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Special Education Blog
Jan 5, 2011
Posted in: Blog
Hello everyone. I hope you are all staying warm – the snowy, wintery days are certainly upon us.
It’s hard to believe that January is coming to an end! At this time of year I find myself wondering how snowy February and March will be. Have you had enough snow yet?
In SAD 72 we are considering kindergarten lists and class sizes to anticipate for next year. We have already posted information on our district’s website on Kindergarten Registration. It’s very important to register your son or daughter when registration is held so district’s can make the best plans for all students.
We recognize that all students start school with very different experiences and skills. As you begin to have conversations about kindergarten next year with your son or daughter, you might want to consider Kindergarten readiness skills. Gaining skills in these areas will help your child get ready for school and be more successful.
There is a lot of research on What Children Need to Know, but teachers in our district have highlighted a few basic tips. Incoming student should have knowledge of Social Skills, Motor Skills, and Pre-Academic Skills. Social Skills include working in a cooperative learning group, working independently, attending to tasks, starting and finishing an activity, following 2 or 3-step directions, taking turns, sharing, following rules and showing respect. Motor Skills include fine and gross motor skills and eye-hand coordination skills such as holding crayons and pencils, using scissors and writing your name. Pre-Academic Skills include knowing some letters, numbers and basic concepts, such a big and small, first and last, and color words and simple shapes. This may seem like an overwhelming list, but children involved in daycare or preschool programs have opportunities to practice these skills and play with other children in many social interactions.
I hope you will find this list helpful and consider how you can help your child with experiences that allow them to practice some of these skills. Stay warm, and keep learning.