Sunday, September 30, 2007
What Kindergarteners Need to Know
I believe it a very good idea to have a list of what kindergarteners need to know. I do feel that standards are becoming very prominent in our schools. The way the article talks about what kindergarteners need to know is more like a guide then standards. I think it is very helpful for teachers to know what they need to implement into the curriculum and lessons. I agree with Veronica Rieck about how new teachers might forget a topic or an important benchmark and older teachers might forget something the same way new teachers can forget them. I also believe it is very good that the school has a 90 page written guide and they are training their teachers on the benchmarks. Overall, I think it is a good idea and very useful tool to have.
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4 comments:
I agree with you that it is useful for teachers, especially those who are new to have some sort of guide or list of what kindergarteners need to know to move on to first grade, however with all that teachers already know do you think a 90 paged guide is reasonable? Do you feel that this is not an overload for kindergarteners? Also, what are your thoughts about how this would change in other school districts? I agree with your overall response though, but just some thoughts for you to ponder to! Good job! Very detailed! :o)
I like how you stuck with one opinion about the standards issue. In my mind, I keep debating whether it is a good or bad thing. After I read your blog, it made me think about all of the positive things about it. In a few years, I will be a new teacher and possible a kindergartener teacher, and these standards could be an excellent guide for the school year. Being a first year teacher, you need alot of guidance and help and what needs to be put in the child's curriculum. I like how you mentioned the quote Veronica Rieck used about new and older teachers because older teachers might not have been introduced to a subject that students should know now or may have forgotten something. I also think it is a good idea for their schools to train their teachers on these benchmarks, so the teachers can be ready for their students. On the other hand, do you think it would benefit or stress a kindergartner over these standards?
It is interesting when you wrote that the article talks about the standards as more of a guide. I think wording is everything. Would teachers be more accepting of a guide rather than a standard? Of course when I hear guide I take it as a suggestion and a standard is something I would have to follow. I do think that the list is important and that benchmarks are good guides to keep a teacher and students going in the right direction. Like you I do agree that it is good that there is a written guide and training. I wonder if the training or reading of the guide was required? Overall, nice blog about standards.
You have made some valid points and I can see your point that it might be a good guide for new teachers. The issue that bothers me is the effect these standards may have on the Kindergarteners themsevles. Adjusting to a school setting can be very hard for some children at first and I feel that Kindergarten should be more about learning the routine of school and some of the basic information like counting and shapes. Do you think maybe if we have all of these standards as early as Kindergarten that some students will just be so stressed that they won't ever like school? After all I believe that school should be fun and that you only ever really learn something if it has been made meaningful to you, otherwords if you have fun while learning something you usally remember more of the lesson. Should Kindergarten be fun or should it just be another class that prepares you to take a test?
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