PERU — Kindergarten isn’t what it used to be, say four kindergarten teachers at Dirigo Elementary School.

Little ones are expected to know much more before they begin their educational career.

To help local day care centers and preschools understand the changes in the kindergarten curriculum, Danielle Afari and fellow kindergarten teachers Sue Bousquet, Libby Irish and Tanya Perrault have organized a Transition Forum for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the school.

“We’re all here for the children, we want them to succeed,” Afari said.

“Kindergarten has been pushed to the new first grade,” Irish said.

All area licensed day care providers, along with several preschools, have been notified of the forum. Others in the community who care for children are invited as well.

“This is for any day care provider in the region,” Bousquet, who has taught kindergarten for 23 years, said.

Dirigo Elementary School operates a prekindergarten program that serves 30 children, as do several other elementary schools in RSU 10, so these youngsters are very aware of what is expected when they begin kindergarten, Bousquet said.

About 60 5-year-olds begin kindergarten at the school each school year.

“The standards have changed,” Perrault said. “The day cares are trying, but many don’t know what’s happening in the public schools.”

“It’s no longer just learning the alphabet, but learning to read, and learning the alphabet isn’t just singing the song,” Bousquet said.

The advancing technology has also reduced social skills as well as rhyming skills, Perrault added.

“We do reading groups now and children work by themselves in individual stations,” Afari said.

“It’s kind of a culture shock for some children. They have been playing. We start with work and end in play,” Bousquet said.

Any day care provider who has not been contacted by a Dirigo Elementary School kindergarten teacher is welcome to attend or to call the school at 562-4207 and ask for any kindergarten teacher for further information.

“If this goes well, perhaps other schools will hold transition forums,” Afari said.

Participants will also tour each of the school’s four kindergarten classrooms.