Watch Add to del.icio.us | Print | Email Report it

January 22, 2008

How do you know when your child is ready for Kindergarten?

Posted in

My daughter's preschool has a "developmental kindergarten" program, which is basically a third year of preschool with somewhat more structure. They push this program, particularly for kids born in the second half of the year, suggesting that kindergarten is much more rigorous and academic than it was when we were kids. Nearly all of her preschool class is signed up to continue on to DK.

If we send my daughter to DK, she'll be entering regular kindergarten a few months after she turns 6, and first grade a few months after she turns 7, which seems kind of old to me.

Is kindergarten really that much more rigorous than it used to be? How do you know if your child is "ready"? In fact, what does it really mean to be ready (or not ready) for kindergarten?

You must be a member of this group to post a reply.

Parent Replies to "How do you know when your child is ready for Kindergarten?"

View 19 replies: Newest-Oldest, Oldest-Newest
Display fewer replies

As a Kdg teacher and reading teacher over the past fifteen years, I have been asked this question numerous times. There are many factors that can help you determine if your child is ready for Kdg. Is she is able to sit and pay attention for at least 10-15 minutes? Does she retain information quite quickly? Is she able to work independently? Is she more immature than otherchildren her age?Is there support at home to help bridge the gap between school and home? No need to worry if your child does not know her letters, sounds, numbers, or simple sight words at the beginning of the year. These are skills she should learn during her Kdg year. By the end of Kdg, with good instruction (guided reading, daily writing, read alouds,small group instruction, word work), your child should be able to read simple sight words, write sentences, understand and produce rhymes,manipulate sounds in a word, blend letter sounds, segment words, have a sense of syllabication, read from left to right, use her reading finger, and appropriately interact with text . These are all pre-reading skills.True, the Kdg curriculum has changed dramatically over the years but with good reason. Research shows that by the time children reach the end of third grade they must have their reading skills and strategies mastered in order to be successful readers and writers. No need to panic. You know your child best. Do what you feel is in your heart. Remember, learning is liking walking. You didn't expect your child to get up and just start walking one day. She first needed to roll over, crawl, support herself on furniture, balance and then walk. Approach her learning in the same way. Take baby steps. Acknowledge her for where she is at on the learning continuum, celebrate her, and move her along from that point. A wonderful website you can visit to print copies of simple sight word books for your child to read at home is www.ReadingAtoZ.com You will have to pay a small membership fee to print the materials.

Yes I agree -- but long before 9/11 the government was sticking their nose in education & after 9/11 the citizens of the U.S. sort of rolled over and let them -- I'm saying that as a group not as individuals -- even those of us that did speak out our voice wasn't loud enough or politically powerful enough to sway those that had the power to make education legislation what it needed to be -- pertinent, powerful & appropriate FOR ALL KIDS & practical & well funded for those that are educating & understandable for those that parent.

You are not the first educator I have heard say those very words to me.. I know many a teacher who has alot of ill feelings about the standards of learning and how they are used to push these kids so hards its just unthinkable. I would just like to see some of the old ways come back into play and focus.. where the kids were given a chance to actually learn and enjoy it all at the same time... The government needs to wake up and realize, smart or not, our kids will not know when and if another 9/11 happens.. its not rocket science in that.. no one is ready for an attack.. I know in a certain way, the government means well, but really.. its time to give education back to the educators and parents.. we knew what we were doing before 9/11 we know what we're doing now.. and we know whats just too much for all the kids..

I'll be honest with you .. I often consider leaving eduaction because ethically it makes me ill to see how hard we push kids. I often contemplate opning my own preschool and doing what I know is best for kids and what will prepare them for public education when they turn 5. I don't know what to say other that No Child Left Behind. I suspect in time the pendulum will swing and their will be a huge out cry, but you have to understand that no child left behind was passed on the back of the world trade center bombing ---- the government want you to believe that if our kids were smarter the bombing would not have happened.

They really do get loaded down with homework.. I am shocked that the school systems feel these children can handle such a work load as this. And they are expected to be well behaved 24 hrs a day when in school.. It makes me angry and sad to see how much things change every yr. I will be dealing with it again this yr and honestly, Im worried over how much homework my little boy will be brining home. Much of the time, the schools dont even get that this is just TOO much for such a young child. They do experience an level of over load that when met, they react too. This is why, IMHO schools PUSH behavior drugs so much.. they do not get the work over load on kids.
I get that they need to know certain things, but I also feel that all things can be easily learned in and at it's right time.
At 5 and 6 yrs old, kids need to be allowed to chill out to keep that over load from getting the best of them.

Dreamingtree -- You are right on!!!

It's a case by case basis

The expectations are much higher

They do get homework -- and from some other boards, quite a bit.

And no they don't get to be kids -- I'm constantly questioned about recess and its benefits -- you know the time of day all kids look forward -- you know SOCIALIZATION!!! But that's a whole nother topic.

I can not speak for every parent or the schools their children attend, I can only speak for myself and my children. What we remember as children when we all first began kindergarten is A LOT different now. Yes, it is alot more rigorous now then it ever was say, back in the 70's when I began kindergarten. For each of my kids, it is expected they be able ot read and comprehend what they have read by the time they leave grade-k. Think back to how that grade was for you.. Now erase everything you remember and replace it with simplistic reading, writing, math and science.. Yes I said science. all of which is a part of the notorious "No child left behind" program. You children, my children, everyone children are no longer allowed to be .... Children. The easiest things that taught us is no longer applied to our kids.. and school over all is 10 times harder then it ever was when we all attended. I feel secure in saying, just so we can help our kids with homework, We all should take refresher courses in all areas of study because believe it or not, our kids are learning things the education dept would have never thought of teaching us back then. Homework is even being passed out to kindergarteners.

As for if your child is ready.. really, between you and your child's teacher, I would suggest you get together and look over everything she has done in the yr she spent in preschool. It is never a bad ideal to have your child go to "DK". It will give her a heads up in kindergarten when she gets there to be honest.
Her readiness goes in so many directions.. her age isnt the main factor.. As a matter of fact, I KEPT one of my kids out of school a full yr because I didn't feel he was ready for it. This will be his first yr in school. How old a child is when they entire a certain grade is not the biggest concern anymore, but how well they are able to keep up with their peers these days in their studies.

I wanted to write and ask if the school that your daughter will be going to did an assessment. Were my son goes to school, the school did an assessment on him six months before school started and told me they thought he would benifit staying home an extra year. I sent him anyway and it ended up that he was not mature enough to handle all the work but it didn't catch up with him until first grade. We ended up holding him back in first grade again. If I had my time back I would have not sent him to kindegarden. They do expect a whole lot more from kids in kindegarden and first grade.

I don't think our focus is solely on the negative, but if your child doesn't have the neccessary prerequisite skills it will be hard from their perspetive. I agree that a child that has had 2-3 years of preschool should be ready for kindegarten, but some kids still aren't as I understand it. Yecats -- I'm sorry you have to wait to start your child in kinder -- she sounds pretty ready and you sound frustrated. Money may have a little to do with it from the daycare's position, but most people childcare workers included want children to move forward when they are ready -- when children are delayed it is either because they don't meet the school's cutoff date which is sometimes state mandated for public schools or a parent's choice. Starting school is a big deal & I think if a parent has a question in their mind about whether their kid should stat school it is better to error on the side of caution then push them. I had one little boy in my class this year who bawled DAILY, I spent more of my time checking on his emotional well being then anything else. If a child is not ready to be in school HE WILL NOT LEARN EFFECTIVELY. I've seen it first hand and research supports what I've observed. He turned 5 a month after school started. I just encourage parents to look at their kid more then the expected norm and if your child misses the cutoff date and you feel he/she is ready, see if you can find a school you can afford that will accept him/her & enroll there or let him/her be a carefree "kid" for just one more year -- school & homework will come in their time.

I am amazed at how many people are quick to say how hard kindergarten is, instead of emphasizing that it is a readiness issue based on your child's development (social/behavioral and academic). Do not forget that your child's preschool is a business (so they stand to make money off all the holding back). I am surprised that all the second half birthdays are automatically holding back their children.

The most important questions are can your child sit, pay attention, follow simple directions, recognize numbers, letters and shapes and recognize their name? Your child should have the socialization skills to move on to kindergarten from 2 years of preschool and if they don't the preschool should have been working with you and recommending courses of action long before school gets out.

Most research indicates that the advantage a child has by being older going into kindergarten is completely gone by third grade. One year is a significant difference when children are 4/5, because it is 25%/20% of their life, but by the time they are in 3rd grade (say 8/9) it is 12.5%/11% .

I suppose that I feel strongly about this issue as I have a daughter that just misses the cut-off and will be almost 6 going into kindergarten, she is learning to read, can spell (any two letter word), do simple addition, has good social skills, is confident and a good listener. It was very hard to wait another year for her to go to kindergarten. Your child will let you know they are ready by their interests as well. Is your child interested in the alphabet? Numbers? Books?

YES -- think of it like first grade, seriously, I teach kinder and my kids were reading by the end of the year & w/ NCLB that is what kids are expected to do by the end of the year -- gone are the days of socialization & hello to the days of reading.

I would say that it is a child by child issue and not one that can really be set in stone by a birthday or cut off day. The age your child does start Kindergarten does affect the whole school carreer. I see this issue as my child's time to develop his and her potential and not keeping them back or pushing them ahead on my own bias. Remember that even though this is academic, this is also their childhood. No sense in rushing that. So talk to their pre-school teacher and their doctor, tour the Kindergarten and see for yourself if your child is ready. Keeping them in K for a second year will be better for them now than down the road say in 5th grade or even 7th.

Kindergarten is different than even 10 years ago when my son was there. My daughter is now in 1st grade, and I am constantly reminded of the differences. Kindergarten is now often full-day, rather than half-day. Essentially, the curriculum of first grade has migrated into kindergarten. By the half-year mark, all are expected to read.

While my son was 4 starting kindergarten with a November birthday, my daughter was born in March, so she was past the deadline. My son did fine 10 years ago, but today I would have faced a much more difficult decision.

Only your family can make the right decision, but there are definitely reasons to consider the option of giving her the extra year.

No, Kindergarten isn't that much more difficult. HOWEVER, 1st, 2nd and 3rd are much harder when they are young. My daughter was in the same boat and I agonized over the decision. She was very verbal and had all the basics she needed for K. I kept her back anyway. I thought she would be blowing the other kids away with how advanced she was because I gave her the extra time. She isn't, she is a good student but not at the top of her class. She struggled with reading in 1st grade and by 2nd they just hand them the work and they are expected to read the direction...The only thing they lose by giving them extra time is another year of earning potential. They also have to deal with all the pressures of high school a year earlier...I think it can't do anything but help them if you give them the extra time.

Thanks, I hadn't noticed that article!

www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/416

You may find that this article helpful.

good luck!

After visiting a kindergarten class last week in a principal-for-a-day program, I believe you. It certainly wasn't what I remembered about kindergarten.

Yes, kindergarten is now what first grade used to be. We went through this with my son, who ended up doing 2 years of kindegarten, because he had just barely turned 5 when kindegarten started the first time. (He's in first grade now.) A couple of his friends did the same thing. It is the right thing to do in most cases. First grade is so writing intensive, spelling tests, timed math quizzes-- maturity is a key factor here, even if your daughter is academically ready. It was the best thing we ever did holding our son back an extra year. Your daughter will not be the only 7 year old in first grade. And remember, she'll also be older when you hit the tough middle school years....that's not a bad thing.

When I read your concerns I had to join this site. My son turned 5 on October 24, 2007. After reviewing Montgomery county school board guidlines I could not put my son in K until Sept 2008. I decided to put my son in a montesorri school because they indicated that he would be introduced the kindergarten concepts and when he graduates in June 2008 he will be introduced to 1st grade concepts in September 2008. I just want to make sure that when I put him in the Public school system he is performing at or above his grade level.

I think they want the kids tobe more mature to give the teachers a break with the behavior and focus problems that prevent them from teaching the lesson to the few that may be paying attention.

But to answer you question, I think you will have to gauge you child or go to Kumon or some testing center other thatn the school system to determine the levele at which your child is performing.

Hope that helped.

I have been told that after grade 1 I can put him in the public school at the 3rd grade without any issues regarding his age. I am monitoring the Montgomery County School board web site to see if there are any road block to taking this approach. Hopefully it will not be an issue when he completes the standardized tests to rate his performance level.

Return to group discussion board >

Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of GreatSchools. GreatSchools does not check for accuracy in community posts or verify the contributor’s identity. If you are searching for health-related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Community Guidelines for more details.

Los Angeles
Local Q&A Change City

How to find a good middle school for a boy with NVLD

Share your experiences about a great middle school in Los Angeles. What makes it great?

I am not from America,I don't know anything about education there.Where can i get all the informathion?

Ask a question about Los Angeles >

Local Q&A is brand new! What do you think? Give us your feedback in our feedback forum.

How do you know when your child is ready for Kindergarten?

Parent Replies to "How do you know when your child is ready for Kindergarten?"

Change City

Los AngelesLocal Q&A Change City

Los Angeles
Local Q&A Change City