Kindergarten | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children

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They say you can’t go back.

What do you think?

I remember walking into P.S. 199 as a student teacher. I had attended this elementary school as a ten-year old sixth grader…now I was 20 years old and a senior in college, pursuing my early childhood education degree. How small the double wooden entrance doors looked now! How tiny the seats in the classroom seemed!

It didn’t seem to be the same school that I had stored away in my memory banks.

Since January, I’ve been presenting the SHOW-ME-HOW Story-time Reading and Crafting Program to District 11 kindergartens and Pre-K’s. It is really great to be back in the classroom, interacting with students and teachers and parents.

But today’s kindergartens don’t seem to be the same as those stored away in my memory banks.

Why do I say that?

When I was teaching kindergarten (back in the 60’s and 70’s), the children learned through play and there was very little “formal” instruction. In today’s kindergartens, I see a lot of “formal” teaching of reading and writing…not just the ABC’s.
When I was teaching, kindergarten was a preparation for first grade. In today’s kindergartens, there seems to be an expectation that the children will be reading and writing by the time they enter first grade.
When I was teaching kindergarten, we understood that children mature in their own unique ways…while it is true that some 4½ year olds are quite capable of learning to read and write (I had several who came to kindergarten already reading and writing and speaking several languages), it is also true that many children have not yet developed the fine motor skills necessary for holding the pencil and mapping out the letters. With reading, we have the same situation…some children have the eye-brain coordination, but some need just a little more time to physically mature.
In my opinion, the only advantage to “pushing” these little ones to read and write is that, if there are problems such as visual impairment or learning disorders, they may be discovered at this earlier age and intervention can be arranged. However, the down side is that we are already labeling these young children…and often these labels stick, even if it was just a maturity issue that was the cause.
Almost every kindergarten teacher I have visited with has mentioned the lack of time to READ picture books to the children. Arts and crafts are also an area that is pushed to the back burner. Now, all of you know how passionate I am about reading to young children…and how much I believe in the importance of encouraging children to express themselves in arts and crafts activities. I realize that the curriculum and standards are mandated by the state…teachers don’t really have control over those things and are held accountable for the levels of learning their students achieve.
The almost frantic pace I observed in some of the kindergartens was even stressful for me…imagine how it must be for five-year olds! They change activities (and rooms) as if someone is surfing channels on the TV with a remote control. Perhaps they are used to it…having been exposed to the constant mini-bytes that are prevalent even on the educational TV channels. Again, I undertand that most of kindergarten teachers would probably prefer to go back to a “kinder, gentler” type of classroom. Don’t get me wrong…I do believe in routines and schedules for young children…I think they thrive when they know what the plan is…I just wish it was a less hectic plan. I know it used to be in the kindergartens stored in my memory banks.

What do you think? Do you have a child in kindergarten? Are you a kindergarten teacher? Do you agree that the kindergarten of today is the new first grade? And, do you think this is a postive or negative change?

THREE IMPORTANT REMINDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TODAY, APRIL 9th, is the LAST day you can purchase SHOW ME HOW! at 50% off the cover price on my website: http://www.positiveparentalparticipation.com. Parents, grandparents, teachers and daycare providers of preschoolers…please don’t delay…this unique resource is a shortcut to providing educational fun-filled self-esteem building acitivities for your children. MOTHER’S DAY is just around the corner…what a wonderful gift this would make, even for an expectant mom! And this is also the last day to enter to win the collection of craft supplies for your preschooler…purchase a book or fill out the contact form on my website or leave a comment on my blog about why you would like to win the prize.

TOMORROW: Sunday, April 10^th…I will be at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument, CO from 2-3:30pm, talking about reading, crafting and cooking with young children and signing copies of my book. For more details, please go to www.coveredtreasures.com or call 719-481-2665. The Book Fair (from 12:30-4pm) is for the benefit of the Tri-Lakes Community Preschool Tuition Assistance Program. If you are local to Monument, Colorado Springs or Denver, please head on over to say hello and do your part to support early childhood education!

Tuesday, April 12^th…I will be hosting Max the Dog as he continues his 36 day book blog tour. For more details about the on-going contest and to see where he has been and where he is going, please visit: http://readwithmax.com/blogbooktour.html

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In May of 1967, I had graduated from college with a bachelor’s in early childhood education, completed my student teaching requirements, and passed the New York City teacher’s licensing exam. I was fortunate that the principal, of the school where I had done my student teaching had created a new kindergarten class for me that would start in the upcoming school year. I was excited and thrilled that my life-long goal of becoming a kindergarten teacher was finally going to be realized. In addition, I was to be married at the end of the summer, right before school started!

So, when the principal asked me if I would do some substitute teaching in June, during the last month of school, I jumped at the opportunity. I would be getting classroom experience as a “real” teacher…and I would be earning some extra money that would certainly be useful for two newly-weds.

The first call came one early morning in the first week in June. I would be taking over a second grade. As I parked my car (parking cars on city streets near schools is a whole other blog post topic) and walked into the school, my heart beat quickly…a little with nervous excitement and a little with happiness at embarking on this new journey.

Many schools divide each grade level into homogeneous classes…that is, most of the students in each class are at a similar learning level. The 2^nd grade students in the class I was assigned to were so smart and self-motivated …they almost didn’t need a teacher.

I walked into the room…the children filed in a few at a time…smiling at me…taking their seats. When everyone was seated, I introduced myself. From that moment on, the day was an absolute dream. The children knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing in each subject…and they did it…with very little direction from me. At the end of the day, I was convinced I was a natural…destined to be the best teacher ever!

When the phone rang the next morning, I answered it with a smile. “I’ll be right there.” This time I entered the classroom with confidence. I had been assigned to a fourth grade…even better, I thought.

Two boys walked in, pushing each other. Another was shooting spit balls out of a straw.

And it was all downhill from that moment on.

At one point, I sent one of the girls to the chalkboard with a basin of water to clean it off…one of the boys grabbed the basin and upended it over her head. Books were purposely dropped on the floor while another child was reading out loud. One girl began crying that her pigtails had been pulled by the boy sitting behind her. No one had done their homework…no one knew what lesson they had been studying. Very few had their books…and those that did were using them to hit any classmate within reach.

They were out of control…and I felt helpless to control them.

By the end of the day, I was almost In tears…convinced that I had been mistaken about my career choice.

When the phone rang the next morning, I ignored it. During the night, I had given a lot of thought to my experience. I decided that the money was not as important as the destruction of my hopes and dreams. I knew where I belonged…in early childhood classes. It was what I had prepared myself for and I wanted to be able to look forward to the new school year with eager anticipation.

I did go on to teach kindergarten and Head Start for many years…and I can honestly say that I LOVED every minute of it…from the lesson plans, to the story readings…from the field trips with two lines of boys and girls holding hands, gazing in awe at the museum exhibit or the animals in the zoo to snack time with milk and cookies.

I have so many fond memories of my teaching days…and I am thrilled to be able to be back in the classroom again. My SHOW ME HOW Story-Time Program for the local Pre-K and kindergarten students has enabled me to share the picture book stories and craft projects recommended in my new book. I was also able to share with the parents who attended the presentation on Thursday the importance of reading to young children, talking with them and participating with them positively.

If you have young children and need some story suggestions, great eco-friendly craft projects and easy-peasy healthy cooking activities, why not grab a copy. Head on over to my website where we’ve slashed the price to $22.50…that’s 50% of the cover price. It will be the best gift you could give to yourself and your preschooler.