Category: Kindergarten

Eric can tell stories and jokes and describe incidents from his own experiences using a clear voice. He is able to retell stories, ordering events using story language. Eric has made excellent progress using his phonetic understanding to read and spell unknown or difficult words. He can write simple stories independently demonstrating good knowledge of blends and diagraphs. He has made excellent progress learning how to identify the main events and characters in stories and then use this information when retelling books he has read during morning English lessons. His handwriting continues to show improvement where most of Eric’s letters are correctly formed and orientated with finger spaces between words. Eric is developing his ability to take turns to speak, listen to others’ suggestions and talk about his own opinions in group discussions. He speaks confidently during ‘Show and Tell’ sessions answering questions and describing objects. Eric is also able to make authentic connections to his prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating. He shares and discusses ideas to make his thinking visible to his classmates and teachers. Eric enjoys all areas of Mathematics; he is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

George has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year. George can recognize and name all letters of the alphabet and he can demonstrate all associated sounds and actions. He is able to use his knowledge of letters and sound-symbol relationships in order to read words and to establish meaning when reading aloud to adults. George is developing confidence when speaking to teachers and his peers. He is beginning to be able to sit and listen attentively to his peers during class discussions and when prompted, he will answer questions. George will participate in Shared Writing activities by offering a letter sound or coming up to the whiteboard to write a word for the class. He has memorized a number of high-frequency words and can now write many of them without needing to look at a model in order to complete simple sentences e.g. “I love my book”. As George explores, he is beginning to talk about the results of his explorations. When encouraged or prompted by a teacher, he is beginning to ask meaningful questions in relation to the activity. When faced with a task that is challenging for him he is now persisting for longer periods of time, rather than giving up in the early stages of the activity. I am happy to see him using strategies such as breaking big tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces, working with friends to accomplish goals, and trying again when a plan that he has does not work out the first time. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

It has been a pleasure to be William’s kindergarten teacher this year. I have been extremely impressed with Williams’s progress to date in this curriculum area; he demonstrates a very positive attitude when approaching all Literacy activities! William can recognize and name all letters of the alphabet and can demonstrate the sound and actions for all of these letters. He can speak clearly and use good words to explain and develop his ideas during group discussions. William’s handwriting is showing much improvement, he is consistently using lowercase letters and working on keeping all of his letters the same size. He is beginning to try to spell words using his phonological understanding. He is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing him to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. He is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh, and -th and uses this knowledge to improve his reading and writing. When reading, William is beginning to recognize familiar words in the text, including sight words, and patterned word groups. William has moved from simply being able to read individual words to comprehending more complex texts. I have enjoyed watching William grow and learn in K2.

Valery has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. Valery knows when it is important to ignore distractions and focus on the class activity; while listening to a story that is being read aloud to the class, when doing a group activity on the carpet, when engaging in Shared Reading, etc…She is a self-motivated learner who approaches learning tasks independently and with confidence. Valery has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to read independently. She has made a staggering amount of progress in reading and writing this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Valery is beginning to use reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of unfamiliar texts. At the beginning of the year, she would mostly guess words based on the picture that she observed. Now, she looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word, and uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Boa has learned so much this year in kindergarten. Boa was more of an observer during discussions about books earlier this year. Now she is participating more by saying what she thinks a book is about, talking about her favorite part, or making a prediction part way through a text. She is beginning to try to spell words using her phonological understanding. She is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing her to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. She is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh and -th and uses this knowledge to improve her reading and writing. When reading, Boa is beginning to recognize familiar words in the text, including sight words, and patterned word groups. She can use sentence starters ( I see, I can, I love )and use them to write simple sentences (I see a dog, I see a cat, etc). She was very interested in our plant unit and liked growing her plant from a seed. Boa’s increased confidence has allowed her to become more independent. Boa now completes assignments in the time allotted. Boa has progressed from simply copying words and names from around the room to writing simple sentences “I see my mom” to using a combination of sentence starters and her knowledge of letter sounds to sound out the last word of a sentence “I see a ct” for “I see a cat”. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Romney has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of kindergarten. He has made great progress in reading and speaking this term. Romney is an advanced reader who enjoys reading for fun. He has progressed at a rate above age-related expectations. He is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing him to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. He is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh and -th and uses this knowledge to improve his reading and writing. However, encouraging Romney to try his best and to create quality work will help As Romney does not often choose to write on his own, and therefore needs to develop more interest in writing. Romney recognizes that people can have differing points of view. When playing in a group, he allows others to input their ideas and listens to their opinions.

He demonstrates an awareness of numbers, using concrete materials to explore and investigate counting, quantity, and number relationships. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Alison has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she has strong work ethic skills. Her determination to do well has supported her academic growth. She makes good choices, is accountable, and is well-liked by her peers. Alison’s self-efficacy skills and determination has allowed her to be very successful in K2. She is inquisitive and asks higher-level questions. She enjoys applying literacy to real-world experiences and initiating classroom discussions. Alison loves to talk about her interests and often enters the class with a story to tell about what she has done on the weekend, or what her plans are for that evening. She is an excellent reader and writer and has met the benchmark expectations for reading and writing. She contributes great ideas during whole group instruction and when working cooperatively with her peers. She speaks confidently during ‘Show and Tell’ sessions answering questions and describing objects. She is also able to make authentic connections to her prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating. Alison enjoys all areas of Mathematics; she is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Coco is a very sweet girl. Coco has formed bonds and friendships with children in the class despite her shyness Coco enjoys experimenting with instruments to make music in new and interesting ways. For example, she drummed on different areas of our drum to see the different sounds that it makes. Coco lacks confidence in herself when writing. Although she has a good grasp of the majority of letter sounds, she is not yet using this knowledge to help her independently sound out the individual sounds in words. Building the confidence to sound out simple words independently is a goal for Coco. Coco enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher. I enjoyed watching her grow!

Royce has had a terrific school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. Royce has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to read independently. She has made a staggering amount of progress in reading and writing this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Royce uses reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of unfamiliar texts. At the beginning of the year, she would mostly guess words based on the picture that she observed. Now, she looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word, and uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. Royce loves to write. She will independently write outside of class time at the English center. There, she will write full sentences using words she has just learned. Royce works out her ideas and theories and uses what she already knows to deepen her understanding and further her learning. She makes authentic connections to her prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating, and as Royce explores, she observes the results of her explorations and asks meaningful and thought-provoking questions. Royce enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher. I enjoyed watching Royce grow!

Adon has had a terrific year of kindergarten. He has progressed and grown since the beginning of the school year. He especially made great progress in reading and writing this term. He has progressed at a rate above age-related expectations. He is beginning to develop greater independence as a learner and thinker within the classroom. Don can make predictions and observations before and during investigations. For example, During our observations of living and non-living things, Adon said, “I think that plants are like animals because they both need water. If we don’t water our plants, they will die.” Adon is innately curious, and can often be observed and heard exploring, building, creating and asking questions naturally within the classroom. As Adon explores, he observes the results of his explorations and asks meaningful and thought-provoking questions. Adon uses a variety of reading strategies to help him understand the meaning of different texts. He looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help him “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses his knowledge of high-frequency words). Adon enjoys all areas of Mathematics; he is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

Eleven has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas this term. It has been a pleasure to watch him learn so many new concepts and the enjoyment shown in his face when he masters a new skill. He has shown much progress socially within the class, he now raises his hand when he wants to speak and listens attentively to others during discussions. Eleven has a lovely nature and a good sense of humor which I enjoy. Eleven is a naturally curious student who expresses a desire to make sense of his

environment by asking questions and initiating discussions. He offers suggestions to his peers during investigations, and confidently poses problems of his own. He highly enjoys open-ended investigations into a question or problem posed by the teacher. He participates actively in finding problems and then discovering how to solve them. Eleven uses a variety of reading strategies to help him understand the meaning of different texts. He looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help him “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses his knowledge of high-frequency words. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Harry is a lovely boy. He has grown immensely since the start of the year. He has begun to choose better ways to respond to and reflect on situations in which he becomes upset. He is beginning to talk about what went wrong and why, and how they can fix it next time. He now sees the connection between what he does and what happens as a consequence. Harry is demonstrating an increased interest in writing by writing random strings of letters and telling the teacher what he “wrote”. This has been an important step in his writing skills. When reading, Harry can use left-to-right directionality and point to the words as he reads them. Harry enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from his plant journal with his friends. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and watch him grow.

Wilson has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of the year. Wilson is reminded to take his time with writing to ensure that it is legible and that others can read it. Wilson has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because he values learning. Wilson is beginning to use letter-sound relationships to read and write. He is beginning to implement decoding strategies and should continue to read throughout the summer. Wilson is proud of his recent accomplishment of understanding subtraction. He understands addition and subtraction concepts and he should continue to add and subtract this summer as well as practice identifying coins. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. His eagerness and determination to learn new things should be fostered. Wilson was a pleasure to have in kindergarten!

Bella has had a fabulous kindergarten school year. She is an advanced reader and writer. She contributes great ideas during whole group instruction and when working cooperatively with her peers. Bella makes good choices, is accountable, and is well-liked by his peers. I am impressed with her eagerness to learn. Bella’s self-efficacy skills and determination has allowed her to be successful in K2. She looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. Bella enjoys all areas of Mathematics; she is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using her fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. Bella enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in K2.

Iwa’s confidence has blossomed this term. She has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas, but most notably in Literacy and speaking. Iwa has learned and retained sounds, blends, and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to begin reading independently. Iwa has made a staggering amount of progress in Literacy this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Iwa is showing more interest in reading this term. She is listening more intently to read-aloud, is beginning to show preferences when choosing books from the library and is demonstrating more stamina when looking at pictures during Rest & Read time. As Iwa explores, she is beginning to talk about the results of her explorations. When encouraged or prompted by a teacher, she asks meaningful questions in relation to the activity. She enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Wei Wei has had a terrific school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year. She is proud of her recent accomplishments. Wei Wei will now ask the teacher to read a book that she has brought from home or that she has borrowed from the library, demonstrating personal preferences in reading materials. However, Wei Wei is reluctant to participate in discussions about stories read aloud. When called upon, she will sometimes contribute a one-word answer. At home, encourage Wei Wei to talk about books that you have read. Ask her what she thinks the book is about by looking at the cover, ask what her favorite part was, who was the funniest character, what she thinks will happen next, etc. Engaging in and talking about books at home in a more comfortable setting will help Wei Wei to have more confidence to talk about these things during class time. During the ‘Plant unit’ documenting and recording observations of her plant was highly motivating for Wei Wei. She enjoyed drawing her observations throughout the plant unit and sharing it with her peers. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Alice was a pleasure to teach. She is an exceptional reader and writer. She reads for enjoyment independently and reads for fun to her peers. Her great ideas are expressed in her writing and she has enjoyed using her creativity to write alternate endings to stories. She has progressed from simply copying words and names from around the room to writing simple sentences “I see my cat” to using a combination of sentence starters and her knowledge of letter sounds to sound out to write more complex sentences. I am impressed with Alice’s eagerness to learn. Alice’s confidence has blossomed this term. She has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas, but most notably in Literacy and speaking. She has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to begin reading independently. She loved learning about the life cycle of a plant and was excited to share her knowledge and experiences. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching Alice grow!

Emma is a delightful girl who is polite and well-mannered at all times. She is a delight to teach as she approaches all activities with a positive attitude and ‘a thirst’ to learn new things. Emma is making progress at levels above age-related expectations in all subject areas. She has shown progress both academically and in terms of confidence, this term; Emma will now attempt all activities, even if they look a little tricky at the beginning! Emma is an excellent role model to her peers and always demonstrates our daily ‘Key Behaviors’ in the classroom and when meeting adults. She is always well-prepared for school and always joins in classroom discussions and speaks with increasing confidence. Looking ahead, Emma should continue to develop her vocabulary through the reading of both fiction and non-fiction books as this will stand her in good stead to develop her writing skills further. She is an excellent reader and writer. She is highly motivated to express her ideas in variety of ways. She has met rigorous academic expectations and always strives to do her best! She makes good choices and is well-liked by her peers. I am impressed with her eagerness to learn and her dedication! She enjoyed drawing her observations throughout the plant unit and sharing it with her peers. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Angelia is a delightful kindergartener. She is an excellent reader and writer and has met benchmarks for reading and writing. Her curiosity and eagerness to learn does not go unnoticed. She is inquisitive and asks higher-level questions. She enjoys applying literacy to real-world experiences and initiating classroom discussions. Angelia loves to talk about her interests and often enters the class with a story to tell about what she has done on the weekend, or what her plans are for that evening. She loved learning about the life cycle of a plant and was excited to share her knowledge and experiences. Angelia understands that the inquiry process helps us to discover new information and to confirm or question our theories about the world. She is always questioning how things work or why things are the way they are and is genuinely interested in the answer and how she can apply what she has learned in her everyday life. Angelia enjoys selecting and using materials to carry out her own explorations. For example, she drew a picture of her plant to show how much it had grown, she uses classroom materials such as tape and string in inventive ways in order to make creations that she would like to make. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Ron has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of kindergarten. Ron excitedly communicates the results and findings from investigations; he will often make discoveries outdoors, and ask to bring these discoveries inside to share or ask questions about rocks, sticks, insects, and interesting leaves. Ron can now locate sentence starters “I see”, “I like”, “I have” etc and will use it to compose simple sentences e.g. “I see my mom and”, “ I like my toy”… Ron knows to look at pictures before beginning a book and uses his prior knowledge and prediction skills to help him understand the story and determine what will happen. Ron can recognize and name the leaf, flower, stem and root of flowering plants on a diagram. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Tammy has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. She is respectful towards all adults she works with within the school and is always polite and well-mannered. It has been a joy to work with Tammy this year and support the great progress she has made thus far. She has astounded me with her positive approach toward all curriculum areas and her thirst for new learning is astonishing! Tammy enjoys open-ended investigations and initiates classroom discussions. She is starting to find problems and then discover how to solve them. Tammy uses a variety of reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of different texts. She looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. She can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line, or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in K2.

Kai is a lovely boy and I have really enjoyed working alongside him and getting to know him this year. Kai loves to share ideas and jokes with close friends during learning centers, outdoor activities, and imaginative play. It is in these more informal settings that he is the most vocal with others. Kai is beginning to enjoy sharing what he has made with the class. At the beginning of the year, he was more of an observer during Sharing Time; now, he confidently shares his creations and answers questions about what he has made. Kai is reluctant to write independently for fear of making a mistake. He prefers to have a word written so that he can copy it, or will ask the teacher to sound out each individual sound for him to write down. When encouraged to attempt to write a word on his own, Kai will ask a teacher or friends for guidance. Kai can recognize and name the leaf, flower, stem, and root of flowering plants on a diagram. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. I enjoyed watching Kai grow!

Introduction to My Teaching Aspiration

Graduation is just around the corner and I need to figure out what I am going to do for the rest of life. In my senior year, I took the Ready, Set, Teach class. That class helps assist students and teachers and gives you a feel of what it is like in a classroom setting as a teacher. I got assigned to a kindergarten class. And I can say I love kinder. Those kids are always ready to learn and achieve more. I want to become a kindergarten teacher. I want to pursue in that career because I want to make a difference in their lives at a young age. I want them to enjoy coming to school and want them to be excited when they are going to school. Kinder is a difficult stage to teach. Some teachers said the behavior is the biggest thing in kinder because they are still learning their personalities. One of the teachers I work with says you have to be very patient with the kids. The kids are still babies during the first semester they are barely five years old or they are turning six. They just need lots of patience during the year, but you still have to be stern with them because they will be 1st graders the following year.

The Path to Becoming a Kindergarten Teacher

Teaching tasks a lot of time out of your personal life. You have to create lesson plans and think of different activities. When I graduated high school, I want to get to know what degree plan I am gonna need to become a teacher. When graduated from college, how long does it take to get a job after graduation? And what additional certifications do you need to get when you get hired at school? How much time does it take to grade papers and create lesson plans during your personal life? And how long does it take to make lesson plans? What type of dress codes do you have as a teacher? How do you get your students motivated each day? How do you resolve conflicts with parents who are always at school with their kids? How do you manage difficult students?

Educational Journey and Requirements

The main questions I want to get answers are what skills, education, and experience are required? How much do you need to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them? What are the best teaching methods for younger students? The Search Results Before my senior year of high school, I did not know what I wanted to get a degree for. My mom really wanted me to go into the medical field but I did not want to. Luckily, there was a program at school called Ready, Set, Teach. It is a class where you help the students and teacher and get a feel for what it’s like to be in a classroom setting. At first, I was nervous to be in the classroom but then I fell in love with it.

The Role and Impact of a Kindergarten Teacher

The definition of a school teacher is someone who teaches new things to students in a school environment. Kindergarten teachers usually work with four to six-year-olds. As stated in “How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher: Career and Salary Information”, kindergarten teachers help students’ academic, physical and social development. Most kindergarten teachers use hands-on lessons for students to grasp information.

The teachers use games to build these individual things. As stated in the article, “Social-emotional learning in preschool essential for student success”, “kindergarten teachers continue to believe in the importance of social-emotional skills for the younger students. (7)” There is a common rule they learn in preschool and kindergarten teachers start enforcing them more to maintain the classroom. Kindergarten teachers have the most important role in a student’s educational life. They are the foundation of their successful educational life. There are many steps to reach my goal to become a kindergarten teacher. All states have different requirements. I came upon many helpful sources and guidelines for becoming a teacher. According to “Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers: Occupational Outlook”, some of the skills that you need to be a teacher are good communication skills, creativity, patience, and resourcefulness. You need to understand the material that you are teaching and be able to teach it in a way that every child will understand.

Steps and Challenges in Pursuing a Teaching Career

There are four main things you have to do to become a kindergarten teacher. First, to become a kindergarten teacher you need to go to college and receive at least a bachelor’s degree. Second, you have to have some type of student teaching experience before you can start teaching. Finally, you have to pass a teacher certification test. Some states require teachers to earn a master’s degree after receiving a teaching certification (Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers: Occupational Outlook Handbook). Once you have received your bachelor’s degree, you need to complete on-the-job training in order to prepare yourself to be a teacher. In the state of Texas, there are five basic requirements you have to have to become a kindergarten teacher (Life as a Kindergarten Teacher). First, you have to receive a bachelor’s degree at a university. Second, you must complete a state-approved preparation program through the state. Then, pass assessments for the grade level or subject of teaching. Finally, apply and clear a background check as well. Kindergarten teachers have a huge responsibility in ensuring that the child gets taught the best that they can in the classroom and that the child is safe during school hours.

Kindergarten teachers set the foundation in a child’s educational life. Some of the main responsibilities of teachers, are to plan lessons in an efficient way that the students will understand, evaluate their students in order to see what they need help with, grade assignments, communicate with and inform the child’s parents on how well they are doing in class, and prepare the students for the end of the year testing. According to the article “How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher: Career and Salary Information”, ‘they instruct students by using enthusiastic and hands-on teaching methods and tools, including games, music, art, books, and computers.’ Teachers usually work in a classroom setting with about fifteen to twenty students in each class. You will find that most teachers work a ten­-month school year and receive a two-month paid summer vacation as well as having every holiday off. School teachers are paid a salary rather than hourly. “The average annual wage for a kindergarten school teacher is $53,400. The lowest ten percent earn $32,450 and the top ten percent earn $78,320” (Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers). I wanted to get a source that I knew and interviewed a kindergarten teacher at my elementary school district. Her name is Elizabeth Sanchez and it’s her tenth year of teaching. She graduated from Indiana University. I asked her a few questions. After Elizabeth Sanchez graduated college, it took her only three days to find a job. Many people don’t find a job that fasts after graduating.

I wonder what teaching certifications were needed, but she stated that all of these certifications are important to her, but not necessarily required. She has certifications in math, science, special education, English as a second language, and generalist teaching certifications. She also said it just depends on what subject I want to teach in as well. I asked her how long it take during the week to work on school papers or grading papers and she said about five hours. She does get attached to her students but it is not a bad thing. She said having a positive attachment to the children improves their learning experience and improves parent/teacher communication. The dress code at a kindergarten is to work casually and you being comfortable. She said that lesson plans at first were frustrating and took a very long time. Now, she only takes three hours each six weeks and with the experience makes in fun. During the week, it takes about five to ten hours to grade papers during her personal time. Sanchez states, she strongly believes students learn best in a positive environment and when they have the opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. Children should be motivated to come to school and want to learn more. If the children want to come to school and feel empowered in their learning environment then you have a child who is motivated. We should try to encourage a positive culture and to keep the students engaged in their learning. She states that conflicts with parents are minimized when communication is frequent.

You must begin all conversations with a positive note and then address issues with the best interest of the child in mind conflicts are usually avoided and minimized. The best way to manage difficult students is to require a behavior plan that reinforces good behavior with a positive consequences. For example, one of my students in kindergarten is on a behavior plan. She fills out a paper asking her how she feels in the morning. Then, it has blanks for throughout the day on how she acts and how she feels during other classes. And at the end of the day she can get rewarded with an owl star if she was having a good day. Difficult students benefit from positive praise, clearly defined rules and expectations, and consequences as needed. Kindergarten school teachers have such a great impact on each and every student and they play a huge part in preparing them for their future careers and for life ahead. As I have said before kindergarten teachers are the foundation of every child’s successful educational life. I believe that being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the world today because it helps students become better people in whatever they choose to accomplish. According to Clabough, that you have to sacrifice things because you want your children not to feel different or get made fun of, so you just have to go above and beyond the call of duty from a teacher (35).

Reflections and Insights: My Growth as a Future Educator

Education is such an important part in everyone’s lives and without the help of teachers, most would not be where they are today in their careers and accomplishments. I believe that in order to be a great kindergarten school teacher to your students you have to have a desire and patience to teach these children. You have to want to be at the school teaching with a happy heart and a positive attitude. I know that being a teacher will be such a rewarding career to both me and the students because of the many lives that may be influenced by my teaching. My Growth As A Researcher As a researcher, I have learned that you have to have one big thing if you want to be a kindergarten. You have to have patience. Patience is key in the teaching world. You have to be patient with these kids because these kids are just coming out of preschool or daycare. They just learning general rules. You have to teach them not just educational things but social skills. I learned being a teacher for these students shapes their future. Kindergarten teachers shape these kids into lawyers, firefighters, or even teachers as well. Kindergarten teachers are the foundation of each and every student in life. I want to become a kindergarten teacher to make a difference in a child’s life. I love younger children, and I want to be able to make a difference in their lives and build relationships with them.

Introduction

While play naturally occurs during childhood, its presence in early childhood development research was relatively unheard of until the twentieth century (Farné 2005). Much of the research on play within developmental psychology has been inspired by the theoretical writings of Vygotsky (1978). During play, when it is spontaneous and child-initiated, he argued, children exercise control over their own activity, set themselves appropriate challenges, and create their own ‘zone of proximal development’ within which learning is most powerfully enhanced. Karpov (2005) supports this notion by stating that in play, children are required to regulate their own behavior, making it a significant factor in their development of self-regulation. For example, a number of studies reviewed have demonstrated children being able to perform tasks in play at significantly higher levels than in non-playful contexts. Researchers continue to look at the play and its effect on early childhood development, including the use of play as a pedagogical practice for academic learning (Roskos and Christie 2011).

While it is evident that the research supports the importance of play in kindergarten classrooms, differences in this perspective begin to emerge when we consider the role of play in children’s learning. For example, some advocate for the use of strictly child-directed free play, while others argue for the use of play as a tool in the overall development of kindergarten students (Bergen 2009; Ginsburg 2007). Some view play as beneficial in kindergarten as it pertains to the social and personal development of students (Eberle 2014), while others describe the role of play in the development of academic skills (Riley and Jones 2010).

While many researchers and policymakers alike agree that play is important to children’s development, these claims are not without controversy. For example, Lillard and colleagues challenge the role of pretend play in the development of both the social and emotional, and academic domains, stating: “that existing evidence does not support strong causal claims about the unique importance of pretend play for development” (2013, p. 1). Despite these challenges, research into the value of play has informed the development of curricular policies that mandate the use of play-based learning pedagogies while maintaining high academic standards.

Furthermore, Puteh and Ali (2013) reflect on how the lack of a common definition of play makes it challenging to provide specific recommendations for educators to advocate a play-based approach in kindergarten classrooms in the face of increasing demands on academic skills. In addition, different teachers perceive play differently in practice which further complicates the implementation of play-based learning in classrooms.

Research Problem

In the current educational climate, teachers are required to strike a balance between mandated academic learning and developmentally appropriate play-based pedagogical practices (Jenvey and Jenvey 2002; Martlew, Stephen, and Ellis 2011; Whitebread and O’Sullivan 2012). The benefits of play to children’s development and academic learning are often discussed in the research. However, inconsistencies in differing perspectives concerning the purpose of play in educational settings make it challenging for teachers to determine how to productively integrate play-based pedagogies into their classrooms. This then leads kindergarten teachers to face the challenge of balancing traditional developmental programming and contemporary academic standards.

At present, research and policy documents in Canada are lacking an explicit and consistent definition of play-based learning. Additionally, there is a lack of consistent research findings that describe how play can be used to develop academic skills (Lillard et al. 2013). Despite these inconsistencies in definitions and proposed enactments of play-based learning, in 2010 the Government in the province of British Columbia began the transition to full-day kindergarten, following the lead of other Canadian provinces. This current policy mandates this pedagogical approach, leaving teachers to determine how best to translate this mandate into practice.

Accompanying this shift into a full-day framework, the Ministry of Education in British Columbia released a new kindergarten curriculum document. This new document differs from the previous document in its emphasis on the use of play-based learning in the kindergarten classroom, while still maintaining the high academic expectations of its predecessors. The document identifies the use of play as a means for learning that taps into the “natural curiosity” and creative energy of the student and is accompanied by the belief that play and academic development are not mutually exclusive. The document goes on to explore the various forms play takes in the classroom (e.g. constructive play), the use of play through an inquiry lens, as well as the real-life contexts of play-based learning. However, a review of the document reveals that it does not provide teachers with an operationalized definition of play-based learning that explicitly describes how it can support both social and academic development through play.

This literature review will take a uniquely Canadian perspective that will address the lack of consensus in the definition of play-based learning, inconsistent teacher perspectives in play, and how these discrepancies in perspectives about play complicate the implementation of play-based learning in kindergarten classrooms in British Columbia, Canada.

Definition of Play

While most would agree that play is beneficial in early education, it is still difficult to conceptualize the concept of play. Many who attempt to define play suggest that it is not characterized by a single feature, but rather is multifaceted (Smith and Vollstedt 1985; Jenvey and Jenvey 2002).

From a psychological perspective, Eberle (2014) has identified six basic elements of play, defining play as a voluntary process prompted by emotional experiences and pleasure. This understanding of play as a function of the disposition of the individual is one that is widely agreed upon (Pui-Wah and Stimpson 2004; Jenvey and Jenvey 2002). Others have considered the benefits of play from the neurological perspective, noting play’s sensory and neurotransmitter stimulation advantages, its connection to brain size and activity, and general cognitive development (Rushton, Juola-Rushton, and Larkin 2010; Pellis, Pellis, and Himmler 2014).

The relationship between play and cognitive development is also described differently in the two theories of cognitive development which dominate early childhood education-Piagets and Vygotsky’s. Piaget (1962) defined play as assimilation, or the child’s efforts to make environmental stimuli match his or her own concepts. The Piagetian theory holds that play, in and of itself, does not necessarily result in the formation of new cognitive structures. Piaget claimed that play was just for pleasure, and while it allowed children to practice things they had previously learned, it did not necessarily result in the learning of new things. In other words, the play reflects what the child has already learned but does necessarily teach the child anything new. In this view, play is seen as a ‘process reflective of emerging symbolic development, but contributing little to it’ (Johnsen & Christie, 1986, p. 51).

In contrast, Vygotskian theory states that play actually facilitates cognitive development. Children not only practice what they already know-they also learn new things. In discussing Vygotsky’s theory, Vandenberg (1986) remarks that ‘play not so much reflects thought (as Piaget suggests) as it creates thought’ (p. 21). However, when observing children playing in different scenarios, one can identify both theories of play in action. For example, a child could be re-enacting a situation in the dramatic center that is based upon prior knowledge and would thus support Piaget’s theory of play. Another child could construct new knowledge through her play by figuring out how two pieces of a puzzle fit together and thus supporting Vygotsky’s theory. Whether children are practicing what they have learned in other settings or are constructing new knowledge, it is clear that play has a valuable role in the kindergarten classroom. However, as researchers attempt to create concrete definitions of play through differing theoretical lenses, those in education are left with contradictory definitions that can result in challenges to their understanding of the role of play in students’ development, and therefore, the implementation of play-based programs.

The Teacher’s Role in Play

An often-disputed topic in the discussion of play-based learning is the role of the teacher during play, specifically within the context of classroom play-based learning. Many have found that the most effective play-based learning occurs when the teacher, or adult, is there to facilitate and scaffold learning (Martlew, Stephen, and Ellis 2011). Supporting this education-oriented perspective, Bennett, Wood, and Rogers (1997) found that students made greater academic progress when teachers were involved in the play. Bodrova (2008) also found that higher quality learning occurs as a result of teacher scaffolding during play. Conversely, some researchers argue against teacher involvement, asserting that the underlying beliefs and learning goals of teachers could unintentionally direct children’s play away from a context that is genuinely child-centered (Goouch 2008).

How and where play-based learning is implemented in classrooms is to some extent dependent upon how teachers identify their role within that play (Howard 2010). Understanding this, researchers have explored teachers’ uses of play, the role they assume within the play, and their understanding of how their involvement affects students’ learning (Sherwood, and Reifel 2013; Pyle, and Bigelow 2015). While many kindergarten teachers support the use of play-based learning, how this play is implemented lacks consistency and clarity. For example, Pui-Wah and Stimpson (2004), in their exploration of teachers’ knowledge of play-based learning, found that while teachers stated that they incorporated play in their classrooms, their practices did not match true play practices. Instead, play in their classrooms was fixed to specific circumstances and objects and was used separately from actual learning.

This disconnect between what teachers believe they are doing and what they are actually doing goes back in part to the problem described above, the disagreement concerning an appropriate definition of play. In their investigation of teachers’ understanding of play-based pedagogy, Martlew, Stephen, and Ellis (2011) arrived at the same conclusions, a lack of cohesion in teachers’ interpretations of play-based learning translated into teachers’ misunderstandings of their role during play. A theorized explanation for this lack of cohesion is that those who use play-based approaches, for both research and educational purposes, often approach the topic from differing investigative perspectives, such as cognitive, emotional, or pedagogic, that affects the importance that is placed on specific aspects of that play (Howard 2010).

Additionally, while research has demonstrated support for both the development of academic skills and social and emotional development through play, these bodies of literature describe differing roles for teachers. For instance, research demonstrating the connection between play and the acquisition of academic skills emphasizes the role of the teacher in this type of play. Researchers have demonstrated that play can contribute to the learning of academic skills when teacher support is provided either through the construction of the environment or through direct guidance during play (Skolnick Weisberg, Zosh, Hirsh-Pasek, and Michnick Golinkoff 2013). For example, when teachers actively participate in children’s play by assuming an important role (e.g., student as a doctor, teacher as the patient), the teacher can elaborate and extend shared activities by directing students’ attention to particular objects and contribute to the conversation leading to an improvement in vocabulary learning (Van Oers and Duijkers 2013). Further research demonstrates that when teachers play with students, guiding their attention to environmental print, student reading of this environmental print increases (Vukelich 1994). Contrary to the research describing the learning of academic skills in play-based contexts says about the role of teachers in supporting and guiding academic learning during play (e.g., Skolnick Weisburg et al. 2013), research concerning the development of social and emotional skills often emphasizes the importance of providing children with the opportunity to direct their own play, minimizing the role of the teacher (Elias and Berk 2002; Howard 2010; Stipek et al. 1995). The role of the teacher in this type of children’s play is often viewed as more of a facilitator. For example, Goouch (2008) emphasizes the importance of teachers allowing children to determine the objectives of play and resisting the urge to hijack children’s intentions by imposing mandated curricular standards during periods of play. Some researchers state that teachers should closely observe children during play periods not only for assessment purposes but also to facilitate appropriate social interactions and motor behaviors. It is important that children be the decision-makers during play, choosing what and where to play, choosing roles for each player, and choosing how the play will proceed. Occasionally, however, some children will need adult assistance in joining a playgroup, modifying behavior, or negotiating a disagreement. Careful observation will help the teacher to decide when to offer assistance and what form that assistance should take.

The differing teacher roles in play-based contexts compound the challenges teachers face as they integrate play into classroom environments. For teachers must not only determine the type of play to foster in the classroom and the environmental contexts that can support productive play, but they must also determine the extent to which they will involve themselves in these playful contexts.

Project STAR covers kindergarten to third-grade pupils in 80 Tennessee schools launched in the 1985/86 school year. Boyd-Zaharias (1999) emphasizes that all schools in Tennessee, which were able to provide a minimum of one of each of the three different treatment classes, more specifically small (13-17 pupils), regular (22-25 pupils) and regular with a teaching aide (22-25 pupils), were asked to take part in the project to guarantee an unmatched sample. As well as to ensure that students from different backgrounds are included through different types of schools, e.g. rural and inner-city institutions. Participating schools randomly allocated their students and teachers to one of the class types. To compare and analyze the outcome of each Project STAR participant, standardized tests were used, and which results are presented in percentile ranks.

This paper utilizes parts of the data set used by Krueger (1999), more precisely an identifier, a student and teacher background dataset, which were merged into one big dataset. As the project ran over four years and observed the same participating students over this period, the data is presented in a panel format. However, due to the dropouts of pupils and entries of new students during the observation period, it is an unbalanced panel. Fluctuations in the student body of the participating schools create certain limitations and challenges regarding the process of random distribution which led to a large number of missing values as some students were randomized in kindergarten, while others in first grade. Nevertheless, a drop of the missing values would limit the overall effect, so they are included in the following estimations. Krueger (1999) underscores that it should be remembered that kindergarten attendance was optional in Tennessee, which results in a rising number of new STAR participants in first grade. In total, the dataset contains 11,598 observations, i.e. pupils and originally 34 variables. Table 1 shows the means of pupils’ characteristics by treatment status, i.e. assignment to a small, regular or regular aide class in kindergarten and first grade for a student’s first year of participation in the project. An observation of only new STAR participants accounts for the disproportional addition of new students into the experiment over time and thus, will be used in some of the following estimations to control for randomness following Krueger (1999). The means are consistent with Krueger’s (1999) results. In the case of free lunch, the White/Asian, attrition rate and actual class size are almost identical. Here, receiving free lunch is a dummy indicator for the socio-economic status of the pupil’s family, thus their parent’s income, while White/Asian refers to the racial mix in the classes. Angrist and Pischke (2009) point out that the attrition rate relates to the share of pupils leaving the project at one point before finishing third grade. It should generally be noted that kindergarten outcomes are more credible than first-grade outcomes as they do not include the attrition rate problem and are mainly unaffected by the randomization problem. The characteristics of a pupil’s age in 1985 and their average test score in the underlying grade show some differences in comparison to Krueger (1999). This can be explained by the incomplete data used in this paper and the different composition of variables. While Krueger (1999) calculates the age of the students by using values quarterly, this paper calculates them on a yearly basis. Further, the average achieved test scores show slight discrepancies because Krueger (1999) uses the average of three subjects of the “Stanford Achievement Test “(SAT), namely maths, reading and word recognition, while this paper takes the average of the maths and reading SAT only.

Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of the pupils’ average percentile scores for kindergarten and first grade in a kernel density graph for the treatment statuses small and regular without a teaching aide. It is striking that students in smaller-sized classes achieve on average higher test scores in both grades. Beyond that, a comparison of the two grades shows that pupils who joined project STAR in kindergarten generally perform better than the ones joining in the following grade. As a reason for this, Krueger (1999) proposes that there is a high chance of better-performing pupils going to kindergarten in contrast to weaker students traced back to the non-compulsory kindergarten attendance in Texas at the time, similar to weaker-performing students unproportionally added to the sample at a later point.

Figure 1: Density Graph – Distribution of the average math and reading percentile test score

In addition, Table 1 provides the first insights into the successfulness of the desired randomized class assignment and distinctions in class sizes. A full understanding of the presence of an effective randomization process with balanced treatment groups is, according to Angrist and Pischke (2009), usually done by comparing pre-treatment results with treatment results. As project STAR does not include such pre-treatment outcomes, Krueger (1999) examines the question by comparing variables of the three class size groups in means and p-values of F-Tests of equality. Firstly, small classes had an average of 15.4 students in kindergarten and 15.88 students in first grade compared to over 22 in regular-sized classes. This shows that Project STAR was able to create the wanted differences in treatment status. Secondly, the similar values of the means across treatment status in both grades, e.g. White/Asian with a mean of 0.68 in small and regular and a mean of 0.66 in regular aide classes in kindergarten suggest that the random allocation of students turned out to be successful. The joint p-values in the last column of Table 1 support this statement partly as they indicate that there are no significant differences in means of the pupils’ background characteristics in kindergarten, for example, a joint p-value of 0.45 for age. Even though the means of the student background in the first-grade show only slight variances, some of them are statistically significant, e.g. the racial mix dummy variable White/Asian with a joint p-value of 0.00. This might be the result of a random assignment within schools only and not over the whole sample. To investigate random assignment within schools, Table 2 shows differences among treatment groups through the p-values of students’ background and school variables conditional on the school of attendance. The p-values of the students’ background variables with values between 0.28 and 0.45 in kindergarten, respectively 0.12-0.33 in first grade allow rejection of a statistically significant link between those values and the assigned class size at the 10 percent level. This leads to the conclusion that the method of randomly assigning students within schools led on average to balanced treatment groups. THE MODEL AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION

The subsequent model (1) following Krueger (1999) and Schanzenbach (2007) shows the superiority of randomized experiments on the effect of class size on student performance:

Y_ij=〖aS〗_(ij )+ 〖bF〗_ij+ ε_ij (1)

where Y_ij represents the average score of student i in school j, while S_(ij )and F_ijabsorb school, respectively family background effects and ε_ij is a well-behaved error term. Schanzenbach (2007) explains that S_(ij )and F_ij cover information about a student’s life that might be hidden to the researcher, but which possibly have an influence on the variables in the model. Thereby, Schanzenbach (2007) demonstrates that a randomized trial prevents a relation between treatment status and omitted characteristics. Krueger (1999) concludes that this allows an unbiased estimation. To estimate the empirical effect of class size assignment on student performances in the underlying year the subsequent model (2) following Krueger (1999) was used:

Y_ics=β_0+β_1 〖Small〗_cs+β_2 〖REGAIDE〗_cs+β_3 X_ics+a_s+ε_ics (2)

where Y_ics denotes the average test score of pupil i in class c at school s. 〖Small〗_cs and 〖REGAIDE〗_cs are dummy variables reporting small and regular aide class assignments, while X_ics is a vector including student characteristics. a_s captures school effects to control for treatment effects within schools, along with the error term ε_ics which is again assumed to be independent and identically distributed. Firstly, a simple “least-squares”-estimation (OLS) was conducted based on treatment status only, followed by regressions including school-fixed effects and students’ characteristics.

Estimation and analysis

Table 3 displays the regression results. In all estimations across grades and methods, a small class assignment has a greater effect on average test score performance than a regular aide class assignment and reveals statistical significance. Column 1 displays the simple OLS regression without controlling for school effects. The estimation output shows that assignment to a small-sized class improves average test scores ceteris paribus by almost 5 percentage points compared to students in regular-sized classes with an extra teaching aide in kindergarten, respectively 8.5 percentile points in first grade. Additionally, it is noteworthy that assignment to a regular-sized class with an aide shows a negative coefficient in the regression for kindergarten but is statistically insignificant with a p-value of 0.84. An integration of school fixed effects (column 2), only changes the coefficient of the treatment groups to a small extent, more precisely decreases the effect. Krueger (1999) suggests that this is a good indicator for random assignment. Angrist and Pischke (2009) add that this being the case, it is possible to say that the problem of selection on observables dissolves, as the treatment groups and the dependent variable are independent but highlight the presence of causal inference since observed and unobserved factors are well-balanced. The model’s explanatory capacity increases even further through the integration of the background variables. Column 3 shows the estimation results for the regression including student background characteristics and school-fixed effects. Again, the effect of a small class is greater than the regular size treatment with an improvement of percentile test scores of 4.84 percentage points in kindergarten and 6.81 percentage points in first grade. The assignment to a regular aide class is in both grades statistically insignificant. In the two observation periods, the additional covariates decrease the coefficients of the treatment group small but increase the coefficient of regular with an aide. Receiving free lunch lowers average test scores in the observed grades c.p. by more than 10 percentile points compared to those not applicable for full or partly free lunch. Furthermore, free lunch may not only indicate the income of a student’s parents but reflect how much parents foster their child’s educational success. The predicted average score in first grade for White and Asian pupils is c.p. 7 percentile points higher than for Black and Hispanic students, while it is 6.1 percentile points higher in kindergarten. The gender dummy points out that girls perform c.p. 5.63 percentage points higher than boys in kindergarten, whereas the gap between girls and boys in first grade is c.p. 4.45 percentage points. All in all, the regressions demonstrate a greater influence of small class assignments on the average test performance of students than of regular aide assignments, which is consistent with Krueger’s (1999) results. Moreover, the effect of assignment to a regular-sized class with a teaching aide seems to be statistically insignificant. In the regressions above the usage of the OLS and Fixed Effects Model was justified with the random assignment within schools. However, there might be a correlation within the different classes due to a common environment of the students, more precisely getting taught by the same teacher or rather mutual background characteristics like age and being former classmates. Teaching methods and teaching experience of the teacher, for example, have an influence on the learning of students and thus their educational success. This would no longer allow the assumption of a well-behaved error term within the classes, but just across clusters, i.e. schools. Angrist and Pischke (2009) propose to cluster the standard errors to account for the absence of an independently and identically distributed error term. This is of great importance as standard errors specify the precision of estimation. Table 4 shows the same estimations as Table 3 with average test score as the dependent variable and class size as explanatory variables, but with clustered standard errors on class ID for both grades. As expected, the clustered standard errors for small and regular with aide dummies are in both grades higher in comparison to Table 3, for instance, the standard error of a small class for kindergarten without clusters is 0.319 while it is 2.257 taking the correlation within classes into account. Since clustering tolerates correlation within classes, the confidence intervals widen up and thus result in a higher standard error. An additional complication to the above-presented estimations constitutes in the change of treatment group after kindergarten and non-random movements within the observation period. Under these circumstances, it is of interest to see if the initial assignment to a small class, is a good forecast for an actual assignment to a small class in first grade. The estimation output in Table 5 shows that if a pupil was assigned to a small class in kindergarten, he or she was reassigned to a small class in first grade on average by 0.84 percentage points. A high R-squared of 0.68 and a low standard error of 0.009 indicate a high explanatory power of the initial assignment for future assignments. That is to say, that assignment to a small class in kindergarten is a good indicator for future small class size treatment. This outcome allows us to carry out of a “Two-Stages-Least-Squares”-estimation, not only including instrumental variables but also clustered standard errors. Thereby, the initial small class assignment in kindergarten is used as an instrument to explain small class treatment in first grade because it cannot be ruled out that there is no correlation between the error term and the latter, as well as to account for the non-random movements. Krueger (1999) and Schanzenbach (2007) refer this to an “Intent-to-treat setup”. Table 6 presents the output of the estimation on average percentile test scores in first grade for students only who joined Project STAR in kindergarten. Column (1) illustrates the Instrumental Variables-2SLS regression with an only a small class assignment as an additional explanatory variable, while column (2) adds student characteristics. Consistent with the foregone results, students assigned to small classes in first grade perform c.p. over 6 percentile points higher than the ones not receiving a small class treatment. Furthermore, the student background variables are corresponding to the ones presented in Table 3. Additionally, in line with Table 4, the standard errors are higher than in Table 3. Therefore, it is possible to say that non-random transitions did not limit the project outcome.

Eric can tell stories and jokes and describe incidents from his own experiences using a clear voice. He is able to retell stories, ordering events using story language. Eric has made excellent progress using his phonetic understanding to read and spell unknown or difficult words. He can write simple stories independently demonstrating good knowledge of blends and diagraphs. He has made excellent progress learning how to identify the main events and characters in stories and then use this information when retelling books he has read during morning English lessons. His handwriting continues to show improvement where most of Eric’s letters are correctly formed and orientated with finger spaces between words. Eric is developing his ability to take turns to speak, listen to others’ suggestions and talk about his own opinions in group discussions. He speaks confidently during ‘Show and Tell’ sessions answering questions and describing objects. Eric is also able to make authentic connections to his prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating. He shares and discusses ideas to make his thinking visible to his classmates and teachers. Eric enjoys all areas of Mathematics; he is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

George has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year. George can recognize and name all letters of the alphabet and he can demonstrate all associated sounds and actions. He is able to use his knowledge of letters and sound-symbol relationships in order to read words and to establish meaning when reading aloud to adults. George is developing confidence when speaking to teachers and his peers. He is beginning to be able to sit and listen attentively to his peers during class discussions and when prompted, he will answer questions. George will participate in Shared Writing activities by offering a letter sound or coming up to the whiteboard to write a word for the class. He has memorized a number of high-frequency words and can now write many of them without needing to look at a model in order to complete simple sentences e.g. “I love my book”. As George explores, he is beginning to talk about the results of his explorations. When encouraged or prompted by a teacher, he is beginning to ask meaningful questions in relation to the activity. When faced with a task that is challenging for him he is now persisting for longer periods of time, rather than giving up in the early stages of the activity. I am happy to see him using strategies such as breaking big tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces, working with friends to accomplish goals, and trying again when a plan that he has does not work out the first time. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

It has been a pleasure to be William’s kindergarten teacher this year. I have been extremely impressed with Williams’s progress to date in this curriculum area; he demonstrates a very positive attitude when approaching all Literacy activities! William can recognize and name all letters of the alphabet and can demonstrate the sound and actions for all of these letters. He can speak clearly and use good words to explain and develop his ideas during group discussions. William’s handwriting is showing much improvement, he is consistently using lowercase letters and working on keeping all of his letters the same size. He is beginning to try to spell words using his phonological understanding. He is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing him to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. He is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh, and -th and uses this knowledge to improve his reading and writing. When reading, William is beginning to recognize familiar words in the text, including sight words, and patterned word groups. William has moved from simply being able to read individual words to comprehending more complex texts. I have enjoyed watching William grow and learn in K2.

Valery has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. Valery knows when it is important to ignore distractions and focus on the class activity; while listening to a story that is being read aloud to the class, when doing a group activity on the carpet, when engaging in Shared Reading, etc…She is a self-motivated learner who approaches learning tasks independently and with confidence. Valery has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to read independently. She has made a staggering amount of progress in reading and writing this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Valery is beginning to use reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of unfamiliar texts. At the beginning of the year, she would mostly guess words based on the picture that she observed. Now, she looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word, and uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Boa has learned so much this year in kindergarten. Boa was more of an observer during discussions about books earlier this year. Now she is participating more by saying what she thinks a book is about, talking about her favorite part, or making a prediction part way through a text. She is beginning to try to spell words using her phonological understanding. She is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing her to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. She is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh and -th and uses this knowledge to improve her reading and writing. When reading, Boa is beginning to recognize familiar words in the text, including sight words, and patterned word groups. She can use sentence starters ( I see, I can, I love )and use them to write simple sentences (I see a dog, I see a cat, etc). She was very interested in our plant unit and liked growing her plant from a seed. Boa’s increased confidence has allowed her to become more independent. Boa now completes assignments in the time allotted. Boa has progressed from simply copying words and names from around the room to writing simple sentences “I see my mom” to using a combination of sentence starters and her knowledge of letter sounds to sound out the last word of a sentence “I see a ct” for “I see a cat”. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Romney has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of kindergarten. He has made great progress in reading and speaking this term. Romney is an advanced reader who enjoys reading for fun. He has progressed at a rate above age-related expectations. He is able to hear the initial and final sounds in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words allowing him to try to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words. He is very good in recognizing the digraphs -ch, -sh and -th and uses this knowledge to improve his reading and writing. However, encouraging Romney to try his best and to create quality work will help As Romney does not often choose to write on his own, and therefore needs to develop more interest in writing. Romney recognizes that people can have differing points of view. When playing in a group, he allows others to input their ideas and listens to their opinions.

He demonstrates an awareness of numbers, using concrete materials to explore and investigate counting, quantity, and number relationships. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Alison has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she has strong work ethic skills. Her determination to do well has supported her academic growth. She makes good choices, is accountable, and is well-liked by her peers. Alison’s self-efficacy skills and determination has allowed her to be very successful in K2. She is inquisitive and asks higher-level questions. She enjoys applying literacy to real-world experiences and initiating classroom discussions. Alison loves to talk about her interests and often enters the class with a story to tell about what she has done on the weekend, or what her plans are for that evening. She is an excellent reader and writer and has met the benchmark expectations for reading and writing. She contributes great ideas during whole group instruction and when working cooperatively with her peers. She speaks confidently during ‘Show and Tell’ sessions answering questions and describing objects. She is also able to make authentic connections to her prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating. Alison enjoys all areas of Mathematics; she is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Coco is a very sweet girl. Coco has formed bonds and friendships with children in the class despite her shyness Coco enjoys experimenting with instruments to make music in new and interesting ways. For example, she drummed on different areas of our drum to see the different sounds that it makes. Coco lacks confidence in herself when writing. Although she has a good grasp of the majority of letter sounds, she is not yet using this knowledge to help her independently sound out the individual sounds in words. Building the confidence to sound out simple words independently is a goal for Coco. Coco enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher. I enjoyed watching her grow!

Royce has had a terrific school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. Royce has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to read independently. She has made a staggering amount of progress in reading and writing this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Royce uses reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of unfamiliar texts. At the beginning of the year, she would mostly guess words based on the picture that she observed. Now, she looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word, and uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. Royce loves to write. She will independently write outside of class time at the English center. There, she will write full sentences using words she has just learned. Royce works out her ideas and theories and uses what she already knows to deepen her understanding and further her learning. She makes authentic connections to her prior knowledge when engaging, exploring, investigating and communicating, and as Royce explores, she observes the results of her explorations and asks meaningful and thought-provoking questions. Royce enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher. I enjoyed watching Royce grow!

Adon has had a terrific year of kindergarten. He has progressed and grown since the beginning of the school year. He especially made great progress in reading and writing this term. He has progressed at a rate above age-related expectations. He is beginning to develop greater independence as a learner and thinker within the classroom. Don can make predictions and observations before and during investigations. For example, During our observations of living and non-living things, Adon said, “I think that plants are like animals because they both need water. If we don’t water our plants, they will die.” Adon is innately curious, and can often be observed and heard exploring, building, creating and asking questions naturally within the classroom. As Adon explores, he observes the results of his explorations and asks meaningful and thought-provoking questions. Adon uses a variety of reading strategies to help him understand the meaning of different texts. He looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help him “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses his knowledge of high-frequency words). Adon enjoys all areas of Mathematics; he is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him grow!

Eleven has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas this term. It has been a pleasure to watch him learn so many new concepts and the enjoyment shown in his face when he masters a new skill. He has shown much progress socially within the class, he now raises his hand when he wants to speak and listens attentively to others during discussions. Eleven has a lovely nature and a good sense of humor which I enjoy. Eleven is a naturally curious student who expresses a desire to make sense of his

environment by asking questions and initiating discussions. He offers suggestions to his peers during investigations, and confidently poses problems of his own. He highly enjoys open-ended investigations into a question or problem posed by the teacher. He participates actively in finding problems and then discovering how to solve them. Eleven uses a variety of reading strategies to help him understand the meaning of different texts. He looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help him “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses his knowledge of high-frequency words. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Harry is a lovely boy. He has grown immensely since the start of the year. He has begun to choose better ways to respond to and reflect on situations in which he becomes upset. He is beginning to talk about what went wrong and why, and how they can fix it next time. He now sees the connection between what he does and what happens as a consequence. Harry is demonstrating an increased interest in writing by writing random strings of letters and telling the teacher what he “wrote”. This has been an important step in his writing skills. When reading, Harry can use left-to-right directionality and point to the words as he reads them. Harry enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from his plant journal with his friends. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and watch him grow.

Wilson has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of the year. Wilson is reminded to take his time with writing to ensure that it is legible and that others can read it. Wilson has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because he values learning. Wilson is beginning to use letter-sound relationships to read and write. He is beginning to implement decoding strategies and should continue to read throughout the summer. Wilson is proud of his recent accomplishment of understanding subtraction. He understands addition and subtraction concepts and he should continue to add and subtract this summer as well as practice identifying coins. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. His eagerness and determination to learn new things should be fostered. Wilson was a pleasure to have in kindergarten!

Bella has had a fabulous kindergarten school year. She is an advanced reader and writer. She contributes great ideas during whole group instruction and when working cooperatively with her peers. Bella makes good choices, is accountable, and is well-liked by his peers. I am impressed with her eagerness to learn. Bella’s self-efficacy skills and determination has allowed her to be successful in K2. She looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that he hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. Bella enjoys all areas of Mathematics; she is able to continue simple number sequences and identify all regular 2D shapes and some 3D shapes. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using her fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. Bella enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in K2.

Iwa’s confidence has blossomed this term. She has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas, but most notably in Literacy and speaking. Iwa has learned and retained sounds, blends, and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to begin reading independently. Iwa has made a staggering amount of progress in Literacy this term, demonstrating great potential to achieve within these areas in the future. Iwa is showing more interest in reading this term. She is listening more intently to read-aloud, is beginning to show preferences when choosing books from the library and is demonstrating more stamina when looking at pictures during Rest & Read time. As Iwa explores, she is beginning to talk about the results of her explorations. When encouraged or prompted by a teacher, she asks meaningful questions in relation to the activity. She enjoyed learning about plants and sharing observations from her plant journal with her friends. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her grow!

Wei Wei has had a terrific school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year. She is proud of her recent accomplishments. Wei Wei will now ask the teacher to read a book that she has brought from home or that she has borrowed from the library, demonstrating personal preferences in reading materials. However, Wei Wei is reluctant to participate in discussions about stories read aloud. When called upon, she will sometimes contribute a one-word answer. At home, encourage Wei Wei to talk about books that you have read. Ask her what she thinks the book is about by looking at the cover, ask what her favorite part was, who was the funniest character, what she thinks will happen next, etc. Engaging in and talking about books at home in a more comfortable setting will help Wei Wei to have more confidence to talk about these things during class time. During the ‘Plant unit’ documenting and recording observations of her plant was highly motivating for Wei Wei. She enjoyed drawing her observations throughout the plant unit and sharing it with her peers. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Alice was a pleasure to teach. She is an exceptional reader and writer. She reads for enjoyment independently and reads for fun to her peers. Her great ideas are expressed in her writing and she has enjoyed using her creativity to write alternate endings to stories. She has progressed from simply copying words and names from around the room to writing simple sentences “I see my cat” to using a combination of sentence starters and her knowledge of letter sounds to sound out to write more complex sentences. I am impressed with Alice’s eagerness to learn. Alice’s confidence has blossomed this term. She has made excellent progress across all curriculum areas, but most notably in Literacy and speaking. She has learned and retained sounds, blends and digraphs at an impressive rate which has allowed her to begin reading independently. She loved learning about the life cycle of a plant and was excited to share her knowledge and experiences. It was a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching Alice grow!

Emma is a delightful girl who is polite and well-mannered at all times. She is a delight to teach as she approaches all activities with a positive attitude and ‘a thirst’ to learn new things. Emma is making progress at levels above age-related expectations in all subject areas. She has shown progress both academically and in terms of confidence, this term; Emma will now attempt all activities, even if they look a little tricky at the beginning! Emma is an excellent role model to her peers and always demonstrates our daily ‘Key Behaviors’ in the classroom and when meeting adults. She is always well-prepared for school and always joins in classroom discussions and speaks with increasing confidence. Looking ahead, Emma should continue to develop her vocabulary through the reading of both fiction and non-fiction books as this will stand her in good stead to develop her writing skills further. She is an excellent reader and writer. She is highly motivated to express her ideas in variety of ways. She has met rigorous academic expectations and always strives to do her best! She makes good choices and is well-liked by her peers. I am impressed with her eagerness to learn and her dedication! She enjoyed drawing her observations throughout the plant unit and sharing it with her peers. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Angelia is a delightful kindergartener. She is an excellent reader and writer and has met benchmarks for reading and writing. Her curiosity and eagerness to learn does not go unnoticed. She is inquisitive and asks higher-level questions. She enjoys applying literacy to real-world experiences and initiating classroom discussions. Angelia loves to talk about her interests and often enters the class with a story to tell about what she has done on the weekend, or what her plans are for that evening. She loved learning about the life cycle of a plant and was excited to share her knowledge and experiences. Angelia understands that the inquiry process helps us to discover new information and to confirm or question our theories about the world. She is always questioning how things work or why things are the way they are and is genuinely interested in the answer and how she can apply what she has learned in her everyday life. Angelia enjoys selecting and using materials to carry out her own explorations. For example, she drew a picture of her plant to show how much it had grown, she uses classroom materials such as tape and string in inventive ways in order to make creations that she would like to make. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in kindergarten.

Ron has had a terrific school year. He has progressed and grown immensely since the start of kindergarten. Ron excitedly communicates the results and findings from investigations; he will often make discoveries outdoors, and ask to bring these discoveries inside to share or ask questions about rocks, sticks, insects, and interesting leaves. Ron can now locate sentence starters “I see”, “I like”, “I have” etc and will use it to compose simple sentences e.g. “I see my mom and”, “ I like my toy”… Ron knows to look at pictures before beginning a book and uses his prior knowledge and prediction skills to help him understand the story and determine what will happen. Ron can recognize and name the leaf, flower, stem and root of flowering plants on a diagram. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be his kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching him excel in K2.

Tammy has had a great school year. She has progressed and grown immensely since the beginning of the school year because she values learning. She is respectful towards all adults she works with within the school and is always polite and well-mannered. It has been a joy to work with Tammy this year and support the great progress she has made thus far. She has astounded me with her positive approach toward all curriculum areas and her thirst for new learning is astonishing! Tammy enjoys open-ended investigations and initiates classroom discussions. She is starting to find problems and then discover how to solve them. Tammy uses a variety of reading strategies to help her understand the meaning of different texts. She looks at the picture for clues, stretches out the words and uses the individual sounds that she hears to figure out the word, and finds small, recognizable parts to help her “chunk” the word – e.g. finding “-ing” in “walking”, uses her knowledge of high-frequency words. She can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. She is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line, or other counting tools. It has been a pleasure to be her kindergarten teacher and I enjoyed watching her excel in K2.

Kai is a lovely boy and I have really enjoyed working alongside him and getting to know him this year. Kai loves to share ideas and jokes with close friends during learning centers, outdoor activities, and imaginative play. It is in these more informal settings that he is the most vocal with others. Kai is beginning to enjoy sharing what he has made with the class. At the beginning of the year, he was more of an observer during Sharing Time; now, he confidently shares his creations and answers questions about what he has made. Kai is reluctant to write independently for fear of making a mistake. He prefers to have a word written so that he can copy it, or will ask the teacher to sound out each individual sound for him to write down. When encouraged to attempt to write a word on his own, Kai will ask a teacher or friends for guidance. Kai can recognize and name the leaf, flower, stem, and root of flowering plants on a diagram. He can also discuss the importance of each of the parts of a flower to ensure that the plant remains healthy. He is able to perform simple additions and subtractions using his fingers, cubes, a number line or other counting tools. I enjoyed watching Kai grow!

Introduction to My Teaching Aspiration

Graduation is just around the corner and I need to figure out what I am going to do for the rest of life. In my senior year, I took the Ready, Set, Teach class. That class helps assist students and teachers and gives you a feel of what it is like in a classroom setting as a teacher. I got assigned to a kindergarten class. And I can say I love kinder. Those kids are always ready to learn and achieve more. I want to become a kindergarten teacher. I want to pursue in that career because I want to make a difference in their lives at a young age. I want them to enjoy coming to school and want them to be excited when they are going to school. Kinder is a difficult stage to teach. Some teachers said the behavior is the biggest thing in kinder because they are still learning their personalities. One of the teachers I work with says you have to be very patient with the kids. The kids are still babies during the first semester they are barely five years old or they are turning six. They just need lots of patience during the year, but you still have to be stern with them because they will be 1st graders the following year.

The Path to Becoming a Kindergarten Teacher

Teaching tasks a lot of time out of your personal life. You have to create lesson plans and think of different activities. When I graduated high school, I want to get to know what degree plan I am gonna need to become a teacher. When graduated from college, how long does it take to get a job after graduation? And what additional certifications do you need to get when you get hired at school? How much time does it take to grade papers and create lesson plans during your personal life? And how long does it take to make lesson plans? What type of dress codes do you have as a teacher? How do you get your students motivated each day? How do you resolve conflicts with parents who are always at school with their kids? How do you manage difficult students?

Educational Journey and Requirements

The main questions I want to get answers are what skills, education, and experience are required? How much do you need to know about your students in order to be most helpful to them? What are the best teaching methods for younger students? The Search Results Before my senior year of high school, I did not know what I wanted to get a degree for. My mom really wanted me to go into the medical field but I did not want to. Luckily, there was a program at school called Ready, Set, Teach. It is a class where you help the students and teacher and get a feel for what it’s like to be in a classroom setting. At first, I was nervous to be in the classroom but then I fell in love with it.

The Role and Impact of a Kindergarten Teacher

The definition of a school teacher is someone who teaches new things to students in a school environment. Kindergarten teachers usually work with four to six-year-olds. As stated in “How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher: Career and Salary Information”, kindergarten teachers help students’ academic, physical and social development. Most kindergarten teachers use hands-on lessons for students to grasp information.

The teachers use games to build these individual things. As stated in the article, “Social-emotional learning in preschool essential for student success”, “kindergarten teachers continue to believe in the importance of social-emotional skills for the younger students. (7)” There is a common rule they learn in preschool and kindergarten teachers start enforcing them more to maintain the classroom. Kindergarten teachers have the most important role in a student’s educational life. They are the foundation of their successful educational life. There are many steps to reach my goal to become a kindergarten teacher. All states have different requirements. I came upon many helpful sources and guidelines for becoming a teacher. According to “Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers: Occupational Outlook”, some of the skills that you need to be a teacher are good communication skills, creativity, patience, and resourcefulness. You need to understand the material that you are teaching and be able to teach it in a way that every child will understand.

Steps and Challenges in Pursuing a Teaching Career

There are four main things you have to do to become a kindergarten teacher. First, to become a kindergarten teacher you need to go to college and receive at least a bachelor’s degree. Second, you have to have some type of student teaching experience before you can start teaching. Finally, you have to pass a teacher certification test. Some states require teachers to earn a master’s degree after receiving a teaching certification (Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers: Occupational Outlook Handbook). Once you have received your bachelor’s degree, you need to complete on-the-job training in order to prepare yourself to be a teacher. In the state of Texas, there are five basic requirements you have to have to become a kindergarten teacher (Life as a Kindergarten Teacher). First, you have to receive a bachelor’s degree at a university. Second, you must complete a state-approved preparation program through the state. Then, pass assessments for the grade level or subject of teaching. Finally, apply and clear a background check as well. Kindergarten teachers have a huge responsibility in ensuring that the child gets taught the best that they can in the classroom and that the child is safe during school hours.

Kindergarten teachers set the foundation in a child’s educational life. Some of the main responsibilities of teachers, are to plan lessons in an efficient way that the students will understand, evaluate their students in order to see what they need help with, grade assignments, communicate with and inform the child’s parents on how well they are doing in class, and prepare the students for the end of the year testing. According to the article “How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher: Career and Salary Information”, ‘they instruct students by using enthusiastic and hands-on teaching methods and tools, including games, music, art, books, and computers.’ Teachers usually work in a classroom setting with about fifteen to twenty students in each class. You will find that most teachers work a ten­-month school year and receive a two-month paid summer vacation as well as having every holiday off. School teachers are paid a salary rather than hourly. “The average annual wage for a kindergarten school teacher is $53,400. The lowest ten percent earn $32,450 and the top ten percent earn $78,320” (Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers). I wanted to get a source that I knew and interviewed a kindergarten teacher at my elementary school district. Her name is Elizabeth Sanchez and it’s her tenth year of teaching. She graduated from Indiana University. I asked her a few questions. After Elizabeth Sanchez graduated college, it took her only three days to find a job. Many people don’t find a job that fasts after graduating.

I wonder what teaching certifications were needed, but she stated that all of these certifications are important to her, but not necessarily required. She has certifications in math, science, special education, English as a second language, and generalist teaching certifications. She also said it just depends on what subject I want to teach in as well. I asked her how long it take during the week to work on school papers or grading papers and she said about five hours. She does get attached to her students but it is not a bad thing. She said having a positive attachment to the children improves their learning experience and improves parent/teacher communication. The dress code at a kindergarten is to work casually and you being comfortable. She said that lesson plans at first were frustrating and took a very long time. Now, she only takes three hours each six weeks and with the experience makes in fun. During the week, it takes about five to ten hours to grade papers during her personal time. Sanchez states, she strongly believes students learn best in a positive environment and when they have the opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. Children should be motivated to come to school and want to learn more. If the children want to come to school and feel empowered in their learning environment then you have a child who is motivated. We should try to encourage a positive culture and to keep the students engaged in their learning. She states that conflicts with parents are minimized when communication is frequent.

You must begin all conversations with a positive note and then address issues with the best interest of the child in mind conflicts are usually avoided and minimized. The best way to manage difficult students is to require a behavior plan that reinforces good behavior with a positive consequences. For example, one of my students in kindergarten is on a behavior plan. She fills out a paper asking her how she feels in the morning. Then, it has blanks for throughout the day on how she acts and how she feels during other classes. And at the end of the day she can get rewarded with an owl star if she was having a good day. Difficult students benefit from positive praise, clearly defined rules and expectations, and consequences as needed. Kindergarten school teachers have such a great impact on each and every student and they play a huge part in preparing them for their future careers and for life ahead. As I have said before kindergarten teachers are the foundation of every child’s successful educational life. I believe that being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the world today because it helps students become better people in whatever they choose to accomplish. According to Clabough, that you have to sacrifice things because you want your children not to feel different or get made fun of, so you just have to go above and beyond the call of duty from a teacher (35).

Reflections and Insights: My Growth as a Future Educator

Education is such an important part in everyone’s lives and without the help of teachers, most would not be where they are today in their careers and accomplishments. I believe that in order to be a great kindergarten school teacher to your students you have to have a desire and patience to teach these children. You have to want to be at the school teaching with a happy heart and a positive attitude. I know that being a teacher will be such a rewarding career to both me and the students because of the many lives that may be influenced by my teaching. My Growth As A Researcher As a researcher, I have learned that you have to have one big thing if you want to be a kindergarten. You have to have patience. Patience is key in the teaching world. You have to be patient with these kids because these kids are just coming out of preschool or daycare. They just learning general rules. You have to teach them not just educational things but social skills. I learned being a teacher for these students shapes their future. Kindergarten teachers shape these kids into lawyers, firefighters, or even teachers as well. Kindergarten teachers are the foundation of each and every student in life. I want to become a kindergarten teacher to make a difference in a child’s life. I love younger children, and I want to be able to make a difference in their lives and build relationships with them.

Summary

Lev Vygotsky’s social-historical theory of human development is perhaps one of the most cited theories by educationists when it comes to issues of curricula development and formulation of new teaching approaches (Velenzuela et al, 2000).

The psychologist’s views on human development have particularly been used by educators and other theorists to alter children’s perceptions, thought-systems, expectations, and behavior. It is the object of this paper to demonstrates how Vygotsky’s theory can be used to assist kindergarten students and others with special needs to cope with the learning process

It was the perception of Vygotsky that social interactions among young children lead to not only improved levels of cognition, but also to a total transformation of the children’s thought-systems, attitudes, and behavior (Mahn, 1999).

Consequently, the theory suggests that children’s cognition, mindsets and world views are shaped by the particular social-historical environment in which they reside and by their continued interactions with adults. The most essential notion of Vygotsky’s theoretical perspective is that our minds, no matter our biological predispositions, are culturally mediated (Wertsch, 1985). This perspective insinuates that culture is the most basic determinant of individual development.

Vygotsky also presupposed that a child’s knowledge base is fundamentally expanded by exposing him or her to a multiplicity of cultures and social environments. The developmental progression of children, according to the psychologist, is entirely dependent upon the adults as well as the cultural tools granted to them within the wider social context (Velenzuela et al, 2000).

Vygotsky came up with three approaches through which learning can take place, namely imitative learning, instructed learning, and collaborative learning (Wertsch, 1985).

To briefly describe the processes, imitative learning takes place when the young child attempt to copy or imitate others, while instructed learning happens when a child develops the capacity to recall instructions or directions as given by the instructor and thereafter putting them into practice.

Finally, collaborative learning occurs when an assemblage of individuals join forces in the process of learning so as to understand each other in depth or accomplish a particular set objective (Velenzuela, 2000).

Vygotsky hatched the concept of zone of proximal development (ZPD) to demonstrate the difference between a person’s level to independently solve problems and his or he ability to solve critical issues under the direction of adults or other competent peers, otherwise called the actual and potential levels of development (Wertsch, 1985).

Application

This theory is increasingly being used by educators in the school context to help kindergarten-age children and others with special needs to cope with requirements of the education system. The theory insinuates that children have the capacity to learn through social interaction.

In this perspective, curricula and teaching strategies for kindergarten-age children and others with special needs should be explicitly designed to accentuate the interaction between the children on one hand and the learning tasks on the other (Valenzuela et al, 2000). When the theory is utilized, the kindergarten children are most likely to derive meaning of the whole learning process by the virtue of active participation in the actual social-cultural context.

Vygotsky theory of human development is more receptive to the learning requirements of children with special needs since it presupposes that notions are socially mediated, and can only subsist in collectives rather than in persons. As such, the learning process is centered on the socio-cultural, institutional, and historical facets rather than emphasizing individual cognitive capacities (Wertsch, 1985).

With suitable assistance from the educator such as the employment of the scaffolding technique, kindergarten children can effectively complete learning tasks that could not have been accomplished if the children were on their own (Edwards, 2005). The scaffolding technique obliges educators to continually adjust their level of assistance in response to the student’s level of understanding.

In other words, educators must have the capacity to control the learning environment to make it possible for the children to learn through a step by step process. Studies have revealed that the technique not only lessens the frustrations levels evident in children within this age-category, but it also widens their knowledgebase and inculcate the skills necessary for self-regulating problem solving in the future (Valenzuela et al, 2000).

The concept of ZPD can also be used by educators to uplift the learning capabilities of kindergarten-age children and others in need of special attention. Indeed, the assessment criteria used by educators to grade the children must aptly consider what the young learners are able to achieve on their own and what they are able to achieve with the assistance of others (Valenzuela et al, 2000).

In other words, two children may be initially endowed with similar levels of actual development but one may end up becoming more knowledgeable than the other due to the kind of interaction established and assistance offered. As such, both the curriculum and assessment techniques for kindergarten-age children and others with special needs must considerably focus on the children’s level of actual development in relation to their potential level of development.

It is important to note that this theory perceives each social interaction as a learning experience, and as such, kindergarten-age children should be exposed to individuals and ideas that function above their existing level of knowledge and understanding to open up their minds to new and more complicated ideas (Edwards, 005).

Reference List

Edwards, S. (2005). Constructivism does not only happen in the Individual: Socio-Cultural Theory and Early Childhood Education. Early Childhood Development and Care, Vol. 175, Issue 1, pp 37-47. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database

Mahn, H. (1999). Vygotsky’s Methodological Contribution to Socio-Cultural Theory. Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 20, Issue 6, pp. 341-350

Velenzuela, J.S., Connery, M.C., & Musanti, S.I. (2000). The Theoretical Foundations of Professional Development in Special Education: Is Social-Cultural Theory Enough? Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 21, Issue 2, pp. 111-120

Wertsch, J.W. (1985). Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

Studying prekindergarten children is a challenging endeavor that requires a well-thought-out procedure. Researchers must factor in personal and interpersonal tendencies when assessing the social-emotional needs of younger individuals. Hence, employing individual and group behavioral assessments is helpful to achieve a practical combined approach. Mainly, structured interviewing and structured observation methods can present an efficient tandem. Arguably, the two methods present instrumental value in collecting the data for social-emotional learning for kindergarten education.

Both approaches possess certain sets of strengths and limitations. For instance, structured interviews allow for easily compared responses in large samples due to rigid and thorough structuring (Queirós et al., 2017). However, the efficacy of this approach can be compromised by inaccurate reporting and a lack of assessment depth (Queirós et al., 2017). However, the lack of flexibility can be substituted by implementing a structured observation method. Due to its flexibility, the observational method allows for studying rarely displayed behaviors (Queirós et al., 2017). Additionally, it is unobtrusive, depending entirely on the respondent’s behavior (Queirós et al., 2017). However, Queirós et al. (2017) state that this methodology is limited by the extent of the researcher’s impartiality. Overall, these methodologies complete one another and provide valuable tools for studying prekindergartners, whether via individual or group assessment.

The two methodologies will allow for more robust data collection since they implement strands from qualitative and quantitative branches of research. According to Lindorff and Sammons (2018), “a benefit of combining multiple instruments and qualitative and qualitative strands in lesson observation and analysis are that this capitalizes on the strengths of each, while minimizing the weaknesses of each” (p. 533). Social-emotional learning capitalizes on facilitating healthy identities, emotional intelligence, and collective success (Schonert-Reichl, 2017). To set adequate goals for social-emotional learning, researchers must quantify and contextualize the behaviors and attitudes of large samples of subjects. This need calls for a mixed approach method that combines interviews’ quantitative qualities and observations’ qualitative capabilities.

Attempting to determine which of the two methodologies is ultimately better for supporting learning objectives would be faulty since they have different applications and, thus, incomparable value. Although the research indicates the advantages of combining both approaches, flexibility and immunity to inaccurate reporting render structured observation more preferable (Lindorff & Sammons, 2018; Queirós et al., 2017). As younger children may serve as unreliable respondents, observing their behavior would mitigate the risk of compromising the research.

References

Lindorff, A., & Sammons, P. (2018). Going beyond structured observations: looking at classroom practice through a mixed method lens. ZDM, 50(3), 521-534.

Queirós, A., Faria, D., & Almeida, F. (2017). Strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. European journal of education studies.

Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2017). Social and emotional learning and teachers. The future of children, 137-155.

Introduction

Full-day kindergarten program has raised heating debates worldwide. The educational stakeholders seek to determine the effect of this program to the parents, teachers, and the pupils undertaking it (Bingham & Hall, 2013). Whereas the focus is very broad, the pupils’ experiences are the most crucial aspects of this academic focus. In line with this understanding, this paper will discuss the pros and cons of a full-day kindergarten program. Particularly, the paper will discuss the cognitive, physical, and social impacts of the program.

Advantages

Cognitive

Evidently, pupils that participate in a full-day kindergarten enjoy more teacher-pupils contact than other programs such as the half-day setup. As a result of this contact, the pupils receive more individualized attention from the teachers. Individualized attention is a scenario that allows teachers to focus on a pupil at the personal level. As such, he or she can identify the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the pupils. Indeed, this may not happen in case the teachers handle the pupils collectively.

In fact, the collective approach leads to a situation in which the bright pupils participate excessively such that the weak ones are not evaluated effectively (Brownell et al., 2014). When the teachers identify the pupils’ weakness in details, they can help them easily according to their weaknesses and strengths. Consequently, the pupils get an opportunity to conceptualize the skills taught in school and score highly during exams.

In addition to increased contact between pupils and teachers, the program provides more time for pupils to engage in experiential learning. Indeed, pupils learn better in an environment where they receive realistic assignments. As such, teacher needs to give practical lessons in order to enable the students to conceptualize some of the theoretical aspects taught in class (Brownell et al., 2014). For example, if the teacher seeks to train the pupils about the letter in English, it can be more effective if he or she gives an exercise for the students to draw the alphabets. This task will play a better role to ensure understanding and faster conceptualizations. However, the practical studies take more time than mere theoretical instructions. In this regard, the full-day kindergarten program provides time for the students to practice the skills taught theoretically.

Social

The full-day kindergarten programs play a crucial role when it comes to the development of social skills. Indeed, it enables pupils to socialize with each other for a longer period than other setups such as the half-day. Importantly, the full-day kindergarten provides enough time for group work during class time. As a result, the pupils can work together in order to accomplish some class tasks (Cooper et al., 2010). The collaborations facilitate the development of social skills among pupils at young age. Ultimately, the pupils can relate with each other easily as they progress to other levels of schooling.

The full-day kindergarten program is a facilitator of favorable social conduct among pupils. In most cases, teachers are mandated to instill positive conduct in class and ensure a state of order among the pupils. When the pupils get more time to participate in educational tasks, teachers can easily monitor them and provide disciplinary actions where necessary (Cooper et al., 2010). In addition, they can trace the pupils’ behavior in order to identify any changes in their conducts. As a result, they can collaborate with the parents to facilitate the positive development.

Physical

Physical education is one of the lessons provided to pupils in kindergarten. However, when the time in school is not sufficient, teachers provide the physical lessons for a very short time (Cooper et al., 2010). The full-day kindergarten program provides adequate time for teachers to take students for physical education to play and strengthen their healthy growth.

Disadvantages

Cognition

In essence, the full-day kindergarten program does not come without disadvantages that limit its effectiveness. Cognitively, the program has shown one critical limitation relating to the development of non-academic aspects. In this case, it has been established that full-day program is vulnerable to making the pupils’ experiences very academic. This scenario implies that pupils concentrate too much on the educational skills rather than incorporating additional non-academic factors. In turn, this condition means that the pupils might have little time in their homes where they participate in other domestic chores.

As a result, the system may lead to the creation of very intelligent pupils who have deficient capacity of wisdom. In addition, the program facilitates the development of a scenario where pupils acquire more basic skills which they do not need at that level of four to five years. This setup might have a negative implication on the overall and gradual development of the child. Understandably, a pupil should acquire skills gradually to enable deep conceptualization and understanding. Otherwise, the teacher might train a lot while the pupils learn very few skills.

Sociological

Although children get more time to interact and socialize with their peers, the pupils that undergo the program may have critical problems when it comes to socializing with their parents. Indeed, the highest number of the parents who choose the full-day kindergarten comprise of the employed people. Of course, the issue of socialization cannot arise for the working parents.

However, it is evident that the full-day kindergarten program is essentially inappropriate for the low-income earning families. In this case, the parents do not have enough time to access the progress of their children in terms of their academic performance and social capacity (Warburton & Hertzman, 2012). This deficiency arises because the pupils arrive home when they are worn out. When they reach home, they seek to rest for the next day because the schedule starts early in the morning.

Physical

From a physical perspective, pupils at the age of four and five years are essentially young to handle a lot of stress. As a result, the full-day program is viewed as a tiring venture for those pupils who undergo this kindergarten. Indeed, the pupils report home when they are tired and worn out (Warburton & Hertzman, 2012). They have minimal time to play around home without any instructions from the teachers. Consequently, they accumulate stress gradually in the process of attending school. This depression might have critical implications on the health of the pupils, especially when it comes to healthy growth and rate of maturity.

Conclusion

It is evident that the full-day kindergarten program has evoked many debates in the academic arena. In this regard, the program has both pros and cons that affect its effectiveness when applied to the curriculum. Some of the most important advantages include the increased teacher-pupil contact, facilitation of experiential learning, and the development of positive social behavior. On the other hand, the cons include the reduced pupil-parent interaction and over-concentration on academic orientations as compared to other skills.

References

Bingham, G., & Hall, K. (2013). Full- and half-day kindergarten Programmes: Examining impacts on second language learners. Early Child Development and Care, 11(7), 185-199.

Brownell, M., Nickel, N., Chateau, D., Martens, P., Taylor, C., Crockett, L., Goh, C. (2014). Long-term benefits of full-day kindergarten: A longitudinal population-based study. Early Child Development and Care, 6(5), 1-26.

Cooper, H., Allen, A., Patall, E., & Dent, A. (2010). Effects Of Full-Day Kindergarten On Academic Achievement And Social Development. Review of Educational Research, 9(6), 34-70.

Warburton, R., & Hertzman, C. (2012). Does Full Day Kindergarten Help Kids? Canadian Public Policy, 7(3), 591-603.

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to show the benefits of learning more than one language among kindergarten children. The document was requested by preschool establishments that are planning a marketing campaign to increase the level of enrolment. The research identified a number of benefits associated with bilingualism among the target population.

The advantages include enhanced creativity, concentration, and cognitive benefits. To ensure that parents understand the importance of this concept, kindergartens can create open days in schools, print brochures, and send out emails with detailed information on bilingualism.

Introduction

Bilingualism is the ability to use more than one language (Averil 2014). Research shows that the world is moving from monolingualism to bilingualism. Consequently, the number of bilinguals will increase in the coming years.

Reports by the American Community Survey, for example, reveal that more than 21% of children below the age of five in the US can converse in a language other than English at home (Bari 2015). The continuous trend of teaching kindergarten children more than one language has prompted scholars to come up with various views on its importance. Some consider bilingualism to be advantageous, while others deem it as detrimental.

The purpose of this report is to analyse the benefits of learning two languages among kindergarten children. In addition, marketing methods on how to increase the number of children enrolled in school will be highlighted in this document. The report was requested by bilingual kindergartens that are planning a marketing campaign to increase the number of children enrolled into the institutions. The primary sources of information for the report were articles and books on bilingualism.

Findings

People are surrounded by language everywhere in the society. According to Baker (2011, p. 89), language is used to share feelings and thoughts. In addition, it helps people to identify and connect with those around them, as well as understand culture. Various findings on the benefits of bilingualism among kindergarten children were made in this research.

Main Point 1: Cognitive Benefits to Kindergarten Children

Majority of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual. According to a research carried out by the European Commission in 2006, it was found that 56% of individuals can use more than one language (Viorica & Shook 2012). The world has witnessed a number of technological advancements in the recent past. The innovations have enabled medical experts to examine how bilingualism interrelates with changes in cognitive and neurological systems.

The figure below shows the percentage of bilingual speakers in the world:

Some parents associate bilingualism with confusion. However, research reveals that the ability to speak two languages has various cognitive benefits to children. Such children can learn new words with ease. When a word is mentioned, the youngsters do not hear the entire term at once (Bialystok, Craik & Luk 2012).

The sounds relayed are received in a sequential manner. However, before the utterance is finished, the brain activates loads of words to match the new term. The activation process among bilingual kindergarten children is higher and faster. The reason is because they are not limited to one language. They are able to approach the world from a different view, which helps them to better read and write (Averil 2014).

Main Point 2: Bilingualism among Kindergarten Children Enhances Creativity

Kindergarten children who are bilingual are more creative and better at tackling complex problems (Bari 2015). Their understanding of more than one language enables them to use information in new ways. When faced with complex language-related or arithmetic tasks, bilingual kindergarten children outperform their monolingual counterparts. Research reveals that bilingual children perform tasks better and in creative ways compared to monolinguals.

Creativity is associated with the ability to expand one’s thinking capacity. Baker (2011, p. 113) notes that kindergarten children who can speak more than one language are not limited to a single perspective of the world. Bilingualism opens the door for new ideas.

Consequently, such kindergarten children are able to think ‘outside the box’. Through enhanced creativity, bilingual kindergarten children can switch between different tasks faster compared to monolinguals. The finding indicates that bilinguals are better at multitasking. They outperform monolinguals on assignments that tap into executive functions (Bari 2015).

Main Point 3: Bilingualism Enhances Concentration among Kindergarten Children

Teaching children two languages helps them to concentrate on relevant information and overlook distractions. In addition, bilinguals engage better with other kindergarten children (Viorica and Shook 2012). The ability to manage two languages sharpens the brain. As such, the pre-school children develop the ability to retain and focus on tasks with fewer distractions compared to monolinguals. In addition, they are able to shift attention better and faster when required.

When kindergarten children understand two languages, they must learn to block out one of them when conversing or listening to the other. Doing this regularly helps them to be more attentive. Bilingual kindergarten children engage better with classmates compared to monolinguals (Bialystok, Craik & Luk 2012). The reason is because they are not limited to the use of one language.

Conclusion

The ability to use two languages among kindergarten children has numerous benefits, which outweigh the limitations. During the course of this research, bilingual preschool kids were found to have capabilities that are lacking among their monolingual classmates.

The benefits associated with bilingualism in kindergartens include the ability to concentrate on tasks and avoid distractions, enhanced concentration, and creativity. In addition, bilingualism enhances the cognitive abilities of kindergarten children (Viorica & Shook 2012). Preschool kids who speak more than one language also relate better with their classmates.

Promoting Bilingualism among Kindergarten Children: Recommendations

1. The kindergartens should make brochures. The leaflets should contain detailed information on the benefits of teaching children more than one language. For example, bilingualism is associated with creativity. Cases of successful and famous people can be included. Such persons can be added by acquiring information on how bilingualism has helped them achieve what they desired.
2. The kindergartens should hold events and invite parents. The affairs include open days at schools where parents and guardians come to witness activities carried out by both bilingual and monolingual preschool kids. During such events, kindergarten children can be grouped and allocated similar tasks to the monolinguals to see which party performs better. The schools can also use the platform to explain that bilingualism has mental benefits to children.
3. Kindergartens should send an email to parents and include pictures with scientific research on how bilingualism leads to better concentration. The school can get email addresses by asking the parents to log into their children’s school portals. In addition, kindergartens should introduce special price offers because this recommendation will take time and cost. As a result, they will be able to attract more parents.

Bibliography

Averil, G 2014, RUMACC raising children in more than one language: transitioning from a bilingual kindergarten to school. Web.

Baker, C 2011, Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism, 5th edn, Multilingual Matters, Bristol, UK.

Bari, W 2015, Bilingualism as a life experience: what we’re learning about the last cognitive effects of speaking two languages. Web.

Bialystok, E, Craik, F & Luk, G 2012, ‘Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain’, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 240-250.

Viorica, M & Shook, A 2012, The cognitive benefits of being bilingual. Web.