As families begin the quest for the right education for their student, they often make the assumption that kindergarten is merely a transitional year before their “real” education begins. They suspect that very little happens in the classroom academically in Kindergarten, and that it makes no difference to the rest of their education. If you are a parent considering private education for your child, it might seem to make more sense (especially in these trying economic times) to save the cost of paying private tuition for one year and then transfer their student in when it starts to matter.
Contrary to all these beliefs, kindergarten can be one of the most pivotal years in the entire education of your child. Children who are developmentally ready to enter kindergarten can easily begin to understand phonics, grammar, math and spelling. In the right setting, they can be reading by the first month of school, memorize hundreds of “sight words” (words that cannot be “sounded out”), grasp math concepts including estimating, fractions and basic arithmetic, and memorize poems, songs, rhymes and Bible verses. In fact, the phrase “children are like sponges” is commonly applied to this age! They are ready to learn–and if they are put in a setting that is appropriately stimulating, with small classes, caring and compassionate teachers, and a robust curriculum–kindergarten students can finish the year with standardized test scores that place them at or above the second grade level of the national average.
Studies show that laying the right foundation of learning in the early elementary years, such as completing a kindergarten like the one described above, can be pivotal in their continued success in school all the way through high school and beyond. Mastering reading early and having a firm understanding of grammar, math, science and spelling can enable them to start learning bigger concepts at an earlier age. When they have the building blocks of learning in place, they can start to explore history, geography, literature and math in a much richer and meaningful way.
Educators from all over the world are seeing that kindergarteners are capable of much more than what might typically be expected of them. They are ready and eager to learn, and if we place them in a loving, structured environment with excellent teachers, their kindergarten year can be one of the most important years of their education!
For more information about classical, Christian education for your child, contact Trinity Classical Academy at 661-296-2601 or visit www.TrinityClassicalAcademy.com.
photo by Wally Caddow