Kindergarten Readiness from what was posted in a public school

Hi everyone....I know there has been some debate on what the expectations are for kindergarten readiness.

Well...every week I take my son to some of the local schools for soccer practice and I found a bright blue banner on a post advising parents that this is kindergarten readiness.

Here is exactly what it says

KINDERGARTEN READINESS
Check the Things that you can do:

* Count to 10
* Identify Letters and sounds
* Recognize and print your name
* Follow routines
* Become aware of rhyming words and sounds
* sing simple songs
* Draw and paint pictures
* Cut paper shapes with scissors
* Use glue and paste
* Listen quietly to stories
* Share tasks and materials with others
* Play and work happily with other children
*Listen and talk constructively with others
* Use books appropriately e.g find the cover, find the title, find where the words begin on each page


So....there you have it :)

Cut paper with scissors...? Really? Good thing I have a year and a half to prepare my boy....

See...as I said in the other thread, these are things they should be doing in Kindergarten. But that's just my opinion. What do I know?

Is this for JK or SK. I know a lot of kids heading off to JK that while aware of letters and able to name most do not know the sounds nor have the dexterity to print them.

Most of my daycare kids who start with me in infancy are doing this by 3 ... and I do not do 'school readiness work' with them just skills acquired through their play and exposure to mediums at creative art time or story time before quiet time .... however these are 'skills' so they are only going to have them if they have been exposed to regular chance to practice with scissors, a literacy rich environment with role modeling of letter sounds and so forth - children who start my program 'later' would not be at the same level unless exposed at home before coming to a program - I have one child who did not join me until 2.5 and than only came part time who was at the same 'developmental level' as my 18 month olds cause he just had not had time to master skills cause he did not DO creative art and story time daily at home?

For example I start giving children writing / painting utensils in infancy cause they can grasp them to make lines and scribble or move mediums around ... by two they are starting to paint and draw with purpose and make 'letters' or 'images' but not always that we recognize and by three they are doing familiar letter printing - so their name, M for mom or D for dad and sibling / friends initials from seeing them and so forth and drawing simple images like people, animals and other representations of interest to them .... I have a 3 year old who is already asking 'how do you spell' so she can tell her own story on her painting or drawings ... we also read every day both as a group and individually so they can retell stories and are starting 'sight word' recognition for phonic reading aka 'C. A. R." spells car by the time they leave to start school.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alphaghetti

See...as I said in the other thread, these are things they should be doing in Kindergarten. But that's just my opinion. What do I know?

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Believe me I had a panic attack when I was registering my first born for JK and they gave me a checklist of things he could do and half of them were like ??WHAT???
:woot:

I was shocked at what they expected kids to know before even starting school. I remember kindergarten as play time and story time.

I am boggled that they want kids to know rhyming words etc. It is a bit much but sure enough - this is posted up for parents to see near the office so they can't miss it

My 3 year old children who are going to JK this Sept. are able to do everything on the list except the boy still just scribbles and will not write any letters, but he recognizes them. Last year the boy and girl who went to JK were exactly the same, the girl was way ahead of the boy but after a couple of months at JK he was able to write his name.

I think it is a very general checklist and they are not going to turn kids away from JK if they can't do all of those things because those JK teachers know how to get them going. If we do our very best and the parents are also reinforcing letters, shapes, colours, etc. at home these children know it.

I always say it's in there, they just don't want us to know it's in there.

MY gang heading off to school are all boys - they scribble at best mostly with the black crayons unless I remove the dark colours on them which I do every once in awhile so we can have a new experience. Two of the three will sit for a story the third that is part time is totalliy aloof when it comes to anything academic. I sent one off to JK last year that scribbled and never did really cut his paper mostly just used the scissors to tear it. By October he was drawing stick figures but still avoiding crafts if he could. He was starting to put letters together when he left for school so that blossomed totally. I really find boys are either good or bad at stuff based on interest where the girls tend to be more rounded in their academic development which does go along with the boys just needing an extra few months to catch up theory. My two oldest for the next year will be girls and I am so looking forward to the focus shift after the last couple years of boys.

I think too that what parents do and don't do also has an effect on how they act in daycare in the sense if the parents don't value what the child brings home then why bother doing it. I am using the "ok you are all registered for school now so let's get ready" card and it is starting to work. At least they are realizing that there is something beyond the here and now. Everything with this group is a struggle and really takes the incentive to plan away but we plug along - and the 18 month old sibling is going to catch up and surpass her 3 year old brother and friend if they don't soon take the lead.

KINDERGARTEN READINESS
Check the Things that you can do:

* Count to 10
* Identify Letters and sounds
* Recognize and print your name
* Follow routines
* Become aware of rhyming words and sounds
* sing simple songs
* Draw and paint pictures
* Cut paper shapes with scissors
* Use glue and paste
* Listen quietly to stories
* Share tasks and materials with others
* Play and work happily with other children
*Listen and talk constructively with others
* Use books appropriately e.g find the cover, find the title, find where the words begin on each page



Seriously? Some of these are reasonable, some are not. What exactly are the teachers doing?

those are very good guidelines though! thx!!!!

It is funny because I didn't start school until I was 6 and somehow ended up being a straight A student ;) I just think there is way too much pressure too early when it comes to this stuff! When are kids allowed to just be kids anymore? Now we have to start them on their numbers and letters before they know how to talk or walk. Don't get me wrong, I am totally for exposing them to all of this and giving them opportunities to practice skills, but I just don't believe in pressuring them to practice more because they must be able to do it before they start school. Every kid is different and as Playfelt said, boys tend to be a bit slower with things like writing. My son is in JK this year and he is only now able to sort of write his name...very messily and has only been drawing stick figures and faces for a few months. My 2.5 year old daughter, on the other hand, just amazed me this morning by drawing a happy face and writing the letters "A" and "C" and "O"....I never showed her how to write them although she has seen me helping her older brother. I guess it's time to get her writing and I hadn't even thought of it before...just assumed she was too young. So...two kids in the same family and same exposure to reading/writing etc...totally different skill levels. Kids will do these things when they are ready if given a chance.

We also have to remember the age range of JK too in the sense that some kids turn 4 in January and are almost 4 3/4 years old when they start school and some won't turn 4 till Dec so are only 3 3/4 when they start school. Teachers are totally prepared for this discrepency so in that sense there is not as much panic to "get them ready". Teaching them how to learn, how to work independently and with peers and a desire to want to learn will take them further than agaonizing over how to hold a pencil correctly.

I think the school is trying to be proactive and showing that parents, daycare providers and teachers are a team that all work together. That learning shouldn't start and stop at school.
I have a friend who is a kindergarten teacher here in Manitoba and she says every kid ranges from having some of the skills mentioned to none. Obviously she would for sure like parents and providers to at the very least have a child ready for a structured schedule and somewhat independent (teacher has no time to dress kids for going outside or helping them go to the washroom). Kids all do catch up to their peers and so I don't think you need to fret too much if your child can't do all that is listed. I think as long as you are aware that learning isn't only in a classroom you will be good.

Oh I totally agree with you! but I was working on my educational program and those will help me tons. Of course they might not be able to do all those things... but we can practice for sure ;)

I do love that you posted the list. Its a good reminder of the many skill that kids will eventually learn whether it ends up happening at your daycare, in their homes or at school (due to kids learn at different paces you really can not tell when they will acquire their skills). I will definitely keep the list in mind when I plan activities at my daycare. Kids are such sponges thirsting for more knowledge, I look forward to giving them loads here!

Every kid I've ever had was able to do all of those, but not through pressuring them...just having fun and it happened. However, right now I have a guy who's 4 1/2 (they start at 5 here is Quebec) and struggles with colours. Usually he gets the correct colour on his second guess. Doesn't recognize a single letter of the alphabet nor a single number. Actually he doesn't know if it's a letter or a number. Try as I may...and I sure do. It just doesn't stick. But he's a good listener and cooperates.

Like I said, I've sent 7 to kindergarten so far, and they all knew at least 50% of their letter and recognized numbers at least to 5...the girls usually to 10. And wrote their names and often a friend's name, too.

Thanks for the list!

I answered the question last year on the first page of this thread and have some new children in care since then but still stand by my answer. I use flashcards and teach the alphabet and numbers, we learn shapes, colours, cutting with scissors and all kinds of crafting, games, stories but I still think the most important thing for the children to learn is listening, co-operating, socializing and proper behaviour with manners so they get along with other children.