Today marks the 23rd day of school, we would think we would be further along in the school year but with all the holidays it is still early on. We expect that the students are well adjusted to their surroundings and schedule but in reality, there hasn't been enough time to gain that comfort.
When starting a new school, a number of students are coming from different past school experiences and it is a major transition to adjust to a new setting. The kids are learning to acclimate both in terms of teachers, staff, physical setting, and school culture. But by far, the hardest transition is making new friends.
For both the new students and older students, kids are a little reticent to extend themselves, not out of a lack of friendliness but more out of comfort with people they are familiar with.
A goal of a jewish day school, and ours at Maayan Torah Day School, is to inspire and teach our students the Jewish values of being in someone else's emotional "shoes". Moving beyond how we feel, and thinking from the perspective of the other person is a deep Torah value that can be educated from a young age.
It is extraordinary to see children's understanding when you open their eyes to someone else's pain or feelings.
Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov in his book, A Jew in his Home, mentions that we must start very early with educating children from a very young age in sensitivity and kindness with others.
Here are two suggestions for helping your child break into friend circles. Playdates with classmates and good home/school communication are some ways to help new students make the adjustment to a new school environment easier. Informing teachers about certain social dynamics help the teachers to proactively group kids in certain ways and positively reinforce extra inclusion of peers.
Wishing everyone a Rosh Chodesh Tov for Cheshvan!
Aviel Brodkin
