Parents should ask preschool teachers to complete a child profile prior to the child's entrance into kindergarten. This profile should include important notes about the child such as an assessment of his learning style, food allergies, daily medications and academic assessment results. This profile will be used by the kindergarten teacher to cater his teaching style to the child's specific needs. Include warnings in this profile as well -- if a child has a short temper, socialization problems or even a learning disability, the profile will list these problems as well as solutions that have worked for the child.
Kindergarten is the official first step into a traditional school setting. It is typically much bigger and more systematically structured than most preschools. A child may feel overwhelmed with the sudden change in environment. Many schools strongly encourage parents to schedule a meeting with a kindergarten teacher prior to the first day of school. The parents can introduce the child to the teacher, show the child around her future classroom and playgrounds and explain how classes will be structured.
The kindergarten environment typically requires students to talk and collaborate with each other on a higher level than preschool. A child who has been exceptionally shy or does not deal with other people on a regular basis may find kindergarten to be a significant culture shock. Some preschools may have activities that directly address this, so parents should inquire about how to build a child's social skills in common school etiquette. An example would be to simulate a classroom environment in preschool where the teacher can explain how to properly raise hands before talking, remain silent when a teacher is talking and conduct sample group activities between the children.
A child's initial success in kindergarten requires a strong source of support from her parents. Hilary Fabian, author of "Transitions in the Early Years" states that kindergarten is one of the major milestones in a child's growth because it is where a child moves from being self-conscious to having to be conscious of the people around her. Parents will potentially have to deal with a rough initial period in helping their child adjust to kindergarten and suddenly deal with people. Parents can alleviate this by consistently encouraging positive reinforcement: hide "We love you" notes in her backpack or a family photo for her to discover throughout the day and to talk with their child daily about school during her first days.