Kindergarten Orientation – What to Expect

It’s that time of year when you bring your child to visit their new school and meet the teachers. We went to an orientation last week, which was very informative. These forums assist both the parents and children in their transition to a new environment and provide a little insight into the kindergarten curriculum.

Some things to remember to bring when you are heading to your kindergarten orientation:

* Proof of physical exams – our county requires both medical and dental records
* Proof of residency – bring a real estate bill or current lease contract
* Proof of age – child’s birth certificate or passport
* Proof of identity of custodial parent – drivers license or photo ID
* Completed emergency forms

My daughter enjoyed the orientation. She participated in four centers; oblivious to the fact she was being observed by the teachers. The centers ranged from reading a book and her ability to answer questions to counting goldfish to coloring within the lines to planting a flower and following the sequential steps. Prior to the conclusion of the orientation, the soon to be kindergarteners left to go on a bus ride while the parents watched a power point presentation on summer homework (that’s right my 5 ½ year old will have homework this summer).

My recent kindergarten orientation experience raised two issues that I will address in subsequent posts:

Child and parent separation anxiety. Some children could not bear being away from their parent. One mother left the school because her daughter couldn’t stop crying –it was heartbreaking to watch! In subsequent blogs, I will provide some insight on how to best handle this situation.

Summer homework and kindergarten curriculum. Some children may benefit from summer homework. Fortunately or unfortunately, kindergarten will be much different for my daughter than it was for me. I fondly remember cookies, milk and naps and being returned to my Mother in time for lunch. My daughter will attend full day kindergarten and the expectations are significantly different. In subsequent blogs, I will share our six homework assignments as well as provide insight on preparing your child for kindergarten.