What is Transitional Kindergarten (TK)?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 is recent legislation that changes the kindergarten entry date from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1 so children begin kindergarten at age five. The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 also creates a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program for those students who miss the cutoff and who are born on or between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2.
WHAT IS A TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (TK) CLASS?
TK is the first year of a two-year developmental kindergarten program, servicing children who turn five between September 2 and December 2, 2015. It is designed to build a solid foundation for success in school for “young” five year olds.
WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM?
The TK curricular program is a hybrid between kindergarten standards and preschool standards. It promotes each child’s progress in all three areas of growth: physical, intellectual, and social-emotional. Much care is given to providing a rich, stimulating environment in which active learning is the hallmark where each child develops and practices the physical and social/emotional skills that naturally accompany the child’s intellectual growth. My TK classroom is theme and literature based. The theme will integrate language, art, music, math, and science. The thematic curriculum will incorporate developmentally appropriate practices, manipulative based instruction, and play based instruction. The TK program offers the young child an additional year to grow and learn in an environment that supports differences in growth and maturity rates. The goals of the program are to develop each child’s:
• Confidence in his/her learning ability
• Excitement for learning and for the opportunities presented at school
• Positive relationships with peers
These are the vital building blocks that lead to success in learning.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TK AND TRADITIONAL KINDERGARTEN?
Transitional kindergarten is a hybrid program blending the California Preschool Foundations and Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Traditional kindergarten is based on kindergarten standards with high expectations of mastery. TK is a hybrid program and would not expect mastery of Kindergarten standards.
HOW WILL THE TK CLASS HELP MY CHILD?
The TK program assists children to:
• Develop a positive self-image.
• Establish productive social and working relationships with their peers through cooperative play situations.
• Develop self-direction and assume responsibility for themselves and their environments.
• Develop vocabulary, listening, speaking and memory skills, and the ability to follow directions.
• Develop large and small muscle skills.
• Develop overall readiness and enthusiasm for learning.
(http://www.iusd.org/education_services/transitional-kindergarten/)
(http://www.iusd.org/education_services/transitional-kindergarten/)
Additional TK resources
To learn more about Transitional Kindergarten, please visit the California Department of Education website at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderfaq.asp
TK California Website: TKCalifornia.org
LAUSD Transitional Kindergarten http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/2822
The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 is recent legislation that changes the kindergarten entry date from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1 so children begin kindergarten at age five. The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 also creates a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program for those students who miss the cutoff and who are born on or between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2.
WHAT IS A TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (TK) CLASS?
TK is the first year of a two-year developmental kindergarten program, servicing children who turn five between September 2 and December 2, 2015. It is designed to build a solid foundation for success in school for “young” five year olds.
WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM?
The TK curricular program is a hybrid between kindergarten standards and preschool standards. It promotes each child’s progress in all three areas of growth: physical, intellectual, and social-emotional. Much care is given to providing a rich, stimulating environment in which active learning is the hallmark where each child develops and practices the physical and social/emotional skills that naturally accompany the child’s intellectual growth. My TK classroom is theme and literature based. The theme will integrate language, art, music, math, and science. The thematic curriculum will incorporate developmentally appropriate practices, manipulative based instruction, and play based instruction. The TK program offers the young child an additional year to grow and learn in an environment that supports differences in growth and maturity rates. The goals of the program are to develop each child’s:
• Confidence in his/her learning ability
• Excitement for learning and for the opportunities presented at school
• Positive relationships with peers
These are the vital building blocks that lead to success in learning.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TK AND TRADITIONAL KINDERGARTEN?
Transitional kindergarten is a hybrid program blending the California Preschool Foundations and Kindergarten Common Core Standards. Traditional kindergarten is based on kindergarten standards with high expectations of mastery. TK is a hybrid program and would not expect mastery of Kindergarten standards.
HOW WILL THE TK CLASS HELP MY CHILD?
The TK program assists children to:
• Develop a positive self-image.
• Establish productive social and working relationships with their peers through cooperative play situations.
• Develop self-direction and assume responsibility for themselves and their environments.
• Develop vocabulary, listening, speaking and memory skills, and the ability to follow directions.
• Develop large and small muscle skills.
• Develop overall readiness and enthusiasm for learning.
(http://www.iusd.org/education_services/transitional-kindergarten/)
(http://www.iusd.org/education_services/transitional-kindergarten/)
Additional TK resources
To learn more about Transitional Kindergarten, please visit the California Department of Education website at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderfaq.asp
TK California Website: TKCalifornia.org
LAUSD Transitional Kindergarten http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/2822