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.