Over the past four years, the OCD’s Ready Freddy™ Program and Pittsburgh Public Schools
have collaborated to develop strategies for high quality transition to
kindergarten. In 2010, every child (more than 2000!) enrolling in
kindergarten in Pittsburgh Public Schools will receive a copy of Ready
Freddy Goes to School to help prepare both child and parents for the
start of school.
Ready Freddy Goes to School is a stand-alone book and a part of the
Ready Freddy Kindergarten Club transition curriculum, a 6-session
parent-child group that prepares families for the start of early
childhood education and kindergarten.
Author’s Note to Parents and Caregivers:
There is no doubt that you are essential to your child’s early
learning. In fact, children that have involved parents are more likely
to be successful in school. This book was meant to serve as a discussion
between parents and children about preparing for the start of
kindergarten, a transition that nearly half of children struggle with.
Book Themes and Questions:
Every child is unique:
Ask children to describe Freddy: “What color is Freddy?”, “What do
you notice about his eyes?”, “What do you notice about his mouth?”, “How
old do you think he is?”, “Where do you think Freddy lives?”
Achieving Goals:
Explain the importance of preparation—involving setting and
accomplishing goals—to academic success. Flip back and remind children
of when Freddy gets his uniform, gets a haircut, goes to the doctor, and
visits his school. Let children know that they will have many things to
do to get ready for school and that their job is to help their parents.
Sharing and Friendship:
Ask if they remember some of the things Freddy did at school. After
hearing their ideas, point out that he played with children and shared
supplies, like crayons, with children. Tell children that in
kindergarten it is important to know how to share and be a good friend.
Skill Development:
Even though Freddy is little, he knows a lot about reading and writing.
Ask children if they can think of some times in the story that Freddy
practiced his reading and writing. One of the things Freddy did at
school was to learn about numbers. Ask them what they know about numbers
already.
Self Awareness:Ask
the children if they remember all the things Freddy did to get ready
for school. Then, ask how Freddy felt after his first day of
school.