Your sweet Firstie has now graduated and is on to
Second grade. So, what should you expect from them, and
what will teachers be looking for academically,
behaviorally, and socially? What an exciting time, and
a great transition where students are able to become
more independent learners, and start to “get” social
interaction, their strengths, and also their
weaknesses. Second-graders are socially and emotionally
different from younger children. At the start of second
grade, children should be able to work independently,
sustain attention for a longer time period and follow
classroom routines. Most of the time, they should be
able to easily interact with their peers, as well as
with adults. Although they will still have some issues
when working in a group or encountering a source of
conflict, they should be able to work out most issues
amiably or seek help when appropriate. Academically, in
second grade most children practice the skills learned
in earlier grades and begin to use them with ease. Some
children who were not completely ready to understand
all the material introduced in first grade may now be
ready to master it. Here are some skills to work on,
for the journey into Second Grade
Social and Emotional skills for Second grade….
*follow 3-4 procedures and directions
*work for 8-10 minutes independently
*follow instructions given the first time
*work with peers in a small group, while contributing and being
respectful.
* Complete and turn in homework no longer than 20 minutes
*walk independently to library/office/gym and back.
*Raise hand and wait turn to speak.
*Regulate their voices i.e. use an “inside’ or an “outside”
voice when appropriate.
*Wait their turn.
*Exercise appropriate self-control.
*Be polite and receptive to others opinions.
*Be aware and respect “personal” space.
*Responds appropriately to verbal and nonverbal cues, i.e. body
language and facial expressions.
*Listen attentively to a story, and remain sitting in own space
on carpet or in whole group situations.
*Organize and maintain belongings, i.e. backpack, school’s
supplies, and desk.
*Show respect for classroom materials, and use them correctly.
*Appears comfortable and confident in self and abilities
*Respects others and the rights of others
*Follows classroom rules and routines
*Accepts responsibility for behavior and actions
*Interacts easily with adults
*Shows empathy and caring for others
*Uses words to reason and resolve conflicts
*Seeks help when unable to resolve conflicts
*Uses words appropriately
*Completes tasks
How can you help? Here are just a few suggestions:
Be a role model at all times, especially when you are
in a conflict or faced with a difficult decision.
Describe out loud the thought process you go through as
you decide how to react to a situation.
Praise your child for positive behaviors and making
smart decisions, and point out small successes. ("That
was a good decision to share the cupcake so you both
got a little bit.")
Give your child the opportunity to make choices; when
your child is having a difficult moment, offer up two
suggestions with consequences ("You can either leave
your toys on the floor and choose to give up tonight's
bedtime story, or you can pick up your toys and earn an
extra ten minutes of story time."). Abide by these
consequences.
Organize brief family study periods every night; make
this habit a part of your family life so that it
becomes something your child looks forward to as
“together time.” Have plenty of study materials for
your child so that this time is spent reading, writing
or focusing, not on looking for something to do.
Set a routine that is followed every day, so they learn
how to follow a schedule.
Give them one or two responsibilities that are theirs
to complete independently each day.
READ with them and to them as much as possible. Build
that stamina of quiet, read to self-time.
When other adults are present, ask your child a
question or two that you know they can answer and enjoy
discussing (their favorite toy or the family pet).
Listen to your child’s responses and ask further
questions to encourage attention to detail (“What kind
of ice cream did Francis drop on the floor?”)
Encourage his curiosity: In 2nd grade your child will
begin learning about the scientific concept of cause and
effect, and will be asked to use observation skills to
come up with answers to "why" questions. You can engage
curiosity by creating simple experiments at home
Challenge them to think "in their head" Ask your child to
do simple math problems silently in their head or aloud.
Teachers say that when a child starts 2nd grade with a
basic knowledge of addition and subtraction, it's easier
to move on to story or word problems. (For example, if
each apple costs 10 cents and John has one dollar, how
many apples can he buy?) One simple drill is to ask your
child to count out loud to 20 by 2s, 5s, and 10s. You can
count steps when you're walking, stairs when you're
climbing, minutes when you're driving, and so on.
