Is your child ready for Kindergarten?
There is no easy way for parents of kindergartners to know if their child is ready for school, but here some characteristics that are important for success:
• Your child enjoys being with others
• Your child can follow simple rules and instructions
• Your child can stay with an activity for 15 to 20 minutes
• Your child feels comfortable away from home
• Your child identifies some colors and shapes
• Your child understands some simple number ideas
• Your child draws simple figures
• Your child enjoys listening to stories
Learning Goals for Kindergarten
• Math – your child will learn about patterns, counting, size comparisons, shapes, days of the week, time, simple addition and subtraction, graphing, simple money, estimation and positional words
• Reading/Language Arts – your child will learn individual sounds that make up our language. He/She will learn how to write the letters and combinations associated with those sounds, identify rhyming words and read and write simple words on sight. New vocabulary words and listening comprehension skills will be taught daily alongside communicating ideas that demonstrate understanding through discussions and hands-on activities
• Science – your child will learn about living things and their basic characteristics and needs, explore the properties of size, weight and balance, basic principles of scientific research and method – such as exploration, observation and measurement
• Music – your child will learn how to respond to music through movement, develop the emerging voice, distinguish between loud/soft, fast/slow, etc., develop a repertoire of songs to sing
• Social Studies – your child will learn that families share common and diverse characteristics, that family members and family structure change over time, that we are all part of a larger world culture and economy
• Physical Education – your child will learn how to balance using a variety of body parts, participate in physical fitness activities; perform basic movements like throwing, catching, jumping, sliding, hopping, etc.
• Visual Arts – your child will learn how to explore a variety of materials and art-making experiences, talk about art and respond visually through line, color and shape
• Library Media – your child will learn how to choose and use information and technology tools; use a mouse and keyboard to run a computer program
Kindergarten report cards reflect your child’s progress on these many skill levels – conferences are excellent opportunities to discuss your child’s achievement levels.