{"id":25898,"date":"2023-04-19T09:15:03","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T21:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kamiapp.com\/?p=25898"},"modified":"2023-04-19T10:13:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T22:13:00","slug":"running-a-successful-kindergarten-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.kamiapp.com\/blog\/running-a-successful-kindergarten-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Running a Successful Kindergarten Class"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Did you know that the idea of kindergarten in the United States was first developed in the 1900s when the National Kindergarten Association<\/a> was set up in New York to promote the idea of a public school kindergarten system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, most states across America require school districts to offer either full-day kindergarten or a half-day kindergarten program. But in many states, it is not mandatory for children to actually attend. Most families do send their children to a kindergarten class though, with enrolments at around 80%. Most private schools also offer a kindergarten class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kindergarten is the first year of the K\u201312 system and is considered a bridge between preschool and the first grade of elementary school. Children start kindergarten between the ages of 4 and 6 years old. Some parents delay their child starting, known as redshirting<\/a>, because of when their birthday falls compared to the school year and concerns that they will be in grades with older children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kindergarten curriculum is mainly focused on teaching basic skills in literacy and numeracy as part of the Common Core framework<\/a>, as well as other curriculum subjects like science, social studies, language, and arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many children, it will be the first time they\u2019ve been at school and away from home for such a long period, so there\u2019s also a focus on learning social skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a kindergarten class, students are developing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Teaching kindergarten is challenging but hugely rewarding and gives teachers a chance to play a vital part in developing engaged learners for the rest of the school system. Kindergarten teachers need to have a good balance of childcare skills, a knowledge of early childhood education, and a knowledge of what\u2019s needed to set students up for higher grade levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You want to make sure that your classroom setting gives students the best chance to learn and develop while not overwhelming young children as they start school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing you need to do is plan or adjust the layout of your classroom<\/a>. Start with the basics to ensure you have enough tables and chairs for all the students and there\u2019s enough space to walk about between them. Ensure that everyone can see your whiteboard or other important areas. Think about where you\u2019d like your desk to be in relation to the students. Then you can fill in the spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dividing your kindergarten classroom up into zones can be a great way to create special areas for certain activities and to help students learn their way around. Spaces you might want to add include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the challenges in the kindergarten year is learning to become more independent. Setting your classroom up in a way that makes it easy for students to carry out tasks helps them to do things on their own and develop their motor skills at the same time. Make sure that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many kindergartners will still have a short attention span, so things usually work better if activities are short and the day has a mix of subjects and activities. Plan for a mix of whole-class, small group, and individual activities, and include time for movement or brain breaks to help students burn off their energy and refocus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve got plenty of activities for kindergarten students in this blog, and check out our range of printables and worksheets to help you develop fun and engaging lesson plans. You can find them by searching in the Kami Library<\/a> or checking out the handy guide to our K\u2013grade templates<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the beginning of the year, you have a group of brand-new kids. So, the first thing you\u2019ll want to do is get to know them and help them get to know each other. Playing icebreaker games at the start of the school year is a great way to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because your class is still young, try and keep the games simple and choose ones that include movement if possible. We\u2019ve got some fabulous back-to-school \u201cgetting to know you\u201d games for elementary school (and middle school and high school) in this blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy is kindergarten class so important?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Developing all of these skills in kindergarten gives students a strong platform to move through elementary and middle school and even onto high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSetting up a kindergarten classroom<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Plan your layout <\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Create interesting areas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Make it manageable for young children <\/h5>\n\n\n\n\n
Kindergarten activities<\/h4>\n\n\n\nClassroom management tips to keep things running smoothly<\/h4>\n\n\n\n