Rationale
Many kindergarten children (5-6 years old) scheduled to start school the following year are not sufficiently prepared. They lack the necessary gross and fine motor skills, pre-reading abilities, number recognition, as well as the skills to cope with emotional/social demands. Their parents may be unable to offer the support and assistance the children need, thus leading to a growing gap between these children and their more advantaged peers. The project includes weekly sessions designed to prepare the children for first grade, thereby reducing the school readiness gap and giving them a better chance for academic success.
Objectives
Improve children's school readiness, preparing them for first grade both emotionally and educationally
Results
First-grade school teachers expressed very high satisfaction with the project and its improvement of the children's learning abilities, social and general life skills, and enhanced curiosity of the children, along with improving the kindergarten teachers' understanding of how to promote school readiness.
