Should I Consider Waiting on Kindergarten for My Child?

Leading the Transitional Kindergarten program at Boulder Country Day School is early childhood educational expert and long-time BCD teacher, Gemma Fagan. Below is a Q&A with Gemma on who should consider a Transitional Kindergarten program for their child and the benefits of gifting your student a little more time.

Gemma Fagan has been teaching at BCD for 12 years. She started in our Preschool program in 2012, serving as both a lead PreK teacher and our Assistant Preschool Director. Gemma is a highly qualified and experienced ECE teacher, with knowledge, training, and classroom experience in preschool through first grade. As such, she is someone who truly understands your child’s potential while respecting the developmental continuum. Prior to joining BCD, Gemma spent the prior 22 years teaching in the Bay Area and Florida. She is a graduate of both Lancaster University and Newcastle University School of Education in the UK, holding a Bachelor’s degree in History and Psychology as well as a P.G.C.E. in Elementary Education, specializing in the early years.

How does Transitional Kindergarten differ from Kindergarten? When I think of the difference between Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten, the word that is most relevant for me is flexibility. That can mean anything from flexibility in terms of the daily schedule and the way we choose to spend our time each day, to flexibility in our approach to learning with less emphasis on formal, structured lessons and more time for play-based, hands-on learning opportunities. Being part of a two-year program also allows us the grace of flexibility in our expectations, so that we can adapt in response to the different needs and goals of each individual child.

Why would parents choose a Transitional Kindergarten program? Transitional Kindergarten is a great option for parents who believe that their child might not be quite ready, for any number of reasons, for the rigor of a full day Kindergarten class, however, they are concerned that they might have “outgrown” Pre-Kindergarten and are looking for that magical place in between. As parents, we are all looking to provide our children with the most positive school experience possible, and Transitional Kindergarten combines an elementary school setting, with the known flexibility of a Pre-Kindergarten schedule. The intentional blend of Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten curriculum allows their child to grow at a developmentally appropriate pace with peers who are similar in age. It eliminates the impression of their child being “held back” and reinforces the notion that they are in the right place.

What do you see as the greatest benefit of Transitional Kindergarten? One of the greatest benefits of Transitional Kindergarten is that it provides another option for parents (and teachers) who are struggling to commit to sending a child on to Kindergarten if they are concerned about Kindergarten readiness, yet are equally worried that the same child has already outgrown Pre-Kindergarten. It can be such a tumultuous decision for all of us, and having Transitional Kindergarten as another option is amazing. Placing a child in Transitional Kindergarten puts them with peers of the exact same age, it allows a child to progress through the school without the stigma of “being held back” and allows them to become part of the elementary school experience with the flexibility of more time. It’s a win-win!

What should parents look for in a Transitional Kindergarten program? I think first and foremost…qualified, experienced, and nurturing teachers who have knowledge and training in both Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, someone who truly understands their child’s potential, while respecting the developmental continuum.

They should look for someone who is able to present:

• A schedule that balances cooperative learning/group lessons, with self-directed exploration, and child-centered learning opportunities.
• A program that prioritizes social and emotional development, fostering skills such as cooperation, communication, empathy, and self-regulation, thereby creating an environment where children feel safe to take risks and express themselves.
• Opportunities for individualized attention, catering to the diverse needs of the children through small groups, differentiated instruction, and personalized goals.
• A warm and welcoming classroom that combines some of the familiarity of a Pre-Kindergarten classroom which is very much center based, with the more structured, formal look of a Kindergarten classroom.