Kindergarten Readiness... School Is Starting!!!

Kindergarteners come in a huge range of what they know. Try not to worry too much. You can bet they have seen it all and have ways to help.

Is this your first child going to Kinder?

Most schools, have Kindergarten testing for the entering kids.
And, if your child has gone to Preschool, the person you can ask is the Preschool Teacher.

And assuming your child makes the age cut-off for entering Kindergarten, then he makes the age.

Are you talking about academic readiness???? Or your child's emotional maturity and behavior maturity readiness????
2 very different things.
Some kids are academically ready. But are emotionally immature.
Some kids are emotionally and socially mature, but not high on the academic readiness.
There is a wide range.

Can your child go to the bathroom unassisted? They don't assist the child in Kindergarten.
Can your child speak up, if/when he or she has to go to the bathroom? They need to raise their hand.
Can your child follow direction? Listen and do routines?
Pay attention without wandering around and disturbing others?
Can your child sit in a chair?

Being "ready" for school, entails a wide range of things.
Not just academics. And not just social aspects.
It is a combination.

Have you enrolled your child for school already?

SURE, every parent may be nervous about their child entering Kindergarten and wondering if their child is "ready."
But sometimes you just have to do it.
And in school, the Teacher, will tell you of any concerns or not.

And of course, there may be things the Teacher may tell you about your child. Because, NO child is perfect nor totally ready.
For school.
It is a process.... of getting used to school, the routines, the activities and being around other children, too.

If your child has gone to Preschool, then you should know if your child is ready or not, and after speaking to the Preschool Teacher.

Never passed my mind to worry about it or give it a second thought. Kids are ready for kindergarten even if they don't know red from black. They learn all of this in class. Of course it really makes it easier for them if they already know everything they'll need because they learn to read a lot of the time in there now.

Your child's pediatrician should have gone over a few basic things with you. I assme your child didn't go to preschool (?) because they also discuss any concerns they may have.
I'm sure all will be fine, most kids are more than ready.
And what about his new school, didn't they do ANY kind of an evaluation, even something as simple as a meet and greet with the teachers?

Kindergarten teachers have seen it all and taught all sorts of children. Nothing surprises them or rattles them.

Your job is to get your child there on time and fed, with his supplies, a plan for his lunch lunch and knowing who will pick him up in the afternoon.
He is going to do great.

You can plan to go out for breakfast right after you drop him off. Maybe meet with some other moms and visit.

This is an exciting time for all of you.
Every day ask him how was your day? What was your favorite part? And at night praise him for doing such a good job at school..

Or being a good listener.

Being a good friend.

Being a good helper.

For doing his best.

He will live up to these expectations, especially when you are interested.

I have taught FT (yrs and yrs ago), I teach parenting and I have kids.

I had a child who had some concerns. I put my child in K because it was mostly play and the class learned a letter or 2 a week (This was years ago).

First grade was a killer for my child ! The1st grade teacher said, She'll eventually catch up academically and socially." My reply was, "WRONG."

I switched schools and my child did 1st grade again based on MY professional experience in reg education...and my experience in special education, as well.

It was the best decision!

Please know that Kindergarten is very academic now. It's not like yrs ago ! The first 2 months of school are sort of an ease in...Then, the academics kick in ! The social/emotional part is key, too.

I have been chatting w/ a friend who has a little guy. He is just 5 and he is not ready for K. He shows signs of anxiety, cries often and has many sensory issues. He will have a bear of a time in Kindergarten w/out intervention. She just met w/ her pediatrician last week and he wants this child to go to a therapist...This is a 5 year old who needs another year !!!

When in doubt, ask a specialist !

Did your child go to preschool last year? If so, did the teacher mention any concerns?

Our school division provides kindergarten preparation classes prior to the start of kindergarten. The kids attend a Rock-n-Read group as well as have one on one Literacy Links program with a facilitator. Basically they make sure all the kids are on the same page going into kindergarten. The expect kids to know letters, numbers, how to hold a pencil, how to print their own name, to know how a book works, to recognize patterns, how to use scissors and to know their own address and phone number. Other than that the child only needs to be able to listen and follow instruction, sit in a circle, take turns and share.

One person responded saying if your child is 5 then they're ready to go to school. There's a lot more to being ready than this & most of it is NOT academic. It's about social skills & emotional maturity: can they separate easily from you, can they make friends, can they problem solve w/o a lot of tears & intervention from adults, can they sit & listen to a lesson, can they follow multi-stepped instructions? You don't mention if you have a boy or a girl & when they're bday is. Boy VS girl makes a difference. We have 2 boys & our older son has a late November bday. While at almost 5, he was academically ready for K, emotionally he was not. We waited & sent him when he was almost 6. Back then they called it red shirting or holding back but it was neither of those, it was about sending him to school when he was ready & could be successful. He is now almost 13 & it was the best decision we made! Our younger son is June baby & we thought for sure he was ready. Knew he was a bit lacking academically but thought that would all work itself out in K. Boy were we wrong. He has other issues ( ADD & learning difference) that came into play but I now think even June & July bdays fall into the young category. You know your kid best so if you think they're ready send them, if you don't, keep them home another year. K is so much more academic than it used to be & that's a lot of pressure on little kid.

If a child is five, they are ready for kindergarten. That's it. No, I didn't worry about it. Our schools have no test for kindergarten readiness. You go as long as you make the cut off.

The current research shows there is no benefit to children who are held back when they are eligible to enter based upon their age alone . This includes both academics and social skills and is based upon kids followed through the completion of high school.

It would help to know when the child's birthday is, and if there are any known medical delays.

Did you child attend preschool? If yes, did they suggest he/she should be held back? You can always take your child to the school to be evaluated for readiness.

Maturity issues, ability to focus, sit for a bit, etc. Kindergarten is very academic now.

I didn't see that at age 5 and wished we'd waited until age 6 because by third grade she was still catching up and struggling.

My son will start kindergarten on Monday. I am more worried about the after care we will be putting him in. But that is because he was kicked out of daycare in the past. We have done a significant amount of changes for him like diet changes, adding acupuncture ( no needles, huge huge positive difference) .

I knew a few kinder teachers.. They have seen it all, from the kids who can not talk to the ones with no impulse control, etc.. They work through it.