Chapter 15 is about the trends and policy issues that occur in kindergarten. The first section of the text that I found to be helpful was on page 162 that discussed the perspectives on what kindergarten should be and do. I really liked the information that was given because it is very helpful. It discusses the aspects that children want in the classroom, what aspects the parents, teachers, principals, and policy makers are looking for. The second part of the text that was important was the 'Guiding principles for what kindergarten should be and do in the future'. Kindergarten needs to keep the children as its' focus of instruction but there needs to be emphasis on the content as well. Kindergarten teachers need to learn to prioritize the teaching and nurturing of children, not the teaching of content. Kindergarten must also foster relationships. Relationships form the sturdy foundation that kindergarteners need to begin school with a good attitude and perspective. Kindergarten must also remain special and different from the rest of school. Kindergarten is the transition year when students feel they are entering the formal school system. The third part of the text that I found interesting were highlighted under 'change in policy today for the kindergarten we need tomorrow'. Policy plays a vital role in all places in the school. Kindergarten, as referred to by many instructors, is a different school of fish. Kindergarten needs to be available and accessibly to all students no matter what there location, language, culture, ability, or level of income. Policy makers need to focus their time and energy on supporting schools and teachers to be prepared to support and nurture the learning and development of all the children in their classroom. The fourth part of the text that I found was under 'where content and pedagogy meet'. When it comes to pedagogy and standards, teachers must understand why they are teaching and what they are teaching. The teaching needs to become more intentional and with student learning outcomes in mind. Kindergarten teachers need to have clear goals and be flexibility to create a good learning experience that blend goals and activities.
Brandy, I also liked the section on the perspectives of the different people involved in kindergarten. It provided me with a lot of insight as to what different people with different roles in kindergarten want and need for the children that are taught whether it be their child, the teacher of that child, or the child themselves. It really helped for me to be able to read about what the policy maker wants. I'm not that big on politics and I saw something the other day that summed up my opinion pretty well. It's a quote that says, "Those who can, teach. Those who cannot pass laws about teaching." Unfortunately, this is generally my opinion but it helped me to read a statement about what policy makers think or want for kindergarten. It is reassuring to know that maybe there is at least one person with more authority than me that "gets it".
Chapter #15 of the K Today text talked about trends and policies that affect kindergarten instruction. There were several points that I thought were important, but the one I agree with the most was that kindergarten needs to remain “special”. I think it is important for everyone to remember that while this is often the child’s first introduction to formal education, it in no way should be viewed as boot camp for 1st grade. It is important for them to be prepared as best as they can be to handle what will occur in 1st grade but it is almost more important for them to grow socially and independently with their own self images and self awareness than it is for them to be able to perform 1st grade skills at the end of kindergarten. This brings about the next important point which is that kindergarten must still keep the child front and center, even with the new emphasis on content. Yes, content knowledge and mastery is important, but if the child is not capable of learning it yet and is busy growing in other ways and areas, shoving it down their throats all year is not going to help them learn or master certain skills. If anything, it is just going to frustrate the student and they already will have a negative view about school at 5- or 6-years-old. I think it is more important to teach the student the importance of learning and plant the desire to learn new things in them than it is for them to be able to recite drills and do all of these different things. The final thing that I found to be very important was that kindergarten must acknowledge and support differences in the needs of children and their families. There are such a wide varieties of differences in the kindergarten families today that of course a one-size-fit all approach to instruction is going to fail. Teachers need to be able to adapt their teaching style to the different learning styles that will be present in the classroom, and be knowledgeable about what needs to be done to foster learning for students that have disabilities and/or impairments. It is also important for teachers to understand that different parents want different kindergarten experiences for their children, or have different expectations of what kindergarten should be. While it is not realistic to think that one teacher will be able to satisfy all the different wants and needs of each and every parent of students in the classroom, I think their input should be considered and possible changes in the content or style of teaching should be made if it is the general consensus of the group of parents. There is not any single reason why kindergarten cannot be a win-win situation for everyone involved and for the children and parents to enjoy their child’s year spent in my classroom.
I really like that you brought up kindergarten isn't a "boot camp" for first grade. We, as educators, need to keep in my ALL of child. What good is it if the child learns everything academically, but ends up emotionally/socially empty? We have a big job to do, but I believe in time we can find that happy balance. :)
I appreciate the fact that you brought attention to the fact that we don't want children to be unhappy about school at such a young age. It is so true that kindergarteners need to be viewed as early childhood, while still working on the curriculum. The way that you wrote this post really resonated with me. As Kristin said above me, it's about finding a balance and there can be a happy balance. No kindergarten boot camps in my future!
This chapter focused on the teacher making their classroom warm and inviting to everyone. Students and families should feel welcome when they walk into the room. It should also be a place of learning not only for the student, but for the parents/families of that student. When my little brother was in kindergarten the teacher asked parents to volunteer for center time. Not only did it help her, but parents were given a chance to see the classroom, how it worked, and what the students were learning. I think it's also a good idea for the teacher to put out a newletter when they move onto a new subject or topic to teach. They can explain why their teaching it and how this will help the children.
Another thing the chapter talked about was that teachers need to know WHY they teach something before they do it. This will help them become more interested and invested in the subject. If we as educators know how this is going to help the children, we are going to be more motivated and creative teaching it.
I thought it was a great point you made when you noted that it is important to make the classroom a place of learning for not only the student but for the parents as well. We are there to improve this students life, and helping to educate parents is a huge part of it as well!
I totally agree with your post Kristin. It is so important for both students and parents to feel welcome in your classroom. The point you made about your classroom being a good learning environment for both students and parents is also very important. It is our job to teach our students, but to also educate the parents of our students. Good post!
This chapter talks about what we want kindergarten to be and how do we achieve this. It pretty much sums up everything we have been reading about in this textbook so far about how to make a successful Kindergarten. We need to make sure that this transition year, before formal school settings, is preserved and a positive experience. It talks about how special Kindergarten is viewed in the majority of peoples minds, and we have a duty to preserver this. We must always remember that there needs to be a balance between play and curriculum. As teachers we can’t get too caught up in the standards and focusing on performance, and remember to value the social, emotional, cognitive and learning development as well. Being a teacher in the 21st century means you must be diverse and flexible. You will see a variety of students and families come in and out your door. It is no longer a one fits all education system. “At the most fundamental level, policy makers can ensure that kindergarten is universally available and accessible to all students regardless of their family’s income level, geographic location, language, culture, or ability.” Pg 163 The policy makers can make it available, but teachers need to make it effective. This is important to note and remember that the recommended content of Kindergarten is in six areas: cognitive, social and emotional, physical, language, creative expression, and the disciplines of math, science and social studies. I will take this book with me into the field and my future classroom, it is a great resource.
In response to Autumn. I agree that it was a good summary chapter. I agree that kindergarten is special and most children and parents agree. However I feel that there are sadly many people who do not. Sometimes I feel it may get pushed aside by other teachers, principals, districts, and on and on up the ladder. Your right we do need to be diverse and flexible in our classrooms. It is so true that WE need to make kindergarten effective.
Erin Flax Chapter 15 did a good job of summing up what I got from this chapter. It covered what kindergarten should be and what it is becoming more like. I loved how in the beginning it talked from the perspective a child, parent, teacher, principal, and policy maker. It sounds like we have many of the same goals but for some reason we don’t always accomplish them. I liked the comment on page 162 that says “I want the freedom to create my own classroom dynamic and to be as unfettered as possible by extraneous paperwork and requirements.” I looked up the definition of unfettered and it is like uninhibited or released from restraints. How wonderful that would be. Since I don’t always have control of what is required from me I can do my best to make sure that the students don’t feel inhibited. I can relate to a quote on page 161 that is asking how we can give families and children hope when we have lost our hope for the future of kindergarten. I want to be on fire for my students and families so that they can be on fire about their education. No matter what happens I will try to keep that fire alive. The text talked about how we need to foster relationships which lay the foundation for later grades and school success. This is a point I argued in one of my other classes that had student pushing for strong competition and not worrying about their feelings but rather pushing them to do and be better. I said I have to stand up for my little ones. The younger years are so vital to give the students a good base from which to grow. The green box on page 165 was interesting to hear about how some schools get the same funding for half day kindergarten than full day. That doesn’t make sense and I agree with the book that this can spur schools on to have half days and still get all the money. The video we watched this week talked about this as well. I wasn’t aware of it before. On page 169 it talks about how Head Start provides comprehensive services for the child and family and so should kindergarten. Having worked for Head Start for five years I can agree with this whole heartedly. Because many families do not receive Head Start services they may need this jump start in kindergarten. We could be following up medical needs and having home visits. Of course with the schedules of kindergarten teachers I don’t know how it could be all squeezed in. Having smaller class size would help.
Erin, I also liked how they put kindergarten into the perspectives of the student, teacher, parent, principal, and policy maker. I think that it would open up many people's eyes to what actually goes into teaching kindergarten and all the aspects that need to be meet to accomplish the goal.
On page 161 there is a statement that says, "kindergarten remains the overlooked year." I couldn't agree more. With all the talk of having half day or full day kindergarten, some people don't realize how important this year really is. These children are learning the foundations of how to read and write. In order to make it in this world you have to be able to do both. I wish people would start to respect what teachers really do and how important every teacher is. They are teaching your kids how to make it in this world and how to be someone. A second statement that I also agree with is on page 163 where it says, "one size fits all does not work in education." This is perfectly stated. Although, I do believe that we are improving in this area now more than ever, we must remember this as future educators. Every child has different learning needs as well as needs to be encouraged in different ways. I will remember this in my classroom by knowing that every child has to be taught in a different way. They each come from different backgrounds and need different levels of enrichment. On page 168 it discusses how in order to have healthy, enthusiastic, and engaged kindergartners, we need healthy, enthusiastic, and engaged families. Therefore, in order to get the children excited about coming to school and learning something new everyday, we must get their families involved as well. Growing up my mom always asked me what was something new that i learned at school everyday. This got me excited to learn something so I would be able to go home and tell her everyday. There needs to be more of this especially in the low socioeconomic areas. Children must have encouragement from home in order to be encouraged to learn. I will remember this in my classroom by encouraging my students to go home everyday and tell their parents what was just one thing that they learned.
Jessica I completely agree that children need to be front and center on in the learning process.Kid need to be taught in a way that they can understand and apply to life. I think it is important for the kids to pass testes but the tests need to be realistic and age appropriate.
I relay liked the section on page 163 where it talked about how kindergarten curriculum must evolve. It is important in school to keep up with society and how it changes. Another part that stood out to me was the kindergarten is not a one size fits all thing. Kids are all different so a classroom needs to be set up to where many different levels of kids can learn at one time. As a teacher I want to keep in mind that not all students learn in the same way or at the same time. My mom who is a special ed pre-k teacher always stresses that children are always learning. When there is a lot of down time or interruptions kids are learning to zone out or ignore the continent. The day needs to be set up to where it flows and there is always something to learn. I want to teach the same subject different ways so the students will fully understand and no learner will be left out. Page 167 stood out to me when they discussed that kindergarten teachers need to understand why they are teaching their students. It is more then just to pass a test or to give the teacher a better reputation. Kindergarten should be about laying down a solid foundation of learning for the students. What a child learns in kindergartner will be taken with them for the rest of their lives.
I think you're right, somethings we as teachers do forget that education is not "one size fits all". So, that was a great point to make. Also, I took liked the part on page 167. Teaching should never be about the assessments and them passing. If that is what it comes down to - then teachers will fail in making that connection with their students as well as most likely losing that student's interest.
There is a chart on page 165 that discusses funding for all day kindergarten. It says that explicit funding goes to districts who offer full day kindergarten. I think that is very interesting. Oklahoma schools have been doing full day kindergarten for a while, and I actually just found out this week they are running a pilot program next fall that there will be three different school doing ALL DAY preschool. From talking my mentor teacher, she said that the feelings are mixed. Some think it is a great idea, and some think it is going to be like free daycare. I kind of like the idea. I think it will be neat to have preschoolers all day, I know it seems young, but there will be a rest period for them to nap I hear. I just wonder what they will require all students to know before kindergarten or if anything will change at all. The text says on page 169, “kindergarten is the prime time in young children’s lives to lay strong foundations for trusting, mutual relationships among their families, schools, and communities. I agree - I think that there was a time when school was left at school when students went home. I feel like that with parent/student/teacher collaboration the abilities of the child will be paramount – of course with the student being at the center of that. We just have to support the families in order to get them involved. When I become a teacher, I plan to really strive towards family involvement.
While I think it would be amazing to have all day public preschool/prek, I just don't understand how a school system could adequately fund that when so many other areas are being cut. I know why - schools want to give children a good chance and a solid basis. But I think that is why we have programs like Head Start, which have taken their own round of cuts lately. It's a mixed bag for sure.
To wrap up the chapters in the K: Today text, Chapter 15 focused mainly on what is going on in kindergarten classrooms today, what has changed, and the changes that they anticipate for the future. The first bit of information that shocked me was the number of states that do not mandate kindergarten attendance. I guess I have grown up always thinking that once you turned five years old, you were headed to kindergarten no matter what. I am surprised to learn that that just isn’t the case. The second portion of the chapter was the area where it discussed the way kindergartens will change in the future. The first item that was addressed was teaching the children technology skills so they are able to adapt to the technology they will encounter in the future with ease. The topic of teaching the concept of bilingualism is something that I can relate to here in Southwest Kansas. There is numerous amounts of children who do not speak English as their first language. If we can teach the other children in the classroom various words in the other language that is spoken, all the children in the classroom will be able to communicate with each other with no problems. The last change that was mentioned in this section of the chapter was that the kindergarten curriculum will put a little more emphasis on the physical and mental health of the kindergarten students. This has become an issue due to the rising number of children with obesity. The last section that was very interesting to me was that the Early Learning Standards are the adhesive that bonds the content that needs to be taught in kindergarten to the teacher’s pedagogy. The Early Learning standards act as a kind of road map for the teachers to go off of as they teach that specific content in their own way and style.
I liked the section about the perspectives on what kindergarten should be and do. It was really helpful and I thought it gave great information and can be very useful in a classroom. It talks about everyone involved in the kindergarten experience including, the child, the parent, the teacher, the principle, and the policy maker. This would be a good reference for my future classroom. I also really liked the section on page 163 that talked about guiding principles for what kindergarten should be and do in the future. I think it is important for kindergarten to remain special. It is an important year for children and parents and is used as a transition year into the full time school system. I also thought the quote “Any vision of the kindergarten of the future must include a focus on technological literacy.” on page 166. This is so true because our world is changing and growing and technology is becoming a large part of school systems and the way we learn.
In Ch. 15, the discussion focused on the kindergarten year and where it must stand going into the future. I really thought the whole chapter was captivating. On p. 162, I really enjoyed reading the viewpoints of the different people involved in kindergarten decision making. The difference between the study and the policy maker was interesting to me. Children look to kindergarten as this new and exciting adventure. At this point in time, it seems as if policy makers look to make kindergarten solely preparation for first grade. Several other posts have mentioned this, and I agree wholeheartedly - kindergarteners need to be the most important part of their classroom! They still need to engage, play, and be treated with the same gentle hands as early childhood classrooms while learning many valuable things. As many chapters have had, there is information relevant to families and how they're affected. On p. 168, this topic was introduced again. In reference to kindergarten, families, communities and policies it's important to remember that each situation is different. In the text it states that policymakers need to champion the importance of strong home learning environments. Considering that all learning starts at home, this is such a strong and true statement. Due to our new, high tech and fast-paced world the family unit looks a lot different. So embracing the changes is important. Contact with peers, their families, the teacher, and the school is very important. On p. 170, the last page of the text, it is written that the hope is that there would be a forum in which there would be develop of a 10-year plan for enhancing the quality of kindergarten programs. What an idea! Having known several kindergarten teachers who've watched their classrooms slip away, I think that something needs to be done in regards to the way that kindergarten is handled. As so much of this chapter discussed, there must be a balance between content and pedagogy. There must be a balance between the feel of an early childhood environment and a structured learning environment. There is so much change that could be made to enhance the kindergarten program we have. I hope, as I'm teaching, I see some of that change come to fruition.
Our final chapter in this text certainly did not disappoint. This is definitely a book that will remain with me to re-read. There were several key ideas that hit home with me and after reading a few other posts, seems that a few of us picked out some of the same important points. It is definitely critical to keep the kindergarten "child front and center." We can not let Kindergarten become the new 1st grade. We have to maintain the children's ability to learn in ways that are best for them - developmentally appropriate. They need to have the chance to be young children and learn through engaging activities that do not force seat-work and ditto pages. I also agree with the text's discussion on the importance of laying the foundation between families, schools, and communities. I can speak from personal experience how important the kindergarten year is to the impressions and feelings children and families will form. It would be neat to see Kindergarten set up similarly to Head Start. But of course that would require more funding that obviously schools do not have. It is so frustrating to know that we could do so much more with the proper funding and yet our government continues to cut funds while expecting the test scores to increase.
Chapter 15 discusses kindergarten trends and policy issues. One of the items that were discussed that stuck out to me was the discussions on ½ day versus full day kindergarten. I started asking about how it worked for the school where I work at. It seems that the school takes into consideration what the parents are wanting. So last year there were many parents who wanted full day kindergarten for their children so the school provided it for those students. Previously the 2 kindergarten teachers taught only half day sessions. One teacher did two ½ day sessions, and the other teacher did only one ½ day session, and now there are two half day sessions, and one full day. When talking to some of the teachers about the ½ day versus full day they have all mentioned that it would be wonderful to have full day kindergarten for all students, and how disheartening it is that the students that could really benefit from all day kindergarten are unable to afford to do it. It would really be great to see more states be given explicit incentives to have full day kindergartens. Another item that stuck out to me it the academization of kindergarten. Kindergarten does need to remain to be a special and critical year for students in helping them to prepare to be successful at school. Policy makers do need to be focusing more of their time and energy on supporting teachers and schools so they are able to meet the needs of all their students. At the end of this chapter it discussed how teachers have many demands placed on them and that in order to help them deal with these demands it would be really good for kindergarten teacher –preparation programs to be reviewed to make sure that they are up to d date on what it takes to be a good kindergarten teacher and be prepared to meet the demands that come along with being a kindergarten teacher. I am thankful I had the opportunity to take this class because I feel that it has better prepared me for the demands of being a kindergarten as well as for meeting the needs of my students.
Chapter 15 is about the trends and policy issues that occur in kindergarten. The first section of the text that I found to be helpful was on page 162 that discussed the perspectives on what kindergarten should be and do. I really liked the information that was given because it is very helpful. It discusses the aspects that children want in the classroom, what aspects the parents, teachers, principals, and policy makers are looking for. The second part of the text that was important was the 'Guiding principles for what kindergarten should be and do in the future'. Kindergarten needs to keep the children as its' focus of instruction but there needs to be emphasis on the content as well. Kindergarten teachers need to learn to prioritize the teaching and nurturing of children, not the teaching of content. Kindergarten must also foster relationships. Relationships form the sturdy foundation that kindergarteners need to begin school with a good attitude and perspective. Kindergarten must also remain special and different from the rest of school. Kindergarten is the transition year when students feel they are entering the formal school system. The third part of the text that I found interesting were highlighted under 'change in policy today for the kindergarten we need tomorrow'. Policy plays a vital role in all places in the school. Kindergarten, as referred to by many instructors, is a different school of fish. Kindergarten needs to be available and accessibly to all students no matter what there location, language, culture, ability, or level of income. Policy makers need to focus their time and energy on supporting schools and teachers to be prepared to support and nurture the learning and development of all the children in their classroom. The fourth part of the text that I found was under 'where content and pedagogy meet'. When it comes to pedagogy and standards, teachers must understand why they are teaching and what they are teaching. The teaching needs to become more intentional and with student learning outcomes in mind. Kindergarten teachers need to have clear goals and be flexibility to create a good learning experience that blend goals and activities.
ReplyDeleteBrandy,
DeleteI also liked the section on the perspectives of the different people involved in kindergarten. It provided me with a lot of insight as to what different people with different roles in kindergarten want and need for the children that are taught whether it be their child, the teacher of that child, or the child themselves. It really helped for me to be able to read about what the policy maker wants. I'm not that big on politics and I saw something the other day that summed up my opinion pretty well. It's a quote that says, "Those who can, teach. Those who cannot pass laws about teaching." Unfortunately, this is generally my opinion but it helped me to read a statement about what policy makers think or want for kindergarten. It is reassuring to know that maybe there is at least one person with more authority than me that "gets it".
Chapter #15 of the K Today text talked about trends and policies that affect kindergarten instruction. There were several points that I thought were important, but the one I agree with the most was that kindergarten needs to remain “special”. I think it is important for everyone to remember that while this is often the child’s first introduction to formal education, it in no way should be viewed as boot camp for 1st grade. It is important for them to be prepared as best as they can be to handle what will occur in 1st grade but it is almost more important for them to grow socially and independently with their own self images and self awareness than it is for them to be able to perform 1st grade skills at the end of kindergarten.
ReplyDeleteThis brings about the next important point which is that kindergarten must still keep the child front and center, even with the new emphasis on content. Yes, content knowledge and mastery is important, but if the child is not capable of learning it yet and is busy growing in other ways and areas, shoving it down their throats all year is not going to help them learn or master certain skills. If anything, it is just going to frustrate the student and they already will have a negative view about school at 5- or 6-years-old. I think it is more important to teach the student the importance of learning and plant the desire to learn new things in them than it is for them to be able to recite drills and do all of these different things.
The final thing that I found to be very important was that kindergarten must acknowledge and support differences in the needs of children and their families. There are such a wide varieties of differences in the kindergarten families today that of course a one-size-fit all approach to instruction is going to fail. Teachers need to be able to adapt their teaching style to the different learning styles that will be present in the classroom, and be knowledgeable about what needs to be done to foster learning for students that have disabilities and/or impairments. It is also important for teachers to understand that different parents want different kindergarten experiences for their children, or have different expectations of what kindergarten should be. While it is not realistic to think that one teacher will be able to satisfy all the different wants and needs of each and every parent of students in the classroom, I think their input should be considered and possible changes in the content or style of teaching should be made if it is the general consensus of the group of parents. There is not any single reason why kindergarten cannot be a win-win situation for everyone involved and for the children and parents to enjoy their child’s year spent in my classroom.
I really like that you brought up kindergarten isn't a "boot camp" for first grade. We, as educators, need to keep in my ALL of child. What good is it if the child learns everything academically, but ends up emotionally/socially empty? We have a big job to do, but I believe in time we can find that happy balance. :)
DeleteI appreciate the fact that you brought attention to the fact that we don't want children to be unhappy about school at such a young age. It is so true that kindergarteners need to be viewed as early childhood, while still working on the curriculum. The way that you wrote this post really resonated with me. As Kristin said above me, it's about finding a balance and there can be a happy balance. No kindergarten boot camps in my future!
DeleteThis chapter focused on the teacher making their classroom warm and inviting to everyone. Students and families should feel welcome when they walk into the room. It should also be a place of learning not only for the student, but for the parents/families of that student. When my little brother was in kindergarten the teacher asked parents to volunteer for center time. Not only did it help her, but parents were given a chance to see the classroom, how it worked, and what the students were learning. I think it's also a good idea for the teacher to put out a newletter when they move onto a new subject or topic to teach. They can explain why their teaching it and how this will help the children.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing the chapter talked about was that teachers need to know WHY they teach something before they do it. This will help them become more interested and invested in the subject. If we as educators know how this is going to help the children, we are going to be more motivated and creative teaching it.
I thought it was a great point you made when you noted that it is important to make the classroom a place of learning for not only the student but for the parents as well. We are there to improve this students life, and helping to educate parents is a huge part of it as well!
DeleteI totally agree with your post Kristin. It is so important for both students and parents to feel welcome in your classroom. The point you made about your classroom being a good learning environment for both students and parents is also very important. It is our job to teach our students, but to also educate the parents of our students. Good post!
DeleteThis chapter talks about what we want kindergarten to be and how do we achieve this. It pretty much sums up everything we have been reading about in this textbook so far about how to make a successful Kindergarten. We need to make sure that this transition year, before formal school settings, is preserved and a positive experience. It talks about how special Kindergarten is viewed in the majority of peoples minds, and we have a duty to preserver this. We must always remember that there needs to be a balance between play and curriculum. As teachers we can’t get too caught up in the standards and focusing on performance, and remember to value the social, emotional, cognitive and learning development as well. Being a teacher in the 21st century means you must be diverse and flexible. You will see a variety of students and families come in and out your door. It is no longer a one fits all education system. “At the most fundamental level, policy makers can ensure that kindergarten is universally available and accessible to all students regardless of their family’s income level, geographic location, language, culture, or ability.” Pg 163 The policy makers can make it available, but teachers need to make it effective. This is important to note and remember that the recommended content of Kindergarten is in six areas: cognitive, social and emotional, physical, language, creative expression, and the disciplines of math, science and social studies.
ReplyDeleteI will take this book with me into the field and my future classroom, it is a great resource.
In response to Autumn. I agree that it was a good summary chapter. I agree that kindergarten is special and most children and parents agree. However I feel that there are sadly many people who do not. Sometimes I feel it may get pushed aside by other teachers, principals, districts, and on and on up the ladder. Your right we do need to be diverse and flexible in our classrooms. It is so true that WE need to make kindergarten effective.
DeleteErin Flax
ReplyDeleteChapter 15 did a good job of summing up what I got from this chapter. It covered what kindergarten should be and what it is becoming more like. I loved how in the beginning it talked from the perspective a child, parent, teacher, principal, and policy maker. It sounds like we have many of the same goals but for some reason we don’t always accomplish them. I liked the comment on page 162 that says “I want the freedom to create my own classroom dynamic and to be as unfettered as possible by extraneous paperwork and requirements.” I looked up the definition of unfettered and it is like uninhibited or released from restraints. How wonderful that would be. Since I don’t always have control of what is required from me I can do my best to make sure that the students don’t feel inhibited. I can relate to a quote on page 161 that is asking how we can give families and children hope when we have lost our hope for the future of kindergarten. I want to be on fire for my students and families so that they can be on fire about their education. No matter what happens I will try to keep that fire alive. The text talked about how we need to foster relationships which lay the foundation for later grades and school success. This is a point I argued in one of my other classes that had student pushing for strong competition and not worrying about their feelings but rather pushing them to do and be better. I said I have to stand up for my little ones. The younger years are so vital to give the students a good base from which to grow. The green box on page 165 was interesting to hear about how some schools get the same funding for half day kindergarten than full day. That doesn’t make sense and I agree with the book that this can spur schools on to have half days and still get all the money. The video we watched this week talked about this as well. I wasn’t aware of it before. On page 169 it talks about how Head Start provides comprehensive services for the child and family and so should kindergarten. Having worked for Head Start for five years I can agree with this whole heartedly. Because many families do not receive Head Start services they may need this jump start in kindergarten. We could be following up medical needs and having home visits. Of course with the schedules of kindergarten teachers I don’t know how it could be all squeezed in. Having smaller class size would help.
Erin, I also liked how they put kindergarten into the perspectives of the student, teacher, parent, principal, and policy maker. I think that it would open up many people's eyes to what actually goes into teaching kindergarten and all the aspects that need to be meet to accomplish the goal.
DeleteOn page 161 there is a statement that says, "kindergarten remains the overlooked year." I couldn't agree more. With all the talk of having half day or full day kindergarten, some people don't realize how important this year really is. These children are learning the foundations of how to read and write. In order to make it in this world you have to be able to do both. I wish people would start to respect what teachers really do and how important every teacher is. They are teaching your kids how to make it in this world and how to be someone.
ReplyDeleteA second statement that I also agree with is on page 163 where it says, "one size fits all does not work in education." This is perfectly stated. Although, I do believe that we are improving in this area now more than ever, we must remember this as future educators. Every child has different learning needs as well as needs to be encouraged in different ways. I will remember this in my classroom by knowing that every child has to be taught in a different way. They each come from different backgrounds and need different levels of enrichment.
On page 168 it discusses how in order to have healthy, enthusiastic, and engaged kindergartners, we need healthy, enthusiastic, and engaged families. Therefore, in order to get the children excited about coming to school and learning something new everyday, we must get their families involved as well. Growing up my mom always asked me what was something new that i learned at school everyday. This got me excited to learn something so I would be able to go home and tell her everyday. There needs to be more of this especially in the low socioeconomic areas. Children must have encouragement from home in order to be encouraged to learn. I will remember this in my classroom by encouraging my students to go home everyday and tell their parents what was just one thing that they learned.
Jessica I completely agree that children need to be front and center on in the learning process.Kid need to be taught in a way that they can understand and apply to life. I think it is important for the kids to pass testes but the tests need to be realistic and age appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI relay liked the section on page 163 where it talked about how kindergarten curriculum must evolve. It is important in school to keep up with society and how it changes.
ReplyDeleteAnother part that stood out to me was the kindergarten is not a one size fits all thing. Kids are all different so a classroom needs to be set up to where many different levels of kids can learn at one time. As a teacher I want to keep in mind that not all students learn in the same way or at the same time. My mom who is a special ed pre-k teacher always stresses that children are always learning. When there is a lot of down time or interruptions kids are learning to zone out or ignore the continent. The day needs to be set up to where it flows and there is always something to learn. I want to teach the same subject different ways so the students will fully understand and no learner will be left out.
Page 167 stood out to me when they discussed that kindergarten teachers need to understand why they are teaching their students. It is more then just to pass a test or to give the teacher a better reputation. Kindergarten should be about laying down a solid foundation of learning for the students. What a child learns in kindergartner will be taken with them for the rest of their lives.
Carrie -
DeleteI think you're right, somethings we as teachers do forget that education is not "one size fits all". So, that was a great point to make. Also, I took liked the part on page 167. Teaching should never be about the assessments and them passing. If that is what it comes down to - then teachers will fail in making that connection with their students as well as most likely losing that student's interest.
There is a chart on page 165 that discusses funding for all day kindergarten. It says that explicit funding goes to districts who offer full day kindergarten. I think that is very interesting. Oklahoma schools have been doing full day kindergarten for a while, and I actually just found out this week they are running a pilot program next fall that there will be three different school doing ALL DAY preschool. From talking my mentor teacher, she said that the feelings are mixed. Some think it is a great idea, and some think it is going to be like free daycare. I kind of like the idea. I think it will be neat to have preschoolers all day, I know it seems young, but there will be a rest period for them to nap I hear. I just wonder what they will require all students to know before kindergarten or if anything will change at all. The text says on page 169, “kindergarten is the prime time in young children’s lives to lay strong foundations for trusting, mutual relationships among their families, schools, and communities. I agree - I think that there was a time when school was left at school when students went home. I feel like that with parent/student/teacher collaboration the abilities of the child will be paramount – of course with the student being at the center of that. We just have to support the families in order to get them involved. When I become a teacher, I plan to really strive towards family involvement.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think it would be amazing to have all day public preschool/prek, I just don't understand how a school system could adequately fund that when so many other areas are being cut. I know why - schools want to give children a good chance and a solid basis. But I think that is why we have programs like Head Start, which have taken their own round of cuts lately. It's a mixed bag for sure.
DeleteTo wrap up the chapters in the K: Today text, Chapter 15 focused mainly on what is going on in kindergarten classrooms today, what has changed, and the changes that they anticipate for the future. The first bit of information that shocked me was the number of states that do not mandate kindergarten attendance. I guess I have grown up always thinking that once you turned five years old, you were headed to kindergarten no matter what. I am surprised to learn that that just isn’t the case.
ReplyDeleteThe second portion of the chapter was the area where it discussed the way kindergartens will change in the future. The first item that was addressed was teaching the children technology skills so they are able to adapt to the technology they will encounter in the future with ease. The topic of teaching the concept of bilingualism is something that I can relate to here in Southwest Kansas. There is numerous amounts of children who do not speak English as their first language. If we can teach the other children in the classroom various words in the other language that is spoken, all the children in the classroom will be able to communicate with each other with no problems. The last change that was mentioned in this section of the chapter was that the kindergarten curriculum will put a little more emphasis on the physical and mental health of the kindergarten students. This has become an issue due to the rising number of children with obesity.
The last section that was very interesting to me was that the Early Learning Standards are the adhesive that bonds the content that needs to be taught in kindergarten to the teacher’s pedagogy. The Early Learning standards act as a kind of road map for the teachers to go off of as they teach that specific content in their own way and style.
I liked the section about the perspectives on what kindergarten should be and do. It was really helpful and I thought it gave great information and can be very useful in a classroom. It talks about everyone involved in the kindergarten experience including, the child, the parent, the teacher, the principle, and the policy maker. This would be a good reference for my future classroom. I also really liked the section on page 163 that talked about guiding principles for what kindergarten should be and do in the future. I think it is important for kindergarten to remain special. It is an important year for children and parents and is used as a transition year into the full time school system. I also thought the quote “Any vision of the kindergarten of the future must include a focus on technological literacy.” on page 166. This is so true because our world is changing and growing and technology is becoming a large part of school systems and the way we learn.
ReplyDeleteIn Ch. 15, the discussion focused on the kindergarten year and where it must stand going into the future. I really thought the whole chapter was captivating.
ReplyDeleteOn p. 162, I really enjoyed reading the viewpoints of the different people involved in kindergarten decision making. The difference between the study and the policy maker was interesting to me. Children look to kindergarten as this new and exciting adventure. At this point in time, it seems as if policy makers look to make kindergarten solely preparation for first grade. Several other posts have mentioned this, and I agree wholeheartedly - kindergarteners need to be the most important part of their classroom! They still need to engage, play, and be treated with the same gentle hands as early childhood classrooms while learning many valuable things.
As many chapters have had, there is information relevant to families and how they're affected. On p. 168, this topic was introduced again. In reference to kindergarten, families, communities and policies it's important to remember that each situation is different. In the text it states that policymakers need to champion the importance of strong home learning environments. Considering that all learning starts at home, this is such a strong and true statement. Due to our new, high tech and fast-paced world the family unit looks a lot different. So embracing the changes is important. Contact with peers, their families, the teacher, and the school is very important.
On p. 170, the last page of the text, it is written that the hope is that there would be a forum in which there would be develop of a 10-year plan for enhancing the quality of kindergarten programs. What an idea! Having known several kindergarten teachers who've watched their classrooms slip away, I think that something needs to be done in regards to the way that kindergarten is handled. As so much of this chapter discussed, there must be a balance between content and pedagogy. There must be a balance between the feel of an early childhood environment and a structured learning environment. There is so much change that could be made to enhance the kindergarten program we have. I hope, as I'm teaching, I see some of that change come to fruition.
Our final chapter in this text certainly did not disappoint. This is definitely a book that will remain with me to re-read. There were several key ideas that hit home with me and after reading a few other posts, seems that a few of us picked out some of the same important points. It is definitely critical to keep the kindergarten "child front and center." We can not let Kindergarten become the new 1st grade. We have to maintain the children's ability to learn in ways that are best for them - developmentally appropriate. They need to have the chance to be young children and learn through engaging activities that do not force seat-work and ditto pages. I also agree with the text's discussion on the importance of laying the foundation between families, schools, and communities. I can speak from personal experience how important the kindergarten year is to the impressions and feelings children and families will form. It would be neat to see Kindergarten set up similarly to Head Start. But of course that would require more funding that obviously schools do not have. It is so frustrating to know that we could do so much more with the proper funding and yet our government continues to cut funds while expecting the test scores to increase.
ReplyDeleteChapter 15 discusses kindergarten trends and policy issues. One of the items that were discussed that stuck out to me was the discussions on ½ day versus full day kindergarten. I started asking about how it worked for the school where I work at. It seems that the school takes into consideration what the parents are wanting. So last year there were many parents who wanted full day kindergarten for their children so the school provided it for those students. Previously the 2 kindergarten teachers taught only half day sessions. One teacher did two ½ day sessions, and the other teacher did only one ½ day session, and now there are two half day sessions, and one full day. When talking to some of the teachers about the ½ day versus full day they have all mentioned that it would be wonderful to have full day kindergarten for all students, and how disheartening it is that the students that could really benefit from all day kindergarten are unable to afford to do it. It would really be great to see more states be given explicit incentives to have full day kindergartens.
ReplyDeleteAnother item that stuck out to me it the academization of kindergarten. Kindergarten does need to remain to be a special and critical year for students in helping them to prepare to be successful at school. Policy makers do need to be focusing more of their time and energy on supporting teachers and schools so they are able to meet the needs of all their students.
At the end of this chapter it discussed how teachers have many demands placed on them and that in order to help them deal with these demands it would be really good for kindergarten teacher –preparation programs to be reviewed to make sure that they are up to d date on what it takes to be a good kindergarten teacher and be prepared to meet the demands that come along with being a kindergarten teacher. I am thankful I had the opportunity to take this class because I feel that it has better prepared me for the demands of being a kindergarten as well as for meeting the needs of my students.
Chapter 15
ReplyDelete