Secondly, there is the socio-emotional preparation
that your child needs in order to feel secure
in her abilities to excel in school. And finally,
there is the preparation that you need to
do for yourself so that you can project the
confidence that your child needs to see in
order to feel safe as she enters the world
of kindergarten.
Kindergarten
preparation starts with the basics of academics.
Having a good preschool curriculum in the
years leading up to kindergarten is the cornerstone
of this academic foundation. Before entering
kindergarten, your child can work on the basics
of math, science, social studies, reading
and writing. Using a preschool curriculum
geared towards children who are almost kindergarten
age, you should be able to prepare your child
to enter kindergarten with the skills that
she needs to be on top of her game. More important
than the specific knowledge that comes from
a good preschool curriculum is the routine
and study habits that your child will already
be developing as she learns to learn.
Academic
preparation for kindergarten is important.
After all, you want your child to be able
to read and write at the appropriate developmental
stages and to be able to continue using those
basic skills to gain more and more education
as she starts kindergarten and enters her
school career. However, there is more to learning
than just memorizing how to do certain tasks.
A big component of doing well in school is
being socially and emotionally competent to
handle the pressures, changes and new social
situations that are presented in kindergarten
and the following years. A preschool curriculum
that incorporates life lessons such as sharing
with others, anger management skills, different
learning style options and manners for children
is a curriculum which will help your child
succeed in kindergarten at more than just
the academic level.
Finally,
in order for your child to do well in kindergarten
and beyond, she needs to feel safe and stable
in the school environment. And this, my dear
parent, starts with you. If you are insecure
about your child’s education, that will
get translated to her and make her first school
years difficult. Trust your choices and trust
your child’s ability to learn and grow.
This starts with choosing a preschool curriculum
with which you are comfortable and continues
on to selecting schools and involving yourself
in the academic life to a degree that makes
you feel safe in your selections.
There
are many things that you can do to help kindergarten
preparation go more smoothly. Start with yourself;
identify your insecurities and work to overcome
them. Then move on to your child; prepare
her with the academic, social and emotional
skills that she needs to succeed as she starts
kindergarten. By arming yourself and your
family with information and considering your
educational selections wisely, you can make
kindergarten preparation as easy as 1-2-3.
Now if only seeing her through the rest of
growing up could be so easy!
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