Classroom Behavior and Student Behavior in Preschool and Kindergarten

Delaying the start of kindergarten can be a good thing for some children, but not for all. Some kids can benefit from an extra year at home while others are ready to enter the classroom at an earlier age. When determining at what age your preschooler should start kindergarten there are many factors to consider.

"This year is going to be different…," when you think about it you've probably said that sentence every year. Each school year you've wanted to organize a variety of things to keep your child on track; a set schedule, homework assignments, a checklist to work off of, etc. Organization just seemed to fall off the wagon as the school year began to progress and there was just too much to keep up with.

Although most adults probably don't remember their first day of school, it is important for kindergarteners and preschoolers to feel secure and even excited about a change to a new school. Many children, especially the younger ones, have a difficult time facing the unfamiliar classrooms and new teachers, but with a little encouragement on your end-- and a lot of preparation-- changing schools doesn't have to be a traumatic experience.

Many parents see cliques as social circles, groups within which children interact. Unfortunately, cliques are nowhere near as innocent as this description makes them seem. A source of bullying, peer pressure, and isolation, cliques are often groups of judgmental children that accept one another based not upon friendship, but based upon a social hierarchy that inevitably produces outcasts, hurt feelings, and cruel behavior.

Reading- it's something your child will have to do throughout their entire life, and you know this from experience. It's best to get them used to the idea now by teaching them that reading can actually be fun. At some point during their school years your child may grow tired of reading textbooks but it's important to make sure they don't grow tired of the act of reading.

Though education is important, some kids love school and some kids simply don't. Those that exclaim that they "don't like school" are not any less intelligent and preschoolers and kindergarteners may feel this way for a variety of reasons. As a parent, if your child doesn't like school you should do all you can to improve their learning experience and their viewpoint towards this important part of their lives.

Is my child ready for kindergarten? You've probably asked yourself that question many times and have yet to come up with a solid, unwavering answer. Experts say no single factor determines whether or not your child is ready to take the leap into kindergarten. Instead, your child's development needs to be evaluated on several different levels.

Young children can have a difficult time paying attention in class, especially kindergarteners who are just starting school. Figuring out a completely new environment can present many challenges and invoke behavioral issues, but if parents are clear about the behavior that is expected of their children when at school this transition can be smooth.

If your child has ever come home with a bad review at kindergarten or preschool and you've asked what happened you may have gotten the response, "My teacher doesn't like me." You probably brushed this response off as an excuse or didn't put much thought into it. However, something more serious could have developed, or is in the process of developing. A child/teacher conflict can be a sticky and uncomfortable situation for a parent.

Parents and kids have to find time to get ready in the morning, drop everyone off where they belong, manage homework and school projects, and get to bed on time. Whew! What a lot of work! Starting school is an exciting time for both parents and children. Kids may be anxious about making new friends and encountering new situations and routines. Parents may be wondering how school is going to fit into an already busy day. Developing sensible routines will help you and your child manage school and all that comes with it. Kids that are prepared are less anxious and fare far better than kids who aren't.

Kids just entering preschool or kindergarten programs are exposed to a completely new environment, one in which they may struggle to gain their footing. If parents and teachers establish clear expectations regarding student behavior, it will often help a child settle into daily school life quickly. You can effectively monitor kids’ success and reward good student behavior by using a behavior system. A behavior or reward system makes goals, progress, and accomplishments clear to see and easily track-able. In addition, giving kids rewards for meeting goals is positive reinforcement: a proven method of improving students’ other children’s behavior.