TK vs K
Differences between Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten
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Transitional Kindergarten
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TK is available for kids whose fifth birthdays are between September 2nd and December 2nd of the school year. For example, if your child turns 5 on October 5th, then he or she is eligible to enroll in a TK class at your local public school.
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TK is a program based on developmentally appropriate kindergarten standards designed to prepare students for regular kindergarten.
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Exposure to some of the K standards; there is not an expectation of mastery of the K standards.
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TK is the “gift of time” to develop social and emotional skills for success in school. Children will be better prepared to succeed in kindergarten and beyond with the extra time. TK has a developmental focus.
Regular Kindergarten
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Kindergarten is available to children whose fifth birthdays are on or before September 1st of the school year.
Curriculum Highlights
Transitional Kindergarten Kindergarten
Language Decoding
Social/Emotional Social/Emotional
Exposure to K Standards Mastery of K Standards
Curriculum
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The transitional kindergarten curriculum blends the best practices from the preschool learning environment with the best practices from the kindergarten environment.
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Students will be introduced to age-appropriate topics through a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
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Math instruction will be presented using a hands-on approach,
Assessments
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The Transitional Kindergarten teacher will primarily use observational tools to provide parent feedback about the child’s development.
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