We’ve never done this before. She’s our first child. There isn’t a pamphlet that goes home with your newborn that states when, where, and how to get them into school. Being a stay-at-home parent, the thought hadn’t really crossed my mind. I mean, it’s not like we are trying to get her into college right now. This should be a no brainer, right?
I have had the privilege for the past three years of watching this little squishy turn into an actual miniature person. She has her own thoughts, does her own basic maintenance. She can hold her own in a conversation. What are the guidelines to knowing if she should be in preschool? What about kindergarten?
The idea was always presented to me that you go to preschool first, then kindergarten, primary school, middle school, high school, and finally university if you choose. That’s how I was raised, my husband, and the majority of people I know. What if I tell you that preschool isn’t the official first step anymore?
I’m not saying that every family and every child doesn’t need preschool. I know that isn’t possible. Many working parents need someone to teach their children while they are at work and some students struggle in developmental areas that need the extra assistance only a classroom setting can provide. To those of us who are already at home and pondering when it’s time to release the reigns on our little ones, this is for you.
After a quick call to our local school district, I found out that they offer a yearly “preschool screening” when my child turns three years old. Anxiously, I scheduled her an appointment and awaited the date. Contradictory questions, if it’d be best if she stayed home or had to start school this fall, flooded my mind every night, leading up to the date. I’d watch everything she did, so intent on trying to analyze her myself.
“Oh, she’ll have to go for social reasons. Maybe it would be best for her math, too. She always wants to put seven in between every number anyway. Maybe it’s for the best for everyone. I could maybe get a part-time job.”
I went back and forth for weeks trying to figure out and dream up some reasoning to what the next year of our lives would look like. I had assured myself that she will probably have to go and I must emotionally prepare to send my first baby. It’s not that I doubted my child, but rather had this notion that preschool will teach her everything she lacks. I knew she was a smart kid but didn’t realize she would “test out of preschool.”
My daughter tested above average in everything except articulation. So, what’s next for her? What does the school recommend that we do? What will we do as a family for the next year? First, we must Acknowledge the needs of our child and the standards of the district/state.
We live in the Campbell County School District in Kentucky. Our school requires a list of roughly 20 things the student must be able to do before entering Kindergarten. Our state website says that overall, 49.9% of all Kindergarten-aged kids who entered school last year, did not demonstrate “Kindergarten Readiness.” Meaning that the child failed to display the 20 skills that were tested. Ohio’s website states that 59.9% of their kindergartners did not show “Kindergarten Readiness.”
To avoid this for my own children, I wanted to educate myself on this list. At first glance, it seemed very overwhelming. How could I possibly get her to master all of this before Kindergarten? I started watching her with intent again. This time was different. Instead of watching for what she was missing or messing up, I listened for what she could do. She’s got a great base for early knowledge and just needs an introduction to the rest of the list.
I want to encourage you to reach out to your district. Give them a call and question their requirements on preschool and Kindergarten Readiness. I promise you won’t regret it. It’s never too soon to start thinking about it.
Join my family on our personal journey of Our ABC’s to Kindergarten Readiness. There will be three articles overall in the series. The first step was to Acknowledge the child’s personal needs and the skills needed to provide Kindergarten Readiness. Next time, we will cover how my family is choosing to Build lesson plans that cater to successfully mastering these skills. Our third and final post will be a Conclusion, documenting the pros and cons of our methods. Together we can close the gap of these state wide percentages – one family at a time.
