Ensuring that children are developmentally ready for school on the first day of kindergarten is very important. The better prepared children are for kindergarten, the more successful they will be in their school experience.
Kindergarten readiness involves more than a child’s age and academic ability. It also includes social-emotional competence, including whether the child can follow directions, regulate his own emotions, and get along well with others.
As a former principal of a large city school district who has opened early childhood centers with more than 400 children, I have extensive experience preparing children for kindergarten and working with parents to do the same. Here are three main steps that school systems can take to ensure that all children have the solid foundation they need to start kindergarten and are ready to learn with their peers.
1. Implement a kindergarten curriculum that addresses all developmental domains necessary for success
Adopting a Pre-K curriculum that covers all domains of early learning is critical to preparing children for entering kindergarten.
