Preschool Assessment/Requirements

[wdmmom]

Does anyone know if preschools provide any type of assessments or if there are requirements needed to get in? I know they do a kindergarten round up here that includes an assessment to determine if your child is ready but I've never heard of such a thing for any preschool.

I've talked about this dcb (almost 4) that I might be terming after the summer to make room for a sibling.

I found a link that provided me with milestones for 3-4 year olds and he can only master about 6 of 20 and has all but 3 of the red flags to look out for.

I have talked to his mom in great length about how much preschool would be highly beneficial for him but she's confident he's "smart enough" and learning everything he needs here before he starts kindergarten. (I'm not really sure where she got that notion but we only do colors, shapes, numbers and letters. He doesn't know any numbers and he only knows the first letter of his name when it comes to letter recognition.

He doesn't even attempt to write his name and can't trace either. He is the same kid that can't manage to keep the coloring on the paper either.

I'm just curious as to what he should know by now.

Right now he's the oldest in the group and honestly, I have a 3 year old girl and a 2.75 year old boy that do much, much better than he does.

[KnoxMom]

Our school district has a pre-k readiness page that outlines what children should be able to do in order to be successful. I would check your county website for the required/expected developmental milestones. Also, you can check with your local Head Start program to ask for requirements. Once I collected the information, I would highlight his trouble areas and discuss with Mom what she will want to work on with him outside of care and how you will focus on those areas with him.

[MarinaVanessa]

Let it be up to her whether he goes to preschool or not. Although there are some things that even Kindergarten teachers in my area would like their new students to know, they don't HAVE to know them once they start. They have plenty of time to learn all that in Kinder. After talking to a few Kinder teachers (I know it's not pre-school like you are asking but bear with me) and asking them what I should be teaching my DC kids they all pretty much say the same things ... cooperation, socialization, taking turns, manners, listening etc. Not very many of their suggestions involved much beyond that. Of course already knowing your shapes, colors, how to cut with scissors and recognizing your name and at least knowing the alphabet by rote helps but it isn't necessary (from what I got from the teachers I know and talked to). Of course this is in my area and it may be different where you live but I figure that I'm all set

I'm not sure how it all works in your area but in mine Kinder isn't even a requirement just like how preschool isn't. It's optional. Of course by the time the kids start 1st grade they are expected to know their alphabet (beyond rote), how to spell their name and a few words beyond that, their numbers etc. which is why people enroll their kids in Kinder. I think as long as the child is working on the basic socialization norms before they go into Kinder then they should be fine.

If you really want to make sure what your area requires then why not check the website of your local elementary school. Most have contact numbers or email addresses of the teachers based on grade level and you might be able to simply email them and ask for their opinion. They might be wiling and able to mail you some sort of guideline to show the parent. If they don't have a contact list you can always just try calling the school directly and ask to speak to one of the Kindergarten teachers during non-class hours.

[preschoolteacher]

Formal academic preschool is not the best option for every child. Some kids, and oftentimes boys, just need more time to develop and freedom to be a kid without pushing them into formal academic programs. By this I mean programs that require desk work, drilling letters and numbers, pushing children to acquire skills that they may not be ready for yet like writing and coloring in the lines. Kids learn a lot by experimentation and using materials in unconventional ways--not always the ways adults expect!

Just because he doesn't have the skills at 3--almost 4--does not mean he won't have caught up by the time he is supposed to go to kindergarten. He really might need a more relaxed, play-based environment to mature before he's ready for those academic skills.

Many studies are showing that early mastery of formal academic skills do not lead to better success in school long-term, and in many kids, cause them to "burn out" early and associate school negatively instead of a fun play to grow and learn.