“I Think I Can, I Think I Can” Fostering a “Can Do” Child for School Readiness by Stephanie Smith Baldwin County Public Schools

“Equipping children with school readiness skills is critical to their future educational success and development of lifelong learning patterns.” -Foundation for Early Learning

“Parents and caregivers are a child's first and most important teachers and can act as role models when it comes to teaching their children to interact socially with others. “ - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

SCHOOL READINESS Guiding Principles Children are active learners Development and learning are interrelated Family involvement is necessary Rate of development among children is individualized

SCHOOL READINESS What We’ll Cover Today: Definition of school readiness. Preparing young children for the classroom. The kinds of daily activities and interactions that help children develop school-readiness skills and a “can-do” attitude.

SCHOOL READINESS…  A child is ready to enter a social and educationally based environment.  The child is ready to start the process of learning how to do things independently.  The academic knowledge, independence, communication, and social skills children need to do well in school.

SCHOOL READINESS What you need to know: Everyday interactions with young children sharpen school-readiness skills. Children’s first and most important teachers are parents and caregivers.

SCHOOL READINESS  There is no one quality or skill that children need to do well in school-a combination of factors contribute to school success: –Physical abilities –Social and emotional skills –Language skills –Ability to solve problems and think creatively –Desire to learn

The Alabama Performance Standards for 4-Year-Olds are based on what is currently known about four-year old children, including what they should know and be able to do along a continuum of development, as well as to identify the developmental goals most children should reach by age five.

Alabama Performance Standards for 4-Year-Olds Emergent Literacy Emergent Numeracy Creative Arts Science and Environmental Education Physical Health and Development Technology Social and Emotional Development Approaches to Learning Alabama Kindergarten Course of Study Reading and Number Operations English Language Arts Art Education Science Physical Education

EMERGENT LITERACY The growing ability to use language to communicate with others is one of the significant differences that distinguish preschoolers from infants and toddlers. Preschoolers have progressed to the stage of using language to convey their feelings and desires, ask questions, think about experiences, represent what they know, and talk about imaginary situations. (Hohmann, M. & Weikart, D. P. (2002). Educating Young Children, second ed. Ypsilanti, Michigan: High Scope Press).

EMERGENT LITERACY Language, Vocabulary, and Oral Comprehension Show understanding of literal meaning of stories, songs, informational texts, and poems read aloud. Follow two- and three- step directions. Develop and expand expressive language skills and vocabulary. Demonstrate progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story. Demonstrate ability to express ideas for varied purposes including asking questions, making requests, sharing information, and recounting events

EMERGENT LITERACY Expressive and Receptive Language FallWinterSpring Speaks in complete sentences most of the time. Understands and follows directions with at least two steps. Understands vocabulary related to position, direction, size and comparison: like/different top/bottom first/last big/little up/down Makes simple predictions and comments about a story being read.

EMERGENT LITERACY Phonological Awareness Identify words that rhyme. Example catmophat Identify words with the same beginning and ending phonemes in words. Example A child says, “Dog and hog sound the same.” Hear syllables in words. Example The child claps syllables in own name Isolate the beginning phoneme in a word. Example A child says /s/ when the teacher asks who knows what sound the word ‘sun’ begins with. Associate letters and phonemes. Example A child sees the letter “d” on a block, points to the “d” and says, “This is for duck.”

EMERGENT LITERACY Print Awareness and Concepts Show increasing awareness of print in classroom, home, and community settings. ExampleA child points to a stop sign on the way home. Awareness of print concepts including learning that print is read from top to bottom and from left to right on a page. Example A child makes a squiggly line from right to left and says it is her name. Recognizing the association between spoken and written words by following print as it is read aloud. Example A child runs her fingers under lines of print in a book as parent/caregiver reads book aloud. Awareness that letters are grouped to form words and words are separated by spaces.

EMERGENT LITERACY Alphabet Knowledge Show progress in associating the names of letters with their formation and sounds. ExampleWhen looking at magnetic letters, a child picks up the “a” and says, “That’s in my name.” Demonstrate increase in ability to notice the beginning letters in familiar words. Example A child says, “My name is like cat, both start with “c. Identify at least 10 letters of the alphabet, especially those in their own name.

EMERGENT LITERACY Phonological Awareness and Print Knowledge FallWinterSpring Recognizes own name in print. Points to and/or recognizes letters in own name. Attempts to write letters in own name. Recognizes familiar signs, words, and logos in the child’s environment. Demonstrates book awareness: Cover and back of book Left to right order Words are read top to bottom Matches three letters with the sounds they make. Identifies two words that rhyme/sound the same when given rhyming picture words.

EMERGENT NUMERACY Number Awareness Demonstrating awareness of numbers and counting as a means for solving problems and determining quantity. ExampleA child must count how many spaces to move the game piece in a board game. Show increasing ability to count in sequence to 10 and beyond. Example A child counts the number of children present. Make use of one-to-one correspondence in counting objects and matching groups of objects.

EMERGENT NUMERACY Geometry and Spatial Sense Recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts, and attributes. ExampleA child recognizes that a triangle is different from a rectangle. Determine whether or not two shapes are the same size and shape. ExampleUses patterns cards to match the same size and shape. Show progress in the ability to put together and take apart shapes. Understanding of directionality, order and positions of objects with words such as up, down, over, under, in front, and behind.

EMERGENT NUMERACY MathematicsFallWinterSpring Counts number of objects in small groups (up to five objects). Matches a numeral (0-5) to a group with that number of objects. Demonstrates an understanding of “adding to” and “taking away”. Arranges numerals in order 1-5. Identifies/points to three shapes: Circle Square Triangle Counts in sequence Understands concepts of more and less up to five objects.

CREATIVE ARTS Art Appreciation-confidence and positive self-concept while engaging in creative processes Music-participating with increasing interest and enjoyment in a variety of musical activities. Art-creating drawings, paintings, models, and other art creations that are more detailed, creative, or realistic. Movement-expressing individuality through many types of free-form movement. Dramatic Play-actively exploring a variety of creative development activities (imaginative play, role-playing, etc.)

SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Scientific Skills and Methods Use senses and a variety of tools to investigate materials, and observe processes and relationships. ExampleA child identifies scent containers using the sense of smell. Show increased abilities to observe and discuss common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects and materials. Participate hands-on in simple investigations to plan, develop, test observations, question, discuss and draw conclusions, and form generalizations. Demonstrate growing abilities to collect and describe information through a variety of materials, tools, and means (i.e. charts, drawings, etc.).

SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Scientific Knowledge Show knowledge of and respect for their body. ExampleA child washes his hands after toileting and before eating. Explore knowledge of abilities to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, including living and non-living things. Show knowledge of and respect for their world/environment through exploration. Show increased awareness and beginning understanding of changes in matter. Example A child observes ice melting (solid to liquid)

TECHNOLOGY Demonstrate an awareness of computers and the purpose they serve as a learning tool. ExampleA child is able to point and click with the mouse to play a simple letter matching game. Demonstrate growth in capacity to maintain concentration over time on a task, question, and set of directions or interactions, while using the computer, despite distractions and interruptions. Example A child is able to finish a game or activity even when many other children are doing other activities at the same time.

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Self-concept Initiative Self-Control Cooperation Social Relationship Knowledge of Families and Communities

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Social/EmotionalFallWinterSpring Identifies self as a boy or girl. Knows first and last name. Knows parent’s first and last name. Identifies age. Makes needs known. Interacts with other children.

PHYSICAL HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT Fine Motor Skills Demonstrate growing strength and dexterity. ExampleA child holds a pencil in a pincer grasp. Use strength and control to perform simple tasks. Explore and manipulate objects in a variety of ways. Use hand-eye coordination to perform tasks. ExampleA child strings beads with holes onto a length of yarn. Use tools appropriately. ExampleA child cuts paper with scissors.

PHYSICAL HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT Gross Motor Skills Walk, run, climb, jump, and hop with increased coordination, balance, and control. ExampleA child hops several times on his right foot and then several times on his left foot. Experiment with galloping and skipping. Demonstrate increasing abilities to coordinate movements in throwing, catching, kicking, and bouncing balls. Push, pull, twist, turn, curl, balance, and stretch with increased coordination of control. ExampleA child playing on slides, see-saws, and/or swings.

PHYSICAL HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT Health Status and Practices Name most of the body parts. Participate actively in games, outdoor play, and other forms of exercise that enhance physical fitness. ExampleTwo children sitting on the floor and rolling a ball back and forth. Show growing independence in hygiene, nutrition, and personal care when eating, dressing, washing hands, brushing teeth, and toileting. Demonstrate an awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules and respond appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

PHYSICAL HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT Physical DevelopmentFallWinterSpring Uses writing and drawing told and child-sized scissors with control and intentions. Copies figures such as: (Straight line) O (Circle) Square + Demonstrates gross motor skills. Hops Jumps Runs Catches and bounces ball

APPROACHES TO LEARNING Creativity and Curiosity Choose to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities. Demonstrate increased abilities to make independent choices. Approach tasks and activities with increased flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness Reasoning and Problem-Solving Demonstrate increased abilities to find more than one solution to a question, task, or problem.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING Approach to Learning and Cognition FallWinterSpring Matches two like pictures in a set of five pictures. Organizes objects that for together in groups. Classifies (same/different, alike/ not alike) objects by physical features: Shape Color Size

RESOURCES Alabama Performance Standards for 4-year-olds: Alabama’s Pre- Kindergarten Initiative. Ready for School, Ready to Learn Alabama Cooperative Extension System Ready or not…Preparing young children for the classroom-National Association for the Education of Young Children Early Learning-Zero To Three Kindergarten Readiness Indicators-National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.