Kindergarten Prep

I sent an email to a teacher who is moving from 4th grade to Kindergarten. After I reread it, I nearly peed my pants. Not really peed my pants, but it had me giggling hard!
I went ahead and copied the email into this post...maybe you will gain a little insight into the life of a kindergarten teacher!
Hey Jill...are you feeling overwhelmed yet?
If you are not now...you may be this coming week!
But do not fret...it will all come together!
Here are a few tips:
*On Friday when the parents come in the classroom for meet your teacher...DO NOT LET THEM LEAVE WITHOUT FINDING OUT HOW THEIR CHILD WILL GO HOME ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THE OTHER DAYS THEREAFTER!
Friday after we go out to lunch together, we come back to school and get our lists together and ready for monday!
I would also encourage them to bring in their school supplies on friday! This will alleviate the massive amounts of supplies on monday and all the confusion!
*Have lots of water stocked in your fridge and take the time to drink it! You will be so parched from talking so much!
Oh, yeah, I will repeat that you will repeat things over and over again! hahaha
*Expect the same behavior you would of your fourth graders...it is not okay to roll over on top of your neighbor during circle time...it is not okay to pull your shoe lace untied and chew and suck on it...it is not okay to disrupt by shouting out any of the following: WHEN DO WE PLAY? WHEN DO WE GO HOME? WHEN DO WE EAT? i GOTTA GO PEE!
Which brings me to the next topic,
*When the children need to use the restroom I have them raise their arm and show me the sign language for using the bathroom(check with me I'll show ya). See, if you have them raise their hand...you never know for sure if it is a bathroom question or a question about the story I am reading...most times they always raise their hand because they always want to talk and they know they can't shout out. Even if you're reading about the gingerbread man, they may want to raise their hand to tell you about their uncle who ran from the police like the gingerbread ran away.
I have a small beanie baby I use that the child gets and puts at their seat so the children always know if someone is in the bathroom(and they do not barge in on someone) and I can tell who is in the bathroom because the stuffed critter is on their table where they sit. The sign language allows you to understand what they want without a disruption. I give a nod yes, or I will say "in a second so you can get the directions before you go." Know what I mean?
*They LOVE SHOW AND TELL! Most K teachers do it every friday. It can ruin an entire morning if you do it whole group. The children have no desire to listen to what the others talk about and by the 3rd one they are done and being disruptive. Instead, every day during circletime I pick three popsicle sticks out of a can with the child's name on it. I give a hint about the child by their name, something we may all know about them, or a fun fact about that child...and they have to guess who it is! I hand them a show and tell bag(old black Kindergarten bag) and the show and tell must fit in there...no weapons or violent toys are my only no no's. I found if you dont limit it...they bring in that huge stuffed animal their uncle won at the fair and carried around on his shoulders at the fair.
They love the time they get to share...but they also do not become behavior problems.
*As the time draws nearer to beginning, you may feel like everyone is to busy to help you! I do know that Nancy is going to feel a huge burden with having to train a new assistant! Kindergarten is a massive undertaking assistant-wise! Just come ask me or anyone else, we will do whatever we can to help! If you want to look at ANYTHING of mine, or peruse my SUB FOLDER I made before I went on leave of absence...it was the total handbook on how to teach K!
In the meantime, check out these sights:
http://childcareland.com/
www.drjean.org
http://www.jmeacham.com/
...have a great weekend!!!