Kindergarten Classroom Setup and Expectations

If your child went to preschool, you may be wondering what some of the differences will be…and if not, then you’re entering a whole new world! Here’s how a kindergarten classroom should be set up, and what you can expect when sending your child to school.

SETUP

Kindergarten classrooms are usually located within your district’s elementary school. At first it may be overwhelming for your kindergartener to adjust to the large hallways, and older children, but once they get into their kindergarten classroom they should start to feel more at ease.

A great kindergarten classroom should be:

Welcoming

Your kindergartener’s classroom should be warm and welcoming, and so should your kindergartener’s new teacher. Walking into the room you should see things that put a smile on your face, and will be sure to put a smile on your kindergartener’s as well.

The room may have some bright colors, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming.

Informative

Wall decorations in your kindergartener’s classroom may be cute, but they should also be informative. Things like classroom rules, a calendar, and a daily schedule will be displayed, and there’s most likely a place to display student’s work.

Organized

If your child went to preschool, you may notice more structure to a kindergarten classroom. Kindergarten classrooms will typically have a meeting space for the entire class, similar to preschool circle time, but usually in an area clear of toys and distractions.

Each kindergartener should have their own cubby space to keep their belongings, and may have their own desk, share a group desk, or have a mix of both.

Focused

A kindergarten classroom should have clear learning centers that are used to focus on different subjects. Different areas of the classroom should focus on math, literacy, science, art, and a variety of other skills. Each area should be equipped with hands-on learning materials, and set up to promote both group play and individual learning.

EXPECTATIONS

There may be certain expectations from both sides, and it’s important to communicate with your kindergartener’s school to ensure that expectations are made clear.

From Your Kindergartener

Your kindergartener may be expected to meet certain readiness standards in specific developmental areas such as:

Reading & Language

• Expresses self using sentences
• Can recognize most letters of the alphabet and their sounds
• Understands how a book works, and flips through one from the front to the back
• Can recognize some sight words
• Can follow simple directions
• Answers simple questions
• Can write first name, and attempt to write some other letters

Math

• Knows numbers 1-20
• Can identify basic shapes
• Can count at least 10 objects
• Understands the concept of biggest and smallest

Personal

• Can sit and focus for reasonable periods of time
• Can complete a task
• Can handle their own bathroom needs

From The Classroom

There’s some things you should expect from your kindergartener’s classroom such as:

PROGRESS REPORTS

Your kindergartener’s teacher should update you frequently on your child’s progress in all areas of school. Your child’s teacher may assess their academic progress throughout the year, and should inform you when these assessments will take place, what they will consist of, and how your child performed.

Your kindergartener’s teacher should also keep you in the loop about your child’s overall behavior in school. If your kindergartner’s teacher sees an area your child could improve in, they may schedule a meeting with you to discuss how you can work together to improve your kindergartener’s education experience.

SUPPLY LIST

Teachers typically pay for their classroom supplies out of their own pockets, so a beginning of the year school supply list will usually be handed out to help ease the burden some. You should expect to send your preschooler to school on their first day with a backpack full of supplies such as: