What is kinderGarden SMARTS?

What is kindergarten SMARTS? The acronym SMARTS derived from thinking about the basic skills that kindergartners need to adjust to their new environment and successfully accomplish the goals that will be expected from them. For many, kindergarten is a big step from dependence to independence. However parent/guardians can assist with making this transition less stressful if they teach and practice some basic skills in advance. KinderGarden SMARTS was developed to help and support parents on this wonderful yet stressful journey.

So what does SMARTS stand for? Each letter stands for a skills that students should be familiar with prior to entering kindergarten. The "S" is for the skills your student will need to be successful. This includes fine motor skills and gross motor skills. The letter "M" stands for the maturity level of your student. I know many people will say, but they are only 4 or 5 years old. Yes that is true, however as parents we tend to often baby(pacify) our children and enable them. Please keep that in mind when you are preparing to send your child to school. While many teachers will love your child like their own, THEY MAY HAVE 20+ STUDENTS and therefore that undivided attention that you so graciously smothered your child with , will not take place in the school environment. The "A" is for adapt. Will your child adapt to the new environment with ease, fear,or hostility? Parents can assist and provide support to lessen the stress of this transition. Each child is unique therefor parents would need to work with their support team to figure out what steps to take to make this transition less stressful. The letter "R" stands for responsibility. How responsible is your child? Responsibility for a kindergartner is being self sufficient. Can they unpack their backpack or get supplies that are needed. Being self-sufficient is a skill needed to help the class run smoothly and efficiently. The "T" is for tidiness. This one ties in with being responsible. Can they clean up their own mess, whether in class or during lunch? Surprisingly many students can not. The last "S" stands for self-respect. So what does self-respect look like in kindergarten? The same way it looks for adults. Teach your child to have pride and confidence in oneself. Of course, I'm assuming that if your teaching self-respect than your also teaching them to respect others. Respect is an important component in the classroom environment it involves situations that deal with boundaries, personal space and social skills.

The SMARTS skills when practiced provide an opportunity for your student to enter into kindergarten with the basic skills needed. These skills help build the foundation that the classroom learning environment will be built on. When these skills are absent many teachers spend countless hours basically doing as they call it "house keeping" duties. If teachers are tying shoes, emptying backpacks and continuously asking students to sit , who is teaching academics? Practicing SMARTS skills in advance prepares the student, the parent and more importantly allows the teacher to run a more effective and efficient classroom.

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