This coming school year my nephew and two of my nieces are heading to kindergarten! While watching them this summer splash around in the pool, ride their bikes, and play on the swings with one another, seeming not to have a care in the world, I thought about what a huge transition and adventure they are going to embark on in one short month. These three will go from kids to students- what an exciting time! Even though their parents (two of which are teachers) have begun to teach them the foundation of their studies, very soon they will be learning for six hours a day, five days a week. Think about all of the wonderful things they will learn; not only will they read entire stories which will transport them to other worlds, calculate math facts that will allow them to solve complex problems in the future, and discover interesting information about insects, animals and dinosaurs, but they will learn to share, take turns, and be patient amidst many different children as well as make lasting friendships. Kindergarten is such a special and important part in a child's life.
(http://www.leadmd.com/blog/who-would-win-in-a-fight-between-marketing-automation-and-a-marketer/)
Even though many believe that your school career starts in kindergarten, it actually starts at home. Parents are a child's first teachers! With that being said, New Jersey Family Magazine has created a list of "8 Things Teachers Expect Your Kid to Know by the First Day of Kindergarten."
- Follow Multi-Step Directions: Throughout the school day, teachers are going to ask your child to do MANY things all day long. From the second my students walk in the door, I know I tell them to take their books and folders out of their bookbags, put their bookbags in their cabinet, put notes or important papers from their parents in the bin on my desk, and then begin the Daily Starter that is on the board. Even though I teach second grade, this routine must be explicitly taught and practiced thoroughly for at least the first week. Practicing two step directions with future kindergartners will help relieve the anxiety of following these directions in school. At home, try asking your child to "Put your book on the shelf and your toys in the toybox" or "Give your sister her Goldfish and then come back in the kitchen for your milk." This will get them ready for the multitude of directions their teachers will ask them during the day.
- Ask for Help: Children need to know that they can ask for help throughout the day and should ask for help if something is hurt, wrong or confusing. Having a conversation with your child such as "Who could you ask if...?" and relating it to school will allow your child to begin thinking about situations that might happen. Of course, your child's teacher is going to explain these things once they get to school and introduce important people to your child, but it never hurts to be prepared.
- Share and Take Turns: At home, it is easy for a child to have their question answered without too many minutes going by. In a classroom, when there is usually only one adult to 19 students, children have to learn to wait while other students' needs are being met. Many teachers have signals for little questions that students will learn immediately (my students hold up the "peace sign" to show that they have to go to the bathroom, so I can quickly nod my head, even if I am working with another student), but patience will certainly be tested and needed in the beginning of kindergarten. This will happen on the playground, in the lunch line, and walking through the hallways, so helping students practice this skill before going to school is a must.
- Practice Bathroom Independence: In kindergarten, students are expected to know how to go to the bathroom themselves as well as put their clothes back on and wash their hands. Parents: I suggest putting your children in easy clothes to get on and off, at least for the first week of school. Instead of quickly going to the bathroom like they can at home, your child may have to raise their hand to let the teacher know where they are going. Clothing with lots of buttons and snaps or tricky zippers can lead to accidents if it cannot be removed quickly. Believe me, during my first week of school, I choose my clothing very wisely since I have extremely limited bathroom time! :-/ I could only imagine the dilemma kindergarteners must face...
- Sit Still During a Story: In kindergarten, students may have to sit for 15 to 20 minutes to listen and understand a story, without getting antsy and moving around. Practicing this at home during the day or taking your child to a story time at your local library (where there is likely to be distractions such as other children or activities) will prepare him or her to become a reader.
- Recite the ABCs: Children should be able to recite and sing the alphabet, identify single letters, know the letters in their name, and make consonant sounds. According to one teacher interviewed in the New Jersey Family Magazine article, "Kids who come in knowing these skills will do a lot better." Many children's television shows help practice these skills, so make sure that your child is saying the letter names and sounds aloud when they are watching. Using refridgerator magnets or pointing out letters in the world when running errands is an easy way to reinforce these skills.
- Know Their Numbers: Students should recognize numbers one through twenty and should know the sequence of one through ten. They should be able to count, sort, put objects in order, and describe them. Practice this skill when making a summer fruit salad. After chopping up the fruit, ask your child to sort them into piles. How did they sort them? Count how many are in each group? Could they sort and count them a different way? These questions are the foundation to more complex number stories and word problems they will encounter this year.
- Hold a Pencil the Right Way: Kindergarteners needs to be able to write some letters and hold a pencil the correct way. Playing with Play-Doh or clay can help the muscles that are needed to use a pencil. I found a YouTube video that helps teach parents how to show their child how to hold a pencil. I find this incredibly important because the way we learn how to hold a pencil and write our letters in the beginning of our schooling stays with us into future grades. It is very difficult for me to teach a second grader (or even a fourth grader) the proper way to hold a pencil and form their letters. Handwriting is strongly effected by the pencil grip and letter formation.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIxUtwO29r8)
My nephew and nieces are definitely ready to begin this adventure and I am so excited to see how much they will grow in just a few short months as they change into lifelong learners! Good luck to all of the students who are heading to kindergarten (but maybe more so to the moms who are sending their kids off!) and beyond this school year!
My cutie, soon-to-be kindergartners: Samantha, Cailin and Matthew
If your child has gone to kindergarten, or if you are a kindergarten teacher, I would love to learn about added skills that you believe will bring children success this school year. Please feel free to leave your comments below.
Enjoy!
*To read the entire article in New Jersey Family Magazine, please click HERE.
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