Transitional Kindergarten

Program Overview

Lesley Ellis School has always had a commitment to a developmental model of education that reflects the realities of young children’s growth and responds to them as individuals. It is with this commitment in mind that we have decided to create a new
early childhood classroom at Lesley Ellis School: Transitional Kindergarten, or TK classroom.

The TK classroom is designed for children who have fall birthdays and who do not meet mandated age requirements for most Kindergartens, but who are ready for something a little more academic than a Prekindergarten program. Instead of repeating a
Prekindergarten year, these “in-between” TK students will benefit from a more challenging school experience that also supports their social and emotional growth. The TK program will also serve five year olds who would benefit from an extra year of an
early childhood program.

The new Lesley Ellis TK classroom will be team-taught by experienced early childhood educators who will teach the Kindergarten curriculum. The TK program will allow children to grow academically and develop self-reliance, confidence and social maturity, while at the same time paying special attention to the unique needs of these younger students. TK will prepare students for a successful K/1 experience at Lesley Ellis School.

At Lesley Ellis School, we want every single student to have a positive and successful school experience—academically, socially, and emotionally. The matrix below e offers an overview of how the Lesley Ellis PK, TK, and K/1 programs differ.

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Click here to view the comparison between prekindergarten, transitional kindergarten, and kindergarten.Top

Click here to view a typical daily schedule. Top

Communication and self-expression are the primary functions of language. The goal of the Transitional Kindergarten language arts curriculum is to build upon existing skills to create a community of active and interested communicators. Language skills involve reading, writing, speaking and listening. Using these skills, students enhance relationships in the classroom. Teachers encourage children to practice expressive language skills like learning how to rhyme, singing songs, and reciting poems. Role-play and dramatizations of favorite books provide students with opportunities for successful communication and “book language.”

Children interact with the alphabet through activities like matching games, Bingo, letter scavenger hunts, puzzles, and magnetic letters. Literacy is also integrated into many aspects of the school day including meetings, art, science, math, and social studies. An explanation of students’ work, transcribed by teachers, helps students to recognize the symbolic nature of print. Children often transition to making their own words with a stream of letters, or even inventive spelling. Students also practice stroke development and letter formation through drawing and tracing activities. The writing program includes direct instruction of letter formation using Zaner-Bloser workbooks. Students are supported within their zone of literacy development as they develop an understanding of phonological processing, phonics, grammar, context, and content.

Language Objectives

Pre-Reading

• Know the names of the letters of the alphabet (both upper and lowercase) and the sounds they make
• Understand that print conveys meaning
• Derive meaning from text, illustrations, graphs, and charts
• Use context clues to construct meaning
• Use prior knowledge, illustration, and text to make predictions
• Independently select material to read for pleasure
• Begin to recognize some sight words

Pre-Writing

• Print numbers and uppercase letters
• Begin to use inventive spelling
• Understand directionality of print and begin to use this knowledge when writing
• Generate ideas during class discussion and by brainstorming

Listening, Viewing, and Speaking

• Follow three step oral directions
• Listen to various forms of oral language (read alouds, songs, poems)
• Express thoughts clearly and accurately in large and small groups
• Ask relevant questions and make relevant comments during class conversations
• Ask for clarification when it is needed in understanding new words and concepts

Language

• Understand and use repetition, rhyme, and rhythm
• Develop an understanding of how language can be used differently in a variety of situations  (in telling a story, explaining how something works, describing an event)

Literature

• Have knowledge of different literary genres
• Know the sequence of events, characters, and setting in stories
• Make text-to-self connections
• Respond to literature through discussion, music, art, drama, and writing
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The foundation for the mathematics curriculum at the Transitional Kindergarten level is based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. The TK curriculum provides students with opportunities to explore, manipulate, and experiment with objects and materials. Mathematical content knowledge is centered on number sense and operations, measurement, geometry and spatial sense, logic, and data analysis. Students are encouraged to explore with manipulatives such as pattern blocks, Geo-boards, unit blocks, coins, tape measures, and scales. Through such explorations, students develop spatial awareness, enhance logical thinking, and learn how to solve problems as they relate to everyday life. Students are also instructed in correct number formation. Students have the opportunity to work individually, in small groups, and as a whole group to explore a variety of mathematical relationships and connections.

Mathematics Objectives:

Number Sense, Concepts, and Operations

• Demonstrate an awareness of addition and subtraction in everyday life
• Count to 50
• Count to 25 orally while demonstrating one-to-one correspondence
• Read and write numerals to 50
• Begin to develop strategies for solving number problems
• Create and act out number stories with objects

• Begin to understand different units of measurement
• Know and compare the values of a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter
• Explore the concept of weight by comparing heavy and light objects

• Recognize and label basic shapes
• Make simple spatial connections and complete puzzles
• Compare, describe, and sort objects according to particular attributes
• Begin to understand concept of directionality (left, right, next to)

Logic

• Identify simple patterns
• Classify objects by color, shape, or type
• Identify objects that do not belong in a particular grouping

• Survey a small group to answer a question based on two categories
• Develop an understanding of pictorial graphs
• Begin to understand that the outcome of games can be dependent upon chance
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Social Studies is seen as a process in which students learn to understand themselves, their families, their neighborhoods, their communities, and the world. It is a way to investigate past, present, and future human relationships. Students begin to learn about social, economic, and political themes through explorations of time, continuity and change, citizenship, and community life.

It is our hope that the students will learn positive attitudes and the fundamental values of our society as they investigate the ideas of justice, human dignity, equal opportunity, and pluralism. It is our belief that this learning leads to a better understanding of the similarities and differences among diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and racial groups in the world.

Social Studies Objectives:

Time, Continuity, and Change

Discuss stories about people from other places and times

• Understand calendar time
• Explore stories about changes in community life over time
• Learn about art forms from various cultures
• Gain an understanding of the lives of people and events that took place before 1880 in relation to commemorative holidays
• Know the globe is a model of the earth showing land and water
• Compare how life may differ in cities and farms

Citizenship

• Explore the concept of citizenship in the United States and actions associated with being a good citizen
• Discuss examples of situations involving responsibility at home and in the classroom

Community Life

• Learn how different types of work, goods, and services benefit the family and community
• Understand the concept of exchanging money for goods
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Science

Science is an active process of inquiry in which students make sense of their observations and explore answers to their hypotheses. Transitional Kindergarten teachers present science in structured and unstructured activities to facilitate active and appropriate exploration for all students. In this way, the unknown is quickly changed to known and accessible information. Teachers integrate science across the curriculum, so students have the opportunity to process their thinking in a variety of media. Science is also approached globally as students study other environments as well as scientists from around the world.

SCIENCE OBJECTIVES:

Physical Sciences

• Observe describe and compare various materials
• Experiment with motion and force
• Experiment with liquids and solids
• Experiment with a variety of objects to determine point of balance

Life Sciences

• Observe and measure the growth and movement of living things
• Notice similarities and differences between plants and animals
• Explore the life cycles of plants and animals
• Observe plants and animals in their environments and understand their needs
• Explore various habitats

Earth Sciences

• Recognize seasonal names and characteristics
• Explore the function and characteristics of air

Processes That Shape the Earth

• Compare and contrast materials that make up land
• Investigate local weather patterns and use graphic organizers to show weather data
• Use knowledge of the earth to consider how to best care for the earth at home and at school

Energy

• Understand that people need food for energy
• Know nutritional value of various foods

Recycling

• Identify things that can be recycled and understand why we use recycled materials in the classroom
• Consider ways to recycle and think about the environment in real-life situations
• Think about different ways to recycle various items Top

The social and emotional curriculum builds upon children’s intrapersonal and interpersonal skills by focusing on themes of individual choice, emotions, self-awareness, and awareness of group needs. As they learn to become members of a group, students begin to understand how they are alike and different from their peers. In both large and small groups, children learn to express their feelings verbally as they attempt to resolve conflicts that may arise.

While using the family as a springboard for discussions, many students will begin to broaden their understanding of classmates to further interpretation and acceptance of society. Students begin to learn about individual rights and responsibility as they help create classroom guidelines. Open discussions around acceptance lay the foundation for children’s self-respect and respect for others. Much emphasis is placed upon the importance of individual choice, and teachers may read stories and biographies that depict decision-making and subsequent results. Students are always encouraged to think through various possibilities and potential consequences before acting.  Furthermore, they begin to realize that the choices they make often affect others, as well as themselves.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

• Cooperate with others in large and small groups
• Join in appropriately in a group situation
• Remain with an activity until it is completed
• Transition smoothly from one activity to the next
• Exhibit a sense of respect for classmates
• Act as a helpful member of the classroom community Top

Children are aware of and affected by human differences from an early age, and our community is based on respecting and appreciating the similarities and differences found within our school, neighborhoods, and throughout the world. This strong emphasis on anti-bias education promotes a sense of belonging for all students and builds a sense of connection between people. 

The goal of the anti-bias curriculum is to challenge the impact of bias on the students' social and intellectual development by helping them acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to live respectfully in a diverse community.  

While keeping the children's developmental level in mind, the anti-bias curriculum introduces children to challenging vocabulary, reflective topics, and brings abstract ideas into real practice. The curriculum builds upon itself, encouraging the students to move along a continuum from knowledge to understanding to tolerance to acceptance to respect and inclusion. Throughout all of their learning, the students are encouraged to develop and actively participate in lessons to end the cycle of bias. The anti-bias curriculum focuses on, but is not limited to, eight major areas of bias. These include racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, classism, ageism, religious intolerance, and size discrimination.  Through direct, pro-active instruction, as well as using everyday events within the classroom and the larger world, the curriculum is integrated into all aspects of the students' school experience. Monthly events, such as all-school assemblies are often springboards for further learning experiences.

Above all, we are working to instill in the students a respect for themselves, their classmates, and their community, while providing each child with strategies for actively improving the social conditions of all of those around them.

ANTI-BIAS OBJECTIVES:

• Establish a feeling of openness, comfort, and safety in the classroom
• Help children feel comfortable with people from diverse backgrounds
• Engage in discussions about the many differences in the world based on race, gender, class, age, ability, and family structure
• Have an understanding of what fairness is
• Develop an understanding of anti-bias language
• Discuss bias in literature, media, and real life events

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Why does Lesley Ellis School offer a TK?
At Lesley Ellis, as well as at most other private and public schools in surrounding towns, children must be five years old before starting Kindergarten in September. Because many children begin Preschool before they turn three (children with fall
birthdays), Lesley Ellis realizes that there is a growing need for a third-year program that will ensure these children are prepared to get the most from kindergarten—academically, socially, and emotionally. TK will also meet the needs of five year olds who would benefit from another year of development prior to Kindergarten. In recent years, children at Lesley Ellis with fall birthdays have often repeated a year of Preschool or Prekindergarten. We recognize that this is not always an ideal option and, consequently, developed this program to meet the unique needs of children in this in-between age group.

What is unique about this age group?
The years from four to six are characterized by dramatic intellectual, social, and emotional change. But growth can be unpredictable and variable. During this period, two children of the same age can be very different emotionally, socially, and
intellectually from one another. Lesley Ellis is already widely respected for its ability to respond to children as individuals who have their own schedules for growth and development. Although our early childhood programs are already designed to meet the
varied needs of young children, we know that children in this age group often need additional time so that they can learn independent skills, which will enable them to succeed in our K/1 program.

Will all Lesley Ellis students attend the TK program?
No. Most children will not attend TK. TK is specifically designed for children who are not old enough for K/1 or for five year old children who need another year of social, emotional, or academic development prior to Kindergarten.

How is the TK curriculum different from the Kindergarten curriculum?
TK serves as a bridge between the early childhood and elementary programs. Both the TK and K/1 curricula challenge children academically according to their individual needs and are flexible enough to respond to a wide range of abilities and interests.
However, developing Kindergarten skills are introduced to TK students in ways that enhance their academic readiness and consider their developing self-reliance and attention skills. As with the K/1 program, TK children move towards more advanced
skills as developmentally appropriate.

Is the Lesley Ellis TK program recognized by public schools and other private schools as a Kindergarten program?
The TK curriculum is a Kindergarten curriculum. Families who elect to not have their child attend our K/1program must check with individual schools and towns regarding their specific requirements for a child having completed Kindergarten, as policies
will vary.

Can a child who has not attended Prekindergarten enter TK?
At this time, a child must have completed one year of Prekindergarten, either at Lesley Ellis or another school, before enrolling in TK. Places in the TK classroom are limited and the program is geared toward children who are typically more socially mature than most PK students. A child in Lesley Ellis Preschool must first complete Lesley Ellis Prekindergarten prior to entering TK.

Can a child go directly from TK to Grade 1?
Children in TK will go to K/1 the next year as Kindergarten students. Lesley Ellis’ K/1 program allows children to enjoy appropriate challenges while supporting their social and emotional growth.

Is TK a full day program?
The TK program is a full day program three days per week from 8:30 – 3:00, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On Wednesday and Friday students attend from 8:30 – 12:30, with an option to stay until 3:00. The Afterschool program is also available to TK students.

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