5/10/2017 TransitioningtoKindergarten|NAEYCForFamilies

Typekeywordshere...

Home FamiliesToday Topics FindChildCare/Preschool Blog Music

Home Topics

ForYourChild'sTeacher
Transitioningto
Kindergarten DevelopmentallyAppropriate
Practice:FocusonInfantsand
ByJanisStrasser Toddlers

Startingschoolcanbescaryand Author(s):
excitingforbothyouandyourchild. CarolCopple,SueBredekamp,
Effectivekindergartenteachers DerryKoralek,&Kathy
knowthatchildrenareindividuals Charner,eds.
whoeachstartkindergartenwitha ISBN:9781928896951
widerangeofskills.Youdonot
needtodrillyourchildwithletters, BuyNow
numbers,andfacts,beforeschool
starts.Buttherearesomethings
youcandotopreparebothyouand TheYoungChildand
yourchildforkindergarten.Hereare Mathematics(2nded.)
someideas.
Author(s):
RelatedArticles: JuanitaV.Copley
IsMyChildReadyforKindergarten?
Beforeschoolstarts ISBN:9781928896685
SayingGoodbyetoPreschoolandHellotoKindergarten Sendanotetothenurseandto
13TipsforStartingPreschool theteacherifyourchildhas
allergiesorspecialneeds.Dothis
evenifyouhaveindicatedthison BuyNow
Share: otherformsalready.Itmaybe
criticalforteacherstoknowthat moreForYourChild'sTeacher...
yourchildreactstobeestings,has
foodallergies,orhashearingor
visionmodifications.Asaparent,youhavetheresponsibilitytoadvocateforyourchilds
healthandsafety.
Visittheschoolandmeettheteacher.Ifthereisavisitingdaytomeetyourchildsteacher
andvisitherclassroombeforeschoolstarts,makesuretoparticipate.Ifyoumissedvisiting
dayortheschooldoesnotofferone,calltoseeifyoucanarrangeaquickvisittoseethe
schoolandtomeettheteacherwithyourchild
Startyourschoolroutineearly.Toreducestressandgetusedtonewroutinesadjustnew
bedtimesorwakeuptimesafewweeksbeforeschoolbegins.Routinesarecomfortingforus
andforchildren.Readasoothingbedtimestoryeverynighttohelpyourchildfallasleepwith
comfortingthoughts.Donotwatchthenewsorviolentprogramsintheevening.
Labeleverything.Makesuretolabelbackpacks,lunchboxeseverythingyourchildbrings
toschool.Thisincludesher!Ifyourchildsschoolhasnotsuppliedanametag,makeone.It
shouldhaveyourchildsname,address,andaphonenumberwhereaparent/guardiancanbe
reached,thenameoftheteacher,andhowyourchildgetshomefromschool.
Readbookstogetheraboutstartingschool.Youcanaskyourlocallibrarianforsuggestions
ortrysomeofthese:
MissBindergartenGetsReadyforKindergarten,JosephSlate(Illustratedby
AshleyWolff)
SevenLittleMiceGotoSchool,KazuoIwamura
PetetheCat:RockinginMySchoolShoes,EricLitwin(IllustratedbyJames
Dean)
Mom,ItsMyFirstDayofKindergarten,HyewonYum
YokoLearnstoRead,RosemaryWells

Onthefirstdayofschool

Bepositive.Giveyourchildasmileandahug,tellheryouloveher,andwavegoodbye.
Helpyourchildsaygoodbye.Sayinggoodbyeinanewsettingcanbefrighteningforsome
children.Whenyousaygoodbye(eitheratthebusoratschool),reassureyourchildthatyou
https://families.naeyc.org/learninganddevelopment/childdevelopment/transitioningkindergarten 1/2
5/10/2017 TransitioningtoKindergarten|NAEYCForFamilies
willseeherlater.Mentionaspecifictimeandaconcreteactivity,forexampleIwillpickyou
upbeforelunchtimeandwewillhavelunchtogether.
Avoidbehaviorsthatmightupsetyourchild.Forexample,trynotto:
Cryasyouwavetoyourchildthroughthebuswindow.
Arguewiththebusdriverwhomaybelatethefirstfewdays.(Thedriversneedtimetolearn
therouteandtalktoanxiousparents.)
Battlewithyourchildaboutanoutfityouwanthertowear.(Shedoesnthavetobethe
schoolfashionqueen.)
Forceyourchildtoeatabigbreakfast.(Shemaybenervousanditmightbebettertoeat
lightlythantohaveastomachache,forthefirstcoupleofdays).
Waittoasktheteacheryourspecificquestions.Thefirstdayofschoolisnotthetimeto
bombardtheteacherwithpersonalrequestsandinformation.Remember,yourchildisoneof
20or25children.Trustthattheteacherisaprofessionalwhowillmakeyourchildfeel
welcomeandhelpherfeellikeamemberoftheclassroomcommunity.

Duringthefirstweekofschool

Besupportive.Adjustingtoschoolmaytaketime.Ask,Whatwasthemostfunthingyoudid
inschooltoday?Thenask,Whatwasthehardestthingforyou?(Onlyaskthisafteryou
havediscussedwhatwasfun.)Dontexpectyourchildtotellyoueverydetail.
Instillasenseofconfidenceinyourchild.Celebrateyourchildssuccesses.Tellherthat
youareproudofthewayshegotonthebusandsatdownallbyherself,orthewayshetriedto
printhername.Dontdwellonhowmanyfriendsshehasmadeduringthefirstfewdays.This
istooabstractformost5yearoldsandtheirfriendschangebytheminute.Instead,ask,Tell
meaboutsomeofthechildreninyourclass.Ittakestimetoadjusttonewpeople,new
activities,andanewenvironment.Dontexpectperfection.Ifyourchildwasperfect,she
wouldnthavetogotoschool!
Setasideatime,eachevening,toshareyourchildsday.Seeifyourchildhasbrought
homeanydrawings,paintings,orscribbling.Thesepapersmaybeveryimportanttoyour
youngstudent.Iftherearenopapers,dontassumethatyourchilddidntdoanything
worthwhile.Afterafewweekshavepassedandyourchildhasgottenusedtoschool,askher
aboutwhatsheplayedwithintheclassroom,whatstoriestheteacherread,ifshewent
outside,etc.Listenforcluesaboutyourchildsstrengthsandchallenges.Ifyouhave
concerns,contacttheteacherandsetupatimetotalk.
Readeverythingtheschoolsendshome.Duringthefirstweeksofschoolchildrenbring
homeawealthofinformationaboutschoolroutines,importantdates,andmeetingsthatyou
willneedtoknowabout.Makesuretocheckyourchildsbackpackeveryday.Also,youmay
wanttogooverwithyourchild,inapositive,calmway,theinformationyouhavesuppliedto
theschoolontheemergencycard(whomaypickyourchildupotherthanyou,whereshecan
goifyoureevernothome,etc.).
Enjoybeingtheparentofakindergartner!Thisisyourchildsfirststepintoprimaryschool
andauniquetimeinchildhood.Enjoy!

Category: ChildDevelopment

PreviousArticle|NextArticle

NAEYC Publications

Write/Contribute PublicPolicy

ContactUs PositionStatements
1313LSt.NW,Suite500,
Conferences Membership
Washington,DC20005
(202)2328777|(800)4242460
webmaster@naeyc.org Advertise NAEYCStore

NationalAssociationfortheEducationofYoungChildrenPromotingexcellenceinearlychildhoodeducation
TermsofUse|PrivacyStatement

https://families.naeyc.org/learninganddevelopment/childdevelopment/transitioningkindergarten 2/2