Every year it happens...

Every year around January, I start to panic about the children who will 

leave us for Kindergarten in the Fall. 

Where did the time go? Did I do enough?

Are they ready? Am I ready?

Do they know enough letters? Can they write their name?

Do they express their feelings? Are they too shy?

Am I just being overprotective?

Will they adjust to a larger group?

How will the group change without them?

Every April and May they grow up!
 Suddenly, like somebody has flipped a switch. 

They are too big for preschool.

Are they bored?  Are they anxious about Kindergarten?

They are wild. They are independent.

They are READY!

Their last week comes...

They are ready. We are ready. It's time.

Their last day comes....

They are ready.

I am not ready.

The last hug comes...

The door closes...

Tears come...

I am thankful that they don't all leave me at once, like many preschool programs. 

I am so thankful to live in a small community where it is nearly impossible to 

lose touch with these children. 

I am thankful for Facebook that helps me see their First Day of School photos year after year. 

I am thankful for families that want to bring them by to visit. 

I am thankful for being part of their lives.

Most of all I am thankful that they are part of mine.

I can do it myself.

Never help a child with a task at 

which he feels he can succeed.

-Maria Montessori

One of our major goals is to help build self-confidence in the children and provide time for them to practice important life skills. 

Here are just a few of the daily routines, where the children have a chance to gain independence.

Getting dressed

The children are reminded and encouraged to do as much of their own dressing and undressing for outdoor play as possible. We give reminders to the children to guide them to remove their own shoes and jackets. Sometimes they need help with the velcro, laces or zippers, but then they can actually remove the item and put it away themselves. When getting ready to go outside, they are asked to put on as much as they can and then approach us to be zipped, buttoned, tucked etc. Often we will hook their zipper and have them pull it up themselves.

.

Toileting

In the bathroom children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. If the child is still in pull ups (or diapers), they are expected to pull everything down and then back up after they have been changed. These are the beginning steps to helping themselves in the bathroom. In order for children to feel successful they need to have stretchy clothing on. Things that discourage independence in the bathroom: tight fitting pants, buttons, snaps, belts and overalls. These can also be a problem if a child is rushing to the bathroom in an emergency and can’t get onto the potty in time.

At the table.

Children pour their own water and pass the water pitcher to their friends. They ask to “clear” or to be excused when they are finished. They sometimes have to make two trips to the kitchen, but they scrape their plates and put them in the sink. As the year goes on children are provided with more opportunity to serve themselves. We have recently started experimenting with occasional buffet style meals.

Outside

There are lots of different experiences for the children on the playgrounds. Some of the elements are simple and some requires a bit more balance and physical ability. The general rule at Inch By Inch is once they can safely get on and off by themselves, than they are ready to use it. If a child climbs onto something and needs assistance to get back down, than they are redirected to something easier that can strengthen those same skills. Teachers act more as observers on the playground, allowing the children the time and space to explore and problem solve on their own.

I think that being in a social environment is a great place for children to practice these skills. There is often more time for practice at preschool than there is at home. The children are usually more willing to try for another adult besides their parents. And of course, most importantly, they are learning from and watching each other succeed. Self-motivation is the best motivation.

Meeting standards

This week we are focusing on Nature Camp. Today I organized a basket to bring with us down to the woods. I had a few ideas for things that we might do.  It wasn't until after we left the playground and I was looking back at the photos I took, that I realized we covered almost all the general Early Childhood Standards, entirely through the kids curiosity and play.

That is what I call a successful day!

Our basket of random stuff that we brought to the woods.

Dramatic and Social Play

 

Fine Motor Skills: Cutting

Early Language and Literacy

This was a first. They loved it!

Creative Arts

Fairy Wands.

Sticky tape arm band.

Science

Math

They collected these. Then they lined them up to count them.

Gross Motor: Physical Fitness

521 continued... Our NEW Hopper Balls

These pictures show how important it can be to have multiples of materials/toys. This is not only fun exercise, it also became a very social game. 

 Needless to say these children took very good naps today!

We play all day!

Mathematics: Begins to recognize, copy, extend and create simple patterns.

We are proud to say that we play all day!

The great news is they are learning so much as they play, because that is how children learn best.
 In a play-based classroom the teachers job is facilitating opportunities for children to learn from their social environments using their five senses. This includes providing materials and vocabulary as well as helping the children investigate their interests further.
Children learn best when engaged through play, because they are active learners.

Currently our themes are developed based on the children’s interests and needs.  At the beginning of the unit, possible activities are outlined and connected with the standards.

 Throughout the duration of the learning unit, activities are added, eliminated and 

modified to suit the natural flow of the subject. 

Below I have given examples of activities that look like "Just Playing," when really the children are learning and growing according to the Maine Early Learning Standards.

Mathematical Decision-making: Uses planning to acquire a desired outcome.

Early Language and Literacy: Seeks out and enjoys experiences with pictures,
books, and other print materials.

Gross Motor: Moves with an awareness of personal space in relationship to others.

Car Repairmen
Social Studies: "Dramatizes the ways people work and various aspects of their jobs.

Mud Pies
  Scientific Process: Observes, describes and investigates changes
 in materials and cause and effect relationships.

Block Play
Approaches to Learning: (Persistence and Reflection)
 Demonstrates a capacity to maintain concentration for a meaningful period of time
on a task, set of directions, or interactions, despite distractions and interruptions.

Playdough Cake
Creative Arts: Uses props to enhance role playing and dramatic play

Drip Painting
Creative Arts: Uses different art media and materials

Kindergarten Readiness

Soon some parents will be registering their children for Kindergarten for the Fall, which means preschool parents everywhere are starting to PANIC! Take a deep breath! It's scary enough to think about your little one being old enough to enter that next stage in their life, but these days most parents worry whether or not their child is READY.  There is growing pressure in our society to have the brightest and most advanced child, even before they start school.  Most of us aren't even aware why we are so worried.

This article is from The Chicago Tribune, September 2000 It discusses "new" research which shows the importance of a child being socially ready above all else.  I have seen a very wide range of abilities in the children who have left my preschool to enter kindergarten.  There are so many factors that come into play on where a child is at when they leave preschool to enter "big kid school." It is not to say that the answers to any of the following questions are better than others, or that those kids are more prepared than others. It is simply an outline of how very different each child's experiences are by the time they enter school.

• Are they just turning five or are they about to turn six?
• Did they enter preschool at age two or four?
• Are they read to at home?
• Have they been in social settings from infancy or was preschool their first experience?
• How much time during the week do they spend in social settings?
• What are the child's interests?
• What kind of learner are they?
• Do they understand simple directions?

Lisa Murphy's House of Higher Learning, emphasizes the importance of play as the foundation for all the learning that follows preschool. At one of her conferences she stated that kindergarten readiness should be determined by whether or not the child can get their shovel back in the sandbox. Problem Solving!

With that being said, most school districts including ours have certain standards they expect children to know when they enter kindergarten. Our district uses one of the many BRIGANCE assessments. Parents of past graduates have been very helpful and open with allowing me to see their children's completed kindergarten screening reports. Here are some of the things that children are "tested" on.

• First name, full name, age, address, birthday, telephone number
• Identifies by naming: heels, ankles, jaw, shoulders, elbows, hips, wrists, waist
• Gross Motor Skills: 
• Stands on each foot for ten seconds
• Stands on each foot momentarily with eyes closed
• Walks backwards toe-to-heel four steps
• Color recognition: Rainbows colors and also pink, grey, black and brown
• Copies: x, square, rectangle, triangle, diamond
• Draws a person with: head, legs, ears, arms, trunk, eyes, nose, neck, hands, mouth
• Prints first and last name
• Rote counting to 30
• Matching numbers with groups of objects (ex. #5 with five marbles)
• Joins groups of objects for number readiness
• Recognizes and Number Uppercase OR Lower Case Letters
• Understandable Speech and Complete Sentences of at least five words

I have had parents call me so excited to report how their child has done, while I have had others show up at preschool in a panic because the scores were "below average." I have had children not score well on areas that they have completed fine while at school. I have not, however, ever had a parent call me two years down the road to tell me that their child is struggling in school, regardless of their screening scores. 

I recommend that you start early talking casually about all these concepts with your child. "Hey did you know that we live on Main Street?" or "It looks like you scraped your Elbow." Its important for parents to talk with their children and also to ask questions that require the child to answer with more than yes or no.

PLEASE DO NOT DRILL YOUR CHILD!!!

Other fun ideas on how to incorporate some of these concepts into your everyday routines:

• Count food as your serve it to the child (count 1,2,3 meatballs as you scoop them)
• Use their full name often! 
• While they are waiting for you to finish what you are doing, give them simple directions like (stand on one foot, put your hands on your waist, etc.
• Point colors out everywhere!
• When playing with pretend telephones, say your number out loud while pushing the buttons.
• Draw and doodle with your child and talk while you are doing it. 
• Most of all be silly and have fun. Kids learn so much more through playing!