1/2 Day, Extended Day, Full Day Kindergarten
Are you a parent of a soon-to-be kindergartner? Whether you’re dreading August (and cutting those apron strings) or can’t wait for stores to fill their aisles with back-to-school essentials and watching your neighborhood streets for signs of new-bus-driver-route-practice, knowing your young student’s kindergarten schedule is going to be essential in planning your time (and his or hers) for this very special school year!
Will your child be easing into a new academic routine by participating in a half day or extended day program, or does your school district offer full day kindergarten? You might hear arguments for and against any or all of these choices (and whatever other program schedules that might exist), but in my opinion, what makes or breaks any kindergarten schedule are the expectations, intentions, and knowledge (or lack thereof) of developmentally appropriate practice of the adults involved and their resulting respect or disregard for the world of young learners.
Here are some helpful references:
* The Top Ten Signs of a Good Kindergarten Classroom
* Kindergarten Readiness: Is Your Child Ready for School?
* Helping Young Children Start School
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Half Day Kindergarten: (my classroom sample schedule)
A half-day program typically lasts three and a half to four hours, though I’ve heard of some districts offering kindergarten classes that are only two hours, forty-five minutes long. Most teachers will have a morning class and an afternoon class that follow the same daily curriculum schedule. Depending on the district’s transportation budget, morning students will typically ride the bus to school in the morning with parents or babysitters providing their own transportation home before lunch, while afternoon students will be dropped off at school by parents or day-care providers at lunch time, and then ride the bus home at the end of the school day.
*8:00 – 8:30 Arrival; Put backpacks/coats away; white/chocolate milk choice chart for snack; activity at desk after bathroom, washing hands, etc.; correspondence from home to teacher; attendance taken, Pledge recited; finish desk activity (this is also a good “chat time” for students to communicate and catch up with one another before having to focus their attention on the teacher)
*8:30 – 9:00 Calendar/Morning message/Story/Songs and Fingerplays
*9:00 - 9:30 Writing/Language/Literacy (journals, environmental print, new vocabulary, phonemic awareness, etc.)
*9:30 – 9:50 Recess
*9:50- 10:20 Math with math manipulatives/technology/exploration
*10:20 –10:45 Learning centers with curriculum concepts/topics integrated: books, painting/clay, computers, one on one time with teacher, math manipulatives, pretend play, blocks/building, puzzles, creative construction zone, puppets, writing, listening (cd or tape player), and weekly poem. Students will have free choices as well as “must try” centers, and students will straighten up centers before moving to their next activity.
*10:45 – 11:05 Center and classroom clean up, washing of hands before snack. Snack.
*11:05-11:30 - Storytime, Show and Share, Songs, Concept Review, prep for home (students empty cubbies, pack backpacks, straighten desks/chairs)
I have an hour for lunch, prep, and whatever lunchtime duty I might have for the upper grades, and then repeat the above schedule for the afternoon class, typically from 12:30-3:30.
Extended Day Program Particulars:
When I taught in Alaska, the extended day schedule alloted four and a half hours for students, with teachers working with two groups of students each day, with both groups of students “overlapping” for shared recess, lunch, and “special” time (PE, Music, Library).
Group 1 would attend school from 8:30-1:00, while Group 2 would attend from 10:30-3:00 (the overlap time when both groups of students attended class and activities together was 10:30-1:00). The academic portions of the schedule for each group were slightly expanded and could include computer lab time (though that was another “large group” option), and both groups had their own snack time halfway through their activities. Calendar activities and an additional story could take place with both groups together at 10:30 which freed up each individual group from redundancy.
The transportation situation was the same as the half day program.
Full Day Kindergarten: (my sample schedule)
*8:00 – 8:30 Arrival; Put backpacks/coats away; white/chocolate milk choice chart for snack; school lunch/home lunch chart; activity at desk after bathroom, washing hands, etc.; correspondence from home to teacher; attendance taken, Pledge recited; finish desk activity and chat time with peers.
*8:30 – 9:00 Calendar/Morning message/Story/Songs and Fingerplays
*9:00 - 9:30 Writing/Language/Literacy (journals, environmental print, new vocabulary, phonemic awareness, etc.)
*9:30 – 9:50 Check out books at the library (it was a daily option at my last school instead of a once-a-week visit)
*9:50- 10:20 Math with math manipulatives/technology/exploration
*10:20 –10:35 Snack
*10:35- 11:15 Learning centers with curriculum concepts/topics integrated: books, painting/clay, computers, one on one time with teacher, math manipulatives, pretend play, blocks/building, puzzles, creative construction zone, puppets, listening (cd/tape player), writing, weekly poem. Students will have free choices as well as “must try” centers, and students will straighten up centers before moving to their next activity.
*11:15-11:30 Center and classroom clean up, bathroom/washing hands before “special” (PE, MUSIC)
*11:30-12:00 PE/MUSIC
*12:05-12:45 Lunch and Recess
*12:45- 1:15 Bathroom/washing hands, then Storytime, Show and Share, Songs
*1:15- 1:45 Rest and Relaxation (some students take naps, others look through books quietly)
*1:45-2:15 Art or Computer Lab time
****2:15-2:45 Round two of centers, or explore science/social studies concepts in large group lessons, though some students need a second snack at this time as well.
*2:45 Concept Review, prep for home (students empty cubbies, pack backpacks, straighten desks/chairs)
*3:00 Dismissal
**** The second round of centers (with materials focused on curriculum topics) provides students with extra time to explore and work with manipulatives and other equipment or resources to expand and solidify their understanding of concepts introduced. Many parents think that a full day program means that students will cover MORE curriculum topics, stretching into first grade material…”working ahead.” This is NOT usually what happens, rather, the kindergarten curriculum is experienced more in-depth by students during the extra time in the classroom, enhancing comprehension and facilitating further exploration with concrete, “real” experiences and reflection.
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Remember, the schedules I shared above are only examples- and your transportation situation will be determined by your district. Take advantage of any Kindergarten Round-Up/Registration opportunities your child’s school offers, pick up information packets or check the school’s web site for schedule information and a sneak peek at what you and your child have to look forward to!
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In case you’re interested, here’s the link to my post about Kindergarten Round-Up and the observations I make when I meet new students for the first time.
Channeling Captain Random
No, no clear path to follow in this train of thought today…random, random, random!
* My morning routine is seriously going to have to change once we get back to Oz this summer: up with toddler (today at three!), having coffee, reading blogs/news/emails, making breakfast, starting a load of laundry (and folding the load left in the dryer overnight), unloading the dishwasher, making beds, straightening up bathrooms, opening the blinds to let the sunshine in, vacuuming, getting dressed… then going down the to-do list of errands to run or complete. I’m thinking those things aren’t going to happen once I’m back to teaching! My solution? My family’s least favorite words: “delegate” and “distribute responsibilites.” That’s going to be a rude awakening…
* I haven’t finished reading A New Earth yet. I’m having to complete it in stages due to my mommy routine with the toddler, our preparations for moving, and the time required to really think about Tolle’s assertions. I’ve skimmed through it once, and am now going chapter by chapter, downloading the Oprah podcasts after each one to help me rethink the material. Some of it can be a bit difficult, but it’s challenging in a positive way, and feels, at least to me, relevant. I’ve recognized bits, pieces, even huge chunks of myself in the book in regard to Ego: my material possessions, my job, my role in the friendships I choose, and the goals I’ve had for my physical health. Tolle describes the imbalance of the world’s resources as a result of the “egoic entities” (corporations, governments) whose only goal is to acquire more, have more, take more… And he offers an exercise on familiarizing yourself with your “inner body,” (page 52) by focusing on the “feeling of aliveness” in your hands, or just your feet, “going there with your attention to noticing it.”
It’s a good read. A good think.
* I love encountering new-to-me-terms or phrases. In the latest blog from Cakespy “Donut Speak,” the author(s) try to determine which term or spelling is correct: doughnut or donut. There are arguments for and against either, but what caught my eye was the following quote: “Kenneth G. Wilson, in The Columbia Guide to Standard American English, says: ‘Doughnut is the conventional spelling, ‘donut’ a variant used in advertising or signs and as eye dialect.’” Yes, the emphasis is mine. Eye dialect. As a teacher, I flood my classroom with environmental print year after year. Students add to it, and often greet me in the morning with “Teacher, teacher, guess what I saw? That big yellow thing at McDonald’s is really the letter M!” and the like. “Quik-Mart” instead of Quick Mart. “Sammies” instead of sandwiches. “Drive Thru” instead of Drive Through.
Eye dialect. I like it.
*Mama Luxe at An Army Wife’s Life shared a link to Military Wives’ Best Tips for Dealing with a Spouse’s Deployment which I thought I’d pass along as well. I’ve lived in military communities for the past five years, but am aware that there are large civilian communities that might only vaguely understand the enormity of what “those Army wives” (or members of other military branches) go through each time a spouse is deployed. Yes, there are “Army husbands” too!
It’s not easy, and yes, it may be that our own family will experience at least one more deployment in the next two years. If I start getting weepy a year-and-a-half from now, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.
* I’m anxiously awaiting my teaching contract in the mail. Not knowing which school I’ll be at or which grade I’ll be teaching has pushed me to either extreme of the pendulum swing that mostly encompasses my job: contemplating which scrapbook papers I want to use for my lesson plan book cover, and reading blog articles such as “The Surge Against First Graders,” reposted at Schools Matter. Parents might find the lesson plan book cute, but they should also follow the links in “The Surge” article. Really.
* Are there any colleges or universities that require Ethics in Education as a class? Seriously, I’d like to know.
I’m off to crochet!
Magazines/May
Another reason to look forward to our new post assignment: we’ll live there long enough to make two-year magazine subscriptions worth it!
Here’s what I’ll be subscribing to:
…and the British version as well:
Just makes me all the more eager to find out what our new address will be so I can fill out all the subscription cards/forms necessary to get these treasures started on their monthly/seasonal trek to our mailbox!
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* PhotoJojo posts games you can play with your camera…
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I hope Moms everywhere enjoyed their special day yesterday! I certainly did! I have no clue why the toddler decided to sleep in (and therefore let ME sleep in) two extra hours, but it was the first of many special treats my family had in store for me! Other treats included a stash of peanut m-n-m’s (friends, family, and especially colleagues could tell you a story or two about my fixation on those candies!), a new digital photo frame, new movies (Sweeney Todd, and the new Alien/Predator movie…SPOILER ALERT... I haven’t watched Sweeney Todd but the Alien/Predator movie crossed some lines I didn’t care for, including violence against children, newborns, and mothers-to-be...honestly, THAT was the best script they could come up with? I love Sci-Fi, but am going to find it difficult to see any future films in the “Predalien” franchise thanks to this one.), a new little device for my iPod so I can enjoy tunes in our new-yet-still-old vehicle when we drive back to Oz this summer, and a very good dinner at Outback.
The rest of this month is full of celebrations: the SGM Ball, our toddler’s third birthday (Martha’s Crafts were on sale at Michael’s last week so he’ll have the monkey themed party)
and my husband’s graduation from the SGM Academy.
Whew!
Mother’s Day
Feliz Día de las Madres!
…most especially to ma mère, who will appreciate the tri-lingual touch!
When I Grow Up
In my youth, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied that I wanted to be an astronaut, princess, restaurant owner, mommy, and book author.
I also wanted to be Wonder Woman:
Can you blame me? Gorgeous, big hair, awesome figure, bullet-proof bracelets, stylin’ boots, a tiara, stars…and she could always get the truth out of people (okay, so she had to lasso them to do it…still…)
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Can Wonder Woman cook/bake? Just wondering!
*Leave it to Cakespy to post the recipe I’ve been looking for all year! BISCOCHITO!
*Smitten Kitchen shares a recipe for Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies that I HAVE to try this week…
*Tracy Porter shares her mother’s friend’s Decadent Crab Appetizer
*Did you watch Oprah’s Sandwich Showdown? Here are the recipes (I can’t wait to try the Lobster Grilled Cheese by Billy Grant)!
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Decor8 has posted the mother of all linktime blogs showcasing Australian Design- I’m going to spend most of my weekend clicking away…watch out blogroll!
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Sleepy Time
My sleep habits:
*Long-gone are the days when I could stay up for forty-eight hours, and still be productive and pleasant. Like twenty years ago long-gone.
*Toddlers and teens need extra sleep. So does this extra tired mommy of a toddler and teen. Unfortunately, there’s a conspiracy working against me: if I get to bed by nine, the toddler wakes up at one…two-thirty. Three-forty, four-fifty, etc. If the toddler only wakes once, upon my return to bed my husband’s shake-the-house-and-rattle-the-china-in-the-dining-room snores kick in, miraculously.
My Daddy Snores
*I haven’t been able to sleep in for years. Many friends and family can actually *sleep* extra hours each weekend or when they’re on vacation, but not me. If I have to be up at five each morning during the week for work, I’m up at five on Saturday and Sunday. If I’ve been out of bed, dressed and productive by seven each day throughout the school year, so too will I be up and puttering around the house accomplishing something, anything, during summer break. After two-and-a-half months of summer vacation have finally settled themselves into my routine, I will sleep in once or twice three days before school starts again, and yes, then find myself dragging as I set up my classroom and attend professional development meetings. Murphy’s Law lives at my house.
*I run through my mental checklist before bed each night: did I lock the doors? Set up the coffee pot? Start the dishwasher? Make sure the door to the litter box is open for the cat’s evening activities? Brush my teeth? Blow out the candles? Check on the toddler?
*During both of my stay-at-home-mommy years, I’ve ended up resorting to afternoon naps with the then infant now toddler. Naps are only for students when I’m back to work.
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Here’s a pretty little sleep mask by HeadtoToe:
Though my twisted sense of humor also finds the “nightmare sleep masks” made by FreakyOldWoman entertaining:
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Show and Share Thursday: Spangles, Dangles and Jangles
When I discovered Kirk’s Folly jewelry and accessories on QVC years ago, I was hooked! Barrettes, necklaces, bracelets, brooches and watches all made their way to my jewelry box. Since then, I’ve purposely re-arranged my sparkly stuff each time we’ve moved to see if I can accommodate any new pieces when they catch my eye.
Here are some of my favorite “teacher” pieces. I wear them all regularly during the appropriate holiday season, and the teacher watch at all parent teacher conferences. For Halloween and Thanksgiving, it’s all about the brooches:
At Christmas and in winter, my jackets and sweaters sparkle with a patriotic snowman and a cluster of snowflakes:
Here’s an easy way to wear green in March:
My teacher watch, patriotic watch and wedding anniversary bracelet:
…and the last piece I bought before leaving Kansas:
Students always love to examine the jewelry I wear: it sparkles, it moves, and some of it even makes the best little tink-tink-tink noises!
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Just in time for Mother’s Day:
*Seasonal Delights shares a tutorial for making Gift Flowerpots
*CakeSpy has cakey/sweet/dessert treats for the Overbearing Mom!
*Smitten Kitchen shares Martha’s Macaroni and Cheese recipe…
Wordless Wednesday: Multiple Projects
Addicted to Teacher Fashion, pt. 2
Oh. My. Goodness! From MadeWithLovebyHannah
* Fairytale Forest Skirt (Snow White?)
* Fairytale Forest Skirt (Red Riding Hood?)
* Fairytale Forest Skirt (Hansel and Gretel?)
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…. and even a sweater for an apple by HandMaidenBC:
Here paycheck-paycheck-paycheck… here paycheck-paycheck-paycheck!
Bloggin’ the Blues
Congratulations Paulette F.! Your name was drawn for the blue tulle wreath! Email me a.s.a.p. with your snail mail info and I’ll put this pretty thing in the mail for you this week!
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More blue links:
*The album Blue by Simply Red (I love Mellow My Mind)
*Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal
* My blue selections from Flickr:
1. blue moo, 2. blue hair, 3. Osiyan marine blue in Jain Temple, 4. Blue Angel Tears, 5. blue shoes., 6. Greek blue, 7. Blue Morpho Butterfly, 8. Blue Roses, 9. Blue Moon
*My favorite blueberry muffin recipe
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