Getting Ready for Kindergarten
The Purpose of Kindergarten
It’s a pretty common question when you are starting to prepare your preschool child for that first day of kindergarten to ask you, probably with tears in
their eyes, “but daddy or mommy , why do I have to go?” While you may have your parent answers to give you will obviously refocus your childs' attention on how fun it will be and their next step toward “being a smarter kid”. It’s important that mom and dad have a firm understanding of what kindergarten is all about so they can do a great job at preparing their little one for this big step in life.
It's a mistake to see kindergarten as a huge academic leap into the future. When parents pour so much energy into preparing their children to excel academically before heading off to kindergarten, they miss the point of this important year of school. Moreover, by “prepping” the child for school as though this first year was going to be their freshman year at MIT, you create even more stress and anxiety. The child begins to think they are going to walk into a situation of high stress. The result is the child goes off to kindergarten already stressed and far more anxious than is justified for this first step out of the home.
Now this does not mean that preschool is not a good idea. Not only does preschool give the child an early love of learning, it's also an excellent way to help your child begin to acclimate to the idea of going to school out of the home. Learning to go somewhere else and becoming part of an organized curriculum has its' advantages. Preschool gently starts that transition both academically and emotionally.
To a very large extent, the purpose of kindergarten is to help young children begin that transition to a structured environment of school. If by the end of this important first year, kindergarten children come to school happily, knowing how to (i) work with a schedule (ii) sit at desks (iii) listen to speakers (iv) write things down and take them home (v) bring them back again the next day and
(vi) walk through the structured schedule of a normal school day; that's a huge step forward in preparing your child for school life that will begin in first grade.
Yes! there is a curriculum in kindergarten and simple lessons are taught. Very often grades are not recorded or a passing grade is not required. The learning objectives that any kindergarten teacher will have for this year of life with these first year student's are behavioral and social goals.
The kindergarten teacher is a much different kind of teacher than any other your child will meet in his or her academic career. The kindergarten teacher play a major role in helping your child make that transition away from home 6-8 hours of the day and using a significant part of their day at school. Commonly kindergarten teachers have special training in child psychology and are as much counselors and guides as they are teachers of lessons from books.
Get to know the teacher of your child’s kindergarten class. You will find she is eager to know all she can about your child to achieve her goal of preparing each kindergartner for the many academic years to come. If you are in sync with those goals, you can reinforce the experience your child is having with encouragement and interest at home. Working as a team with the teacher will help your child have a wonderful and successful first year in school.
The Basic Skills of Kindergarten
Children love to learn. In their first years of life, there's really no distinction between learning and play to a child. They get as much fun and joy from learning new things as they do from any game they play. Play during kindergarten allows them to conquer some basic principles that are useful throughout their kindergarten years.
Many children games and coloring books focus on helping kindergarteners learn colors and shapes that improvement their fine motor skills. Preschoolers are very capable of learning 5-10 colors as well as, many nuances of color. The same is true for shapes. While a child may have trouble saying “octagon”, don’t underestimate their ability to learn the names of the various shapes of their toys and blocks.
Play and reading creates a fun environment for learning alphabet and number counting. How great would it be for your child; not only to have these core skills and areas of knowledge well in hand before school starts, but to be able to start with that much confidence. This kind of confidence translates into success for any student starting on a new adventure. Reading improves your child’s vocabulary and ability to speak clearly and expressively. Don’t be surprised if you find your child with books open early and often because you took the time to read. The love of learning is something that will stay with that child for the rest of their lives. What a wonderful gift. Run and play develop strong motor skills. Writing and coloring improves hand eye coordination. Kindergarten create opportunities for your child to develop intellectually, physically and socially adjust to social norms.
Making Kindergarten Safe
Sometimes we are not even aware how much we do to protect our kids when they are living at home. But when you are preparing your child to go out into the world on their own for the very first time, suddenly it can get very scary. One of the big jobs of preparing for your child to go to kindergarten is to assure your child’s safety while at school.
Schools are designed to be a safe place for kids. However, it’s important to do research before enrollment. It’s helpful to sit in for a day to see the culture of the school. Door to door service is recommended for parents relying on student transportation. If your child must walk to school, take some time before the kindergarten year begins to meet parents of other kindergarten age children in your neighborhood. If your kid can tag along with a parent supervised group that is walking to school, that parent’s presence is often enough to make sure your child is safe.
Teach your children not to talk to strangers, leave with strangers, never to pick up anything and put it in her mouth; only eat things that are either brought to school or purchase from the school cafeteria or are given to the class by the teacher. You have no idea what that other child is offering is safe or well prepared. Yes, this is a bit paranoid but being safe is far better than being sorry later.
Now you don’t want to scare your child or give the idea that every adult is an abductor and every other child a drug dealer. It’s okay for your little one to trust the adults at school and the other kids too. However, at the same time observe basic safety precautions even with trusted kids and adults. Making it a rule to never be alone with another person anywhere is one way to make sure your child is always safe. By stipulating that your child is never alone even with another child, eliminates the chances unsafe activities. It’s a hard and fast rule that your child must learn never to go home with another child or accept a ride from anyone without notifying mom first. Even if the child is your little one’s good friend. By making sure your kindergartner knows the rules of safety well and observes them religiously, you are doing all you can to make sure that when you send that precious child off to school, you are continuously providing protection.
Making Kindergarten Normal
Transition from being a child in the home to the classroom is most extreme for a very young child facing that first day at kindergarten. In most cases, being at home with family member is all a child knows. The family home is a place of comfort other than brief outings. The world is not a place that the child feels comfortable with yet. By taking your child through some preparation stages in advance, you can do a lot to make the idea of going to kindergarten normal and to make that first day seem more routine fun when she finds her desk and begins to listen to a teacher for the first time ever.
Videos can help your child visualize school and be of tremendous help. Look for children’s videos that are appropriate to your little one’s age that are educational. Watch them together and talk about the day that will come for school. These conversations assist in preparing your child emotionally and mentally. Pretend school is an excellent way for kids to acclimate to the learning environment. Make it fun and interactive using toys. Visiting the classroom that your child will attend and meeting with the teacher are steps taken to initiate transition. Taking the child along and observe for response and interaction are among the many steps to determine implementation for easy transition.
Making Kindergarten Fun
The influence you have on your child’s attitude about the first year at school will be driven to a very large extent by your attitude. If you are nervous or anxious about this big step, your child will go into the first days in kindergarten mimicking the same behavior We often underplay the importance of fun. In context “fun” means to be engaged, challenged, become part of a process and find joy when involved in activities. When a child complains that something “isn’t fun”, it might simply mean that the activity is frightening or fails to connect on their own terms.
Learning to listen to your child is a big step in helping them get ready for all of life’s challenges including this big step into kindergarten. The best way to make kindergarten fun for your child is to have fun getting ready for the event. The process of buying new clothes and school supplies can be great fun for parent and child. Allow the child to express individuality through the choices they make. For example, let your child make choices regarding schools supplies and clothing such as color and patterns. Emphasize the benefits of school such as, learning new games and meeting new friends. The more engaged you are in your child’s school experience, the more prepared they will be for life’s challenges.
Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten
Preparation mode_ three areas of focus are academic, emotional, and social adjustment. The big transition from home to an education institutional setting can be challenging. Create a check list in the last full year before kindergarten, you have time to help your child develop those skills well in advance. Ensuring your child know their name, name of parent or legal guardian, place of abode (where they live) and being able to dress and undress when using bathroom.
The ability to perform simple tasks such as, how to hold a writing pencil, how to draw the basic shapes, how to color a picture, and how to answer questions from the teacher without mumbling is critical in the preparation stages for kindergarten. Children adapt behaviors from their environment, it always recommended that family members engage in behaviors that stimulate children mental and intellectual abilities. Help your child develop the social skills of being able to enter a room and meet new people. Careful preparation and being proactive eliminate the chances of your child being socially awkward.
Health Needs and Kindergarten
One of the fears parents often have is sending their children off to kindergarten to a public place where the protection of the home is absent. Part of preparing your child to stay healthy in public spaces like kindergarten is to enlist the aid of your child’s pediatrician. Updated vaccination records preserve your child’s immune system. Handwashing for 15-20 seconds using the happy birthday song promote hand hygiene. List reminders washing hands before and after meals, after using the bathroom and when soiled. Covering nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and being attentive to the environment. Incorporate vegetables and fruit into daily lifestyle to promote healthy eating habits. Good dietary habits should be taught and enforced at home. Encourage your child to report any feelings of anxiety, physical or emotional discomfort. Remind your child not to eat after someone else using the same utensil, not to eat anything that has been on the floor or not to eat anything that you don’t know the origin of. Healthy behaviors adapted at an early age are more likely to result in healthy choices overall
Separation Anxiety and Your Kindergartener
“Separation anxiety” is an emotional response that is so common when people are removed from a familiar place or space. Often caused by the sudden change of who or what we are used to being around. Probably the most common evidence of separation anxiety is in young children who are heading off to school for the first time. Be mindful not to project your frustration onto your child whose experiencing separation anxiety as it can make the transition even more difficult. Keep in mind also that a child can sense your anxieties. Having discussions with your child regarding their feelings of separation help to emotionally prepare your child i.e., specifically reviewing the feelings of insecurity and loneliness that may happen. With the permission of the teacher having a family photo sent with your child could help reduce separation anxiety. While preparation for kindergarten response is not guaranteed it does helps.