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Home : 2003 : November : 19

difference
By dolly

Kinder is, of course, a kindergarten program with kindergarten aged children (5-6yrs) where they are taught beginning reading, writing & math skills. Children entering the class usually can identify some letters & numbers
(although not all of them), can rote count & count with 1:1 correspondence usually to at least 5 or so, can make some approximations of writing letters and numbers & have some ability with cutting & pasting.
A Pre-k class may be children that are not eligible, age wise, for kindergarten because they missed the cut off date by days, weeks or months. These children may be developmentally

& academically ready to enter Kinder (they have the skills listed above), but their birthdays were past the cutoff date.
In some cases, a pre-K class may be developmentally delayed children who, although they may be kindergarten age or near kindergarten age, have not yet developed the basic skills mentioned above. This type of a classroom may be classified as a "special ed" pre-k, or ECE (early childhood education).
I teach in a pre-k special education program where the children range in age from 3 years to 6 years. They have delays which prevent them from performing at the level of their peers. Some of the children will be able to "catch up" through intensive 1:1 work & therapy and eventually enter a standard kinder room. Many are lacking skills just because of lack of exposure to these skills in the home, day care, etc. Others may only be able to enter a kinder room with assistance, while others will always be in the designated "special ed" classrooms.
Hope this helps you out. If you are job hunting, be sure to know what kind of classroom makeup the children are, so you know what to expect.