Kindergarten

In kindergarten, students arrive in the classroom by 8 a.m., and have independent time to settle in – looking through books or working on activities suggested by the teachers.

The morning meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. It’s a time to focus on a child’s social development. They practice sharing, being assertive, listening to others, greeting others with eye contact. They do the calendar, talk about the weather, and learn about what’s coming for the day.

The meeting ends before 9 a.m. with a song and three minutes to dance to recorded music.

The academic day starts with literacy, taught through the Wilson Fundations program, a multi-sensory approach that stresses phonics. Teachers will then read a story aloud before students break out into the classroom’s five literacy centers. These are leveled groups, so students are with others of similar abilities. Teachers will work with two groups while the other three work independently.

At 9:50 a.m., there’s a break for snack. Then they’ll start their 30-minute writer’s workshop as they learn the written word. Projects may begin with a drawing, and students will then work to add words to the picture. Each Friday, the students share their writing with the class.

Playtime – also called Choice – follows writing. Students have 40 minutes to work at different stations around the room. Then comes a 20-minute rest period – a quiet time in which students have the option of lying down, or writing in their journals or drawing.

In the daily 30-minute math class, kindergarteners learn numbers and counting. Social studies focus on learning about themselves, their school community and their neighborhood. Science class focuses on the natural world, and develops material from their weekly field studies.

The students may dance again before lunch at 12:50 p.m.  

After lunch, there’s time for a story. Daily physical education comes toward the end of the day. Students return to the classroom for a 15-minute recap of the day before dismissal at 3 p.m.