Greenstone education | 11
child is struggling in class. The teacher
might suggest that your child be assessed
by an occupational therapist. Some
schools have a particular therapist that
comes to the school. There will usually be
a fee involved that can be claimed from
your medical aid scheme if you have one.
Alternatively, the teacher might ask the
Education Department’s psychologist to
do an assessment. This can sometimes
mean a long wait. You are welcome to
consult a private therapist or psychologist
at your own expense.
How can I build confidence in my
child?
The start of a new school term or year
can hold a mixture of emotions for
many children: the excitement of seeing
old friends, having new stationery and
uniform, moving onto a new class and of
coping with new teachers, subjects and
timetable changes.
For children who are repeating a grade,
the new year can bring a slightly different
set of feelings: sadness at a sense of
having ‘failed’, of being left behind, their
friends moving on without them. These
children need lots of encouragement
and positive reinforcement. Repeating
should not be viewed as ‘failure’ but as
a chance to get a firmer grasp of difficult
concepts. Try to: allow them time to
settl