Transitional Kindergarten

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Transitional Kindergarten
Preparing Our Youngest Students toSucceed in
Kindergarten
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Welcome!

• Introduce yourself to your table partners.
• At your table, how many years experience do you
  have combined as pre-k/kinder teachers?
• Write any questions that you hope will be
  answered today. (One question per post-it.)
• Share what you love most about teaching
  kindergarten.

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Todays Outcomes

• Understand the purpose behind TK
• Learn about instructional expectations for TK
  students and resources to support instruction
• Develop solutions to manage a split TK/K class
  that meets the needs of all students

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Kindergarten Readiness

• What skills (social and academic) should a child
  have to demonstrate kindergarten readiness?

Kinder Readiness
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What is Transitional Kindergarten?

• An early childhood education program
• Builds a bridge between preschool and traditional
  Kindergarten
• Has a focus on literacy and numeracy along with
  strong emphasis on self-regulation and social
  engagement

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Where does it come from?

• Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010
• Senate Bill No. 1381 amended to change the
  required birthday for admission to kindergarten
  and first grade and establish a Transitional
  Kindergarten program beginning in the 2012-2013
  school year.

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Why SB 1381?

• Todays kindergarten classroom is a much
  different place than most of us experienced.
• Were placing real academic demands on our kids,
  and the youngest are struggling to keep up.
• The evidence shows that giving these younger
  kindergarteners an extra year can make a big
  difference in heir long-term success.
• - Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto)

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Kindergarten Entry Age

• A child shall be admitted to kindergarten if the
  child will have his/her fifth birthday on or
  before
• For the 2011-12 school year the date is December
  2nd
• For the 2012-13 school year the date is November
  1st
• For the 2013-14 school year the date is October
  1st
• For the 2014-15 school year and each school year
  thereafter the date is September 1st

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Transitional Kindergarten Students
The TK children come from your K student
population
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More specifics about TK

• It is the first year of a two year kindergarten
  program.
• It follows the full day schedule of Traditional
  kindergarten.
• It is based on the California Kindergarten Common
  Core State Standards and California Content
  Standards.
• It provides a modified kindergarten curriculum
  that is both age and developmentally appropriate.

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Teaching and Learning in TK

• Provides an opportunity to learn important
  academic and social skills in a hands-on way that
  supports their development.
• Emphasis is placed on oral language skills and
  integrated experiences across the content areas.

Partner Share Think about your past
kindergarteners who struggled. If you had had
more time to ensure their success in
kindergarten, what might you have done
differently?
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The How When teaching TK, consider DAP

• Developmentally Appropriate Practices
• Age appropriate
• Individually appropriate
• Culturally appropriate

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The How Meeting TK/K Needs

• Groupings small flexible groups
• Shorter blocks of time
• Intentional interest areas/centers
• Flexibility of schedule

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The How Classroom Environment

• Sets the stage for active and engaged learning
• Warm, welcoming and inclusive of all students
• Safe, organized, and has clear pathways for
  movement

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Teacher sets up the environment to engage
interests.
Teacher and students learn from each other.
Teacher provides opportunities to facilitate
conversations around interesting topics.
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TK Resources
Social Emotional Development Language and
Literacy English Language Development Mathematic
s
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TK Resources
this framework presents strategies and
information to enrich learning and development
opportunities for all of Californias preschool
children.
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Overarching Principles

• What point(s) did you find particularly striking
  and why?
• What connections did you make?
• What questions do you have?

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BREAK
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What is a TK modified curriculum based on?
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The What Foundations Standards

• PLF describes the knowledge and skills that all
  young children typically exhibit when attending a
  high-quality program at or around 48 and 60
  months of age.
• Kindergarten standards address grade level
  expectations regardless of age.

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The WhatThe Preschool Learning Foundations

• Volume 1
• Social Emotional
• Language and Literacy
• English Language
• Development
• Mathematics

http//www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp
http//www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psframework.asp
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The WhatDive in to the Foundations/Standards

• Domain
• Strand
• Substrand .0
• Foundation

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The WhatDive in to the Foundations/Standards
Identify the differences between 48 months, 60
months, and K standards on your alignment doc.
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The WhatDesigning Instruction for TK/K Combo

• Consider how you might teach a whole group lesson
  meeting the needs of both TK and K.
• Keep in mind
• The Foundations/Standards
• The Overarching Principles

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The How Preschool Curriculum Framework
After you have completed the handout, take a
moment to read/skim through different features of
the book to better understand what each component
offers.
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Learning Centers and Universal Access

• During play, children maximize their attention
  span...
• Play not only provides the context for
• thinking,
• building knowledge,
• being attentive,
• solving problems, and
• increasing social skills,
• it also helps children to integrate their
  emotional
• experiences and internalize guidance from their
• teachers. Preschool Curriculum Framework,
  Overarching Priniciples

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Interest Areas Centers

• Library /Reading Area
• Listening Area
• Writing Area
• Computer Area
• Science Discovery Area
• Math Area
• Block Area
• Dramatic Play Area
• Sand and Water Area
• Art/Painting Area

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TK Classroom Field Trip
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LUNCH

• Raffle tickets will be awarded
• for those who return on time.
• Have a nice lunch.
• Thank you!

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Learning Centers and Universal Access

• With the use of the alignment document, consider
  how one learning center can support development
  of both the a Preschool Foundation skill and a
  Kindergarten Standard skill.
• How am I supporting Language Development
  Opportunities and Social Skill Development?

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Assessments

• What is the purpose behind TK?
• What is the role of assessments?
• Assessments along with teacher observations will
  be used to monitor your childs growth and
  progress throughout the year. Staff members will
  use this information to guide instruction,
  individualized to meet your childs needs.

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TK Student Assessments

• CELDT initial / PreLAS Espanol
• DIBELS Next Print, save, and place assessment
  report in CUM
• District ELA K Constructive Response
• District Math Quarterly Assessment
• School selected assessments
• ELD portfolio
• Report card follow district reporting
  perioduse the category dropdown comment,
  Reflects enrollment in Transitional
  Kindergarten
• Benchmark goals for TK have not been established

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Enrollment

• See REF-5777.2 Transitional Kindergarten
  Implementation
• Parent Request Form
• Kindergarten Continuance Form
• must be signed by a parent for a child to be
  considered a TK student
• Put both forms in the childs cum

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TK/K Curriculum Resources

• Social Emotional - Second Step
• Language Arts K-Treasures
• ELD Treasures ELD and Into English
  (supplemental resource)
• Mathematics - enVison CCSS Math, About Teaching
  Number Sense (Marilyn Burns), Developing Number
  Sense Book 1 (Kathy Richardson)
• Science - FOSS Kits
• Social Studies Scott Foresman HSS or Harcourt
  Reflections
• Physical Development SPARK/Nike Let Me Play
• Art Art Instructional Guide arts.lausd.net

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A Recap of TK
Facts

• Definition

Transitional Kindergarten
Non-Examples
Examples of what instruction looks like
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TK/K Curriculum Resources

• Visit the LAUSD Transitional Kindergarten
  website
• http//achieve.lausd.net/site/default.aspx?PageID
  6503

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Raffle Time!

• Thank you for your participation and for the
  outstanding work you do for children and their
  families.