As parents of Kindergartener's you all know the stress and importance of preparing your student for the next step in their education.Transitioning is very difficult for students, teachers, and parents. A goal of our classroom is to make this transition easier on everyone. We are going to add more focus on grasping main concepts and ideas that make the smaller ideas easier. If we can accomplish this goal we will gradually begin to make transitions a less frightening time. Aside from the content taught throughout the school year I will add additional content that can be utilized at home to help enhance the skills taught during the school day as well as prepare for future skills. At the end of the school year I will also send home a few materials to utilize during the summer to prepare for the next school year as well as give you a list of resources to further extent your students knowledge. We will work together to make transitioning an exciting time of student's education!
Kindergarten milestones
Physical Milestones Gross Motor Skills:
Walk on tip toes and heel-to-toe like on a balance beam
Jump rope and pump legs to swing alone
Stand and hop on each foot
Catch a ball the size of a soft ball
Start to move in different ways at the same time to do things like swim, dribble a basketball, or dance
Fine Motor Skills:
Use one hand more than the other
Hold a pencil using the tripod grip
Cut out basic shapes with scissors; may be able to cut a straight line
Use a fork, knife, and spoon easily
Be able to wipe and wash after using the bathroom
Cognitive Milestones
Recognize and name basic shapes and colors
Know the letters of the alphabet and basic sounds
Recite their name, address, an phone number
Understand basic concepts about print(such as knowing the way pages go and how words are read left to right and top to bottom)
Know that stories have a beginning, middle, and end
Count groups of objects up to 10 and recite numbers to 20
Stick with an activity for 15 minutes and finish a short project
Make plans about how to play, what to build, or what to draw
Language Milestones
Use words to try to argue and try to reason with people
Use most plurals, pronouns and tenses correctly
Tell stories, jokes, and riddles; may understand simple puns
Use language to talk about opposites and compare things
Talk about things that are going to happen as well as things that have already happened
Follow simple multi-step directions
Social and Emotional Milestones
Have an interest in behaving like their friends and wanting their approval
Began to prefer same gender friendships; become jealous with other people spending time with their friends
Follow the rules most of the time; may criticize kids who do not follow the rules
Enjoy being on display; will sing, dance, or be silly to get attention
Want your approval and to be taken seriously; may throw a tantrum or get angry if they think they are not being listened to
Start to see why its helpful to share and get along with other kids