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As a child approaches the
end of his preschool years, his parents begin to consider his
readiness for kindergarten. Some parents confidently envision their
child in kindergarten, but others, particularly ‘those whose
children have mid- to late-in-the-year birthdays, wonder if he’s
ready for this major step. There are school districts that require
children with late birthdays to wait an extra year before starting
kindergarten, but most districts let parents choose whether to
enroll their child during his fifth or sixth year. Because a child’s
success in the first year of school lays the foundation for later
success, the decision to send a child to kindergarten must be made
carefully and in his best interests.
Parents sometimes assume that a child who’s been to day care or
nursery school is automatically prepared for kindergarten, but it’s
a different experience in a number of ways. Children in kindergarten
are expected to spend scheduled amounts of time sitting and working
on specific academic skills. Although play is considered part of the
daily program, emphasis is placed on group and individual academic
work and on following a set curriculum. Kindergartners become part
of a large school community that operates under new rules and
expectations. And children find that their parents, who are excited
about kindergarten, may begin to put emphasis on “doing well.”
Chronological age is the major factor determining kindergarten
readiness, but naturally there are related factors parents should
consider: cognitive or intellectual development, social and
emotional development, and physical size. If a child is five to
eleven months younger than other kindergartners, he may display
behavior that’s significantly different from his classmates’. Even
if he’s advanced in one area of development such as academics, he
may generally be functioning at a level lower than expected for his
age group.
Another area of concern should be social and emotional development.
A child who’s socially or emotionally immature may have a difficult
time accommodating to his teacher’s demands. He may seem unwilling
to behave as kindergartners should, when actually he’s unable to act
more mature. He may have a hard time working and playing
cooperatively with his classmates and this may cause him to be
labeled a “behavior problem.” Naturally, if he’s labeled this way,
his self-image will be affected, and ultimately, he may continue
misbehaving because he feels frustrated and angry over his inability
to do what’s expected of him.
A child who lags behind socially but is advanced academically poses
a dilemma for his parents, who may be concerned about holding him
back an extra year. They may think he will not be challenged in
academic areas if he waits and attends kindergarten with younger
children, yet, if the imbalance between social and intellectual
development is striking, he’s probably not developmentally ready for
kindergarten.
To evaluate overall readiness for kindergarten, parents should first
look at their child’s cognitive development. When a child is
functioning academically below kindergarten level, he sometimes can
be helped through individualized instruction from teachers and
specialists. But the child who’s lagging behind often has a hard
time catching up because learning in certain areas is too difficult
for him. Despite the instructional support, he might think he’s “not
as good” as his peers, and he may feel unnecessary stress because he
can’t cope with the demands of school. When this happens, he’ll
probably show signs of disliking school, say he hates school, or
exhibit behavioral problems. Academic struggles in kindergarten
often establish a pattern that can continue for years.
Another factor parents should consider is size and physical
development. When a child is several months younger than the average
kindergarten student, he also may be smaller than his classmates.
Size and age are important to young children, who frequently check
each other to see who’s tallest or oldest. And since children often
begin to lose their teeth during the kindergarten year, a younger
child might be frustrated and unhappy if he doesn’t lose teeth when
his older friends do. Being the youngest and smallest can put a
child in a vulnerable position in the classroom, although this
naturally would be more of a problem for a child who’s reserved and
quiet rather than boisterous and outgoing.
If you’re unsure about your child’s readiness for kindergarten, seek
opinions from others, including professionals. If your child has
been to day care or nursery school, the first people you contact
will probably be his teachers. Since they have a basic understanding
of kindergarten requirements and have had many opportunities to
observe children, they’ll be able to advise you. As long as you like
and trust them, their judgment may be very helpful. If you continue
to have questions, seek the opinion of a developmental specialist
who assesses school readiness. Your pediatrician also may be of help
in addressing your concerns. Friends who have held their children
back a year can share their thoughts with you, and elementary school
counselors or principals will discuss the issue and offer
information on kindergarten readiness.
Most parents who have held their children back a year have not
regretted the extra time for growing and maturing. The child who
starts kindergarten when he’s developmentally ready is better able
to meet academic demands and get along with others throughout his
schooling. When children don’t have to struggle to keep up, they
develop a strong sense of self-confidence, and this provides a good
foundation for the school years. |
