What does it mean to be ready for kindergarten? As a country, we have
been trying to define this JELLO-like area of understanding children
for a long time. The big question is: Can you be ready for big school
if you have never dipped your toe in the water before? It is a good
question, especially for parents who are trying to decide if their
child is ready to be away from mom and dad for the first time. One of
the benefits of preschool is the social competence acquired through
daily practice of "school" skills that are necessary before the content
of the Kindergarten year can be taught.

Even with Kindergarten
still being optional in some states, all states offer
kindergarten if only for a half day. Currently, 98% of children attend kindergarten, so even
though attendance isn't required, it is the reality. It used to be that
kindergarten was the first time you were introduced to "book
learning"–now we begin introducing books as young as eight months with
fabric books, flap books, and books you can suck on. Some studies
suggest that Kindergarten readiness can be linked to the the language experiences in the home. Other studies say that math skills are stronger predictors. And finally, teachers
consider social/emotional development the most important factor in a
student's success. All of this research won't help parents know what
knowledge and skills they need to work with their kids on over the
summer.

Countdown to Kindergarten
portrays a kid frightened of going to kindergarten because she doesn't
know how to tie her shoes. She thinks that you have to know how to tie
your shoes before you go to Kindergarten and the teacher won't help you
learn.

Unrealistic expectations can fuel kids' and parents'
fears about going to school. From a teacher's perspective here are
three concepts that would be helpful for your child to know before
going to school:

1. Know their first name. This may sound funny,
but some children think their name is the nickname they are called at
home. When they come to school and the teacher tries to interact with
them, the teacher uses their "official" name. John won't even look at
the teacher if they have only been called "Johnny" or even "Jack" or
"Junior." Of course it would help if you tell the teacher your child's
nickname, but part of the teacher's job is to get your child to write
his or her name correctly. If Mia knows her real name instead of just
her nickname, Me-Me, she is half way to the goal.

2. Begin the feedback loop. Hopefully you have already done this but, if you haven't, here it is:
Adult: Asks question
Child: Responds
Adult: Responds to response and asks probing question
Child: Responds to adult question

This
feedback loop is the key to the learning process. Everyone has busy
lives but it is important to set aside just a few minutes a day to have
a long drawn out conversation with your kid about something they are
interested in.

3. Help your child apply understanding of
positional words, like front/back, next to, in/out, and behind. These
words are some of the most commonly used words in classrooms because
teachers must use them to orchestrate learning activities. Children are
asked to stand behind their friend, put crayons in or on a desk, and to
put the scissors next to the crayons.

Are these skills
pre-requisites? No. Will these skills guarantee your child's success in
Kindergarten? No. I had a student this year who came to school thinking
his name was Mo-Mo and left knowing how to read. However, knowing these
foundational skills will make your child's Kindergarten year a much
less frustrating experience for themselves and their teacher. What do
you do now? Have fun learning about the Disney fairies, transformers,
or the Wiggles. You will be glad you did even before school starts.