Summer institute helps reduce first-day jitters

By Sara Greene

LITTLE ROCK — The Florence Mattison Elementary School Learning Institute in Conway is helping kindergartners start the school year with a little more confidence and hopefully fewer tears.

The six-week camp, in its fourth year, helps children get comfortable with the school, learn the rules and see faces of teachers and students they’ll see again when school starts.

Heather Smith, who has been teaching kindergarten at the school for six years, sees the need for the camp.

“The hardest part of the first day was just the transition. We still have the tears and a little trouble walking in line,” Smith said.

Smith and teachers Rosa Abernathy and Antwan Criswell are teaching 32 children enrolled in the course. This year, a couple of first- and second-graders are participating, too, Gloria Criswell, Florence Mattison teacher and site coordinator, said.

“Parents have said they’ve seen the growth in their children and the first day isn’t as traumatic for the students,” Criswell said.

Students learn rules like walking down the hall on the second tile from the wall. They learn what a fire drill and tornado drill are like. Besides learning the rules, like sitting still, the students also review the academics needed in the classroom. Smith’s class started Tuesday with a discussion about why the calendar looked different.

“Yesterday was the last day of June,” Jacob Kaufman said.

Smith then asked her class to tell her about the capital and lowercase letter E.

Keyana Thomas, 5, raised her

During a class activity to identify upper and lowercase letters, students gave a thumbs up when their classmates picked the right one. Later that morning, Max Rudder, 5, sat on a blue carpet with the world and international flags on it. He busily demonstrated his knowledge of patterns by attaching red and green plastic blocks.

His favorite part of school isn’t academics, but the recreation and socialization.

“I like playing outside with my friends,” Max said.

This fall he’ll be walking the same halls as his older sister.

“I have a sister, Maggie. She’s good. Sometimes she’s bossy,” Max said.

Keyana said she’s ready for kindergarten.

“I think I’ll like it. I like learnhand.

“They look different, but they make the same sound,” Keyana said.

Smith led the class in pronouncing the letter and talked about capitals.

“The first letter of your name needs to be a capital letter because it’s important, just like you,” Smith said.

Then the class started talking about things that are green.

“Snakes,” said John Tyler Colvin, 5.

“Salads,” said Hasana Robinson, 5.

“Your dress is green today,” Jacob told his teacher.

ing stuff from my teacher,” Keyana said.

All the students were in agreement that the playground was their favorite part of going to school.

“I like to run around and pretend to be a monster,” Kaufman said.

When class is over, the students spend time on the muchloved playground with their teachers until parents arrive to pick them up.

Parent Andrea Robinson said the learning institute has been good for both Hasana, and her twin sister, Ariana, who is in a different class.

“Hasana has been doing good. She’s a little shy, and her sister is the talker. They went to preschool, too, so I think they’reready,” Robinson said.

Besides learning some of the nuances of school such as how to open milk cartons, the students have also been on a few field trips such as touring Conway Regional Medical Center, checking out a fire truck and visiting the library for story time.

School nurse Kim Leaton recorded the children’s height and weight. The students also get a vision and dental screening.

For students like Anthony Snyder, kindergarten has always been part of his plan.

“My mom took me here. I forgot what I said, but I think I said, ‘When I’m 5 I’ll go there,’” Anthony said.

The learning institute is funded through a 21st Century Classroom grant.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 121, 126 on 07/06/2008