grade projects to take home. Don’t forget to stock up on laminating pouches, too.
Easily three-hole punch up to 12 sheets minus the usual jams.
Perfect for adding papers to student portfolios!
Most teachers like to back their bulletin boards with bright paper. Upgrade with write-on/wipe-off paper that cleans easily with damp cloth and doesn’t tear or show staple holes. Available in a wide range of colors.
You’ve got the paper, now make it a bulletin board to remember with colorful trimmers. The scalloped edge adds a cute touch. Patterns include stars, polka dot, confetti candy sprinkles, stripes, zig-zag, and back-to-school.
Because you can never have enough sticky notes on hand in the classroom. Check out teacher hacks for post-it notes in the classroom.
Nearly every first grade loves building with LEGOs. They make terrific tools in your classroom and are especially great for teaching a variety of math concepts. Check out our favorite LEGO math ideas for every skill level .
There are a variety of different math supplies for the classroom that you’ll want on hand for teaching this subject! LEGOs, manipulatives, calculators, dice, games, and more.
Time isn’t always easy to teach, which makes this clock one of our favorite 1st grade classroom supplies. With each quarter broken down into a specific color, it’s easier than ever for your first graders to remember and retain where each minute is thanks to this analog classroom clock.
Keep centers supplied with a rainbow of 3 compartments (1 large, 2 small) caddies made of impact-resistant plastic. Plus learn the best ways to organize your turn-in bins.
We have put together the best pencil sharpeners as reviewed by teachers!
Teachers need a variety of tape for a wide variety of surfaces. Masking tape is great to have on hand as it’s safe and easy to tear and remove. Painter’s tape is a teacher lifesaver as it removes easily from drywall and can be placed on whiteboards for helping handwriting! Clear tape is also key for taping ripped papers and for craft projects!
First graders still love reading time on the rug. Add some color to your room with one of these bold patterned and brightly colored rugs.
As an alternative to a rug for your meeting area, these carpet spot sit markers help first graders know where to sit. The best part is, the spots can be moved very easily when you want to change spots and do an impromptu switcheroo.
Almost 5,000 stickers will carry you through a year of rewarding students for a job well done.
1″ spacing for little hands plus graphics in blue, green, and red helps first graders form letters correctly.
Stop the paper waste madness with these durable, double-sided dry-erase boards. Students will enjoy writing and wiping away mistakes and you get to save on paper as one of your 1st grade classroom supplies! Don’t forget to stock up on colorful, dry erase markers for kids , too.
Mistakes help us learn! Erase them into history with colorful, magnetic whiteboard erasers.
Keep your year on track for learning with a classroom-sized calendar pocket chart featuring 45 clear pockets for holding headliners and days.
68 calendar pieces help you plan out the days and weeks for maximum fun and learning.
Along with a calendar, it’s best to have a classroom schedule so students know the plan for the day. This pocket chart comes complete with 10 write-on/wipe-off schedule cards, 5 blank cards, and 1 title card.
Clipboards encourage independent and group learning. Easy to stack and organize, these letter-size clipboards also feature rounded edges to protect students’ hands.
Place sentence strips, flashcards, calendar pieces, library pockets, class jobs, daily schedules in this useful 34″×44″ chart featuring a total of 10 see-through pockets.
Showcase sentences with 3 x 24-inch, colorful sentence strips.
Make letter recognition happen all day long in your 1st grade classroom with this bold, 15-foot long alphabet poster. Plus it’s printed on thick card stock to last.
Post this number line on your wall or bulletin board to help 1st graders visualize the number line throughout the year, and make sure to check out our activities for number lines!
Make numbers, skip counting, and odds/evens easy to see with this 100s chart with clear pockets.
Fill it yourself to hang on the wall, or use it for an activity to get students sorting their numbers.
Yes, we wish it were real, too. But this big money is second best. Teach kids to instantly identify coins and bills with these large, realistically-detailed images on the fronts and backs. Plus they adhere to any magnetic-receptive surface, such as your whiteboard, to attract student attention.
We love reading and your first-grade students will too! This set of reading posters is great for bulletin boards or your class library corner.
Kindness is key, especially for first grade students, which is why we love these free kindness posters. All eight are free to save and print!
There are so many ways to use magnets in the classroom. These ones serve as pushpins and can hold up to 6 sheets of printer paper!
A classroom set of these colorful, resistant headphones makes integrating iPad and other technology in first grade a little easier on the ears, thanks to plush circular cups and an adjustable headband.
If you opt to use earbuds, we have a wealth of storage ideas!
The wide-ruled format (11/32-inch) of these 1st grade ready composition books makes it easier for early writers to share their thoughts and begin journaling on paper.
Board games are perfect for supplemental learning. Not only do students learn how to get along and take turns, but they can also reinforce math and literacy skills! Check out our favorite board games, including Sorry and Hedbanz.
If you’re creating a theme for your classroom, or just want to brighten that reading corner, why not consider string lights as a way to add a pop of light? Here are our top string light sets!
1st grade calls for honing those paper-cutting skills. Softgrip, cushioned handles and a textured non-slip surface helps guide the little hands toward correct handle use.
Coloring fun continues in 1st grade. Crayons are separated into individual sections by color in the storage box, keeping coloring time better organized.
Keep color where it belongs and easily remove it where it doesn’t with washable and non-toxic broad line markers. This classpack features storage sections, each separated by color, to keep markers organized for first-grade creatives.
Put two and two together with a classroom set of giant, all-purpose sticks.
You’ll love this chart stand with its double-sided magnetic whiteboard and storage bins. When used with chart paper, the chart stand is perfect for shared and interactive writing lessons. The magnetic whiteboard can be used with various math tools like your Magnetic Ten-Frame Set. Need more storage? The bins are great for storing math tools and other items.
No teacher wants sticky messes—or worse—to linger on classroom surfaces. Lysol Disinfectant Spray and Disinfecting Wipes kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
Runny noses happen. Make it easier by having tissues on hand for any situation!
Keep your teacher desk organized and your phone charged and ready to go with this combo desk organizer and charger.
First graders love it when you implement a theme in the classroom! Why not check out our space theme, jungle theme, sports theme, emoji theme , donut theme, and camping theme pages!
Are we missing one of your favorite 1st grade classroom supplies? Head over to our WeAreTeachers Facebook Deals page to share your faves!
educational motivation of a first-grader to study
Many first-graders willingly go to school, begin to study with enthusiasm, but over time this fuse can fade, and the child begins to perceive learning with reluctance, does not listen to the teacher, is lazy, puts off completing assignments. We figure out how to pull up a first grader in school, why a child may lose motivation and how to change it.
First grader's motivation to study
First graders are inquisitive by nature, so if a child has lost motivation to study, it is necessary to identify the cause, and also take into account the objective factors that affect the child during this period.
What influences the lack of motivation of a first grader?
- Information overload. Even at the stage of preparation for school, parents discuss what the child needs for school life, what kind of school and lessons will be, what foreign language and circles to choose, and so on. From an excess of this information, the child may begin to be afraid of school and everything connected with it.
- The child is bored. Today, many children come to school well prepared, some already know the first grade program. It seems to parents that enhanced training will make it easier for the child to learn, but this has a downside - the baby becomes uninteresting in learning, motivation disappears.
- Physiological causes. Changing the regime of the day, mental stress, the need to be assiduous and attentive, decreased physical activity.
- A new role to adapt to. If earlier the child could run and play at any time, now he has to listen carefully to the teacher, fulfill his requests, and adapt to the team.
- Emotional discomfort. The child is worried about his failures, especially if he studies at a school where a grading system has been introduced, he is afraid to let his parents down and feel inferior to others.
Parents who are thinking about how to motivate a first-grader to study should remember that the child goes through an important period and may experience the difficulties of an age crisis. He is going through a period of serious transformation, the child has an understanding of responsibility, the fulfillment of duties, the need to take into account the requirements of the school. We need to help him adapt to these changes and find motivation to study.
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How to get a first grader interested in studying
The most important thing for parents to do is to create conditions for their child to show interest in learning. Be patient, do not scold the child, guide him and show the value of education.
Keep track of the daily routine of the first grader
Source: unsplash.
com / @chuttersnap
It is important that the child has enough time for rest and good sleep (it is better to go to bed no later than 21 hours). After classes, you need a rest of 1.5-2 hours. With this mode, the nervous system of a first-grader will better adapt to the training load.
Time for assignments - child's peak activity
Source: unsplash.com / @hudsoncrafted
Try to schedule your child's time for assignments when they are at their most active (this is especially helpful when your child is on remote learning) ). If classes are carried out during a period of decline in activity in a child, it will not be possible to interest a first-grader in studies.
Learning is about learning
Source: unsplash.com / @jeshoots
Emphasize the value of knowledge and the results that the child will achieve through learning. Praise him more often so that he gains confidence in his abilities. Try not to compare your child with other children, so as not to destroy his motivation to study.
Encourage independence
Source: unsplash.com / @coinvie
Encourage your child to study, but do not do most of the tasks for him, the first grader is able to cope with them himself and feel interest in learning. Do not overdo it with help, the child will not have motivation if the parents will study for him.
Don't overestimate grades
Source: unsplash.com / @dslr_newb
Tell your child that grades are important, but the purpose of school is not to get a high grade, but to become intellectually developed to gain new knowledge. This will help to interest the first grader in studies much better than the cult of the five in the diary.
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Enrich your extracurricular life
Source: unsplash.com / @itfeelslikefilm
Try to ensure that the child's life is not limited to studies, and that he has an outlet in the form of hobbies - sports sections, drawing, music, needlework, various circles, as well as the opportunity to spend time with friends.
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Choose interesting learning materials
Source: unsplash.com / @kellybritostudio
At Foxford Primary School, the child does not just gain knowledge, he begins to show cognitive activity thanks to interesting lessons and an exciting presentation material.
Motivating a first-grader to study is a necessary task, but at the same time, it is important for parents not to overdo it and allow the child to go through their own experience, consciously go through a period of adaptation to school and form a desire not just to get good grades, but sincerely strive for knowledge.
Cover image: Leslie Soto Valenzuela / Dribbble
How to teach lessons (advice for parents of first graders)
Homework is the biggest problem for first graders and their parents.
“We sit at the lessons until ten o'clock in the evening. Sometimes we rewrite three times. And sometimes we cry together - I am out of powerlessness, the child is out of fatigue, ”says the mother of a first-grader,“ but every day everything starts all over again.
Let's try to figure out which adult mistakes are the most typical and why they occur.
1. Lessons in elementary school can only be done by a child under adult supervision.
Indeed, it is difficult for a first grader to complete the entire task. He needs help, a hint, an additional explanation. But this does not mean that you need to sit over your soul and follow every movement of your hand.
By controlling everything, you remove responsibility from the child, therefore, in the 5th and 6th grades, children often do not want to do homework without adults, they do not dare to take responsibility for the results of their work.
The situation cannot be changed immediately.
At first try to explain everything and go about your own business, gradually entrusting the preparation of lessons to the child himself. Even if things don't work out the way you want, be patient.
It's best not to walk around before class. After school, you can relax for 1.5 - 2 hours - and for the lessons.
The best time to do homework is from 15:00 to 17:00. Classes in the evening are ineffective.
2. Begin the task with the most difficult one.
This is one of the typical misconceptions of both children and adults. On the contrary, the first task should be familiar, doable. This allows you to better get involved in the work, feel success, believe in yourself, and then the next difficult task will not become an insurmountable obstacle.
3. Until he does all the tasks, he will not get up from the table.
Neither a first grader nor a tenth grader is able to complete all tasks in one sitting.
Babies need a break every 15-20 minutes. High school students - in 30-40 minutes. 5-10 minutes of rest in order to relax, relieve eye strain, change posture. You can drink a glass of juice, eat an apple, or a slice of chocolate.
