I have been teaching kindergarten in a full day setting for four years now and I really love it!!! Advantages include having a smaller student load so that the teacher is enabled to get to know the students and their individual needs better. It is easier to recognize and remediate learning difficulties quickly and there is more time in which to plan remediation activities. Reporting to parents can be more frequent and complete. The teacher has the opportunity to keep more extensive anecdotal records and portfolios. The longer day enables the students to complete activities at a more relaxed pace. It allows for more project-based activities and more hands-on learning. There is more time for student exploration.
The disadvantages? It does take a little longer at first for some children to adjust to school, if they have not been in a group setting. Also, it is important to remember that the point of going to full day kindergarten is not to push down first grade curriculum into kindergarten. It is important to keep the academic goals developmentally appropriate. The goal of full day kindergarten should not be to push more and more skills, but to take the kindergarten objectives and teach them more completely, allowing the children the time to make related discoveries and experience enriching activities to make kindergarten the exciting, rewarding start to education that it should be.
I am often asked what we do all day long. If you click on the links, you will find a complete description of the item.
Here is a copy of our class schedule:
Here is a run down of our daily schedule...
7:55 to 8:20 Math tubs (manipulatives) and small group math lessons
8:20 to 8:35 Class meeting/restroom and drinks
8:35 to 8:55 Math board/calendar
8:55 to 9:10 Whole class math lesson
9:10 to 9:20 Predictable chart
9:20 to 9:50 Shared reading (big books/poem and song charts)
9:50 to 10:15 Learning Centers
10:15 to 10:30 Morning recess
10:30 to 10:55 Learning Centers continue
10:55 to 11:10 Alphabet/phonics lesson and paper
11:10 to 11:40 Writing workshop (journals) or Rainbow Reading Lab (sequenced file folder activities) The Title 1 teacher is in my room at this time.
11:40 to 12:20 Lunch and recess
12:20 to 1:10 Special classes (music, counseling, pe, art or computers)
1:10 to 1:45 Nap/rest time
1:45 to 2:00 Afternoon recess
2:00 to 2:15 Picture and word chart
2:15 to 3:00 Theme related activities integrating science and/or social studies.
3:00 to 3:10 Show and Tell and get ready to go home
Here is another sample schedule.
Curious about classroom management? Here is what I think!
© 1997 againes@netins.net
Get your own Free Home Page