The more you can work with your child to prepare him/her for the Classical School kindergarten academic program, the easier the transition will be.
Please take time to work with your child so he/she will be able to perform the following tasks at the start of school, if possible:
Math
- Recognize and write numbers 0 through 10
- Count backwards from 10 to 0
- One-to-one correspondence (Example: When counting 10 items, touch each item one time only as you count it.)
- Practice asking numbers that come before and after other numbers 0 through 10 (Example: What number comes before 7? What number comes after 4?)
Reading
- Recognize and name the capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet
- Be able to print your first name using a capital letter at the beginning and lower-case letters for the rest of your name
- Follow a small series of directions. (Example: Put your shoes on THEN tie them.)
- Practice recognizing and printing the letters b, d, p, g, and q in smaller case
- Read stories to your child at home and ask questions during and afterward to help build comprehension skills
Penmanship
Handwriting is very important in kindergarten. It is very important for children to learn how to form letters correctly. It is beneficial for the student’s development in this area if they are practicing skills in the same way at home and school.
With that in mind, we would like to ask you to help prepare your child for school by practicing letters with the following guidelines in mind:
- All letters use a continuous stroke whenever possible.
- Letters do not start from the bottom line.
- Each number represents a lift of the pencil.
For example, the capital letter “A” has a 1, 2, AND 3. This means that the pencil is lifted two times while making the letter. The lowercase “a” only has the number 1. This means that there is only one stroke with no lifts. There is another arrow, but not another number.
When practicing at home, please do not feel that you must focus on pencil and paper only. There are many different ideas to use when practicing letter/number formation. A few examples include using shaving cream on a table, using a stick and sand at the beach or a backyard sandbox, or using a whiteboard or chalkboard. Different ideas make it more enjoyable for younger children, and it doesn’t always seem like a chore as a result.
Other areas to practice
- Practice tying shoes. Unless your child is 100% independent at tying their shoes, please provide shoes with Velcro closures.
- Practice zipping coats. Please refrain from sending coats with button-front closures.
