Kindergarten Information Night: A Reminder to Live Like a 5-Year-Old and Enjoy the Here and Now
By Kate Frelinger, Teacher
The time has come. For this year’s 5-year-olds, the upcoming year means the significant transition to kindergarten.
To help make this change as smooth as possible, Bing holds an annual kindergarten information night. The purpose of the panel-led discussion, held Jan. 15 this year, was to prepare parents and families for the upcoming transition, shed light on the developmental progress of 5-year-olds heading to kindergarten and answer questions parents have about the process. This year’s panel consisted of pediatrician Rick Lloyd, MD, who works at Palo Alto Medical Foundation; Nixon Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jody Harrier; Santa Clara University professor and former Ohlone Elementary School principal Susan Charles; Walter Hayes Elementary School principal Mary Busman; as well as Bing staff members Todd Erickson, Peckie Peters and Jeanne Zuech.
Lloyd began the night with a brief overview of kindergarten-age development. “Five is about as good as it gets,” he said. Children at this age are eager to please, ready and excited to learn, can take on much more responsibility, are very family oriented and are beginning to develop their sense of humor. During this age, children also often experience a “significant leap in language, speech, communication and ability to focus.” Since 5-year-olds continue to work on discerning fantasy from reality, Lloyd encourages parents to resist being overly factual, and instead allow a little magic in their children’s lives. According to Lloyd, children at this age primarily live in the moment, with little thought to the past or future. While 5-year-olds may still be learning how to balance their intense desire to please with being truthful, Lloyd confirmed what many already expected: Five is a great age, and going into kindergarten is a very exciting time of growth.
As the night continued, the topic of conversation moved to making the transition to grade school as easy as possible. The panel assured parents that children are resilient and prepared for this type of change. In fact, one of the most important things families can do for their children as they move to elementary school is to offer support, help and model a positive attitude for their children. As Charles described, there is no need to put undue pressure on children when it comes to entering kindergarten. Each child is unique, has individual strengths and challenges, and therefore any comparisons between children are unnecessary and will ultimately lead to more stress for families and for children. In response to concerns parents expressed about whether their children were “ready for kindergarten,” all members of the panel had the same answer: If you believe in your children and create a supportive environment at home, kindergarten does not need to be stressful.
Busman, Charles and Harrier also described how getting to know the child’s new school might ease the transition. In addition to visiting the school, they suggested parents get their questions answered by calling the school, parents of children who attend the school, or even the PTA. However, because children at this age “live in the present,” as Bing head teacher Peters said, parents may want to wait to discuss kindergarten with their children until the transition approaches. “In some cases, [early discussions] can lead to misunderstandings,” said Peters. For instance, children might believe that going to kindergarten is an immediate change, rather than months away. However, attending events at the beginning of the school year and discussing the process gradually as the first day of school approaches will likely clarify their entry into kindergarten.
Bing teachers also assured parents their time spent in Bing has been preparing them for kindergarten. Our play-based program encourages children to learn strategies to enter play and connect with others, perspective-taking, empathy, autonomy, self-efficacy and ultimately a lifelong disposition for learning. In our classrooms, children develop gross- and fine-motor skills, and strengthen executive functioning skills and important behavioral skills like self-regulation. These essential skills, while not traditional academic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic, allow children to be members of a classroom community and build the foundation for academic learning in the future.
Panel members also answered questions about the use of technology in kindergarten classrooms. If parents are worried about “technology abuse” in the form of staring at screens all day, they suggested setting an example for children. Adults should try to live in the moment: step away from screens and wait a little while before responding to that email. It also helps to spend quality time with children and begin routines of daily family dinners or reading bedtime stories together. As a former elementary school teacher in San Jose, I know how useful, stimulating and beneficial technology can be to a classroom environment. In many ways, it allows for increased specialization for each child’s academic needs. Although there are challenges to finding the balance between technology and traditional methods of teaching, technology is not the enemy.
The primary messages to take away from Bing’s kindergarten information night? Be positive. Support your child. Get to know the school. Most importantly, enjoy this exciting stage of a child’s life.