Primary education is the very first step towards the academic journey; hence, we tend to carefully choose the kind of nursery schools we want our kids to go to. Is there a proper curriculum that the teachers follow? What are the mitigative measures used to handle temper tantrums? These are the kind of questions most parents have in their minds.
However, it is crucial to prepare children to face the kids’ admission interview, which is one of the preliminary formalities of enrollment. Blanking out, being unable to answer the questions or keeping mostly quiet are some issues children may exhibit due to unfamiliar surroundings or a general lack of preparedness. Therefore, parents must take the initiative to help their children overcome anxiety while facing the interview.
Importance of school admission interview or interaction for kindergarten/grade 1
Admission interviews are capable of allowing the school facilitator to understand your child’s potential, and it is an appropriate medium that provides them with an idea of the child’s personality. Besides, it helps to understand his or her abilities; the school staff can determine the child’s developmental milestones.
For instance, children wanting to enrol in kindergarten may get questions related to self-introductions, whereas grade 1 students would require to answer questions that would help to understand their awareness levels.
Purpose of the interview/interaction
The admission interview essentially introduces your child to the school staff/teacher, who plays a key role in determining his or her capabilities. Also, it gives an insight into the child’s presence of mind and communication ability, which will contribute to the learning achievements with the gradual passage of time.
During the interview/interaction
What should be the code of conduct while speaking to the teacher? What are the basic questions that the child should know the answers to? You must include these kinds of questions during the interview prep at home. In addition, you can take help from the kids’ interview guide:
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Greeting the interviewer/ teacher
Exchange pleasantries are one of the first good manners that parents must teach their children, which they will implement when they are in school. So, before the interview starts, the child must wish the teacher or interviewer good morning or afternoon. Greeting the interviewer without any prompting from parents indicates politeness and courtesy.
Needless to say, the parents themselves must greet the interviewer and then proceed with the rest of the interaction.
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Introducing the Child
The next step is to introduce your child or let him or her introduce themselves; the latter would allow the teacher to establish a connection or conversation starter from the get-go.
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Answering Questions about the child’s interests, strengths, and weaknesses
During the interview, the child can take the liberty to answer questions about themselves; they can explain their interests and the things they like to do the most in their leisure time. On the other hand, the parents could join the conversation and highlight their child’s strengths and weaknesses.
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Asking questions about the school and its programs
Getting in-depth information about the school’s curriculum and teaching methodologies should be at the top of the list of every parent. Furthermore, they should ask if the school has programs pertaining to enhancing the learning experiences of students. For instance, top nursery schools in Bangalore incorporate specific programs, including play activities and reading sessions, to encourage active learning.
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Demonstrating readiness for kindergarten/grade 1
Kindergarten children must have knowledge of basic things like colour, shapes, vegetables, fruits, etc.; grade 1 level goes beyond that and includes proficiency in numeracy and literacy. Therefore, children must be prepared accordingly so that they are able to answer accurately during the interview.
Conclusion
Filling out the admission or application form is not the only step in the admission process, as the children and their parents must face the interview. And the only way to avoid any unintended errors during the interview is to prepare your children by doing mock interviews at home, including the basic and common questions. Simultaneously, you as a parent need to go through a list of schools and select the best one that caters to children’s needs and offers an encouraging environment to thrive and learn.