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Preparing Children for Kindergarten
Health Screening
Essential to a child’s ability to learn are basic health and nutrition. RCMA provides or coordinates dental, vision, hearing, and nutritional screenings so that children may receive diagnoses and treatment as early as possible. The screenings lead to early intervention and specialized help when the children need glasses, speech therapy or hearing aids. Otherwise, they won’t be ready for school.
Developmental Screening
In addition, as part of ensuring children are ready for kindergarten, developmental screenings are administered to children within the first 45 days of enrollment. Developmental screenings are designed to give a brief snapshot view of the child’s overall functioning. RCMA refers children to the Local Education Agency (LEA) when an in-depth evaluation is needed and parents approve. Many times these evaluations result in the child receiving a Family Support Plan (FSP) or an Individual Education Plan (IEP). RCMA works with the diagnosing agency to support the child and family as outlined in their support plan.
On-going Assessment
While the screenings give a snapshot view, the Learning Accomplishment Profile (LAP) gives ongoing information concerning a child’s strengths and weaknesses across 7 developmental domains: gross motor, fine motor, pre-writing, language, cognitive, self help, and personal/social. The LAP3 can be administered in English or Spanish. This assessment is updated monthly after a baseline is determined for each child.
Classroom staff complete observations of children’s skills and abilities and record them using a special software program loaded onto a palm pilot. The palm pilots are hot synchronized to the web based program on the computer. This allows monitoring by supervisory staff, the production of numerous child data-based reports, and information on activities to support the child in areas of concern.
Parent reports are produced which share information and provide activities to help the child develop age appropriate skills and abilities. These reports are shared at home visits and parent conferences. In the classroom, each child is provided with individualized activities to promote development in their area(s) of weakness.
Analyzing our data at classroom, center, area, and statewide levels allows for programmatic modifications to ensure children are receiving the interactions and experiences which best support their learning and attainment of “readiness” goals determined by state and federal agencies. In 2004, the LAP was revised to include more literacy items to better address the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. The LAP was renamed to LAP3.
Dual Language Learners
Upon entrance into and again before exiting, each kindergarten eligible 4 year old whose family speaks a language other than English is administered the Miami-Dade Oral Language Proficiency Scale (OLP) test. This tool determines the child’s ability to use English. The entry level is considered a baseline while exit scores reflect the child’s progress in acquiring English. RCMA supports children’s development in their home language while scaffolding children to English when they are ready. Results of ongoing assessments show children improve significantly with RCMA’s curriculum, which emphasizes a whole child approach to education and the acquisition of English language skills. See Child Outcomes Annual Performance Report for specific information on gains in LAP3 skills and OLP scores.
Curriculum
RCMA uses the High Scope curriculum to promote the development of the whole child. This curriculum emphasizes the active exploration of materials and environments. Rooms are arranged and equipped to be child and user friendly while providing interesting, new materials and activities for children to explore, using a Plan Do Review approach. Children predict and ask questions while teacher-directed activities promote various cross-domain skills.
Transition Practices in RCMA
Besides health and developmental screenings and assessment, an internally developed notebook outlines RCMA’s procedures for assisting children transitioning from home to school, from classroom to classroom, from Early Head Start to Project or Migrant Head Start, or from outside agencies into RCMA, and from RCMA to other agencies and kindergarten.
Transition to kindergarten involves community partnerships with schools and parents. A series of modules designed to inform parents of issues surrounding transition to kindergarten are provided as the foundation for parent support groups and make up the bulk of the Transition Notebook. These modules provide information for parents to make the change from pre-school to “big kid” school smooth for their children and themselves.
Also, included in the transition notebook are parent and teacher tips and resources such as books, songs, and activities to promote the inclusion of developmentally appropriate “graduation” activities.
Letters of Understanding linking RCMA and LEAs are signed as part of local efforts to provide cross training, planning, and support activities for parents, teachers and children.
Serving rural, low-income families, many of whom speak no English at home, RCMA works diligently to educate young children so they can succeed in Florida’s public
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