What is Kindergarten Readiness?
How do you know if your child is ready to embark on the journey of elementary education and start kindergarten? The truth is, there are many indicators teachers look at to determine if a child is ready for kindergarten. A kindergarten class will usually have a mix of children who have attending preschool and children who have not. Some can be ready academically, but socially and emotionally, they are not ready. Some are more socially ready than others, but they may not know their numbers, letters, and colors. In general, teachers look for knowledge of the following concepts and skills in order to determine if a preschooler is ready for kindergarten:
- writing
- letter recognition
- beginning sounds
- number recognition and counting
- shapes and colors
- fine motor skills
- reading readiness
- attention and following directions
- social skills
At Imagination Station Preschool, your child’s kindergarten readiness will be assessed formally three times throughout the year. This information will be shared in a collaborative way with the caregivers of the child and short term and long term goals will be implemented to meet the needs of each individual student. For example, if a student has met the requirements for kindergarten at the beginning of the school year, a teaching plan will be developed and implemented in order to ensure that the child continues to be engaged and challenged in the learning process. The caregivers of the student will have ongoing knowledge of educational assessments and plans so that the needs of each individual student are met appropriately.