Live Interactive Chat

Answers to Questions (Transcript)

July 15, 2002

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

LaDonna Helm, Kindergarten Teacher
Leal School, Urbana, IL

See also: Biography, Related Resources and Related Resources 2

IELmoderator
Greetings, IEL Chat participants. Welcome to our IEL Chat on "Getting Ready for Kindergarten." To get started, let me introduce our guest speaker, LaDonna Helm, kindergarten teacher at Leal School in Urbana, Illinois.

LaDonna Helm
Good evening! I am happy to be in your company and share information on such an exciting topic! I look forward to providing you with tips on getting children ready for kindergarten.

IELmoderator
The procedure for the live Chat session is as follows. Participants can send questions to the Chat guest at any time. When you send your question, please note that it will not be visible to all Chat participants. The IEL Moderator receives the question first and will post it to the whole Chat group. If there's a long queue of questions, the Moderator will notify the questioner that the question was received. Then, at the next break in the discussion, the question will be posted for all to see and for our guest to answer.

Note that there will be a pause after a question is posted while Ms. Helm composes her answer to the question. During these pauses, the Moderator will post occasional information about the IEL Web site.

Questions will be posted in the order they're received, unless there's some obvious reason to group similar questions together. Participants may send follow-up questions. If your question is not answered by the time the Chat session ends at 8 pm, the question and its answer will be included in the Chat transcript that will be made available online approximately 2 weeks from today.

After all that procedural information, let me remind Chat participants that you can find the text of the recently completed Illinois Early Learning standards on the IEL Web site at this URL: http://illinoisearlylearning.org/standards/index.htm.

The standards relate to the learning areas of (1) Language Arts, (2) Mathematics, (3) Science, (4) Social Science, (5) Physical Development and Health, (6) Fine Arts, (7) Foreign Languages, and (8) Social/Emotional Development.

Now let's begin our Chat. Ms. Helm, we have a question that we received in advance of the session.

IELmoderator
What skills do teachers expect a child to have when entering kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Most children recognize some basic colors and shapes. They can also count to 10, recognize some letters, numbers, and their name.

Ellen
We have recently changed the entrance age for kindergartners from December 31 to August. Do you think this makes a difference? There will still always be a youngest child.

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, sometimes it does make a difference if the child is not yet mature or showing signs of being ready for kindergarten; for example, sitting in a large group setting or following multiple step instructions.

IELmoderator
You can find more information on Getting Ready for Kindergarten on a resource page on the IEL Web site. This page is available at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/chat/helm/sup.htm.

Tmy
Our last name is very long, and my 5-year-old can't get all the letters in the right order yet. Will that matter? He does know our address and phone number, and his numbers (through 20), and he can pick out all the letters. When I try to get him to practice printing our last name, he gets tired and wants to quit. What should I do?

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, no that does not matter. That is something that will be worked on during the school year. You can continue to expose your child to the letters in your last name. Also, make your child's teacher aware of this at the beginning of the school year. This may also be a goal that the teacher, child, and family could set as something that could be accomplished by the end of the kindergarten year. Absolutely do not panic.

Tmy
Are there any books that my child should have read before kindergarten starts?

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, no not necessarily, but I encourage you to read books to your child if you are not doing so already. This could help prepare your child for listening to stories at large group time.

jpm
Thank you for being here. You may have already answered this question. I am wondering how to assure a child that he or she is ready for kindergarten. I'm remembering this about my stepdaughter, who woke up one morning in August worrying that she would not know enough. I said reassuring things, but she didn't really seem reassured. Of course, she got through it all fine, but is there anything you recommend telling children who are obsessing a little?

LaDonna Helm
jpm, I recommend some transitional activities such as visiting the school and meeting the teacher prior to the first day of school (if possible). Talk with your child over the summer about kindergarten, and read some books about getting ready for kindergarten. This will tend to ease the child's mind about starting school.

IELmoderator
Remember that the IEL Web site is available not only in English but also in Spanish. The Spanish home page is at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/index-sp.htm.

Ellen
We are finding that many 5-year-olds in our most challenging schools do not enter kindergarten with knowledge of colors, letters, or numbers. These youngsters have not had the benefit of preschool. Should our expectation for them be different by the end of kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, what are the current expectations for students at your school by the end of kindergarten?

Ellen
That they recognize numbers to 10, rote count to 20, recognize some uppercase and lowercase letters.

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, those are reasonable expectations for children exiting kindergarten.

Tmy
I know there's a big emphasis on testing in the schools now. Do kindergartners get tested on what they are learning? How do you test kids who can't read yet!

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, there are no standardized tests, to my knowledge; however, children may be assessed for kindergarten readiness skills on their knowledge of colors, shapes, letters, and numbers.

Ellen
From Tmy's question, should we assume that children are reading by the time they enter kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, absolutely not! I encourage parents to read TO children. I did not mean to imply that children should be reading themselves by the end of kindergarten.

Jo Ann K
I am a day care provider, and my 5-year-olds are so varied in their abilities and knowledge. One knows the sounds of letters as well as recognizing them and is able to sound out some words. The others don't recognize all the letters yet. How do the teachers handle these discrepancies to alleviate frustration or boredom in the classroom?

LaDonna Helm
Jo Ann, I tend to meet these kinds of needs by meeting with students in large groups, small groups, and one-on-one. This type of arrangement allows me to meet children's needs on a variety of levels.

IELmoderator
An IEL Tip Sheet recently uploaded to the IEL Web site is "Encouraging Words," which offers suggestions for using helpful words to show appreciation to your children without sounding like empty praise. This Tip Sheet is available at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/encouragingwords.htm. It is also available in Spanish as "Palabras Animadoras" at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-sp/encouragingwords-sp.htm.

Ellen
Your "tip sheet" is terrific! It is something we can use at our kindergarten roundup in the spring for incoming fall students.

Tmy
jpm's question raises a similar question that I have. The parents I know seem to have two approaches to the first day of school. Some make a big deal out of it--even going out to dinner to celebrate, and talking to their child about how exciting it will be and how wonderful. Then I know some other parents who are going to treat going to school that first day very matter of factly--sort of down playing its importance. I don't know exactly how I should approach it. What do you recommend?

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, it depends on the family. Every family "celebrates" or "treats" events differently. There is no right or wrong way to approach the first day of school. If your family is one that tends to downplay events such as this, then continue with your routine or vice-versa.

jpm
Thanks for your ideas about assuring a child that she IS ready. Do you ever recommend any particular picture books about starting school?

LaDonna Helm
jpm, I do not have any particular titles to give you now, but a short list will be included on the IEL Web site in the near future.

NOTE: View a list of picture books about starting school.

IELmoderator
Another IEL Tip Sheet recently uploaded to the IEL Web site is "Helping Children Develop 'Impulse Control.'" This Tip Sheet is available at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/impulsecontrol.htm.

You might be interested in visiting ReadyWeb, a Web site with information on school readiness. The Web site is operated by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. The Web site is available at http://readyweb.crc.uiuc.edu.

Remember that you may send a question at any time to the IEL staff. Just email your question to iel@uiuc.edu or call us at (877) 275-3227 between 8-12 and 1-5 on business days.

Nancy
I read that chicken pox vaccinations are going to be required soon. Will a child have to have this vaccination before starting kindergarten this year?

LaDonna Helm
I know that incoming kindergartners are required to have physicals but I do not know if the vaccinations are a component of that.

Ellen
In "testing" those readiness skills, what should the testing environment look like. I am so opposed to pulling the children out of the room and asking them these questions on paper.

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, it depends on the school. From my experience, there is an assessment done prior to the child even entering kindergarten, in which the parent(s) or family member(s) accompanies the child. This can be done by the classroom teacher or other staff members. There is also a classroom assessment that I do with my students 2-3 weeks into the school year (after they are already acquainted with me).

IELmoderator
IEL staff members give workshops and presentations throughout the state. If you're interested in attending such a workshop, please see the schedule of workshops on IEL's "Workshop and Exhibit Schedule" page at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/workshops.htm or contact the IEL staff if you'd like to arrange for a workshop in your area.

Tmy
I remember when I was young that kindergarten was the year when kids who came to school at all different levels of skills had the time to learn enough basics to all be on the "same page" by first grade. Is that still true?

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, not from my experience. As you mentioned, children come to school at different levels, and my goal is to meet each student at his/her level and take them to the next one. This may be different for each child.

Jo Ann K
How would you reassure a child who has loved preschool but is concerned about homework in kindergarten? I feel this is due to watching some TV programs for older children and also complaints from older brothers and sisters.

LaDonna Helm
Jo Ann K, my first thought is to mention this concern to the classroom teacher. Some kindergarten teachers do not give homework to students, but others, like myself, give one weekly assignment. The intent of the assignment is to review what has been taught in class and make parents aware of what the children are doing in school. These assignments always (at least my own) involve assistance from a family member. An example would be reading a story to a child and discussing the story with the child. As an alternative, the child may be asked to draw a picture related to the story.

IELmoderator
Ms. Helm, here's our next question: Are there specific social skills that help a child succeed in beginning school?

LaDonna Helm
Taking turns, sharing, following directions, listening, and using words to solve conflicts are good social skills to encourage in your child.

momof3
I am concerned about class sizes. I think my real fear is behavior problems in large kindergarten classes. What is the average class size, and within each class, how are severe behavior problems addressed?

LaDonna Helm
Average class size depends on the school and district. In our district (District 116), we have contract language that limits the number of students in each class. An average kindergarten class in my school has approximately 17 students. On the occasions when major behavior disruptions occur, I rely on school support staff to assist me.

Tmy
That's good (that you meet children where they are and take them to the next level). It seems to me that the media do a lot of complaining about how much and what children know when they start kindergarten, when I always thought that it's the school's job to work with the kids to get them ready for first grade! I also thought that the majority of kids had preschool or child care experience now, and that low-income children had Head Start to help them get ready for school. I guess I don't quite understand why the range of what children know coming into kindergarten is so large.

Earlier you mentioned some knowledge of letters and a few numbers, and being read to. But you haven't mentioned any other math or number knowledge. What should children know about math when they enter kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Tmy, it would help if they understood concepts like more or less, same and different, and patterns.

jpm
Can a child expect to learn to play some games in kindergarten? Along the same lines, are there any particular games that caregivers or parents might want to teach a child to help with number concepts and turn taking and that sort of thing? (Would you be willing to add the names of some games to the transcripts if none comes to mind right away? It's probably hard to come up with specifics right now.)

LaDonna Helm
Yes, children can be expected to learn some games in kindergarten. Playing games is one way to teach social skills such as turn taking. As far as games to play at home for teaching math and turn taking you might consider games such as Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Uno, and other board games that require counting spaces also known as one-to-one correspondence.

Tmy
My school district offers half-day kindergarten and all-day kindergarten. I chose all-day kindergarten, but recently my son has been taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon. Should I see if I can change the schedule to half-day kindergarten, and send him to a baby-sitter in the afternoon so he can take a nap? I really don't think this nap phase will last very long...but I'm concerned.

LaDonna Helm
I would encourage you to first see if the all-day program includes an afternoon rest time. If so, maybe your child can nap then. If not, I would encourage you to do what is best for you and your child's situation.

Ellen
How can we say what children should know when they enter kindergarten? They are going to enter regardless. It goes back to...we take them from where they are and move them forward.

LaDonna Helm
Ellen, you are absolutely correct! Because, regardless of what they know, the teacher is required to meet them where they are and take them further.

IELmoderator
IEL has another live Chat session scheduled during the summer. The next Chat session addresses the topic of "Getting Ready for Preschool." The Chat guest will be Jill Moore, director of Early Learning in Champaign, Illinois. This session is scheduled for July 30, 2002, again from 7-8 pm Central Time.

IELmoderator
Ms. Helm, here's our next question: Are there specific academic skills that help a child succeed in beginning school?

LaDonna Helm
It would be to the child's advantage if he/she recognizes his/her name along with some colors, shapes, numbers, and letters.

IELmoderator
Ms. Helm, here's another question: What are some things parents commonly overlook in preparing children to start kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Some parents tend to do too much for their children. I encourage parents to foster more independence with things such as zipping and unzipping, shoe tying, hanging coats, putting items in appropriate places, etc. Remember that there will be other children in the classroom. Your child should be responsible for things such as putting away his/her backpack, library books, coats, and lunch box.

IELmoderator
Ms. Helm, next question: Are there resources to help parents prepare a child for kindergarten if the child doesn't seem ready?

LaDonna Helm
Yes, I have found some articles on this topic in Parenting Magazine. Teresa Savage is the author of The Ready-to-Read, Ready-to-Count Handbook: How to Best Prepare Your Child for School. These are just a few resources; there may be several more.

IELmoderator
Here's another question, Ms. Helm: What might preschools and child care programs do to help children move more comfortably into kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Preschools and child care programs can arrange visits to kindergarten classrooms, which will allow the students to tour the buildings, meet teachers, and play on the playground. They should also continue to teach positive social skills--turn taking, sharing, and following directions. In addition, children in these programs should be exposed to colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and books on a regular basis.

IELmoderator
Ms. Helm, here's an additional question: What are some things children are concerned about as they get ready to start kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
How can families handle those concerns? Children are sometimes concerned about entering an unfamiliar school building. I strongly encourage you and your child to visit the school before school starts. Take a tour of the building and point our important places (i.e., restrooms, cafeteria, and office). Allow several opportunities for your child to play on the playground. Meet the teacher if possible.

jpm
Getting back to Tmy's comment about children's range of preparedness for kindergarten--do you see universal preschool coming any time soon, and if so, do you see it as something that will get more kids on the same page for starting kindergarten? Or is that even a reasonable expectation?

LaDonna Helm
jpm, I don't see universal preschool coming anytime soon, but I am also not a preschool provider. I cannot say that this is the avenue for getting children on same page because, of course, they will come to preschool at different levels, then the preschool teachers will be in charge of meeting this variety of needs.

Tmy
I heard on the news tonight that the chicken pox vaccine is now required for kids entering kindergarten. Do you know if children have any kind of reaction to this vaccination?

NOTE: See the previously prepared resource list on "Resources on Childhood Immunizations."

LaDonna Helm
Tmy. I do not know if children have reactions to this vaccination. You could ask your pediatrician about this.

IELmoderator
There are two or three minutes left in tonight's Chat session. Please send any final questions.

Tmy
It's a beautiful evening! It's too bad we all can't go out for a walk together and continue this conversation! Thanks so much for all the information!

IELmoderator
We have several questions in the queue. The answers to any questions that don't get answered tonight will be included in the transcript of this Chat session.

jpm
Thanks for being here, Ms. Helm.

IELmoderator
Thanks for being here, Ms. Helm.

Ellen
Thank you very much Ms. Helm and IELmoderator.

IELmoderator
Here's our last question of the evening: How can kindergarten programs make the transition to school easier for children?

LaDonna Helm
Kindergarten programs can help by welcoming families as they come in to visit. It is best for the family to make an appointment to visit the school. Preferably the visit is at a time in which the teacher can interact with the family. Kindergarten programs can also send letters welcoming families to the school. Included in the packet should be the school's policy/expectations, schedule, supply list, etc.

IELmoderator
That brings our Chat session to a close. Thanks, LaDonna Helm and Chat participants.

Jo Ann K
Thank you so much for giving us all such good input.

LaDonna Helm
Thank you for all your questions tonight. I've enjoyed speaking with you, and I hope you all have a positive kindergarten experience with your child!

IELmoderator
Thanks to all the Chat participants for your interesting questions and for your patience. Please join us for IEL's next Chat session on July 30, at 7 pm Central Time. And thank you, LaDonna Helm, for sharing your time with us this evening. Thanks again, all, and have a good night.

Additional Questions

Question
What are some things children are concerned about as they get ready to start kindergarten?

LaDonna Helm
Children are sometimes concerned that they will not know anyone in their class or school. Parents can help by talking to people at the preschool or child care center and find out if other children will attend the same school. Parents can also talk to people in their neighborhood and buddy up or car pool to help ease the transition.

Question
What are some pros and cons for keeping a child out of kindergarten even if he/she is old enough to begin?

LaDonna Helm
It seems that the child who does not attend kindergarten would be at home with a caregiver, thus the amount of individualized attention he/she receives would be greater. While this is viewed as an advantage, it could also be a disadvantage. The child will spend a year in an exclusive environment while his/her peers are in a classroom setting learning to take turns, wait patiently, and other social skills that are necessary while in a school setting. The child who stays at home for the year might have a year of catching up to do.

Question
What are some common examples of difficulties that are not so typical--ones that might signal that specialized help is needed?

LaDonna Helm
One common example of difficulties that are not so typical: Bashfulness is expected for a kindergartener entering a new setting. However, further investigations should be conducted if it interferes with communication between the child and peers or adults or if it hinders academic progress.

Question
How can I best communicate with the teacher?

LaDonna Helm
In the very beginning, establish a means of communicating with your child's teacher. Find out when is the best time of day to talk. It may be before school starts or at the end of the day. Remember that students are the priority during school hours; as a result, some teachers will not be able to address your concerns while the students are in attendance.

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