Ready for Kindergarten: Readiness
What is School Readiness?
- School readiness means having the ability to learn and cope with the school environment without undue stress.
- A child's intelligence plays only a minor role in his or her ability to cope with the school day.
Characteristics of Children Ready For Kindergarten
Social Emotional
- Ready to separate from family
- Ready to trust adults in school
- Ready to learn how to share
- Ready to learn how to wait
- Ready to assume responsibility and independence
- Ready to handle situations, emotions, fears
- Ready to follow teacher's agenda
Intellectual
- Interested in print, alphabet letters
- Interested in listening to stories and music
- Eager to learn and to engage in new activities
- Interested in talking about ideas
- Interested in math concepts- number, comparisons, shapes
Motor/Neurological
- Ready to hold writing tools
- Ready to use scissors
- Ready to button, zip own clothing
- Ready to attend to tasks for 15-20 minutes
Reprinted with the permission of the Beal Early Childhood Center.
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