My students have a master kindergarten teacher. She has taught for forty years. Not only does she know how to teach reading and writing, but she teaches history, citizenship, and the earth sciences. The day starts standing on a "shadow line." The children stop each day to notice their shadows before lining up to go into the building. This connects to their understanding of the world, time, the calendar concepts which are developed further in the classroom each day.
The calendar is not just a simple routine done at circle time. It is a time for deep understandings about numbers, the season, weather, and patterns. For our family who spends so much time outside- the activities from class give us new ways to reflect. We read the poems the teacher sends home each month & play with the language & the ideas within them. Homework is also a daily discussion or activity to do. In September it included: draw pictures of the moon. Collect three different types of leaves. Discuss what is the autumn equinox. Cut open an apple and find the seeds. Have the children retell the story about the little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside.
The children also received a tree book. In the book they are supposed to choose a deciduous tree to draw each month of the school year. The students are learning to observe with a new eye at the same time they are just starting to develop their small motor and drawing skills.
I am thankful to be a parent participant in the new awakenings of my children.
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