Transitional Kindergarten
Curricular Goals and Objectives
Admission to TK: Applicants must turn 5 years old between July 1, 2022-Nov.30, 2022 and will complete the kindergarten admission application. Children who are age-eligible for TK will be considered for admission to TK and Kindergarten. There is not a separate TK admission process.
Transitional kindergarten offers a tremendous opportunity to our students on the younger end of Harker’s kindergarten age scale. For these children, another year of growth and development provides the foundation they need to enter kindergarten with confidence, social skills and many other school-readiness markers that set them up for a successful academic experience. This extra year of academic, social and emotional development can also make a significant difference as they progress through Harker’s K-12 program, and in college and beyond.
Academics
Our TK program prepares children to be engaged and ready for the academic opportunities and experiences in our lower school. Your child will experience a curriculum that is enriching, inspiring, broad and balanced.
We inspire our students to develop a lifelong love of learning with a curriculum that features engaging classes taught by subject specialists including:
- Language Arts
- Math
- STEM
- Art
- Music and Movement
- Library Studies
Our TK students also benefit from
- Low teacher-student ratios, allowing for more individualized attention
- Curriculum that allows for the introduction of academic concepts at a pace designed around your child’s needs
- Deeper instruction and exploration including exposing children to art, music and movement, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills
Sample TK Schedule (Download PDF)
Social and Emotional Learning
This category covers essential life skills that help your child thrive in a classroom setting and work collaboratively with peers. At Harker, we view it as a core focus area for transitional kindergartners. From learning to play independently and work with others to effectively communicating needs and regulating behavior, social and emotional maturity prepare children to handle future academic challenges and is a key component of classroom readiness.
Among other skills, your transitional kindergartner will learn to:
- Show resilience in a variety of situations that become challenging
- Recognize and understand an array of human emotions demonstrated in others
- Show flexibility in taking turns as leader and follower during social play
- Demonstrate effective social problem-solving strategies
Engage in collaborative, imaginative play for sustained amounts of time
Physical Activity
We weave physical activity throughout the day to develop body awareness and motor skills. Strong brain-body connections at this age are directly related to future success with reading and writing. The more coordinated movements the children do through kicking and dancing, the better prepared they are for fine motor activities, reading and writing.
Among other skills, your child will learn to:
- Demonstrate gross motor strength and coordination
- Show skillful use of scissors and pencils
- Independently complete self-care routines
- Demonstrate care for personal objects, school materials and environment