What do you need to know for kindergarten?

Question

my sister is taking a test on tuesday to see if she can go to kindergarten early. what should she know? the school district website said that it would be a rigorous test, but really she's only going into kindergarten so how hard should it be? and is there any other special thing that she needs to know?

Answer 1

abc's and make sure she can not only say them but know witch letter is witch. also basic numbers colors and shapes.

Answer 2

Your Abc, how to write your name,at the end is to start learning your phone number,steet number, and i think there might be more.

Answer 3

Well my son is 5 and he is in kindergarden and I am almost 38 and I can not believe that they are already teaching kids in school in kindergarden  agelbra of all things.  I couldn't believe it.  So kindergarden isn't all about coloring pictures and playing on the playground anymore.  I learned from experience with my 5 yr old so thought I would share my experiences.

Answer 4

Nascar20 is right!  Oh my God...the poor things.  It's not about just playtime anymore.  They want the full alphabet, written both caps and smalls, reciting the full alphabet, a certain amount of math, beginning reading or putting sounds together.  I personally think they rush them but that's just me.  Alot of these children have been been away from home and just getting used to other kids will be a shock for them.

Answer 5

nope. thats the point of kindergarten...

they know nothing

Answer 6

they usually want to see if they know the basics. Colors, counting, writing their name, the ABC's.

Answer 7

A lot of it depends on where you live and what kind of school it is.  Some progressive private schools expect way too much out of 5 year olds.  Most schools want a basic knowledge or the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes.  They would like them to be able to write their names (not perfectly) and know their address and phone number.

My daughter is in Kindergarten right now and they are still working on capital versus small letters, reading (some have it down, some don't), and addition and subtraction.  They reviewed the colors and shapes the first couple weeks but that is sort of expected knowledge.  

If they already expect her to be reading and writing then they are pushing way too fast.  They go to Kindergarten to learn these things.  If they already know then what is the point of sending them? Pushing them too early often leads to boredom and burnout at an early age.

Answer 8

There is more to kindergarten than academics.  Placing a very young child in a class with older kids is setting them up for trouble.  Look into a "young fives" preschool class.  Don't pressure a child at such a young age.

Answer 9

Well, it honestly depends on the school, district, and state.  Each is different and has different requirements and expectations.  

Here, the children are doing in Kindergarten what we did in first grade.  The standards are high.  There is very little free play in K now, and there are no more naps or playing house during school time.  The children are being taught to read and write sentences and stories, do difficult math (telling time, addition and subtraction, counting and recognizing money, etc.), and carry out projects that I did in first and second grade.

At the kindergarten test (here it's called a screening), my daughter was taken into a room without me.  She was probably asked questions so they could see how ready she was for K.  The psychologist came out and told me that my daughter was right where she should be and that she was ready for kindergarten.  

In my daughter's school, the children are expected to know the following on the first day of K:

-writing their first and last name legibly and correctly

-counting to 50 by rote memory

-writing the numerals 0 - 10

-reciting the alphabet

-writing each letter of the alphabet

-telling what each letter's sound is

-reading and recognizing their first and last name

-answering questions asked of them (basic questions)

That is just a general overview.  To be honest, I wouldn't put too much weight on this "test."  By law, the school must accept children of the appropriate age into a kindergarten program.  The only exceptions are children who seem extremely socially inept or children who require further testing to see if they may need special education assistance.  And usually those children will still attend school with their same-age peers.  

Oftentimes the major reason a child will not attend K with their same-age peers is because their parents do not feel they are ready for it.  That is a whole 'nother debatable topic!

Good luck to your sister!

Answer 10

It depends on the school. I just brought my son in for kindergarten registration. He needed to know how to count to 10, recognize letters, know his colors and shapes. If you're trying to get a child into kindergarten early, they have to pass all the tests. If not, they will recommend pre-k.

Answer 11

Is it a private school?   If not, why would she have to take a test to enter kindergarten?    

All my children went to public kindergarten, and they were screened for placement purposes, and to see if they needed any special services.  But they were not kept from starting kindergarten because of what they knew or didn't know.

I was told by several teachers that children are ready for kindergarten if they can handle their own personal care (going to the bathroom, washing hands, etc.), interact with other children, ask an adult for help if they needed it, recognize the ABC (not necessarily know each letter, or how to write them), and could recite their name, address, and telephone number.

Your sister should not have to take any test, and if she does, it should be something she can "pass" easily.

Answer 12

I'd make sure she knows her full name (most kids do) and how to write at least her first name. Also, I think she should know her address and phone number.  Basics like counting, colors, and such are also good. My little brother had to take one of these, too. I'll ask him what was on it and add on to this if he remembers, but this was last year. I'll see. His kindergarten seemed a lot more rigorous than mine, and mine was with the same teacher 7 years ago.  Check out this, it may help.

http://www.covenanthome.com/kready.asp

Answer 13

Just the basics, how to count, write their name, hold a pencil correctly, say ABCs ... unless theres something I'm forgetting lol