Transitional Kindergarten

1. Transitional Kindergarten Program Development Considerations Jessica Mihaly SMCOE Transition Coordinator, School Readiness Nirmala Dillman SMCOE Coordinator Child Care Partnership Council Tracy Wilson SMCOE Reading Language Arts Coordinator

2. What does the Law Say? • California law (EC 48000) defines transitional kindergarten as “the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate.” • While no state curriculum is mandated, local education agencies must modify the local course of study in order to provide age and developmentally appropriate curriculum for transitional kindergarten.

3. What is required?

4. Immediate Attention • Likely enrollment • Collect and capture birthdates of siblings at enrollment • Plausible sites • Criteria used if not at all sites • Funding model • Policy impact • Round up, enrollment process and records • Create a new grade • Public communication: • Board, Community, Parents, Teachers • Staff selection

5. Near Future Work …December- March • Curriculum: create a curriculum map or broad pacing guide, select resources, design classroom spaces • Instruction: define signature practices • Assessments: clarify assessment practices • Professional Development: • anticipate the PD needs of a class of all young 5’s • determine focus, delivery, support providers, on-going support • SMCOE Spring Workshops

6. Today’s Objective Clarify how transitional kindergarten is different from preschool and different from traditional kindergarten Review current research Share resources Support the development of a philosophy

7. What does the research say?Executive Summary: Set for Success, Building a strong foundation for school readiness based on the social development of young children • How children feel is as important as how they think when ensuring learning. • Learning depends on stable, secure and enduring relationships with both adults and peers. • Emotional and motivational readiness is not just good for, but critical to, learning.

8. What do local data suggest? Source: “School Readiness and Student Achievement: A Longitudinal Analysis for Santa Clara and San Mateo County Students” Compared 3rd grade ELA and Math CST scores with K readiness data of 1,543 students Developed by: Silicon Valley Community Foundation Santa Clara Partnership for School Readiness Applied Survey Research

9. BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS OF READINESS See Attachment Academics Recognizes letters Recognizes shapes Recognizes colors Counts 10 objects Engages with books Writes own first name Recognizes rhyming words Self-Regulation Comforts self Pays attention Controls impulses Follows directions Negotiates solutions Plays cooperatively Participates in circle time Handles frustration well Social ExpressionExpresses empathy Relates well to adults Has expressive abilities Is curious & eager to learn Expresses needs & wants Engages in symbolic play Self-Care and Motor SkillsUses small manipulativesHas general coordinationPerforms basic self-help / self-care tasks www.siliconvalleycf.org

10. What do Local Data Suggest? • 70% of children who were proficient in all 4 building blocks were proficient or advanced in ELA and Math by 3rd grade • Only 25% of the children who were not proficient at K entry were proficient or advanced by 3rd grade • Kindergarten readiness was a much bigger predictor of 3rd grade success for Latino children • Children most successful at 3rd grade had a strong combination of K academics and self-regulation

11. Percentage Scoring Proficient or Advanced at 3rd grade, by Readiness Pattern

14. What do local data suggest? Who is most likely to be Ready at K and Successful by 3rd grade? • Children who are 5 before K entry • Children with parents who • Read with them more often • Tell stories and sing songs • Have higher maternal education • Are Asian, Caucasian • Are High income _____________________ • Preschool impacts readiness, but does not predict success separately

15. What is your school philosophy?How will TK support the larger philosophy of the school, district?

16. What are your core values? Children need many opportunities for work and play that cultivate their individual styles, recognize their cultures, and accommodate their individual needs. Children gain understanding of the world and society by exploring materials, engaging in physical activities, and interacting with peers and adults. Children need sufficient time to become involved in projects and investigations to satisfy their own interests. Balancing child-initiated and teacher-selected activities enhances learning.

17. What are the benefits of TK?How is TK different than K? • Transitional kindergarten serves as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, giving children more time for hands-on, interactive learning. • Transitional kindergarten provides young learners with high-quality kindergarten readiness at no cost to parents. • Transitional kindergarten helps children adjust to the school environment & develop strong learning skills in preparation for kindergarten.

18. What are the benefits of TK?How is TK different than K? • TK students will be better prepared to succeed in traditional kindergarten and beyond • TK improves social-emotional and cognitive development • Early, rich preparation improves test scores • Early, rich preparation reduces grade retention and special education placement • TK is a tremendous opportunity to integrate early learning and elementary systems

19. Consider a Blended Approach • Begin with: an intentional focus on a learning objective (standards-based) • Include learning through play, doing, interacting (experiential) • Plan the learning within a child’s zone of proximal success (developmental) • Based upon student interests (emerging)

20. What does the research suggest?Source: National Academy of Sciences: from Neurons to Neighborhoods 3 Qualities Needed for School Success Intellectual Skills Motivation to Learn Strong Social-emotional Capacity

21. What are the Standards?

22. What is different?Social Emotional Development

23. What is different?Self Regulation

24. What is different?Initiative in Learning

25. Possible Kindergarten to TKCCS Standards Work K) RLA. 1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. K) RLA 2. With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.

26. Possible Kindergarten to TKCCS Standards Work K) RLA. 1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. TK) RLA 1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about a story or poem read-aloud

27. Daily Schedule 8:30 - 8:45 Nametags, stow lunch boxes, and outside play 8:45 - 9:10 Rug time: Teacher and children; Work-parents set up individual activities 9:10 - 10:15 Activity time: Work-parents work with groups of children 10:15 - 10:25 Clean up: EVERYONE helps 10:25 - 11:20 Snack and outside time; Adults monitor and engage in outside activities 11:20 - 11:30 Yard cleanup: EVERYONE helps 11:30 – 11:40 The run: Children run two laps as a group 11:45 – 12:05 Lunch: Children eat in small groups with adults 12:05 – 12:10 Children come into the room and select a book from bins to “read” quietly on the carpet 12:10 – 12:15 Final rug time 12:15 Dismissal Does it support your philosophy?

28. Assessment Considerations • How will it be different than a kindergarten assessment? Will it include some developmental readiness components? • Pre- assessment plan? • Skills, Readiness, Observation survey • Post assessment plan? • What will you do with the data? • How will use it to show growth? • How will you use it to evaluate the effectiveness of the TK design?

29. Communication Considerations • TK round-up and program promotion • Parent involvement • Parent conferences • How will you inform families of current and future events? • How will you report student progress? • Local community outreach and partnership • Preschool continuity and enrollment

30. SMCOE Sample Brochure

31. SMCOEFAQs for Teachers and Leaders

32. Professional Learning Considerations • English language development and strategies • Creating child centered classrooms • Experiential (interactive) writing • Social-emotional development • Creating positive behavior systems • Creating and sustaining family support • Curriculum development (math and literacy) • SMCOE Spring Workshops

33. In Closing… Questions or Curiosities SMCOE Support • On-line Resources • FAQ’s, Brochure, References • Updates: CSBA (Nov), WestEd/CDE (Jan) • Evaluation – identify support needs • Learning Circles (flyer)