For Educators
Curriculum and Materials
Targets
We built The READY! for Kindergarten curriculum on a series of 26 consecutive age-level targets, or measurable skills. These targets are divided among three general areas: language and literacy, math and reasoning, and social-emotional skills.
As we developed the age-level targets, our READY! program designers first focused on the skills that a school-ready five year old child should have. We chose the skills that are the greatest predictors of eventual success in learning to read and do math. Then we ramped those skills backward for each age level to birth so parents would know which skills were attainable at which ages.
We took great effort to write the targets in family-friendly language. All targets are research-based and age-appropriate.
Tools
READY! for Kindergarten class participants receive a learning kit which offers all new information each session with age-appropriate interactive learning aids or tools for them to use while playing with their child at home. Tools include such things as floor puzzles, colorful wooden shapes, blocks, magnetic letters and numbers, audio CDs and much more. In addition, sponsoring agencies may choose to offer the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, through which a new book is mailed directly to enrolled children each month. All tools and books can be used to teach multiple targets.
Instructional Time/Presentation
The bulk of class time is spent modelling and practicing how to use the tools while playing with a child at home. Appropriate parent-child interaction is emphasized and encouraged. The remaining time is devoted to showing parents how the learning kit activities tie to specific age-level targets. State of the art presentation technology not only helps assure consistency across classes, but it also allows live video clips from child development experts to be inserted into the curriculum. The READY! curriculum and parent materials are continuously updated to incorporate the newest research and highest quality materials.
