Up to 90 percent of brain development happens by age five, which means those fun and early years of our child's life are so important for a bright future.
Research confirms that the interactions a child has with parents or caregivers have a big impact on a child's emotional development, learning abilities, and ultimately, success in school and life.
What can parents do to make sure we help set our children up for school success?
Listen in as Asma Siddiqi, MD and Melanie Cole, MS discuss your role as parents in your child's early education.
Selected Podcast
School Readiness: Preparing Children For a Bright Future
Featured Speaker:
Asma Siddiqi, MD - Family Medicine
Dr. Asma Siddiqi is a board-certified family medicine doctor who practices at Allina Health East Lake Street Clinic in Minneapolis. Dr. Siddiqi has professional interests in preventive care, women's health and pediatric care. In addition to being a physician, Dr. Siddiqi is a mom to a happy little boy. Transcription:
Melanie Cole (Host): Up to 90% of brain development happens by the age of five which means those fun and early years of our child’s life are so important for a bright future. Research confirms that the interactions a child has with their parents or caregivers have a big impact on a child’s emotional development, learning abilities and ultimately, their success in school and life. What can parents do to help further this along? My guest today is Dr. Asma Siddiqi. She’s a board certified family medicine doctor who practices at Allina Health East Lake Street Clinic in Minneapolis. Welcome to the show, Dr. Siddiqi. Tell us a little about school readiness. What is that?
Dr. Asma Siddiqi (Guest): Definitely. School readiness basically encompasses by preparing our children, our schools and communities to maximize educational experience of all children regardless of their developmental abilities or any health conditions they might have.
Melanie: What are some of the different elements of school readiness?
Dr. Siddiqi: There are quite a few elements, but the most important which I think we should focus on are: language development, making sure our kids are socially and emotionally ready. For example, they can sit still, make friendships. A child’s approach to learning is very important. For example, some kids learn more effectively visually while others, they’ll learn if something is written to them, general knowledge and lastly, not to ignore physical well being and motor development.
Melanie: Tell us about the importance of this well being and self-esteem and motivation as children learn to learn.
Dr. Siddiqi: Early school success or failure can affect a child’s wellbeing, self-esteem and motivation. For example, if a child is not emotionally or socially ready, he might not be able to sit still, make friendships and could be left behind in terms of not paying attention or basically missing out on what’s being taught in the class. So it’s very important to ensure that the child begins school when developmentally ready to participate in classroom activities.
Melanie: How does a parent know when their children are ready to start pre-school or some sort of pre-kindergarten class?
Dr. Siddiqi: The children should basically -- first thing which I would say would be emotionally ready in terms of that segregation which they can have from the parents. That’s very important and that’s a major milestone. If kids are still crying when the parents are going away, that’s not going to work so we have to work on that segregation. Being able to sit not for a prolonged period of time but for 10-20 minutes so they can concentrate what lessons the teacher is going to or what they are being taught. Being able to engage in friendship, being able to have some writing skills, for example holding a crayon, not mainly -- I won't expect a preschooler to write also but just some picking up the crayon properly and doing some scribbling, etcetera, stuff like that.
Melanie: What are some of the different areas of learning that determine whether or not a child is ready? You’ve mentioned the writing and scribbling, being able to make friends and are there some others that kindergarten teachers can say, you know, this child has not been ready because they couldn’t do this?
Dr. Siddiqi: I would say self-regulation. The moral awareness, that also goes into how they interact with their peers and teachers. Physical well being and motor development, sometimes, if a child is well behaved, sitting quietly, paying attention, that’s ignored by some teachers and if the school is good quality and they’re following the right curriculum, they will recognize it. For example, if a child is not pedaling well. If they’re asking him to ride a bike on a tricycle and he’s not pedaling well, that’s a concern at four years of age when they are starting pre-K. Or if they’re having some trouble while they are in the lunch room not able to feed themselves well, those are also some concerns and they can speak with the parents and parents in general can speak with the pediatrician and get appropriate help for the kid. I would also like to mention language deficiency. If the teachers are not able to make out 90% of the words or what the child is trying to say or explain, that’s also a concern.
Melanie: What are some ways that parents can incorporate learning into the daily routine so that it’s a little bit more second nature for a child to attend classes?
Dr. Siddiqi: Now, as parents, we are the first teachers to our child so we can encourage language and reading skills. For example, when we are driving, just pointing at common signs and symbols, talking about different colored cars. While you’re at home, your child can help you to cook by naming ingredients, stirring, mixing, which can help with motor skills. At grocery stores, pointing out at different vegetables, their colors, counting, for example, asking them to pick four apples. Writing skills, we can work on by asking the kid to peel a carrot, write invitations, working on cognitive skills by going to the museum to learn a bit. I do agree the best and the most effective learning does happen when incorporated into daily life rather than by being a separate activity.
Melanie: Well, speaking of daily life, there are so many screen things these days. How does that play into school readiness with TVs and Smartphones and tablets? Are these things detrimental or helpful to getting your child ready to start school?
Dr. Siddiqi: Well, the first thing to know is that there should be no screen time in the first 24 months of a child’s life. After the age of two, it’s reasonable to introduce educational programming to children. I was quite strict about no TVfor my son until he turned two, but after that, we have allowed him to watch carefully selected program. The reality is that there are many educational programs on televisions and apps on our Smartphones that foster literacy and social development. In fact, I have to admit that my son has learned a lot from these programs he watches and apps he has been allowed to use. But we do have to be careful regarding what our children are watching and be sure -- should be watched together as a family. And later after every show, we should discuss what the child saw and go over the main points with our children. I would emphasize the key is to avoid excessive screen time and to make sure the children spend enough time on other activities that promote learning and play. Also, it should be noted that a large body of research does demonstrate that watching violence even in cartoon font does lead to aggressiveness and decreased time for play in children. So everything in moderation and no TV before the age of two.
Melanie: What should we do, Dr. Siddiqi, if we think our children are not ready to go to school?
Dr. Siddiqi: The first thing is to go speak to your pediatrician or your family practice doctor. If you notice any delay in speech, for example, if by preschool, you’re not understanding 90 % what they’re trying to tell you, you have noticed some emotional or social problems that the children -- by four years of age they should be playing with other kids. Some kids do parallel play, but there is social interaction which is noted, some motor delays then speak with your pediatrician and they can refer you to other specialties like physical therapy, OT, speech therapy or community health which is available.
Melanie: An early intervention is so important, Dr. Siddiqi. In just the last minute, do you have some resources that you’d like parents to know about to help them learn more about this?
Dr. Siddiqi: Of course. I have a list of resources and I focus basically here in Minnesota, so talking about Minnesota, parents know this is State of Minnesota website designed to provide parenting information about children’s development, learning and health and parents can go on www.mnparentsknow.info. The other one which I really like is Help Me Grow. This is also State of Minnesota-designed website designed for concerns about young children’s development and learning and where to make referrals from birth to age five. A few others to name is A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Your Child for School.
Melanie: You’re listening to the Well Cast with Allina Health and for more information; you can go to allinahealth.org, that’s allinahealth.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.
Melanie Cole (Host): Up to 90% of brain development happens by the age of five which means those fun and early years of our child’s life are so important for a bright future. Research confirms that the interactions a child has with their parents or caregivers have a big impact on a child’s emotional development, learning abilities and ultimately, their success in school and life. What can parents do to help further this along? My guest today is Dr. Asma Siddiqi. She’s a board certified family medicine doctor who practices at Allina Health East Lake Street Clinic in Minneapolis. Welcome to the show, Dr. Siddiqi. Tell us a little about school readiness. What is that?
Dr. Asma Siddiqi (Guest): Definitely. School readiness basically encompasses by preparing our children, our schools and communities to maximize educational experience of all children regardless of their developmental abilities or any health conditions they might have.
Melanie: What are some of the different elements of school readiness?
Dr. Siddiqi: There are quite a few elements, but the most important which I think we should focus on are: language development, making sure our kids are socially and emotionally ready. For example, they can sit still, make friendships. A child’s approach to learning is very important. For example, some kids learn more effectively visually while others, they’ll learn if something is written to them, general knowledge and lastly, not to ignore physical well being and motor development.
Melanie: Tell us about the importance of this well being and self-esteem and motivation as children learn to learn.
Dr. Siddiqi: Early school success or failure can affect a child’s wellbeing, self-esteem and motivation. For example, if a child is not emotionally or socially ready, he might not be able to sit still, make friendships and could be left behind in terms of not paying attention or basically missing out on what’s being taught in the class. So it’s very important to ensure that the child begins school when developmentally ready to participate in classroom activities.
Melanie: How does a parent know when their children are ready to start pre-school or some sort of pre-kindergarten class?
Dr. Siddiqi: The children should basically -- first thing which I would say would be emotionally ready in terms of that segregation which they can have from the parents. That’s very important and that’s a major milestone. If kids are still crying when the parents are going away, that’s not going to work so we have to work on that segregation. Being able to sit not for a prolonged period of time but for 10-20 minutes so they can concentrate what lessons the teacher is going to or what they are being taught. Being able to engage in friendship, being able to have some writing skills, for example holding a crayon, not mainly -- I won't expect a preschooler to write also but just some picking up the crayon properly and doing some scribbling, etcetera, stuff like that.
Melanie: What are some of the different areas of learning that determine whether or not a child is ready? You’ve mentioned the writing and scribbling, being able to make friends and are there some others that kindergarten teachers can say, you know, this child has not been ready because they couldn’t do this?
Dr. Siddiqi: I would say self-regulation. The moral awareness, that also goes into how they interact with their peers and teachers. Physical well being and motor development, sometimes, if a child is well behaved, sitting quietly, paying attention, that’s ignored by some teachers and if the school is good quality and they’re following the right curriculum, they will recognize it. For example, if a child is not pedaling well. If they’re asking him to ride a bike on a tricycle and he’s not pedaling well, that’s a concern at four years of age when they are starting pre-K. Or if they’re having some trouble while they are in the lunch room not able to feed themselves well, those are also some concerns and they can speak with the parents and parents in general can speak with the pediatrician and get appropriate help for the kid. I would also like to mention language deficiency. If the teachers are not able to make out 90% of the words or what the child is trying to say or explain, that’s also a concern.
Melanie: What are some ways that parents can incorporate learning into the daily routine so that it’s a little bit more second nature for a child to attend classes?
Dr. Siddiqi: Now, as parents, we are the first teachers to our child so we can encourage language and reading skills. For example, when we are driving, just pointing at common signs and symbols, talking about different colored cars. While you’re at home, your child can help you to cook by naming ingredients, stirring, mixing, which can help with motor skills. At grocery stores, pointing out at different vegetables, their colors, counting, for example, asking them to pick four apples. Writing skills, we can work on by asking the kid to peel a carrot, write invitations, working on cognitive skills by going to the museum to learn a bit. I do agree the best and the most effective learning does happen when incorporated into daily life rather than by being a separate activity.
Melanie: Well, speaking of daily life, there are so many screen things these days. How does that play into school readiness with TVs and Smartphones and tablets? Are these things detrimental or helpful to getting your child ready to start school?
Dr. Siddiqi: Well, the first thing to know is that there should be no screen time in the first 24 months of a child’s life. After the age of two, it’s reasonable to introduce educational programming to children. I was quite strict about no TVfor my son until he turned two, but after that, we have allowed him to watch carefully selected program. The reality is that there are many educational programs on televisions and apps on our Smartphones that foster literacy and social development. In fact, I have to admit that my son has learned a lot from these programs he watches and apps he has been allowed to use. But we do have to be careful regarding what our children are watching and be sure -- should be watched together as a family. And later after every show, we should discuss what the child saw and go over the main points with our children. I would emphasize the key is to avoid excessive screen time and to make sure the children spend enough time on other activities that promote learning and play. Also, it should be noted that a large body of research does demonstrate that watching violence even in cartoon font does lead to aggressiveness and decreased time for play in children. So everything in moderation and no TV before the age of two.
Melanie: What should we do, Dr. Siddiqi, if we think our children are not ready to go to school?
Dr. Siddiqi: The first thing is to go speak to your pediatrician or your family practice doctor. If you notice any delay in speech, for example, if by preschool, you’re not understanding 90 % what they’re trying to tell you, you have noticed some emotional or social problems that the children -- by four years of age they should be playing with other kids. Some kids do parallel play, but there is social interaction which is noted, some motor delays then speak with your pediatrician and they can refer you to other specialties like physical therapy, OT, speech therapy or community health which is available.
Melanie: An early intervention is so important, Dr. Siddiqi. In just the last minute, do you have some resources that you’d like parents to know about to help them learn more about this?
Dr. Siddiqi: Of course. I have a list of resources and I focus basically here in Minnesota, so talking about Minnesota, parents know this is State of Minnesota website designed to provide parenting information about children’s development, learning and health and parents can go on www.mnparentsknow.info. The other one which I really like is Help Me Grow. This is also State of Minnesota-designed website designed for concerns about young children’s development and learning and where to make referrals from birth to age five. A few others to name is A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Your Child for School.
Melanie: You’re listening to the Well Cast with Allina Health and for more information; you can go to allinahealth.org, that’s allinahealth.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.