Kindergarten is an exciting milestone in a child’s life and is a child’s first significant educational transition from toddler exploration to school-age expectations. It is a bittersweet emotional event for both parent and child. It comes with significant changes – no naps, more structure, more expectations, and letting go of your 5-year-old can be hard.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS READY TO MAKE THE LEAP?
Kinder readiness is more than just academic preparedness. Even students who have attended preschool may not be used to a more structured academic setting. The step-up can be intimidating. “Beginning long before school entry, a child’s early experiences play a role in kindergarten preparation. Their social and emotional skills are just as important as their early cognitive skills. “
Montessori and Kinder Readiness
Montessori classrooms, with their focus on hands-on learning and individualized instruction, can provide a high-quality education that helps prepare children for kindergarten. The Montessori Primary classroom is designed as a three-year cycle. This timeframe allows the teacher to know each child exceptionally well. There is no time lost in developing new relationships every year. No slipping through the cracks! The first two years are preparation for the kinder year, where everything the child has learned falls into place. Read More at Benefits of Mixed Age
SKYROCKETING INTO LEARNING
Third-year students (kinder students) in a Montessori classroom are ready to skyrocket into more complex learning and discovery. Children build upon previous years’ work and experience rapid academic and social growth. “…from the age of three till six, being able to now tackle his environment deliberately and consciously, he begins a period of real constructiveness.” (Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, pg. 152) Skill levels dramatically increase when the children are given the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge in a Montessori classroom.
INDEPENDENCE IS THE KEY TO READINESS
When it comes to independence, no one does it better than Montessori. By design, every part of the Montessori curriculum prepares the children to take ownership of their development. The teachers are trained to step back to give children the opportunity to grow and even make mistakes. Giving children the gift of independence lets them know they are valued and capable. Independent children grow up feeling empowered and safe in their abilities to make sound choices. An independent child is a self-confident child, ready for any new adventure, especially Kindergarten.
Elements of Readiness
Language & Literacy
- Engages in conversation
- Recognizes and names upper and lowercase letters
- Understands that print conveys a message
- Knows how to handle books
- Associates letters with their sounds and blends sounds
- Able to read and write simple sentences
Cognitive & Math
- Sorts and classifies objects
- Measures using various measuring tools
- Recognizes and names shapes
- Knows one-to-one correspondence, up, down,etc
- Able to perform simple addition &subtraction operations
- Counts 1 to 20 without skipping numbers, Addition & subtractions
Physical Health & Motor Skills
- Show balance and coordination
- Manipulates smaller objects
- Practices personal care routines
- Practices safety skills
- Identifies healthy and unhealthy foods
Social-Emotional
- Develop friendships
- Knows how to take turns, share, negotiate, etc.
- Can express emotions, respect & courtesy
- Trusts/interacts with adults
- Shows belief in their abilities and has a sense of accomplishment
Science, Creative Art, and Social Studies
- Shows curiosity, raises questions, makes predictions
- Knows the difference between living & non-living things
- Collects and records data
- Explores musical instruments
- Engages in imitation and acting
- Uses a variety of media and materials to create art
Approaches to Learning
- Show curiosity to learn
- Shows persistence
- Shows ability to concentrate
- Shows flexibility, inventiveness
- Independent Learner
LET EXCELLED MONTESSORI PLUS HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE KINDER READINESS HIGHWAY!
Programs offered at ExcellED Montessori Plus include:
✔️Infants (10 Weeks – 18 Months)
✔️Toddlers (18 – 36 Months)
✔️Primary (3-6 Years)
✔️Kindergarten
✔️Mother’s Day Out
✔️Spanish Immersion / Dual Language
✔️After School Programs and Summer Camp (6 – 12 Years)
Music, Spanish, and Yoga are other programs included as part of the tuition.
Learn more about Inquiry-based Learning
