Transitional Kindergarten

The TK curriculum is similar to kindergarten, but modified to be developmentally and age appropriate. It focuses on eight major areas: religion, reading and math readiness, printing, science, art, music and daily life skills, such as manners, outdoor play and cooperative learning. Additional curriculum includes music and physical education.

Unlike preschools, the curriculum of Transitional Kindergarten uses California’s academic standards to prepare the young students for kindergarten. TK is not a child development program or preschool. Reading and math readiness, in addition to other subjects present in our TK classroom, serve as the foundation for academic skills that will be carried with students throughout their time at St. Angela Merici Parish School. TK also places an emphasis on building social and daily life skills, such as manners, empathy and self-confidence.

Additionally, preschool or other child development programs are not required to have a credentialed teacher. St. Angela Merici Parish School’s TK teacher is credentialed by the state of California.

Students who are enrolled in TK are given an extra year to develop important skills that are essential for success when they make the transition into traditional kindergarten. Students with fall birthdays benefit greatly from this extra year of schooling.

The American Institutes for Research found that after the state of California enacted the Kindergarten Readiness Act in 2010, TK students excelled. Studies revealed that TK students outperformed kindergarten students in the categories of letter word identification, phonological awareness, quantitative concepts and applied problems.