home Secrets of medicine Do children go to school? At what age should a child be sent to school? When is a child ready for school? The oldest, the youngest - it's scary

Do children go to school? At what age should a child be sent to school? When is a child ready for school? The oldest, the youngest - it's scary

Modern generation children is undoubtedly different from the previous one. It is likely that your baby has amazing abilities - already in preschool age he can read, count and even write. And it seems that he will be bored in kindergarten (or at home) for another whole year - it’s time to study! But there is one catch: your son or daughter is not yet 7 years old, and this is the age that is considered standard for entering 1st grade. Another situation: the child is almost 7, he knows and can do a lot, but psychologically he is clearly not yet ready to study. And on next year he will be almost 8. Isn't it too late to enroll in school? For parents of boys, finishing school at 18 seems bad dream- what if a child is drafted into the army straight from school? On the other hand, I don’t want to take away a whole year of carefree childhood from my baby... What to do?

At what age should a child start school by law?

Before you think about psychological aspects beginning of educational life, let's figure out at what age children are accepted into the first grade of school according to Russian law.

According to the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Education in Russian Federation", N 273-FZ dated December 29, 2012, the age of a child going to first grade is determined as follows:

Receiving primary general education in educational organizations begins when children reach the age six years and six months in the absence of contraindications for health reasons, but not later than they reach age eight years old. At the request of the parents (legal representatives) of the children, the founder of the educational organization has the right to allow the admission of children to educational organization for training in educational programs primary general education at an earlier or later age.

! Thus, by law, children must go to first grade at the age of 6.5-8 years, Therefore, parents should focus on these age limits.

Starting school for children under 6.5 years old is, in principle, possible, but it is better if such a decision is made by parents consciously, after consultation with a child psychologist. Postponing the solution to the “educational issue” if the child is already 8 years old is fraught with close communication with the guardianship and trusteeship authorities, since parents bear full responsibility for realizing the right of their child to receive an education.

! Thus, every family, regardless of what time of year the child was born, essentially has the right to choose between two options: send him to school at 6.5-7.5 years old or at 7-8 years old. And sometimes making a decision can be very difficult.

How do you know if it's time to send your child to school?

School readiness and subsequent academic success are influenced by a number of factors that should be assessed when deciding on the age to enter first grade.

1. Intellectual development - important point in preparing for school. Parents should pay attention to how developed the child’s speech, attention, memory and thinking are, as well as the level of compliance with certain didactic requirements for first-graders.

It will be easy for your child to study in first grade if he:

has a connected competent speech and a significant vocabulary (easily selects synonyms, antonyms; forms words from some words into others, for example, the names of athletes from a sport, profession; uses words with an abstract meaning, possessive nouns, prefixed verbs, correctly constructs common sentences, etc.);
may amount to short story according to the picture;
pronounces all sounds well, knows how to distinguish and find their place in a word;
reads words of 2-4 syllables at a speed of 8-10 words per minute;
writes in block letters;
knows geometric figures;
has adequate ideas about the properties of objects: shapes, sizes and relative position in space;
counts to 10 directly and reverse order, understands the meaning of addition and subtraction;
distinguishes and knows the names of colors;
knows how to assemble puzzles;
can recite poems by heart, repeat tongue twisters, sing songs;
carefully colors without going beyond the contours.

The desire to intellectually prepare a future first-grader for school to the maximum can play a negative role. Often such children quickly become bored with learning because they already “know everything.” In this case, it is initially better for parents to think about sending their child to a school with the appropriate level of requirements.

You shouldn’t rely entirely on school for learning either. A basic level of knowledge will allow the child to adapt more easily. Therefore, the ability to read by first grade is an optional skill, but still desirable.

2. Emotional maturity characterizes the child’s composure, balance in actions, and the ability to first think and then act. High level intellectual abilities may become a reason for parents to send their child to school as early as possible. But if he has not yet matured emotionally to study, in the future this can bring serious psychological problems.

3. Motivation to study . According to child psychologist L.A. Wenger, “Being ready for school does not mean being able to read, write and do math. To be ready for school means to be ready to learn it all.” Starting school is a restructuring of the child’s entire lifestyle, a transition from carefree play at any time of the day to responsibility and daily work. In order not just to go to school, but to study, a student needs motivation. A simple question will help you understand whether your child has it: “Why are you going to school?” The ideal motivation for studying is educational, i.e. desire to learn something new. If the child answers that he wants to make new friends there (social motivation) or get good grades and be the best student (achievement motivation), this is not bad, but not very good either. What if the joy of meeting peers quickly fades, and the price of friendship - daily work within the school walls - will it seem too high? Or will your hopes of becoming the best in the eyes of your teacher and receiving only praise not come true? And if the child’s motivation is only playful (there will be so many new and interesting things at school, you can play with the kids there), the decision to postpone school for a year is quite obvious.

4. Physiological maturity and health status . Before sending your child to first grade, it is necessary to assess how mature his child is. nervous system. If you go to school too early, sitting through an entire lesson can be simply an impossible task for your child. Pediatricians believe that a child, from a physiological point of view, is mature enough for school if he:

easily reaches from behind with his hand to the top of the opposite ear;
has formed kneecaps and finger joints, a well-defined arch of the foot;
began to lose baby teeth;
can jump on one leg;
catches and throws the ball with ease;
abducts the thumb when shaking hands.

In terms of development, one should also consider the level of development of fine motor skills: the ability to cut with scissors, work with play dough, perform finger play movements, zip up and tie shoes.

General health is also an important factor. Does the child get sick often (often - 8 or more times a year)? Does he have any chronic diseases? Your doctor will advise you whether to delay your studies if possible. Whatever the health of the child, before starting school life take care of strengthening it: spend the summer in nature, go to the sea, pay more attention to the quality of nutrition, take a closer look at the treatment of chronic diseases, if any.

5. Communication skills . For a first-grader, it is important not only the desire to communicate, establish contact with peers and adults, and make friends, but also the possession of certain skills in this regard and adequate self-esteem. In addition, the child should feel comfortable outside the usual home environment.

6. Independence in school is obviously a necessity. A schoolchild must be able to manage his own clothes and shoes: get dressed, undress, fasten zippers and buttons, change shoes, tie shoelaces. Visit public toilet It shouldn't be stressful for him either.

7. Gender of the child provides significant influence on the ease and comfort of a child’s immersion in the school environment. When making a decision about a school, many parents are guided by understandable motives: they want to send boys to school early so that they can later go to college, but they feel sorry for girls and leave them one more year of childhood. Although in reality, girls mature for learning (responsibility, discipline and calmly staying in one place for 40 minutes) much earlier than boys. And this despite the fact that activity, which is important in learning, and the desire for something new - and school, in general, is so new and interesting place- basically more in the style of boys.

Girls are usually better prepared for school intellectually and emotionally than boys: they are more malleable, sociable, obedient, sociable, and able to adapt to the situation and change themselves.

An important factor that differentiates children in terms of learning is different speed maturation of the hemispheres. It is believed that girls develop faster than boys left hemisphere associated with speech and the mental functions that appear against its background. In primary and secondary school, girls often find it easier to study. Boys develop earlier right hemisphere, responsible for spatio-temporal orientation, but this is not such an important function in a school setting.

As for academic performance in first grade, in core subjects average rating on a five-point scale, girls have 4.3, and boys have 3.9. In addition, the difference in grades in different subjects for girls is usually no more than one point, but for boys it can be quite noticeable. Sons’ report cards often unpleasantly surprise parents with a full set of different grades: “C”, “Four” and “A” can easily get along there. A boy can be very smart and capable, but restless. Or it’s just difficult for him to switch from subject to subject. And let’s face it, it’s easier for a teacher to teach calm girls than noisy boys.

In connection with such different psychophysiological characteristics, it is not surprising that by the end of the first grade boys are 6 times more tired than girls.

8. Anxiety a child is a personal characteristic that directly affects school performance. Moreover, it is not the same for boys and girls. Boys whose anxiety is slightly above average (but does not border on constant panic and confusion) are seriously worried about grades, about their status as a school student, almost an adult. They don't want to undermine their parents' trust and get reprimanded by the teacher. All this stimulates them to study well. But with girls the situation is different. The best students have below average anxiety. This is explained as follows: a girl who is prone to worries is most concerned about relationships with other students, and she has less moral strength to study than is necessary.

9. Temperament a first-grader largely determines the success schooling. As practice shows, the most difficult time at school is for choleric girls and melancholic boys. These children often do not conform to teachers' stereotypical ideas of how to behave as a member of a particular gender.

Boys of a melancholic nature are gentle, soft, and vulnerable. It is difficult for them to “put themselves” in a children’s team and to defend their position if necessary. Emotionally difficult situation such a sensitive boy might cry. Unfortunately, peers and teachers often do not understand such children.

Due to their own liveliness, restlessness and restlessness, choleric girls find it extremely difficult to withstand a whole 40 minutes in one place. And actively defending one’s rightness in children’s quarrels, and sometimes even in a fight, at school, as you yourself understand, is not very approved.

Teachers usually treat phlegmatic children well, but sometimes they can become irritated by their slowness and “excessive” calmness. And even for a phlegmatic child, studying is sometimes a little difficult.

The easiest temperament to learn is sanguine, and it is especially successful for boys. Teachers love such children because they practically do not cause problems. Curious and sociable, not too anxious, sanguine children easily fit into school life.

The type of temperament is especially important in elementary school. Subsequently, it ceases to be a significant factor in academic success - other qualities become decisive.

Experts will help you assess your child’s readiness for school. Discuss your baby's health and physiological maturity with your doctor. A child psychologist and kindergarten teacher (or preparatory class teacher) will characterize the degree of intellectual and emotional maturity, communication skills and level of motivation to study. And of course, no one can know your child better than you yourself - the final decision on admission to school rests with the parents.

With children who turned 7 years old in July-August, it seems to be easiest: it’s time to go to school, no matter what doubts there may be. But if experts point out to you some reasons why it is better to postpone studying for now, it may be worth thinking about alternative options (for example, studying at home).

In what cases is it better to delay entering school?

There are a number of “contraindications” for starting school before 7 years of age:

1. Psychological:

lack of motivation to study, a clear preference for games to learning;
the appearance of a newborn in the house simultaneously with the child’s entry into 1st grade;
difficult period in the life of a family (quarrels, divorce, lack of money, etc.).

2. Social:

a large number of adults involved in the child’s life (this can lead to unnecessary pressure on the child);
choice by parents to attend gymnasium, private school or a lyceum with high program requirements, the need for daily (possibly long) trips back and forth.

3. Medical:

mental illness;
recent brain or spinal injuries;
chronic diseases;
weak immunity.

What if a child starts school at 8 years old?

If your child, at 7 or less than 7 years old, is clearly not ready to enter first grade (emotionally, physiologically, due to some personal characteristics) and you are tormented by doubts whether to send him to school at the required 7 years or still postpone study for a year, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons.

It is not for nothing that the age of 6.5-7 years is considered ideal for starting school life. Specialists in child development argue that it is at this age that the child begins to gradually change his range of interests from play activity to cognitive.

Every child is unique, and no one knows him better than his parents. Perhaps it is for your baby that the decision to “extend childhood” will be right and during this year he will truly mature for school. But you shouldn’t ignore the fact that, perhaps, in the future your child will begin to feel discomfort in a team where everyone is younger than him. To accept correct solution, discuss your doubts with a child psychologist.

When should you think about your child’s readiness to enter 1st grade?

There is such a wonderful expression: “The purpose of education is to teach our children to do without us” (Ernst Legouwe). From the very birth of your child, you took care of him, gradually teaching him to be independent, to live in society, and to speak competently. The development of a child is a long-term and not one-time affair, and by the age of 5-6 years, children have already accumulated quite a large amount of knowledge and skills necessary for school. When is it worth asking the question: is the child ready for school?

! Thus, it is advisable to schedule communication with a specialist for November-December. Earlier - it hardly makes sense: children at this age develop quickly, and a few months can change them radically. If you come to your senses in the spring, there is a chance that the psychologist will tell you about the need to work in some direction, but there will not be enough time for this. In addition, submitting documents to schools begins on April 1, and this is also an incentive to think earlier about your child’s readiness to study.

The decision about the age at which a child will go to first grade is a very serious and responsible one. If you decide that the time has come, make your baby's first day of school a real holiday! Decorate the room, prepare a cake and celebrate an important event the whole family. An important stage of responsibility begins in a child’s life, independent life full of victories and achievements.

What else should a future first-grader know?

The skills listed above primarily relate to academic skills, but during their studies, a first-grader will also need others that are important for normal adaptation to school and social life in general.

So, what else should a child be able to do when going to school:

1. Understand and accurately carry out the tasks of an adult from 5-6 teams.

2. Act according to the model.

3. Act at a given pace, without mistakes, first under dictation, and then independently, for 4-5 minutes (for example, an adult asks to draw a pattern of shapes: “circle - square - circle - square”, and then the child continues for a while draw the pattern yourself).

4. See cause-and-effect relationships between phenomena.

5. Listen carefully, without distractions, or engage in monotonous activities for 30-35 minutes.

6. Remember and name from memory figures, words, pictures, symbols, numbers (6-10 pieces).

7. Maintain correct posture while sitting at your desk for 30-35 minutes.

8. Do the basics physical exercise(squats, jumping, bending, etc.), play simple sports games.

9. Feel free to be in a group of children and adults.

10. Be able to communicate politely with adults: say hello (“Hello”, not “Hello” or “Hello”), say goodbye, do not interrupt, ask for help correctly (say “Please”) and thank for the help provided, apologize if necessary.

11. Talk calmly, without shouting or unnecessary emotions.

12. Keep your appearance and the cleanliness of personal belongings (add paper tissues and wet wipes to the list of necessary things for a student). Wash your hands with soap after walking and visiting the toilet, and before eating. Comb your hair, brush your teeth, use a handkerchief.

13. Find your bearings in time.

14. Seek medical help if necessary.

What should a future first-grader be like according to the Federal State Educational Standard?

Federal State Educational Standard (FSES) preschool education determines the “portrait” of a preschool educational institution graduate, and therefore of a future first-grader. The emphasis in it is shifted from knowledge and skills to the level of general culture, the presence of qualities that “ensure social success.” This is how a senior preschooler who is ready to study at school is presented in the recommendations for the Federal State Educational Standard:

Physically developed, mastered basic cultural and hygienic skills	*The child has developed basic physical qualities and the need for motor activity. Independently performs age-appropriate hygienic procedures and follows basic rules healthy image life.*
Curious, active, interested in new, unknown things in the world around him	Interested in the new, unknown in the world around him (the world of objects and things, the world of relationships and his own inner world). Asks questions to adults, likes to experiment. Able to act independently (in Everyday life, in various types of children's activities). In cases of difficulty, seek help from an adult. Takes a lively, interested part in the educational process.
Emotionally responsive	The preschooler responds to the emotions of loved ones and friends. Empathizes with the characters of fairy tales, stories, stories. Reacts emotionally to works visual arts, musical and works of art, natural world.
Mastered the means of communication and ways of interacting with adults and peers	The child adequately uses verbal and nonverbal means of communication, has dialogical speech and constructive ways of interacting with children and adults (negotiates, exchanges objects, distributes actions in cooperation).
Able to manage one’s behavior and plan one’s actions aimed at achieving a specific goal	A child based on primary value concepts, observing basic generally accepted norms and rules of behavior. A child’s behavior is primarily determined not by immediate desires and needs, but by demands from adults and primary value ideas about “what is good and what is bad.” The child is able to plan his actions aimed at achieving a specific goal. Follows the rules of behavior on the street ( road rules), V in public places(transport, store, clinic, theater, etc.)
Able to solve intellectual and personal tasks (problems) appropriate for age	The child can apply independently acquired knowledge and methods of activity to solve new tasks (problems) posed by both adults and himself; Depending on the situation, it can transform ways of solving problems (problems). The child is able to propose his own idea and translate it into a drawing, construction, story, etc.
Having primary ideas about oneself, family, society, state, world and nature	The child has an idea of himself, his own belonging and the belonging of other people to a certain gender; about family composition, family relationships and relationships, distribution of family responsibilities, family traditions; about society, its cultural values; about the state and belonging to it; about the world.
Mastered the universal premises educational activities	Possessing the ability to work according to rules and patterns, listen to an adult and follow his instructions.
Has mastered the necessary skills and abilities	The child has developed the skills necessary to implement various types children's activities.

The list of requirements for a modern first-grader is, of course, impressive. But in fact, thousands of children come to school every year with absolutely different level preschool preparation, and begin to study. Parents need to understand that a large amount of knowledge acquired before school starts is not the key to success.

! Main - psychological readiness child's commitment to learning and the desire to acquire new knowledge.

You can train, check and “coach”, but try to do it without fanaticism. Believe in the success of your future first-grader and instill this confidence in him!

Soon I need to decide whether I will send my daughter to school in a year or two. Literally in the next two months. Better in the next two weeks. And I naively thought that I still had a year to think...

Came with parent meeting in kindergarten. My daughter is 5, she will turn 6 in the fall. In September she goes to the preparatory group, from which children are released to school. If I don’t want to send my child to first grade in a year, then I must inform about this before September (but the sooner the better) - she will be “retained for the second year” in senior group. You cannot spend two years in preparatory school - this is graduation, the final station.

I think that my girl is too young to go to school at less than 7 years old. In a year she is unlikely to be ready for first grade. But... change the team to which she is accustomed, where her friends are and where she likes, change the affectionate and kind teachers with whom she has become accustomed, and transfer to another group? Why so much stress?

And I put imaginary scales in front of me. One bowl is for the school in a year, the other is for the school in two years. And I started weighing...

Due to circumstances family education I don't consider it. The school will be a regular one, close to home. I'm a realist - I can't handle a private school or gymnasium where I have to take my child.

Arguments against school after a year (in less than 7 years)

1. The daughter is unlikely to be ready to study not out of interest, but out of compulsion. What can help here? High cognitive activity, my daughter has it. But if the lesson is boring, she will not be able to sit through it.

2. Unpreparedness of the child’s nervous system for a long stay at the desk, the need for movement. If a child is unable to sit almost motionless for 40 minutes, there will be comments (okay, if not scolding) from the teacher or nervous breakdowns.

It is normal and natural for children to stretch, wave their arms, walk, jump, stretch their body, and increase oxygen access to the brain. Alas, our pedagogical system cannot allow children to move as much as they need during lessons.

I’m not sure that in a year my active, lively girl will be able to sit through her lessons without losing attention and without excessive fatigue, and childish overwork will result in tears, screams, fooling around, bad dream or illness.

3. I will have to spend a lot of energy helping my child adapt. If you send her to school after 2 years, she will get used to it easier and faster. The daughter will grow up and with her the frontal lobes of the brain: voluntary motivation will mature. She will learn to better control her behavior, and her hand will become stronger (and there will be fewer problems with copybooks).

Arguments for school a year after graduating from kindergarten, at 6 years old.

1. The whole year in the preparatory group passes under the sign of preparation for first grade, children are mentally prepared. And suddenly - there is no school. How to explain this to a child?
If she could spend the year between kindergarten and school at home with me, that would be great. But there is no such possibility - I am working.

2. If in the same educational complex as the kindergarten, documents are prepared almost automatically. I will write an application to the kindergarten; honey. The kindergarten takes care of the map and documents. There will be no problems with admission, even if the school has twice as many applications as there are places - this is a minimum of hassle for me.

3. How faster baby goes to school, the sooner the period when I need to see my daughter off and meet her will end - and the sooner I will have attractive options for professional development and growth.

Do you know what I will decide? I will decide what is more convenient for me. Exactly for me.

It's more convenient for me to do nothing. Don't look for a school, don't wait until midnight before the day when the electronic registration opens. Do not collect documents. It’s more convenient for me, at the teacher’s signal, to simply sign the necessary papers, and then take my daughter not to the kindergarten, but to the school, which is next to the kindergarten - the same road that we are used to.

I understand that experienced mothers will now say that I am naive and there will still be a lot of worries, which is why I want to minimize at least some of them.

What about preparation for first grade?

I’m lucky, my girl is neurotypical and learns everything on her own when the time comes. She does not require any special preparation for school. It is enough that we read a lot, count, talk about everything, play - we have a large arsenal of educational games.

What is still important to pay attention to?

In the spring we were at Zhenya Katz’s mathematical toy library and at her open lesson. There are many game stations, tasks of varying complexity and completely diverse, each station has its own presenters, many children.

I was watching my daughter, and this is what caught my eye.

At Zhenya Katz’s open lesson, my daughter only lasted 30 minutes out of 40, despite the fact that the lesson was not held at a desk. The children switched from calm math games to the mobile ones and back, they had the opportunity to concentrate, and run, and even make some noise.

The girl was clearly interested, but she was still tired, began to play around and come up to me every now and then.

I watched as the child entered the office with the gaming station: did he find the adult presenter, could he turn to him, could he take the gaming materials on his own? It’s different for my daughter, but the skill can be developed in a year.

Can a child stay in the office without me and not get lost or be afraid? Can he ask for help?

I stayed. But when she needed something, she was too embarrassed to ask the presenters for help, left the office, walked to the registration desk and asked to call her mother. Also an option. But not exactly what you need for school. But this can also be improved over the course of a year; after all, the child will grow up.

Does the child forget or lose his things?

My girl is not doing well here. And is it important. A briefcase with a bunch of accessories, replacement shoes, sports uniform - you need to be able to assemble all this yourself. And for some reason I’m not sure that she will be able to grow up to this in a year. So... We must prepare for the fact that she will lose her shift and sneakers, as well as pens, pencils, etc.

Today it is believed that it is better to send a child to school later than earlier. But here's what I want to say. The main burden of entering school and adapting lies with parents. And if you call a spade a spade, then most often it’s the mother. Therefore, you should do what is most convenient for your parents (you) - based on your capabilities.

I choose the path of least hassle, and will take the child to school directly from kindergarten, in the same educational complex. Even despite the girl’s unpreparedness for first grade. It's easier for me.

I don’t know what you will do.

But, you know, your decision will be correct in any case, because it is optimal for your family and for you personally.

Parents of children born in the winter-spring period often ask the question: “When is the best time to send their child to school?” If the child was born in March, at the beginning of the next school year his age will “overstep” the recommended mark of 7 years for admission by 6 months. Maybe it would have been worth sending such a child to school the previous September? Can a child who is only 6.5 cope with the workload required for students?

The age at which a child is sent to school will determine his future performance, so this issue needs to be carefully considered

At what age is it better to send a child to school?

Some parents, trying to realize their ambitions, send their children to study as early as possible. Others want to prolong their child’s carefree childhood and postpone the child’s enrollment in school. In fact, there are no universal recommendations on this matter. The decision must be made by parents individually after a thorough analysis of all the characteristics of the child.

What factors should you pay attention to first? Of course, the decision made by the parents about the education of the child cannot go against the current legislation of the country. At what age can a child be sent to study in accordance with the standards adopted in the Russian Federation?

By law

According to Article 67 of the Law “On Education in the Russian Federation”, a child’s enrollment in first grade must occur at a strictly defined age: from 6 years and 6 months to exactly 8 years. It is these time frames that parents will have to focus on when deciding how soon to send their child to school.

However, there are known cases when, at the written request of the guardians, the child was admitted to school before the required age. This is possible, for example, in private educational institutions, where classes of younger children are specially formed. If we're talking about about the usual secondary school, then in order to enroll a child under 6.5 years old there, parents will first have to show their child to a psychologist. It is on the basis of a specialist’s conclusion about the level of emotional and social development of the baby that a decision will be made whether the baby is ready to study in the first grade.

Is there a chance to send a child to school at 8.5 years old or later? Normal if a child of this age does not yet attend educational institution, the guardianship authorities will certainly be interested in his family. What is happening will be regarded by government agencies as a violation of the young citizen’s right to receive primary education. The child's parents will be held administratively liable. This will not happen only if the preschooler is officially recognized as not ready for education due to health reasons.

For health

If a child has chronic diseases, the question of when to send him to school should be decided with the direct participation of the doctor observing the child.

If a child has chronic diseases, the issue of admission to school should be decided together with the attending physician

with the musculoskeletal system;
with digestion;
with vision.

When a preschooler switches to an unusual daily routine with added stress, it is the listed groups of organs that suffer the most. In order not to aggravate the child’s existing health problems, doctors may recommend that parents treat the child first and postpone his education until a later age.

Doctors also have a number of tips for those whose children do not suffer from chronic diseases and have strong immunity. Before giving away by all indications healthy child to school, it should, in any case, be shown to some specialists:

pediatrician;
immunologist;
otolaryngologist;
ophthalmologist;
dentist;
neurologist;
psychiatrist.

Before entering school, each child mandatory must undergo a medical examination

If at least one of the doctors listed above decides that the baby has some problems, parents should seriously think about postponing the baby’s enrollment in an educational institution until he is 7.5-8 years old. The remaining time can be used for wellness procedures. It's great if Last year Before school, parents will be able to take their offspring to a good medical sanatorium.

Child's readiness for school

The legislative norms mentioned above are based primarily on statistical data on the principles physiological development people, according to which the age from 6 to 8 years is optimal for starting education. By this time, the baby’s memory is already sufficiently developed to assimilate a large amount of new material, and his body can easily get used to gradually increasing loads.

However, when talking about a child’s readiness for school, one cannot take into account only physiological factors. How comfortable a child will feel in an educational institution depends on many parameters. Last but not least, it depends on the level of intellectual, emotional and social development of the baby.

Intellectual development

By the term “intellectual development,” experts usually understand not so much the wealth of knowledge with which a child comes to first grade, but rather the child’s readiness to learn new things. educational material. If a child has memorized the multiplication tables, but is not able to construct simple logical chains, sending him to school is clearly the same. What intellectual skills should a future first grader have? The most important among them are the following:

ability to analyze information and highlight the main thing;
ability to make logical conclusions and synthesize cause-and-effect relationships;
free orientation in the concepts of “space” and “time”;
sufficient development of the speech apparatus and a rich vocabulary.

Emotional background and maturity of the nervous system

In many ways, it is the degree of development of the nervous system that determines how easily a person copes with stress and learns new information. Only a specialist can understand whether a child has problems in this area. That is why visiting a neurologist is a mandatory step before preparing for school.

In order to understand whether a child is ready for school, all future first-graders are recommended to undergo testing

Problems with the nervous system also affect behavior. Because of her immaturity, some children are inhibited; others show hyperactivity. Both can have a negative impact on your studies. Parents will be able to understand how best to act specifically in their situation after consulting a child psychologist. The specialist will analyze whether the child’s behavior will change over time and tell you whether it makes sense to delay the child’s entry into first grade.

Communication skills and degree of independence

If before school the child attended kindergarten, as a rule, he does not have problems with socialization and development of independence. Otherwise, parents will have to pay attention to such aspects as:

teaching the baby the simplest self-care skills;
development in the child of attentiveness to the feelings of others;
developing a tolerant attitude towards the shortcomings of other children.

When should you think about registering your child for school?

Unfortunately, in modern realities it is not enough to simply decide when to send a child to school. You will have to take care of enrolling your child in an educational institution in advance. Practice shows that the minimum time required to complete all necessary documents, is 6-9 months.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute perinatal psychology and psychology of the reproductive sphere and Volgograd State Medical University clinical psychologist by specialty

The current generation of children is undoubtedly different from the previous one. It is likely that your baby has amazing abilities - already at preschool age he can read, count and even write. And it seems that he will be bored in kindergarten (or at home) for another whole year - it’s time to study! But there is one catch: your son or daughter is not yet 7 years old, and this is the age that is considered standard for entering 1st grade. Another situation: the child is almost 7, he knows and can do a lot, but psychologically he is clearly not yet ready to study. And next year he will be almost 8. Isn’t it too late to enroll in school? For parents of boys, completing their studies at 18 seems like a bad dream - what if the child is drafted into the army right from school? On the other hand, I don’t want to take away a whole year of carefree childhood from my baby... What to do?

At what age should a child start school by law?

Before thinking about the psychological aspects of the beginning of educational life, let's figure out at what age children are accepted into the first grade of school according to Russian law.

According to the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Education in the Russian Federation”, N 273-FZ dated December 29, 2012, the age of a child entering first grade is determined as follows:

Receiving primary general education in educational organizations begins when children reach the age six years and six months in the absence of contraindications for health reasons, but not later than they reach age eight years old. At the request of the parents (legal representatives) of the children, the founder of the educational organization has the right to allow the admission of children to the educational organization for training in educational programs of primary general education at an earlier or later age.

Thus, according to the law, children must go to first grade at the age of 6.5-8 years, so parents should focus on these age limits. Starting school for children under 6.5 years old is, in principle, possible, but it is better if such a decision is made by parents consciously, after consultation with a child psychologist. Some private schools implement special training programs for such children: their classes are more similar to kindergarten groups. Postponing the solution to the “educational issue” if the child is already 8 years old is fraught with close communication with the guardianship and trusteeship authorities, since parents bear full responsibility for realizing the right of their child to receive an education.

Thus, every family, regardless of what time of year the child was born, essentially has the right to choose between two options: send him to school at 6.5-7.5 years old or at 7-8 years old. And sometimes making a decision can be very difficult.

How do you know if it's time to send your child to school?

School readiness and subsequent academic success are influenced by a number of factors that should be assessed when deciding on the age to enter first grade.

1. Intellectual development – an important point in preparing for school. Parents should pay attention to how developed the child’s speech, attention, memory and thinking are, as well as the level of compliance with certain didactic requirements for first-graders.

It will be easy for your child to study in first grade if he:

has coherent, competent speech and a significant vocabulary (easily selects synonyms, antonyms; forms words from some words to others, for example, the names of athletes from a sport, profession; uses words with an abstract meaning, possessive nouns, prefixed verbs, correctly constructs common sentences, etc. .d.);
can make up a short story based on a picture;
pronounces all sounds well, knows how to distinguish and find their place in a word;
reads words of 2-4 syllables at a speed of 8-10 words per minute;
writes in block letters;
knows geometric figures;
has adequate ideas about the properties of objects: shapes, sizes and relative position in space;
counts up to 10 forwards and backwards, understands the meaning of addition and subtraction;
distinguishes and knows the names of colors;
knows how to collect;
can recite poems by heart, repeat tongue twisters, sing songs;
carefully colors without going beyond the contours.

2. Emotional maturity characterizes the child’s composure, balance in actions, and the ability to first think and then act. A high level of intellectual ability can be a reason for parents to send their child to school as early as possible. But if he has not yet matured emotionally to study, in the future this can bring serious psychological problems.

3. Motivation to study . According to child psychologist L.A. Wenger, “Being ready for school does not mean being able to read, write and do math. To be ready for school means to be ready to learn it all.” Starting school is a restructuring of the child’s entire lifestyle, a transition from carefree play at any time of the day to responsibility and daily work. In order not just to go to school, but to study, a student needs motivation. A simple question will help you understand whether your child has it: “Why are you going to school?” The ideal motivation for studying is educational, i.e. desire to learn something new. If the child answers that he wants to make new friends there (social motivation) or get good grades and be the best student (achievement motivation), this is not bad, but not very good either. What if the joy of meeting your peers quickly fades, and the price of friendship - daily work within the walls of the school - seems too high? Or will your hopes of becoming the best in the eyes of your teacher and receiving only praise not come true? And if the child’s motivation is only playful (there will be so many new and interesting things at school, you can play with the kids there), the decision to postpone school for a year is quite obvious.

4. Physiological maturity and health status . Before sending a child to first grade, it is necessary to assess how mature his nervous system is. If you go to school too early, sitting through an entire lesson can be simply an impossible task for your child. Pediatricians believe that a child, from a physiological point of view, is mature enough for school if he:

easily reaches from behind with his hand to the top of the opposite ear;
has formed kneecaps and finger joints, a well-defined arch of the foot;
began to lose baby teeth;
can jump on one leg;
catches and throws the ball with ease;
abducts the thumb when shaking hands.

General health is also an important factor. Does the child get sick often (often – 8 or more times a year)? Does he have any chronic diseases? Your doctor will advise you whether to delay your studies if possible. Whatever your child’s health, before starting school, take steps to strengthen it: spend the summer in nature, go to the sea, pay more attention to the quality of nutrition, and take a closer look at treating chronic diseases, if any.

6. Independence in school is obviously a necessity. A schoolchild must be able to manage his own clothes and shoes: get dressed, undress, fasten zippers and buttons, change shoes, tie shoelaces. Going to a public toilet shouldn't be stressful for him either.

7. Gender of the child has a significant impact on the ease and comfort of a child’s immersion in the school environment. When making a decision about a school, many parents are guided by understandable motives: they want to send boys to school early so that they can later go to college, but they feel sorry for girls and leave them one more year of childhood. Although in reality, girls mature for learning (responsibility, discipline and calmly staying in one place for 40 minutes) much earlier than boys. And this despite the fact that activity, which is important in learning, and the desire for new things - and school, in general, is such a new and interesting place - is, in principle, more in the style of boys.

Girls are usually better prepared for school intellectually and emotionally than boys: they are more malleable, sociable, obedient, sociable, and able to adapt to the situation and change themselves.

An important factor in the difference between children in terms of learning is the different rate of maturation of the hemispheres. It is believed that girls develop faster than boys the left hemisphere, which is associated with speech and the mental functions that appear against its background. In primary and secondary school, girls often find it easier to study. In boys, the right hemisphere, responsible for spatial-temporal orientation, is formed earlier, but this is not such an important function in a school setting.

As for academic performance in the first grade, in basic subjects the average grade on a five-point scale for girls is 4.3, and for boys - 3.9. In addition, the difference in grades in different subjects for girls is usually no more than one point, but for boys it can be quite noticeable. Sons’ report cards often unpleasantly surprise parents with a full set of different grades: “C”, “Four” and “A” can easily get along there. A boy can be very smart and capable, but restless. Or it’s just difficult for him to switch from subject to subject. And let’s face it, it’s easier for a teacher to teach calm girls than noisy boys.

In connection with such different psychophysiological characteristics, it is not surprising that by the end of the first grade boys are 6 times more tired than girls.

9. Temperament A first-grader largely determines the success of schooling. As practice shows, the most difficult time at school is for choleric girls and melancholic boys. These children often do not conform to teachers' stereotypical ideas of how to behave as a member of a particular gender.

Boys of a melancholic nature are gentle, soft, and vulnerable. It is difficult for them to “put themselves” in a children’s team and to defend their position if necessary. In an emotionally difficult situation, such a sensitive boy may cry. Unfortunately, peers and teachers often do not understand such children.

The type of temperament is especially important in elementary school. Subsequently, it ceases to be a significant factor in academic success - other qualities become decisive.

In what cases is it better to delay entering school?

There are a number of “contraindications” for starting school before 7 years of age:

1. Psychological:

lack of motivation to study, a clear preference for games to learning;
the appearance of a newborn in the house simultaneously with the child’s entry into 1st grade;
difficult period in the life of a family (quarrels, divorce, lack of money, etc.).

2. Social:

a large number of adults involved in the child’s life (this is fraught with unnecessary pressure on the baby);
parents’ choice to study at a gymnasium, private school or lyceum with high program requirements and the need for daily (possibly long) trips back and forth.

3. Medical:

mental illness;
recent brain or spinal injuries;
chronic diseases;
weak immunity.

What if a child starts school at 8 years old?

It is not for nothing that the age of 6.5-7 years is considered ideal for starting school life. Experts in child development argue that it is at this age that the child begins to gradually change his range of interests from playful activities to cognitive ones.

Every child is unique, and no one knows him better than his parents. Perhaps it is for your baby that the decision to “extend childhood” will be right and during this year he will truly mature for school. But you shouldn’t ignore the fact that, perhaps, in the future your child will begin to feel discomfort in a team where everyone is younger than him. To make the right decision, discuss your doubts with a child psychologist.

When should you think about your child’s readiness to enter 1st grade?

As you understand, preparing for study is a very broad and multifaceted process. By your child’s 6th birthday, you have already done a lot, and in order to understand the degree of his readiness for a new stage of life, it is advisable to contact a psychologist in advance. It is better to do this about 9 months before the expected “day X” - September 1, when your baby should go to school. Thus, it is advisable to schedule communication with a specialist for November-December. Earlier – it hardly makes sense: children at this age develop quickly, and a few months can change them radically. If you come to your senses in the spring, there is a chance that the psychologist will tell you about the need to work in some direction, but there will not be enough time for this. In addition, submitting documents to schools begins on April 1, and this is also an incentive to think earlier about your child’s readiness to study.

The decision about the age at which a child will go to first grade is a very serious and responsible one. If you decide that the time has come, make your baby's first day of school a real holiday! Decorate the room, prepare a cake and celebrate an important occasion with the whole family. An important stage of responsible, independent life, full of victories and achievements, begins in a child’s life.

Hello, dear readers. The first of September is just around the corner. That is why today I want to discuss a very serious topic that worries many mothers and fathers of six-year-olds - what time should I send my child to school? By law, a child can be admitted to first grade from the age of 6 years 6 months, but is this really necessary?

Of course, we all want our children to grow up smart, educated, intelligent, but sometimes studying is so difficult early age It just becomes a burden.

Today you will learn what psychologists think about this, and also hear reviews from some parents who sent their children from 6 and 7 years old. Be sure to read the article to the end, because if you make the wrong choice now, you could harm your child in the future.

The problem of this choice most often arises among parents of children born from December to March. That is, they must choose whether their child will go to school at 6.5 or 7.5 years old. In this case, the main thing is to understand that there is no single criterion - what matters is whether the baby himself is ready for such changes.

Some children are ready for school at the age of 6, and Some people acquire the necessary qualities only at the age of seven . These indicators should be determined by the parents themselves: if the child strives to sit at his desk, wants to follow all the teacher’s instructions, is able to listen, and remember, then we can judge that he is ready for school.

Child's level of preparation

It is worth considering that a comprehensive assessment of children’s readiness is important. Psychologists have identified three lines of readiness:

Psychological, which, in turn, is divided into intellectual, personal, socio-psychological, as well as emotional-volitional.

I'll tell you a little more about this line.

The child, according to this criterion must realize that he will already be a schoolboy , that is, he must treat everything differently. He needs to be able to interact and communicate with others, be able to organize his time, workplace, manage yourself and your behavior without difficulty, strive to overcome difficulties.

In addition, he must have developed speech, thinking, curiosity, as well as other personal qualities.

Physical readiness.

The child must be physically developed , that is, to be able to jump and run. It is also worth considering the development of analyzer systems (vision, hearing), general level development.

Special readiness.

A first grade student needs to be able to write, count, and read.

Which is better - older or younger?

This question worries many parents. Here, in fact, age is not the main thing. What is important is how the baby generally makes acquaintances, communicates, how open he is . Shy children will find it difficult at both 6 and 7 years old. But a sociable child adapts faster to new surroundings and people at any age.

Do you constantly wonder if your child is ready for school? At the same time, you don’t want to go to psychologists? Now you can independently check the degree of preparation of your child for going to first grade. The mini-book will help you with this “ How to check your child's readiness for school " In it you will find clear tests for children, a simple guide for adults and much more. All tests are compiled by a psychologist, so after passing them you will definitely understand whether your child is ready for school.

Parents' mistakes

Personal preferences of adults

Here's an example: dad and mom want their son or daughter to study at language school. But if their child does not have very good verbal memory, then they can only do harm . In the future, you may end up with a refusal to study, poor performance, or loss of desire to attend an educational institution at all.

Educational measure

If you have a six-year-old child with a “thorn in the butt”, and you decide to limit his “arbitrary” behavior at school, then you are making a huge mistake. For a child to study well, he must be able to sit through a lesson and listen to the teacher. This is called self-control. Sometimes even seven-year-olds find it difficult to do this.

Girls are more diligent than boys

This is actually not true. There are diligent boys and also girls with poor attention . Therefore, you should not rush to send your daughter to school at the age of 6.5 - observe and draw conclusions.

The younger the better

Sometimes parents simply want to send their baby to school faster so that he can study and not “get in the way at home.” Unfortunately, this factor is not uncommon now. This especially often happens among those parents who do not take their children to. They believe that he will be taught everything at his desk and without their participation.

Dear parents! You need to work with children . If your child does not attend kindergarten, then this responsibility falls on you. Imagine how hard it will be for a child who, even at 7 years old, cannot read, write, or count.

What parents say and my personal experience

Many parents, only after a couple of years, realize that they sent their child to study early. If at the beginning of school their child somehow showed interest, then in grades 4-5 he began to lag behind in his studies, be capricious and even show aggression.

Alas, the same problem affected me, since my parents sent me to school from the age of 6. Yes, I could read, write, count, and was an excellent student until the 4th grade, but then I got bored with studying, and, unfortunately, now my attitude towards it has not changed.

There are also negative reviews that a child, given to “gnaw the granite of science” at an older age, lost interest in studies and other children, since they were younger than him.

In fact, the psychologist’s advice is simple. Parents should rely not only on their “wants”, but also take into account the development of their children. Watch them, are they ready for such a responsible step?

If you yourself have a negative attitude towards school (your experience affects it), then you should not scare your child with it. Studying should bring not only benefits, but also joy to children . They will spend their entire childhood at school, and let it be for them not only a storehouse of useful knowledge, but also a place for joyful communication with friends and a pleasant pastime.

It is advisable to seek the help of a child psychologist , which will determine the child’s readiness for school. You shouldn’t be ashamed of this, because the future of the children depends on it.

I advise you to watch the video in which Dr. Komarovsky talks about when it is better to send your child to school:

Well, that's where I end. I'm looking forward to your comments about your choice. When did your baby start school or maybe he is just going to first grade?

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