Kindergarten Readiness
and the Transition
Process
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of the evening, parents and
guardians will…
• Understand the behavioral and academic
expectations of the Kindergarten classroom
• Possess materials and ideas for activities to
promote “Kindergarten Readiness” in their
children
• Understand the various parts of the Kindergarten
transition process
Warm-up
• What do you remember about your Kindergarten
experience?
• How do you think your experience compares to
Kindergarten today?
• What are your expectations/goals for your child
when he/she goes to Kindergarten?
The General Education
Kindergarten Classroom
• All MCPS Kindergarten classes meet 6 hours per
day, 5 days per week
• The typical classroom has 15-25 children with one
teacher
• The schedule includes a 90-minute literacy block
and a 60-minute math block
• Students go to specials for 35-40 minutes
• Students eat lunch in the cafeteria and go to
recess with their grade-level peers
Behavioral Expectations in the
Kindergarten Classroom
• Students transition from activity to activity
independently with very few verbal prompts
• Students sit in whole group instruction “magic
five” on the carpet
• Students use the bathroom independently
• Students monitor their own behavior
• Students manage classroom materials
appropriately
• Students follow routines and rules
• Students work independently
Encourage Independence
Skills your child should practice…
• Using the toilet without adult assistance
• Putting on and removing his or her own coat, hats, and
mittens
• Hanging up his or her coat and backpack
• Fasteners (e.g., zippers and snaps)
• Opening food containers, cartons, straws,
ketchup packets
• Putting toys away
• Following adult directions
Social-Emotional Expectations
in the Kindergarten Classroom
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•
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Students show an eagerness to learn
Students show a willingness to try new things
Students show concern for and interest in others
Students work and solve problems with others
Encourage Social Skills
Provide your child with opportunities to socialize
with other children through attending…
• Story time at the library
• Gym programs
• Parks and playgrounds
• Play dates, playgroups
• Or, visit a parent resource center
And… Keep exposing your child to new activities,
even if they don’t like them.
Literacy Expectations for the
Kindergarten Classroom
• Students use language effectively to communicate
with others
• Students relate personal experiences to text
• Students answer questions about characters,
actions, and events in stories
Provide Literary Experiences
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Read together!
Talk about the pictures in books
Encourage your child to speak in sentences
Sing the A-B-C and rhyming songs
Play with magnetic letters
Practice matching letters with their sounds
Read signs in the environment
Prepare for Written Language
Too!
Provide fine motor experiences through…
• Play with play-doh
• Practice cutting with child’s scissors
• Use glue bottles and glue sticks
• Coloring or writing with a variety of tools
such as pencils, markers, and crayons
Also, encourage your child to draw
pictures and tell you about them.
Math Expectations for the
Kindergarten Classroom
• Students recognize odd and even numbers
• Student identify positions of an object (first
through fifth)
• Students sequence events
• Students demonstrate emerging money skills
• Students combine and remove concrete objects
(beginning addition/subtraction)
Provide Math Experiences
• Count (e.g., cookies at snack, stairs climbed, number of
pennies, etc.)
• Have your child help set the table to practice one-to-one
correspondence
• Have your child help sort laundry by color or size
• Have your child help prepare a simple meal
• Go on a shape hunt
• Use position words (e.g.,top, middle, bottom, over, under,
etc.)
• Use quantitative concepts (e.g., empty/full , more/less,
one, one more)
Things You Need to Know
About Kindergarten Transition
• Students who will be 5 years old by September 1,
2014 will go to kindergarten next fall.
• Based on the location of your neighborhood
elementary school (also called your “home
school”), you are a part of a specific “cluster” of
schools which offer many different special
education services.
• A “cluster” is grouping of 4 high schools and all
their feeder (middle & elementary) schools.
.
Need to Know (cont.)
• Every school does not offer every special
education service, but each “cluster” provides
most of the same special education services.
• There is a continuum of services available for
kindergarten students with special needs. These
services are based on the number of hours of
specialized instruction as well as the type of
support your child needs at school.
Steps for Parents and
Guardians to Follow
• You’ve already completed the first step by
attending tonight’s meeting! 
• Attend your Special Education Cluster
Supervisor’s meeting during which he or she
describes services available in your area. This
typically takes place in January. If you are not
able to attend the meeting, request a copy of
the power-point from your Parent Educator.
Steps to Follow (cont.)
• Visit your neighborhood school’s kindergarten.
Check with your parent educator to find out if a
group tour has been set up.
• Your Parent Educator may also recommend visiting
other elementary schools that provide different
service options for kindergarten. These visits are
pre-arranged, and invitations will be sent home in
your child’s backpack. Bring any questions you
may have.
Steps to Follow (cont.)
• Parents are highly encouraged to visit schools,
take notes, ask questions and discuss their child’s
educational needs with the PEP staff.
Kindergarten tours are not able to be rescheduled.
Please make every effort to attend.
• Most importantly, attend your child’s IEP meeting
during which Kindergarten services will be
discussed. You are part of the team and your input
is valued. The services selected will be based on
your child’s unique needs.
Alphabet Soup: Services
for Students with Special Needs
• Resource and Related Services: Services are provided at
your child’s neighborhood “home” school.
• HSM: Home school model.
• LAD: Learning and Academic Disabilities.
• ELC: Elementary Learning Center.
• LFI: Learning for Independence.
• SCB: School/ Community Based.
• http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special
ed/parents/services/schoolage-all-levels.aspx
• http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special
ed/parents/services/schoolage-elementary.aspx
Resources
• Ready at Five
– www.readyatfive.org
• National Network for Childcare
– www.nncc.org
•
Education.Com
- www.education.com
• Reading Rockets
- www.readingrockets.org