This week I had a short conversation with a barely 5 year old boy. He is entering kindergarten. My heart ached as I saw several behavioral and academic indications that he would struggle in school. He is delayed. Sadly, he may have been ready to enter school by now if his parents had worked with him on some academic and social skill development. He may not catch up without intervention. He is a bright child who hasn't had much training or adult interaction. I wanted to tell his mom to keep him home another year. I didn't. It really isn't my business. I probably couldn't have extinguished her determination to get "free day care" as soon as possible anyway.
I'm not writing this post as a parent. I'm writing it as a teacher. Being a parent is hard, and sometimes there are factors outside our control that impact our children's ability to be successful in school. There are, however; many factors within our control. Moms and dads can do much to prepare their young children to be successful in school. Seeing this young boy reminded me to re-double my efforts to teach Logan. I don't want him to struggle because I didn't help him prepare. Below are some skills we have been working on at home. While this teaching is very intentional, it is rarely formal. It just happens as opportunities arise throughout the day:
1. Coin recognition
2. Rhyming
3. Letter name and sound recognition (while shopping, reading books, driving in the car)
4. Sight word recognition
5. Tracing/writing names of family members
6. "Reading" books (Even if they are memorized, this is a great confidence builder. Logan has a pile of books in his room that he can "read" to me.)
7. Following directions the first time
8. Social problem solving skills
9. Taking turns
10. Simple math story problems (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
11. Following the rules in games
12. Measurement (How many blocks long is the couch?, play with a measuring tape, measurement while cooking)
13. Counting
14. Shapes and colors
15. Exposure to narrative and informational texts (I often ask Logan to predict words or events as we read, I also ask him to re-tell portions of the story as we go.)
16. Singing
17. Story telling (Logan tells the stories)
18. Working on a difficult task for an extended period
19. Address and phone number
20. Fine motor skill activities (stringing beads, coloring, playing with small toys)
21. Respect for adults other than me
22. Saying thank you
23. Cleaning up after himself
24. Geography (we look at maps and discuss where animals live and why)
25. Drawing pictures
I am amazed at how receptive Logan is. He is like a little sponge, and he longs to be involved and to be taught new things. Sometimes children lose that desire for interaction. I guess I'll take advantage of it while I can.
7 comments:
You're an excellent parent/teacher. Logan will be very successful in school, I'm sure.
My son and his wife decided their youngest wasn't quite ready for Kindergarten--she won't be five until day after tomorrow. I think their decision was a wise one, but they need your list of skills. I tried, in a small way, to encourage my daughter-in-law to turn off the television, have conversations, read, and let my darling granddaughter learn to do things on her own. The baby of the family is often indulged and waited on. She is no exception.
Maybe I'll point them to your blog. Then I'm not the one saying these things. Thank you.
it is such a blessing to be able to teach our kids all day. i am missing that so terribly with malan, who is off to school this year. after looking at her kindergarten curriculum i think she will not be stretched at school...when did kindergarten become another year of preschool? i am so tempted to keep her home until 1st grade, but i am sure there are other good things she can learn from a school setting besides the academic. logan is a lucky guy to have such a good teacher for a mom.
What a great post. My daughter just barely turned 5 and we decided to hold her back so that she will be the oldest in her class. I just felt it would be better to have her more prepared than not. I agree that it is important for parents to work with their children. Thanks for putting that list down. Now I can have a reference of what to work on. :)
We have been working hard at most of these traits but there are some that I realized we're lacking on. Even though we're starting preschool I am all for "early intervention" to help them be successful! Thank you for helping me think outside the box!!
There you go living up the the name of your blog!
I am visiting from Emilie's blog and I have a four year old I am constantly trying to keep up with...this list is very helpful. Thanks!
I can see that parent in five years as their child enters my fifth grade class. School is still free childcare to them so they'll show up every day, even sometimes when they're sick.
They are also counting down the days until their child turns eleven and it is legal for them to no longer pay a babysitter for after school supervision.
I doubt either one of us (or any of the teachers in the years between) will see homework from this child.
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