The Kindergarten Debate: is Your Child Really Ready?

Does your little one know how to count to ten, spell his/her name, and read common 3-letter words? If you have a preschooler then they need to begin learning such things before you even think of placing them in kindergarten. Most children begin Kindergarten once they are 5-years-old, but it depends on when their birthday is during that year. In the state of Ohio, most children have to be 5-years-old by no later than September 30th. However, districts vary and some children that are close to the cut-off date are advised to wait until the following year to begin kindergarten.

So how do you know if your 5-year-old is prepared for the new expectations of kindergarten? Even if your child attends preschool on a part-time basis, this does not mean that he or she will be fully prepared for what lies ahead in kindergarten. The only law that is in place for kindergarten is that the child has to be at least 5-years-old by the set cut-off date for the year. So with only one actual law in place for kindergarten, what are the standards that are being set and who is setting them?

Even though it is not nationwide, a majority of kindergartens have somewhat of a prerequisite for children starting school. This is due to the growing number of educational testing in the school systems and the popularity of preschool learning. Educational experts believe that the academic experience is being pushed further down the line. What this means is what first graders were learning before will now be taught in kindergarten instead.

In the state of Ohio, even though preschool is not a requirement, the Ohio Department of Education has actually put together certain academic standards for preschoolers. As far as they are concerned, a 4-year-old should be able to spell their name and know most of their letters. They also expect little ones to be able to count to 10, follow basic directions, read basic 3-letter words, and be aware when words rhyme or do not rhyme.

Some experts believe that if states had a more academically active preschool regimen then the children would be more intellectually ready when they enter into kindergarten. So what can you do to ensure that your child is going to be prepared for the world of kindergarten? If your child attends preschool part-time, check the curriculum to ensure that he/she is being taught what they need for entering kindergarten. If they are not, then you may want to look for another preschool or perhaps think of doing some "home schooling" on your own. For those of you that do not use preschool and have taught your child at home, then check with your local school and see what the standards are for entering kindergarten. By doing so you can be prepared well in advance and if needed you can begin using flash cards, quizzes, and even spending extra time practicing reading.

Statistics for children in elementary school show that nearly a decade ago around 11 percent of children had to repeat a grade while in elementary school, whereas only 5 percent had to repeat in 2004. This shows that children are in fact getting more education and their educational needs are being met. However, with adding more prerequisites for kindergarten it will begin to make it more difficult for children to succeed properly, unless the parents are made full aware of the criteria in advance. This is one reason why it is so important to prepare for your child to enter kindergarten 6-months to 1-year in advance. You can begin the preparation by paying attention to what your child knows and is learning, as well as meeting with the school and teaching staff to get all of the criteria needed for entering into kindergarten. If you feel your child is not developmentally ready, then this is something that can be discussed with the educators and they can give you options. After all, you want to put your child's best interest first instead of the interest of the school district.