Kindergarten – is your child ready? What you need to know!

Immanuel Christian School has hosted two Kindergarten Readiness Seminars this year as a resource for parents of young children. The seminars are available to all members of the community, not just for families considering Immanuel Christian School. The seminar has three goals:

  • To inform parents about four main educational philosophies offered in Northern Virginia (Classical, Traditional, Montessori, and Developmental)
  • To share ten key things kindergarten teachers look for on the first day of school
  • To inspire activities for parents to focus on at home in order to prepare their children for the big step of starting kindergarten, and ultimately for the journey of life-long learning!

Kindergarten Readiness Seminar Header_12132013The decision of where to enroll your child in school is a big decision for every family, and the decision making process is different for every family. It is important for parents to consider what is most important and what school environment they desire most for their child. What are the essentials and what is negotiable? One of the first things parents should do is formulate a personal educational philosophy about teaching and learning. When researching school options, examine whether the school’s mission statement aligns with your own! This gives great insight into what the school values in its students.  This exercise is one of many in which parents engage to make this life-changing decision.

Not only do parents need to answer the question of where to enroll, but also the question of when to enroll? How do you know if your child is ‘ready’? (And as parents – are you?!) As with school choice, many factors contribute to answering this question. While a child’s age is an indicator, this is not the only criteria to consider in determining readiness. The kindergarten year is one of growth, transition, and appropriately developing independence and responsibility.

Our kindergarten experts have determined ten characteristics kindergarten teachers look for on the first day of school; in other words, children should have experience in these ten areas before beginning school. Portraying these ten qualities is a good indicator in a child’s readiness for kindergarten.

  • Project confidence in oral communication
  • Follow 2 and 3 step directions
  • Separation from adults
  • Imaginative play
  • Self-care
  • Active listening
  • Healthy view on discipline
  • Social graces
  • Fine motor development
  • Large motor development

We encourage you to attend a Kindergarten Readiness Seminar next year for more details and information about what you can do at home and activities to incorporate into daily life to encourage your child and instill good habits at an early age. Click here to register your name for our email list so we can notify you of our upcoming seminar dates.

At Immanuel Christian School, we recognize the importance of teaching and developing the whole child. Luke 2:52 reads “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” Jesus learned and grew as a man in all the ways we do. A child needs to be nurtured and developed socially and emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Jesus grew in these same areas, and what better example to learn from than His. Learning begins at home, and it is our goal to partner with families to support the development of their children in all of these areas.

If you’d like to learn more about Immanuel Christian School and to be notified of upcoming events, please visit our website, and request information here.