WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.166 --> 00:00:05.405
♪ ♪

2
00:00:05.472 --> 00:00:07.107
NARRATOR: Welcome
to kindergarten.

3
00:00:07.173 --> 00:00:09.509
Transitioning your child
into kindergarten

4
00:00:09.576 --> 00:00:13.580
is an exciting and sometimes worrisome time for families.

5
00:00:13.646 --> 00:00:16.883
Your child's first years
in school can set the tone

6
00:00:16.950 --> 00:00:18.618
for future school years,

7
00:00:18.685 --> 00:00:21.888
so it is important to make sure each child is prepared

8
00:00:21.955 --> 00:00:24.157
socially, emotionally, intellectually,

9
00:00:24.224 --> 00:00:26.826
and physically
to enter kindergarten.

10
00:00:26.893 --> 00:00:30.063
This time of transition should be a collaborative process

11
00:00:30.130 --> 00:00:34.200
between the community, school, teacher, child, and family.

12
00:00:34.267 --> 00:00:38.338
Georgia is introducing a tool called the Georgia Kindergarten

13
00:00:38.405 --> 00:00:41.474
Inventory of Developing Skills Readiness Check,

14
00:00:41.541 --> 00:00:44.244
or GKIDS Readiness Check
for short,

15
00:00:44.310 --> 00:00:45.912
to help with that transition.

16
00:00:45.979 --> 00:00:48.915
Your child's teacher will administer the Readiness Check

17
00:00:48.982 --> 00:00:51.050
during the first
six weeks of school.

18
00:00:51.117 --> 00:00:53.420
It is a great opportunity
for the teacher

19
00:00:53.486 --> 00:00:55.955
to get to know your child
as a learner.

20
00:00:56.022 --> 00:00:59.959
DANIELLE KONONEN: I listed
five things that I need you

21
00:01:00.026 --> 00:01:01.861
to write that are green.

22
00:01:01.928 --> 00:01:03.897
Normally you write sentences.

23
00:01:03.963 --> 00:01:06.332
That's why there is five, because I just am asking you --

24
00:01:06.399 --> 00:01:10.637
Being able to take
initial information about them

25
00:01:10.703 --> 00:01:13.740
the first few weeks of school
will allow us to see

26
00:01:13.807 --> 00:01:16.476
how are these students
prepared for Kindergarten

27
00:01:16.543 --> 00:01:20.046
and what do they need academically or socially

28
00:01:20.113 --> 00:01:21.614
as we move throughout the year.

29
00:01:21.681 --> 00:01:23.116
JODI PLAISTED: The Readiness Check is important

30
00:01:23.183 --> 00:01:25.585
because it helps us teachers recognize a child's

31
00:01:25.652 --> 00:01:29.355
individual needs
in all areas of development.

32
00:01:29.422 --> 00:01:32.525
It also helps us begin
to meet the children's needs

33
00:01:32.592 --> 00:01:34.994
during the first stages
of kindergarten.

34
00:01:35.061 --> 00:01:37.096
NARRATOR: The GKIDS
Readiness Check is aligned

35
00:01:37.163 --> 00:01:39.866
to the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards,

36
00:01:39.933 --> 00:01:43.670
GELDS, a set of high quality,
research based,

37
00:01:43.736 --> 00:01:47.373
early learning standards
for children birth to age five.

38
00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.276
Because all children
have unique backgrounds

39
00:01:50.343 --> 00:01:53.012
and experiences prior
to entering kindergarten,

40
00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.915
it is important for kindergarten teachers to measure

41
00:01:55.982 --> 00:01:58.585
each child's development
as a starting point

42
00:01:58.651 --> 00:02:00.320
for instruction.

43
00:02:00.386 --> 00:02:03.656
The GKIDS readiness check
is designed for all children

44
00:02:03.723 --> 00:02:06.226
enrolled in public school entering kindergarten.

45
00:02:06.292 --> 00:02:08.862
It is important to note
that the Readiness Check

46
00:02:08.928 --> 00:02:11.498
will not identify
your child as ready

47
00:02:11.564 --> 00:02:13.500
or not ready for kindergarten.

48
00:02:13.566 --> 00:02:16.936
Nor will it determine if
your child passes Kindergarten.

49
00:02:17.003 --> 00:02:18.805
Teachers will use
the information

50
00:02:18.872 --> 00:02:21.941
from the Readiness Check
to help plan high quality,

51
00:02:22.008 --> 00:02:26.079
appropriate instruction to meet your child's individual needs.

52
00:02:26.145 --> 00:02:27.580
ANGELA CUYLER-HUNTER:
As a teacher it helps me

53
00:02:27.647 --> 00:02:29.082
to guide my instruction.

54
00:02:29.148 --> 00:02:31.651
I utilize the data to plan
whole group, small group

55
00:02:31.718 --> 00:02:34.587
and individualize lessons
and activities for students

56
00:02:34.654 --> 00:02:36.489
to meet their individual needs.

57
00:02:36.556 --> 00:02:38.024
RENEE DITTMER: We take
the results

58
00:02:38.091 --> 00:02:41.861
of the GKIDS Readiness assessment and we use that

59
00:02:41.928 --> 00:02:45.498
to group our students
or see if we need to do

60
00:02:45.565 --> 00:02:48.134
some type of
individualized instruction.

61
00:02:48.201 --> 00:02:50.136
It just lets us know
where our students are

62
00:02:50.203 --> 00:02:51.671
and what we need to be teaching.

63
00:02:51.738 --> 00:02:54.207
It helps us develop
our instruction.

64
00:02:54.274 --> 00:02:57.043
NARRATOR: The GKIDS Readiness Check measures your child's

65
00:02:57.110 --> 00:03:00.046
knowledge and skills
in three areas:

66
00:03:00.113 --> 00:03:01.915
Foundations of School Success,

67
00:03:01.981 --> 00:03:04.584
English Language Arts,
and Mathematics.

68
00:03:04.651 --> 00:03:07.587
Teachers may use a variety
of tools and strategies

69
00:03:07.654 --> 00:03:09.188
to get to know your child.

70
00:03:09.255 --> 00:03:11.791
Your child may be working
in a small group

71
00:03:11.858 --> 00:03:14.027
or engaging
in classroom learning

72
00:03:14.093 --> 00:03:15.929
or playing on the playground.

73
00:03:15.995 --> 00:03:18.631
In each case your child's
teacher will be able

74
00:03:18.698 --> 00:03:20.800
to collect information
to help modify

75
00:03:20.867 --> 00:03:24.337
the learning environment
to meet your child's needs.

76
00:03:24.404 --> 00:03:27.240
Teachers will have information from the Readiness Check

77
00:03:27.307 --> 00:03:30.410
to share with families
so everyone can work together

78
00:03:30.476 --> 00:03:34.280
to help your child thrive
in Kindergarten and beyond.

79
00:03:34.347 --> 00:03:36.516
JODI: Partnering with parents
is very important.

80
00:03:36.583 --> 00:03:39.686
And research shows that
when parents are involved

81
00:03:39.752 --> 00:03:43.122
students achieve higher
and they perform better.

82
00:03:43.189 --> 00:03:46.192
And there are also advantages just from the years

83
00:03:46.259 --> 00:03:48.695
that I've been teaching Kindergarten I've noticed

84
00:03:48.761 --> 00:03:52.665
that their behavior is better, they have better attendance,

85
00:03:52.732 --> 00:03:55.301
they even have
a better view of homework

86
00:03:55.368 --> 00:03:58.972
and just school in general
when parents are involved.

87
00:03:59.038 --> 00:04:01.207
NARRATOR: This website
provides further information,

88
00:04:01.274 --> 00:04:03.309
including videos and resources,

89
00:04:03.376 --> 00:04:06.746
on how to further guide
and support your child

90
00:04:06.813 --> 00:04:08.581
through activities at home.

91
00:04:08.648 --> 00:04:11.050
For the latest updates
and information

92
00:04:11.117 --> 00:04:14.253
on the GKIDS Readiness Check
you can also follow

93
00:04:14.320 --> 00:04:16.122
the Georgia Department
of Education

94
00:04:16.189 --> 00:04:17.957
on Facebook and Twitter.

95
00:04:18.024 --> 00:04:24.664
♪ ♪