Kindergarten Readiness Programs
The Benefits of Programs that Prepare Children for Kindergarten
Kindergarten readiness programs develop skills that promote success in school and in life
Kindergarten readiness is a huge topic amongst parents and beginning kindergarten is a great milestone in a child's life. Some parents opt to enroll their children in kindergarten readiness programs, but are they necessary or advisable?
Benefits of Kindergarten Readiness Programs
Many early childhood education experts believe that kindergarten readiness programs are significant and valuable. "They are extremely helpful in providing the child with opportunities to develop social skills, listening skills, and the concept that we all follow rules to function in a group or community," says Dr. Gloria Rothenberg,clinical psychologist and school psychologist at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Kindergarten Center in New York.
A child's readiness to start school as a kindergartner is paramount for success, not only in school but in life, according to Stacey Kannenberg, co-author of the award winning, California and Texas Approved books Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let's Get Ready For First Grade!
"As part of its $100 million, 10-year investment in school readiness, PNC Financial Services Group commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a national survey to measure the opinions of teachers, parents, U.S. Congress and more regarding this issue," says Kannenberg.
Kannenberg notes a few significant findings from the survey:
- 56 percent say U.S. youngsters are not very/not at all prepared with basic skills, like counting and spelling their name, when they enter kindergarten. Astoundingly, only 2 percent of parents say their own child was not very/not at all prepared with the basics.
- Both parents and teachers associate some clear benefits of having a child who is ready to learn entering kindergarten versus one who is not as well prepared to learn. These benefits included that the child may be more likely to attend college, more likely to have greater self-confidence as adults, more likely to earn higher income, and may have lower rates in social problems, such as teenage pregnancy and welfare dependency.
Characteristics of a Quality Kindergarten Readiness Program
According to Kirstin Parsons from Get Set for SchoolTM (a new curriculum focused on helping preschool children prepare for kindergarten), kindergarten readiness programs should offer components for parents to use at home and teachers to use at school. In addition, they should allow children to develop naturally and at their own pace.
"To tap their unique learning abilities and the diverse learning style of each child, preschoolers should be engaged with a readiness curriculum that encourages playful learning and involves music, touch and movement," says Parsons.
Parsons suggests that kindergarten readiness programs should develop the following skills:
- Letter, shape, and color recognition
- Use of small writing tools
- Body awareness
- Socialization
- Participation/cooperation
- Language development
Whether or not parents choose to enroll their child in a kindergarten readiness program is an individual choice. However, a kindergarten readiness program can provide a firm foundation for success in school and should not be overlooked. While kindergarten readiness programs may be the key to a successful and rewarding year, remember your child is naturally curious and active, eager to learn, has his/her own learning style, and should learn at his/her own pace.
