We're Off to Kindergarten!

The Start of Something New!

I am almost giddy with the excitement of this writing adventure! I guess it's the teacher in me, because I love fresh starts! I look forward to the beginning of the school year...a roster full of new students thrilled to come to Kindergarten with their cute little backpacks and lunchboxes...a spic and span classroom with its gleaming waxed floors and recently painted walls...a blank lesson plan book yearning to be filled with new ideas as well as those "tried and true"...school supplies with sharp pencils, unopened boxes of crayons and markers, new scissors (Fiskars brand, of course), and boxes of gluesticks...shelves filled with a rainbow of colors of construction paper...Oops! Sorry! I got carried away!! Yes, I love the start of a new school year!

You see, I've always wanted to be a teacher...as far back as I can remember. As an elementary student, I would line up my stuffed animals and dolls (wishing desperately that they would come to life) and "make them do work." I just loved it when my teachers would give me the extra copies to take home for "my students." Even well into middle school I "played school." My best friend, Judy, and I spent hours at her house practicing to be teachers. We both had our own chalkboards. (Yes, that was back in the day! I think her Mama still has chalkdust in her baseboards!) One of us would work in her living room and the other in her den. The kitchen was our "teacher's lounge" where we would snack on Wedding cookies and discuss all the difficulties we were having with our students. We took it very seriously! When we got to high school, Judy and I continued to follow our passion and were given the opportunity to work in our local elementary school, assisting teachers and tutoring students. We both were "called" to be teachers and have spent many years instructing, nurturing, and loving our students.

I've taught Kindergarten through Fourth grade, enjoying the experiences at each level. But I've spent most of my 20+ years teaching Kindergarten. What a privilege to give children their first "Big School" experience and observe the amazing transition and growth that takes place! What a responsibility to formally introduce the process of learning...and experimentation...and success and failure...in such a way as to make them love school and want to come back each day!! What a thrill to teach a child to read...and open the gateway to all learning!

So here's the place where I hope to share some encouragement...and maybe a funny story or two...with parents of Kindergarteners...or whoever happens by! I hope to offer some insight into the mind of a teacher, as well as a few tips and pointers. Education happens with the teamwork of teachers and parents! Let's go for it!

New Teachers, New Schedules, My Baby...Oh My!

What Can I Do to Get My Little One Ready for Kindergarten?

Your little one is about to embark on the learning journey of a lifetime! What can you do to insure that they are ready?

First of all, enjoy every moment that you have before they begin! Take lots of pictures!! Play! Laugh!! Talk a lot!! Explore your surroundings...your neighborhood, your town, local museums, visit the library often! Read, read, read! Spend lots of time snuggling up with good books and good movies! (Do view them ahead of time. There are lots of great books and movies. There are also lots of books and movies that don't teach or encourage attitudes and behaviors appropriate for children. Be choosy!...And continue to supervise their reading and TV or movie watching as they grow!) Cherish the moments. Make lots of memories. The days and months and years will fly by. (It seems as if I blinked and my own little ones went from that first day of Kindergarten to a walk down a wedding aisle!)

In preparation for Kindergarten, here are some things you might want to consider:
*Provide opportunities for them to experience the supervision of someone other than parents or family. If your child is in Mother's Morning Out, a preschool program, or Sunday School types of situations, that is great.
*Provide opportunities for them to socialize and interact with other children...playdates, summer camps for preschoolers, age appropriate sports activities....Again the MMO, preschool, and church activities work wonderfully.
*Encourage the development of the ability to sit and attend (to a story or to an art activity) for 10-15 minutes. Again, visiting storytime at the library or your local bookstore offer great avenues for this.
*Practice using scissors and gluesticks.
*Teach them to hold pencils and crayons correctly. Use a pencil grip if needed. (Available at school supply stores)
*Play games like Candyland or Chutes and Ladders...and don't always let them win. They need to learn good sportsmanship.
*Go to the park. They need to climb and slide and swing. Teach them to "pump" the swing for themselves.
*Go outside and skip and hop and gallop and run and jump!
*Play with puzzles and Playdoh.
*Give them 3 step instructions to follow. (Ex. Go choose a book to read, brush your teeth, and get in your bed. Or at the park, go up the ladder, down the slide, and run back to me.)
*Teach your child to write their first name. Please check with your school to see what handwriting program they use. They can probably give you a sheet explaining each letter's formation. Teach them using that style. Please use capital letters properly...usually only the first letter is capitalized.
*Be sure that they can take care of their bathroom needs...completely. :)
*Teach them how to zip and snap and button and buckle belts.
*Also, those tennis shoes that have little stretchy bands across the top are so much better than those that tie and those with velcro!

Again, have fun! Make the most of every moment! Let your child be a child!!