My Visit to Kindergarten

As a teacher in the Haifa class, almost all of my students will be moving on to kindergarten next year. The teaching staff here at TBSCC try to foster a growing, educational, playful community in which the students will gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, learning from every experience along the way. That is all fine and dandy in preschool, but what about kindergarten? What happens there? Today, Melissa and I were lucky enough to find out!

With the help of one of the mothers at the preschool, we were able to set up a few observation times at the Broad Meadow kindergarten. We were welcomed into the class to observe and participate, as well as ask the teacher and the students any questions we wanted. We were able to observe a large class art project done in the way of Eric Carle books, as well as circle and choice time. Above is a small groups' work showing an interpretation of A House for Hermit Crab. I saw the students listening to one another, sharing supplies, brainstorming on how they were going to create their picture, and work off the creations of others.

With the main wave of conferences over for the spring, it seems that the question on the minds of many parents is "Is my child ready for kindergarten?" When I asked the kindergarten teacher about her philosophy on teaching, she told me that she believes that kindergarten is an essential building block in how to work in social spaces and groups. There are academics included in the curriculum obviously, but that one of the largest takeaways should be how to be successful with others. While learning letters, math, and science are important as well, if a child does not know how to work with others respectfully, it's going to make things a lot harder down the line.

It put a smile on my face to know that the philosophy that we keep at the Temple Beth Shalom Childrens' Center rings true with what is being taught in the Needham school system kindergarten!

-Alison

Is my child ready for kindergarten?

When asked about school readiness skills, many teachers say children who succeed in kindergarten know when and how to control their impulses. They can follow through when a task is difficult and listen to directions for a few minutes. These skills are linked to self-control. Children can develop them at preschool and at home. Here are a few ways to help children learn self-control.

1- Change the rules of a game to make it an opposite game. For example, instead of playing the familiar version of Simon Says, play Simon Doesn’t Say. Explain the new rule in words and actions: “Do the opposite of what Simon asks you to do. If Simon Says ‘Touch your head,’ you should touch your toes.” Be sure to demonstrate how this works. Keep directions simple. Take turns being Simon.

2- Finish what you are doing, then respond to requests for attention. For example, if you are on the phone and your child asks for something (and it’s not an emergency), let her know you need to take time to complete your conversation. This is a good way to let your child practice waiting for a short time.

3- Do activities together that require following directions. For example, put together a model, play follow the leader, or cook or bake: “I’m going to read the recipe aloud. Listen carefully so we will both know what to do. I’ll read them again as we do each step.”

4- Help children understand how long they will have to wait for something and suggest activities to do while they wait. Say to your child, “Grammy and Grampy are coming over before dinner. Would you like to draw some pictures to give them?” or “As soon as I put your sister to bed, I will read you some stories. You can choose three books for us to read together.”

5- Work with your child to complete a puzzle that has a few more pieces than he or she is used to. Set up the puzzle in a place where you can work on it for several days, if needed. Celebrate together when one of you puts the last piece in place.

6- Plant some easy-to-grow marigold seeds in a pot or in a garden. Check together every day until the plants pop up. Over time, watch the plant grow leaves and flowers.

From Teaching Young Children

Top 10 Signs of a Good Kindergarten Classroom

Kindergarten is a time for children to expand their love of learning, their general knowledge, their ability to get along with others, and their interest in reaching out to the world. While kindergarten marks an important transition from preschool to the primary grades, it is important that children still get to be children -- getting kindergarteners ready for elementary school does not mean substituting academics for play time, forcing children to master first grade "skills," or relying on standardized tests to assess children’s success.

Kindergarten "curriculum" actually includes such events as snack time, recess, and individual and group activities in addition to those activities we think of as traditionally educational. Developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms encourage the growth of children’s self-esteem, their cultural identities, their independence and their individual strengths. Kindergarten children will continue to develop control of their own behavior through the guidance and support of warm, caring adults. At this stage, children are already eager to learn and possess an innate curiosity. Teachers with a strong background in early childhood education and child development can best provide for children what they need to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Here are 10 signs of a good kindergarten classroom:

1. Children are playing and working with materials or other children. They are not aimlessly wandering or forced to sit quietly for long periods of time.
2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day, such as block building, pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as legos, pegboards, and puzzles. Children are not all doing the same things at the same time.
3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend time only with the entire group.
4. The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and dictated stories.
5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. Exploring the natural world of plants and animals, cooking, taking attendance, and serving snack are all meaningful activities to children.
6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Filling out worksheets should not be their primary activity.
7. Children have an opportunity to play outside every day that weather permits. This play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
8. Teachers read books to children throughout the day, not just at group story time.
9. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Because children differ in experiences and background, they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.
10. Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel safe sending their child to kindergarten. Children are happy; they are not crying or regularly sick.

Individual kindergarten classrooms will vary, and curriculum will vary according to the interests and backgrounds of the children. But all developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms will have one thing in common: the focus will be on the development of the child as a whole.

From National Association for the Education of Young Children