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What Should My Kindergartener Know by the End of the Year

Every parent worries about their child when they start Kindergarten. They worry about things like:
How will my child do without me?
How do they compare to others?
What do they need to know before they go to first grade?


Each year, the required skills for each grade level appears to change. Kindergarten is so different from years past, when the current generation of children's parents went to school. There are expectations to meet, but what are they?

Important Kindergarten Milestones to Meet Before Progressing to First Grade:

1. Students in Kindergarten must be able to follow classroom rules. The kindergarten teacher will educate the students the expectations for the first couple of weeks but after that the student should be able to follow all rules.

2. Students will be able to follow directions agreeably and easily. By the end of Kindergarten, the student will be able to follow instructions and work independently on the task.

3. Students should be able to hold a crayon and pencil correctly, as well as be able to use scissors safely and cut along a straight line.

4. Students will know the eight basic colors: red, yellow, blue, green, orange, black, white, and pink.

5. Students will recognize each letter of the alphabet, including each sound it makes, in addition to being able to write the letters of the alphabet in upper and lowercase forms.

6. Students will recognize sight words and read simple sentences.

7. Students will be expected to write consonant-vowel-consonant words such as bat and fan.

8. Students will be able to retell a story that has been read aloud to them by writing, dictating or drawing details.

9. They should be able to identify and write numbers up to 20.

10. Students should be able to count by ones and tens to 100.

11. Students should know basic shapes such as a square, triangle, rectangle, and circle.

12. They should be able to sound out words phonetically.

13. Student should be able to add and subtract within 5.

Your child should meet these milestones and more before the end of the Kindergarten in order to be successful in First Grade.


What Happens If My Child Is Having Difficulty Meeting These Milestones?

Your child’s teacher will communicate with you that your child is below grade level and should begin to work with them on an intervention program to help fill in the gaps. If you feel at any time that your child is struggling, contact your child’s teacher and voice your concern. Early intervention is always best. If you need further support or have any questions, please contact Leslie at leslie@collaborativecorner.org.

What Students Need to Know before Entering Kindergarten

Kindergarten Through 5th Grade Benchmarks



Leslie Haynes, B.Ed
Inclusion Teacher, Parent Advocate, and Special Olympics Coach
leslie@collaborativecorner.org


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