Weighing the options for your child’s first year of school

Written by Leslie Escobar

Kindergarten is the traditional first step for many 5-year-olds starting their stint in elementary school. But plenty of other kids might be better suited for a pre-kindergarten program, whether it’s in a public or private school setting.

For parents wondering how to choose, teachers and psychologists say there are several ways to gauge the kindergarten-readiness of a child.

Katie Dutra teaches pre-kindergarten at Old Orchard School, a private school in Campbell. She says most parents she’s worked with are open-minded about the idea of choosing pre-k over kindergarten and are aware of why it might be a good idea for their son or daughter.

“Indicators might be a child who seems a bit young compared to peers, or one who has difficulty settling down and focusing for even short periods of time,” said Dutra, who’s been teaching pre-k at the school for six years. “At Old Orchard, we invite parents to observe our classes. If they have doubts, this is a good way to see what our students are doing at the same age.

“And, of course, we are here to help parents decide. We will be very honest.”

While Dutra’s pre-k class begins with playtime, she said a typical class also includes language, art, math and music lessons. Class begins at 8:30 a.m., and parents can choose to enroll their child in a session that ends at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. or 3 p.m.

“The focus is on topics and helping the students learn how to be students,” Dutra says. “At the beginning of the year, we teach them how to sit nicely on the carpet for circle time, introduce them to transitions, listening to others and respecting class rules, etc. By the end of the year, they are charging ahead – they’ve completed much of the regular kindergarten curriculum in language arts and math and they are really ready to move on.”

Wendy Hendricks, a kindergarten teacher at Stevenson School’s Carmel campus, described a similarly rigorous full-day program for her students. Activities include an hour-and-a-half literary lesson, math, science and social studies blocks, and Spanish and physical education sessions.

“It’s definitely a long day,” said Hendricks, who’s been teaching kindergarten for 11 years. She said parents tend to be willing to accept the idea that their child might not be ready for kindergarten – or may need an extra year of it.

“They’re typically pretty open-minded about it,” Hendricks said. “Some will elect to do two years. Some will wait and reapply. We haven’t had anybody really react poorly to it. Most people know their child really well and what’s best for them.”

Hendricks said parents can help develop their child’s skills in the months leading up to the school year by reading frequently to him or her.

“That is the best advice for any parent of any child – the more you read to them the more ready they’re going to be,” she said. “Have them go to parks and go to places like My Museum, where there are a lot of other children, and help them navigate the social situation there so they have some of those skills going in.”

And if the school year approaches and parents still aren’t sure, Dutra said they shouldn’t feel pressured to go ahead with kindergarten.

“I really encourage parents not to rush a child who simply might benefit from another year of play and social development,” she said. “One year simply isn’t a big deal over the course of a long education – and if it lets a student start at the top of his or her game, it’s a real gift.”

However, it’s also important to make sure a child doesn’t need something more than a year in pre-kindergarten or an extra year in traditional kindergarten, said Regina Marshall, a psychologist based in Monterey County. She said parents should note things such as speech problems or underdeveloped motor skills, problems that aren’t likely to be solved by a year in pre-k.

“Pre-k across the board isn’t going to solve a child’s speech problem or other things that are blocking the way of being able to function at the same level as the rest of their peers,” Marshall said.

Marshall said that in cases such as those, parents might consider seeking advice from a therapist. “A child can really greatly benefit from those interventions sooner rather than later,” she says.

Lastly, simply getting honest feedback from a son or daughter’s preschool teacher can help gauge how ready a child is for kindergarten.

“When I’m working with parents, I ask what preschool teachers say about the child,” Marshall said. “I’ve yet to find one that’s wrong.”

Ways to prepare your child for beginning school

Story Time
Sit down to read to your child regularly. It not only provides quality time between you and your child, the quiet time helps him or her adjust to sessions of low activity while interacting with books.

Play Time
Take your child to locations where many children play. Playgrounds and interactive museums help him navigate social situations. Preschool-level classes in sports, arts and crafts, dance and gymnastics can improve listening and social skills.

Chore Time
Create an age-appropriate daily task list that your child can check off with stickers, or come up with another fun way for him to keep track. This can include brushing teeth, cleaning up toys after playtime, getting dressed, feeding pets and more. Helping your child learn to keep track of and complete daily tasks will get him used to the routines that will be established in school.