Kindergarten Readiness: Part 1 — Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?
In this two-part series, ESK Kindergarten teachers Connie Noland and Kristie Saliba, along with Lower School Director Nancy Laurence, share their tips and tricks for being prepared as your child enters Kindergarten. This week, we take a look at what factors are important to consider as you decide if your child is ready for Kindergarten.
Cut off dates and how I know if my child has met the deadlines.
Knox County cutoff day for enrollment is August 15th. Your child must reach the age of 5 on or before the Cutoff date. Many schools use these dates to determine who is ready for Kindergarten, but research shows that your child’s chronological age isn’t the best way to decide whether he/she has what it takes to be a successful kindergartner. Kindergarten “readiness” is the determining factor. Over the past few years early childhood educators have begun to focus on a child’s physical, social, and cognitive development rather than age.
How can I tell if my child is ready for Kindergarten?
- Talk to your child’s preschool teacher.
- Visit a Kindergarten classroom in the school in which you plan to attend. (watch interactions of other classmates)
- Talk with other family members.
The skills your child needs to have before entering Kindergarten cover a range that includes physical, social academic and life skills. Answers vary, but most educators agree that these are all part of the list:
Your child can follow rules and directions.
He can recognize authority.
She can listen to a story.
She talks in sentences.
He can manage bathroom needs, and can dress himself.
She can recognize shapes and can sort objects by color, size, and shape.
She can count to ten.
He can use scissors, crayons and a pencil correctly.
She knows basic colors.
She is able to hop on one foot, skip and walk backward.
He can bounce and catch a ball.
She can point to and identify body parts such as elbow, knees, hips, shoulders.
We believe in evaluating and assessing each child as an individual and your child’s chronological age is only one factor in the process. At our Kindergarten and First Grade screening/play days applicants will meet individually with classroom teachers.
Additionally, children are observed in a group setting with peers. The results of both the individual and group assessments are considered in admissions decisions.
Be familiar with your child’s new school and routines.
- Teacher-student ratio
- Welcoming environment
- Parent involvement
- Special services offered
- Enrichment classes offered
- Discipline Procedures
- Homework (building on what is being taught at school)
- Forms of Communication (Weekly newsletters, emails, etc.)
- After School Care
Click here to read Part 2 of the series where we take a look at what your child can expect to learn in Kindergarten.