April 21st is "Kindergarten Day" in honor of Friedrich Froebel who started the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837. Kindergarten originated to help children adapt to learning and social interactions in a fun way. Froebel believed in self-directed play, singing, dancing, blocks…a “garden” where children could grow! He’d probably roll over in his grave now if he saw what was going on!!
As I write this I am remembering my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Myers. I LOVED her! I mean, I worshipped her! She was a fairy godmother and the center of my world. She seemed ancient to me at the time, but I’m probably way older now than she was when she taught me. Thank goodness for hair dye and make up!!!
Do you see me? I'm in the center front with the dress my mother
made me for my first day of kindergarten.
I remember playing “The Farmer in the Dell” and other circle games. I also remember the finger play “Here are grandma’s glasses…” We had sugar cookies with a hole in the middle that we would put on our finger as we ate and we also had orange kool-aid. (Oh, my goodness! The sugar police would get Mrs. Myers for sure!!!) My favorite activity was painting. I especially liked to paint princesses. Back in those days the only princess I knew about was Cinderella, but I longed to be like her. One day as I was at the easel I painted a stripe down my leg. It looked so good I painted another…and another…and another…until my legs had beautiful stripes all over them. Mrs. Myers could have squelched my creativity right then and there, but she just laughed and said, “Don’t do it again.”
Another memory I have is learning to tie my shoes. I wore corrective saddle oxfords I feared would come untied at school and then what would I do? Everyone would know that I couldn’t tie shoes!!! Well, one day they came untied and Mrs. Myers said, “You’re a smart girl. Now, you just sit down and figure it out.” And you know what? I did!!!! She knew when to coddle and when to push.
And incredible as it may seem, although all I did was PLAY in kindergarten I can actually read and write now!! I imagine most of the adults running our country, writing curriculum, and running schools actually PLAYED when they were in kindergarten and look at them now. It would be interesting to ask those who preach "rigor" and "instructional time" and "high test scores" what they remember about being in kindergarten.
WHAT’S THE POINT? By Dr. Jean
If you cover every objective in the curriculum, but don’t have time to play outside or take field trips—
What’s the point of kindergarten?
If you do every page in the workbook, but don’t have time to laugh, do show and tell, or sing a song—
What’s the point of kindergarten?
If you know all your letters and sounds and numbers and sight words, but don’t know how to be a friend or share—
What’s the point of kindergarten?
If you score high on the standardized test, but don’t like school—
What’s the point of kindergarten?
If you master every skill and have 2 hours of screen time, but don’t have time to play in the block center or housekeeping or do puzzles—
What’s the point of kindergarten?
If teachers are so overwhelmed by the demands, expectations, and assessments they are given that they don’t have time to hug, smile, read, cheer, cherish, and look in the eyes of those wonderful little children in their classroom---
Then what’s the point of being a kindergarten teacher?
But we know that five is a magical time, and children only have one chance in a lifetime to be five. SHUT YOUR DOOR and hold hands, sing, dance, paint, tell stories, make believe, play outside, and continue to give children happy memories! And only you can do that because YOU are a kindergarten teacher and YOU are SPECIAL and AMAZING just like the children you teach!
Here's what I think should be the KINDERGARTEN BILL OF RIGHTS!!
http://bit.ly/drjean_billofrights
My "kinderoos" in the 1980's.
I'd love to know where they are now.
Michelle Lewis wrote this beautiful memoir that is perfect to share with you today! I know many of you feel the same way.
When I reflect on the 17 years I have been a teacher, I have definitely seen the pendulum swing back and forth in the field of public education.
Ever since I was in kindergarten, I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. Every morning when I walk into my classroom, I still feel like I’m living my dream.
Even with all the challenges and changes in education, I still love being a teacher. I truly do not think there is much greater in life than looking into the eyes of a child and watching them grow, learn and discover the world around them.
Of course, like so many teachers out there, I find myself wishing so many things could be different in the world of early childhood education but I try to make the best of it and hope the pendulum swings back to a time when the focus becomes more about “what is truly best for kids.”
I hope somewhere down the road changes are made in education, especially in the realm of early childhood education to ensure ALL curriculum is developmentally appropriate. We are causing these young kiddos to feel anxious, defeated and as if “they can’t measure up.” Some of these kids truly feel stressed when they take assessments. Some already show signs of test anxiety.
In my classroom, I do my very best to meet all of the state standards and teach the provided curriculum but my main focus is always my students. I look to how they are doing, how they are feeling and what they need at any given moment.
I find ways to incorporate time for that “social- emotional learning” piece of the puzzle that is often missing in many curriculums. I practice/ teach Conscious Discipline by Dr Becky Bailey in my classroom and use “teachable moments” as opportunities for learning.
I want my students to understand the importance of showing empathy, kindness, compassion, etc. I want them to know they are loved. I want them to feel a sense of belonging at school and know they are a part of our school family. I want them to live with integrity and do the right thing, even when nobody is watching. I want them to know that they can aim for the stars, live their dreams and become whoever they want to be. I want them to know they can make a difference in this world .
As a teacher, I truly believe that teaching my kiddos the importance of being helpful, safe and kind is more important than teaching them their ABC’s and 123’s. Every day my 4K students recite our classroom mission statement in sign language.
“Today in 4K we will play together, learn together and work together. We are a school family. We will be helpful, safe and kind.”
In my classroom, I want my students to see “learning as fun” and I want them to truly want to come to school. Of course I want them to learn the academics they need to be successful in kindergarten and beyond but I also want to provide time for them to play, laugh, giggle, sing and dance.
I try to provide my students with the best possible learning experience every single day and I strive to take care of their social and emotional well-being.
One way I do this is by reserving the last 10 minutes on Thursdays (4K is only 4 days per week) for a DANCE PARTY, complete with colorful lights and songs the kids love to dance too. Obviously as teachers, we purchase items for our classroom “out of pocket” but I will say the disco ball laser light was without a doubt one of my best purchases for my classroom.
We dance to songs like “Gummy Bear,” “It’s Raining Tacos,” “The Hamster Dance,” “Happy” and the list goes on. It’s funny because I have taught my kids “The Locomotion” and we have made a train and danced around our classroom and even gone down the hallways and they absolutely LOVE IT! I often hear during our dance parties “Ms. Lewis, can we please do the train song?”
For 10 whole minutes, it is pure joy in my classroom. There is dancing and jumping and hand holding and laughing and I can guarantee, every child in my class walks out of my classroom with a smile! And guess what happens on Monday— they want a DANCE PARTY!
This blog I wrote wouldn’t be complete without personally thanking Greg Smedley-Warren. He is an absolutely AMAZING kindergarten teacher in Tennessee who prompted me to start having dance parties in my classroom after observing videos of his class having them.
“We end everyday with a dance party to celebrate all we accomplished that day. Even on the hard days, we end on a positive note so we all leave happy! “ Greg Smedley Warren
(If you do not follow him, you should :)
The Kindergarten Smorgasboard
https://thekindergartensmorgasboard.com
He is a BRIGHT LIGHT in the world of early childhood education. His heart is filled with love for kids. His classroom is filled with joy and smiles. He has made me a better teacher!
