Starting Year 1: what happens in the first six weeks?
The first day of school is not one day but a six-week process. Our teacher, who has taught Year 1 for twelve years, explains what happens at school and at home in these weeks.
I have taught Year 1 for twelve years and every September I hear the same question: "What do we do if they cry on the first day?" My answer is always the same: it is not the first day that matters, but the first six weeks. Settling in is not something that happens in one morning; it is a process in which a child learns to trust a new place, a new rhythm and new people. In this article I want to describe what happens in class during those six weeks and the small but effective things you can do at home.
Week one: places, faces and rules
The Ministry of National Education runs a settling-in week for Year 1 before schools open. At Ada we use this week to get to know the classroom, the garden, the toilets, the kitchen and the dining room. In the first days children learn places more than lessons: where do I hang my bag, who do I tell if I want water, what do I do with the card on the door when I go to the toilet?
This week we also write the class rules together. Instead of "We don't run in the corridor" we choose sentences that say what to do: "We walk in the corridor." The children illustrate the rules and we pin them to the board. Following a rule you wrote with your own hands is much easier than following one the teacher made.
Will there be tears? Probably.
A child crying at the door is not a sign of a bad start. Separation anxiety is expected and temporary at this age, and in most children it eases clearly by the second or third week. From our experience, I can suggest three things:
- Keep goodbyes short. Hug, say "I'll be at the door this afternoon" and go. Long goodbyes at the door make anxiety grow.
- Be there at the time you promised. In the first weeks even a few minutes' delay at home time can shake a child's confidence the next morning.
- Don't slip away. Leaving quietly the moment the child gets busy makes that morning easier but raises the question "will mum disappear again?" the next day.
These are the weeks when two teachers in a class help most. While one starts the group on a game or song, the other can spend a few minutes with a child who is struggling at the door. If you would like a short message about your child during the day, just ask.
Weeks two and three: sounds begin
Reading and writing begin with the first sound. Primary schools in Türkiye use a sound-based sentence method, and since 2017 handwriting has been taught with upright print letters. So there is no need to show your child joined-up italic writing at home; it is best for them to progress with the letter shapes they learn at school.
In these weeks children are learning to hear a sound, recognise a letter and hold a pencil all at once. For some, holding the pencil is harder than learning the sound. In class we do fine-motor work with clay, play dough, scissors and beads. At home, kneading dough, pegging clothes and tearing paper are good for these muscles too.
The pace of learning to read varies a lot from child to child. Don't worry because the neighbour's child is reading in October; what matters to us is that a child progresses at their own pace and enjoys it.
Week four: tiredness
A truth that is rarely mentioned: Year 1 is tiring. A six-hour school day, sitting for long stretches, new rules and a busy classroom use up a child's energy. Around week four many families say "they're so grumpy in the evenings". This is usually a sign of tiredness, not of a problem.
Keep evenings simple during this period. Instead of going straight to a course or a crowded place after school, coming home, eating something and playing freely helps a child rest. Bring bedtime earlier; the recommended sleep for children aged six to twelve is nine to twelve hours a night.
Weeks five and six: the class becomes a group
By week six there is a visible change in class: children call each other by name, know who likes which game, and introduce a new teacher to the class themselves. In our class this is the week we write our own class song. Composed with Ozan in the music workshop, it is sung in the morning circle all year.
We also hold the first parents' meeting in these weeks. We share our observations about each child and listen to how things are at home. If a child is finding it hard to settle, we make a small plan together with our school counsellor.
Your part at home: a short list
- Don't rush in the mornings: enough time to get ready helps a child start the day calmly.
- Instead of "What did you do at school today?" ask more concrete questions: "Who did you sit next to at lunch?", "What did you play with most in the garden?"
- Pack the bag together, but gradually hand the responsibility to your child.
- Keep the relationship with the teacher positive in front of your child. If you have a concern, write to us directly.
- Read a book together for fifteen to twenty minutes every evening, both before and after your child learns to read.
By the end of six weeks most children run to school. If yours doesn't, don't worry; for some children this takes a little longer. What matters is going through that time together, without hurry.
