Kindergarten Program

Kindergarten at International School of Monterey is very different from the kindergartens we attended as children. For one thing, Kindergarten at ISM is a full day program. For another, the program has a bigger focus on academics and cognitive learning. While reminiscing on our first year of school, we may think back to socialization skills and memories of cut-and-paste. If you open the door of a Kindergarten classroom at ISM, you are apt to find children performing their own experiments, dictating stories, singing with the Spanish teacher, weighing, measuring, participating in celebrations from around the world, and completing their own study projects.

As in our other programs, the method of teaching in the ISM Kindergarten is one that focuses on the total growth of the developing child. ISM advocate inquiry education, a student centered method of teaching focused on the asking of questions. The inquiry method is motivated by the recognition that the activities and behaviors of a good learner, at all stages in life, are grounded in knowing what I know, knowing what I need to know, and knowing how to “find out.”

The elementary school curriculum at ISM is based on the International Primary Curriculum. IPC focuses on thematic instruction, hands-on learning and project-based assessments. IPC stresses that what children learn should respect the past, but it must also prepare them for the world in which they are going to live. Kindergarten at ISM is active, engaging and, above all, meaningful to children.

How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten at ISM?

The real test of readiness for Kindergarten isn’t solely chronological age. Readiness is dependent on a child’s ability to think logically, speak plainly, and relate to others. Children are all developmentally different, and just because a child falls slightly behind in a few areas may not mean he or she is not ready for Kindergarten. What really matters is a child’s interest in learning new things, his or her ability to adapt to change, and his or her willingness to interact with children and other adults.

Kindergarten Pre-Assessment

ISM Kindergarten Pre-Assessment takes place annually in August. Children who receive placement through the lottery process are asked to participate in a short assessment. Prospective Kindergarteners are asked to perform tasks like drawing shapes, naming colors, or telling a story. The assessments will be used to best balance the personalities and skill set of the students in each Kindergarten class, it is not used as a “pre-screening”. It will take about 20 minutes to assess your child. Kindergarten Pre-Assessment is also an opportunity to evaluate how well a child adapts to new situations and to meeting new people.