I recently got another new student. Surprisingly, she came from one our kindergarten classes at an elementary school just down the road. I could sense from the principal and number of specialists I spoke to that school was not easy for Tyra. The hope was that she could finish out the year in my two-hour a day, four day a week program and then repeat kindergarten next year.
Throughout her first day, I noticed some typical first day behaviors. She was exploring every inch of the classroom and pushing some behavioral boundaries. But, all in all, she had a good and productive day. She is learning to follow our rules and what her jobs are as a student in my class. At the end of our time together she was amazed it had gone by so fast!
What is interesting is that Tyra was five in July of last year. Based on her birthday, she was eligible to start kindergarten this fall. However, early on, her teachers were noticing that she was just not ready for an all-day, very cognitively based program.
In reading through some of her records, I mentioned to a specialist, “Do you have a copy of her Early Childhood Screening records or any information on her opportunities for preschool or early learning?” There was nothing. This student has spent the last six months in a setting that is completely inappropriate for her. Although she is five, she is developmentally, behaviorally and emotionally not ready for kindergarten. This might have been discovered through a screening or family interview. Our School Readiness program will hopefully be just what she needs. She will have an opportunity to learn how to go to school, what the role of student and teacher is and how to be an active member of a community in addition to learning some basic skills that will help her lay a foundation for many years of academic achievement.
I am puzzled that in a small school system like mine, not everyone knows just what early childhood education is all about or even where to access it. I say this not to point fingers at those who are not in the know. Rather, I hope to encourage those in the know to make sure to NEVER stop informing others about the great work that is done with 4- and 5-year-olds all over our nation.
What difference collaboration makes! This year our program was able to offer two sections of our School Readiness class. Not only are we serving twice as many students and families, but I finally have another well trained educator to collaborate with! It is amazing some of the great ideas that come together during our planning meetings. We collaborate with one another on the individual needs of our students, lesson planning and skills building opportunities, as well as how best to support our families.
School Readiness is a partially state funded program that targets children with little to no school experience. In our two classes you will find that although most students are new to school, some have had other early learning experiences. Through our conversations and sharing of tactics, we help one another identify the individual needs of our most struggling students. For example, we both have a lot of English language learners in our classes. I helped her develop storyboards and books that prompt students visually. It is a skill I used when working with autistic children, but it applies for every learner, in particular English Language Learners. In both of our classes we use story boards to help us explain “sit down,” “please keep your mouth quiet,” and “please use a tissue,” just to name a few.
This year we have committed to trying a new style of lesson planning. Since we only have our students for two hours each day, our small group activities focus on a different academic topic each day: Monday is Social Studies, Tuesday is Math and Science, Wednesday is Literacy, and Thursday is Large Muscle. This allows us to be very intentional in our plans. We reference the state standards and try to link our material to meaningful and relevant topics for our students. In addition, we have a daily large group time and free choice time where students can experience a multitude of hands on learning opportunities.
It is great to collaborate with my colleague as we try to determine how best to support our families. There are many needs within our program. Several of our families are recent immigrants to the U.S., some work the second or third shift, and others live below the federal poverty level. Living conditions such as these put great strain on even the closest of families. As we get to know each family and their needs better, my colleague and I are able to suggest specific resources that can help ease some of the stress. Just today I helped a family understand why special education testing could be a real benefit to their child. Their child will be able to learn in a smaller class size with more one on one support. They will have an opportunity to practice social interaction on a smaller scale and work with speech therapist. The family was thrilled to know that this will help their child eventually assimilate back into the mainstream classroom setting. Because of our great working relationships, all of our teachers talk to each other and support one another as difficult, yet necessary decisions are made.
I am thankful everyday for the opportunity to grow with other teachers who are so passionate and thoughtful in their work.
In the immortal words of Homer Simpson: “Woo hoo!.” This week is Educator Appreciation Week at Barnes & Noble Booksellers; and lucky for us, Barnes & Noble, unlike the IRS, includes pre-k teachers in its special offerings: 25 percent off classroom and personal purchases. To all you pre-k educators out there: be sure to bring a pay stub or your union card to prove you are a teacher. I was not aware of this requirement and had to plead with the cashier. Apparently neither she nor her lovely manager read this blog…
Tax season can be, well, taxing. But at least educators can rest assured that the federal government will honor their professional commitment by offering a deduction for some of their own financial investments in their classrooms. That is, unless you teach pre-k. As I found out this year, only K-12 educators are eligible for such a deduction
Pre-k teachers, like our counterparts in K-12, often use money from our own pockets to purchase classroom materials that benefit the children we teach. Here is one simple thing federal policymakers could do to make early childhood educators feel as valued as other teachers: amend the tax code to make us eligible for the educator expense deduction. Happy Tax Day!
Whoever thought a big brown box could prove so exciting for four
year olds and such a valuable teaching tool? Unlike other pre-kindergarten teachers in inner city areas, I am
fortunate to have plenty of funds for classroom resources allocated by the great state of New Jersey. Yet I have also learned that even the most
simple and inexpensive resources can offer learning experiences equally as, if
not more, rich than commercially bought toys.
This past week we explored boxes, and the students’
creativity took off. They transformed plain
cardboard from the school cafeteria, my apartment, and the apartments of
several friends into everything from a house where they could live with their
family and friends to an enormous hat for Cat in the Hat. Their great ideas spawned discussions about
parts of the house to add, common behaviors of a famous literary characters
including The Cat in the Hat and the peddler from Caps for Sale, and even what I can only define as a precursor to
some intense union negotiations. When an
imaginary hurricane destroyed my roof, the students’ team of engineers said
they could no longer work to repair it because the time was eight o’clock.
I can’t wait to see what they do with old newspapers and
bottle caps. Oh, the possibilities…
Pre-K Now is a public
education and advocacy organization that advances high-quality, voluntary
pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds.
Visit Pre-K Now >
