First day of school: For many, it's a big transition - Education - MiamiHerald.com

First day of school: For many, it's a big transition

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BY CARLI TEPROFF AND KATHLEEN MCGRORY

CTEPROFF@MIAMIHERALD.COM

It's the first day of school, and for many Miami-Dade and Broward students, the butterflies started fluttering weeks ago.

Getting used to new teachers, new classmates and new schedules can be tough. Add to that a new school, and the jitters may only get worse.

``It's the unknown,'' said Mary Clisbee, director of academic and faculty support for Nova Southeastern University Fischler School of Education and Human Service. ``They don't know what they will be facing when they walk through the doors.''

Transitions -- starting school for the first time or making a leap from elementary to middle school or middle to high school or from another state or country -- may take a little extra preparation.

``The most important thing to understand is where your kids are developmentally,'' said Clisbee, who suggested role playing with young ones and being patient with older kids who are trying to show independence.

On Monday, more than 600,000 students will be heading off to class in Miami-Dade and Broward, two of the largest public school districts in the nation.

Here is a look at four students who will make huge transitions this year:

ZAHRIA SANDERS

5-year-old unafraid to begin kindergarten -- and to learn

Zahria Sanders is done with taking naps.

She's ready to learn.

``I am not gonna have time to nap anymore,'' said the 5-year-old, who couldn't wait to start kindergarten at Sunland Park Elementary in Fort Lauderdale. ``I have to do my work.''

The talkative little girl said she's not scared about starting school. She just hopes she likes her teachers and classmates.

``I am gonna walk in and say, `Hi teacher, hi class,' and hope everyone is nice,'' she said.

Zahria's mom Jelea Butler said she has been trying to get her daughter excited rather than nervous about ``being a big girl'' and starting kindergarten.

``I think she is ready,'' said Butler. ``The first day is a big day for both of us.''

Getting ready for school was ``fun'' for Zahria because she got to pick out her own backpack. She had a difficult decision between Nickelodeon's iCarly and Disney's Hannah Montana. She went with the black and gold Hannah Montana bag because it was ``cooler.''

She also got to pick out some ``girlie clothes,'' new Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place sneakers and a bunch of paper, pencils and crayons.

``This is all stuff I need for school,'' she said as she placed her supplies in a pink pencil box.

LAURA NAVIA

11-year-old will miss recess but expects a new routine

Laura Navia, 11, already has an idea what middle school will be like.

``Based on the movies I've seen and all of the books I've read, it's different from elementary school,'' she said. ``The kids are bigger and they have cell phones.''

She paused.

``And boyfriends.''

Laura is moving up to Pinecrest Preparatory Middle-High. Most of her friends from Pinecrest Academy South are enrolling there, too.

It's a cultural change, really. Starting middle school means leaving Hannah Montana and Selena Gomez behind for artists like B.o.B. and Eminem. It means feeling more grown up.

Laura is looking forward to changing classes, having homeroom and playing on the school tennis team.

``But they say that in middle school, you don't get recess,'' she said. ``I'm going to miss that.''

Laura has her new green-and-orange school uniform ready to go. She even got the rubber bands on her braces changed. They're now green and orange, too.

She's not nervous about going to a new school. Just excited.

``It's part of growing up,'' she said.

CASTREC KIDS

Their advice: `Don't be nervous, and be yourself'

The Castrec kids know a thing or two about transitioning.

Five years ago, their family moved from New York to Nantes, a city in western France. The kids spoke a little French, but not much.

``School was hard at first,'' said Luc, a first-grader at the time. ``I never raised my hand for anything. All the kids spoke French.''

But within months, Luc, his younger brother Max and his younger sister Coco started picking up the language. The kids soon became fluent -- and felt at home in French school.

Last year, the family moved again, this time to Coral Gables, where mom Shannon grew up. The kids enrolled in her former school: Coral Gables Elementary.

They weren't nervous about going to school in the United States.

``I was excited to get a new teacher and make new friends,'' Coco said.

The kids said school in Coral Gables is different from school in France. There is less homework in France, but the school day is longer and kids have to go to school on Saturdays.

``Also, in France, they have grown-up food in the cafeteria, like couscous and vegetables,'' Max said. ``In America, they have kid food.''

``Like cheeseburgers,'' Coco added.

This year, Luc is entering the fifth grade, Max the fourth and Coco the first.

Their advice to kids coming from other countries: ``Don't be nervous and be yourself,'' said Luc. ``It's pretty easy to make friends.''

WALTER FAULKENBERRY

He's not looking forward to getting up early for high school

Walter Faulkenberry isn't looking forward to getting up at 5:30 in the morning.

``The only reason I get up that early is to go fishing,'' he said.

Not anymore.

Getting up when it's still dark out comes with the new territory. Walter is starting high school.

He's also a little concerned about getting lost in a big school.

``It's gonna be weird having 18-year-olds in the same school,'' the 14-year-old added.

``We know it can be tough,'' South Plantation High Principal David Basile said at freshman orientation.

``This is a big place.''

Walter's mom Patricia Faulkenberry said she was probably more worried about high school than he was. But the orientation session helped her as well.

``Now he is going to be a little fish in a big pond,'' she said. ``But I think he will do great.''

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Wednesday, November 3, 2010