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Teaching Kindergarten
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 Many
American children participate in all-day kindergarten
programs, and there are some kindergarten programs
that are only ½ day. But how kindergartners spend their time
in the classroom is more critical than the amount of time children
spend in the classroom. Longer days filled with less effective activities
will yield no educational advantages. In some ways the traditional
half-day kindergarten program is the best way to teach kindergarten.
Specialists have emphasized the central role of play in young children’s
learning for some time now. It is obvious for parents and teachers
to see that spontaneous play is a natural way of learning. Playing
provides a wide range and real depth of learning in all domains
of development: physical, emotional, social, and intellectual. Thus,
play is essential in teaching kindergarten.
Lessons can be games, in fact, many lessons can be games
when teaching kindergarten
· For example: you can divide the group into teams and have
the lesson prepared on a large easel pad (which will be available
at most office supply stores).
Depending on the lesson (letters, colors, simple words etc.) set
up various examples of what you are learning.
On the first page will be a picture of a cat. The cat is gray. The
cat has a pink round ball of string. Underneath the cat are the
letters CAT.
One team will be asked what color is the cat. If the answer correctly
they will continue (if they answer incorrectly the next team will
try). Then the children will be asked what else is in the picture
(the ball of string) they will be asked what color and shape it
is. The next page will have a similar task for the next group. You
should keep score so that whatever team gets the most points wins.
Many specialists have said that young children are “natural
scientists”. Children devote much of their energy to learning
all aspects of their own culture: i.e. language, stories, music,
etc. Children investigate with all their senses and emerging skills
what people mean when they speak, when certain behaviors are appropriate
and when they should refrain from certain behaviors, where things
come from and what they are for etc. Appropriate curriculum and
teaching methods for teaching kindergarten feature the importance
of children's feelings, behavior and emotions in classroom and other
group settings.
· For example, kindergarten children can undertake projects
in which they investigate a real event or object.
The best advice for teaching kindergarten these types of projects
is to use integrated topic studies, rather than whole-group instruction
in isolated skills.
In teaching kindergarten provide opportunities for the students
to learn by observing and experimenting with real objects; There
should be a balance of child- and teacher-initiated activities.
You can make a lesson from a child’s question or observation.
Specifically: in outdoor excursion little Suzie finds two leaves
that are different shapes. She asks you about the leaves and all
of a sudden you have a lesson. You can explain to the class that
there are many kinds of trees—that they are al the same in
some ways and that they are all different in some ways. Have an
open discussion—and ask the children what is different about
the leaves, and what is similar.
For children who stay in class all day teaching kindergarten is
different than teaching kindergarten for children who come to class
for a half-day. The children who come all day will require recess,
lunch, snacks and even naps. Remember, most children in your kindergarten
class have short attention spans. You need to break up your day
so that none of them gets bored and “tunes out” you
lessons. One of the most important things to remember when teaching
kindergarten is to keep it fun!
Discuss teaching ideas, lesson plans, classroom
strategies
and more on our teacher
forum!
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