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I went to kindergarten in Berkeley. There was a very well-structured daily routine designed to teach skills in preparation for first grade. The kids were quiet and well-behaved. They had a couple of recess breaks to run around outside and let off steam, as well as organized games in the classroom. Berkeley is really into education. Always has been.
I grew up near Berkeley in the 60's and 70's and some crazy ideas about education (that crashed and burned) came out of there. That's why I referenced it.
OP, do you think it's just your school or are all schools like that?
I have two friends in Germany and I can ask one of them.
If I'd known that about Germany's educational system-
I would have packed up & raised my kids there instead of homeschooling them.
Germany rocks
Btw, coming across to kids you're trying to teach as someone
who does not command respect is your first problem.
They will respect you if you keep your wits about you, & engage them at their level. My God- we're talking about Kindergartners here...
The easiest level to teach, lol
Have fun with them, play w/ them...then they'll be more open to allowing you to teach.
False, kindergargen is not easy at all. I have teached in Primary levels and it was much easier. One must deal with parents, families, home problems, detecting too much little things.
I do not pretend to teach them in my own way, I follow the school rules but they are not concentrated even to play something organized such as table game, their only way of having fun is being wild lol.
Why did you homeschooled your kids? interesting topic as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Everdeen
I grew up near Berkeley in the 60's and 70's and some crazy ideas about education (that crashed and burned) came out of there. That's why I referenced it.
OP, do you think it's just your school or are all schools like that?
I have two friends in Germany and I can ask one of them.
I suppose all schools are like that but some teachers have more initiatives and better ideas and some kids are also more relaxed
False, kindergargen is not easy at all. I have teached in Primary levels and it was much easier. One must deal with parents, families, home problems, detecting too much little things.
I do not pretend to teach them in my own way, I follow the school rules but they are not concentrated even to play something organized such as table game, their only way of having fun is being wild lol.
Why did you homeschooled your kids? interesting topic as well.
I suppose all schools are like that but some teachers have more initiatives and better ideas and some kids are also more relaxed
You have those issues in all grades.....
Kindergarten is a piece of cake
You have those issues in all grades.....
Kindergarten is a piece of cake
I give you my little monsters, for free
But anyway, this thread is not about how easy education is. I am having problems with my pupils and I look for advice if someone thinks I am dull please keep four yourselves.
The problem is that this isn't "kindergarten", the school kind, this is day care. You say "kindergarten" in Germany has kids 0-6 years old. That's day care. So you and your colleagues aren't teachers, you're babysitters. That's part of the problem--there's no structure. How old are the 4 children you and your colleague are in charge of? You should probably group together the kids who are closest in age, divide those between yourself and the other "teacher", and do age-appropriate activities with them. Come up with a loose schedule (storytime, project time, game time, "recess" (free play), lunch time, rest/nap time), and stick to that. Kids need structure, or else they get lost. If your "school" doesn't approve of that, try it anyway. The current arrangement isn't benefiting you or the kids.
By the way, in the US, 6-year-olds are already in 1st grade. Some kids begin 1st grade at age 5. It seems like too broad an age-range to put in the same group, 0-6.
Even though it's cold weather now, if it's not raining, you should probably take the kids outside for a short period each day, for fresh air, and to let them run around.
Last edited by NewbiePoster; 10-25-2014 at 12:29 PM..
By the way, in the US, 6-year-olds are already in 1st grade. Some kids begin 1st grade at age 5. It seems like too broad an age-range to put in the same group, 0-6.
Even though it's cold weather now, if it's not raining, you should probably take the kids outside for a short period each day, for fresh air, and to let them run around.
Same in Germany; they are usually 6 when they start 1st grade though I did see some 5 year olds as well if they were smart and the parents in favor of them starting school.
Usually the children in what they call "kindergarten" are in groups 1-3 and 4 to 5/6 years old (I guess it can vary, but that is what I saw and what I was told). I would assume the OP is dealing with the 2nd kind of group.
Where I lived the "teachers"/babysitters or whatever you want to call them also mostly did not have a college degree but were trained on the job for 2 or 3 years.
Edit: What the OP says about the kids only playing in "kindergarten" in Germany is not correct. They learn the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes (circle etc.) how to write their names and so on. So if the OP is only playing with the kids she might be dealing with very young children after all. What age are the kids, OP?
You have those issues in all grades.....
Kindergarten is a piece of cake
No, it's not. I normally taught middle school but I had a year in the purgatory otherwise known as kindergarten. I suppose I would do it again to avoid starvation or homelessness, but I'm not even sure that would be inspiration enough. Kindergarten and primary teachers have far harder jobs than people realize and I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. A kindergarten teacher sets the stage for the rest of a child's academic life.
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No, it's not. I normally taught middle school but I had a year in the purgatory otherwise known as kindergarten. I suppose I would do it again to avoid starvation or homelessness, but I'm not even sure that would be inspiration enough. Kindergarten and primary teachers have far harder jobs than people realize and I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. A kindergarten teacher sets the stage for the rest of a child's academic life.
Eh, my kids skipped Kindergarten altogether.....
So I don't agree with you on this.
No, it's not. I normally taught middle school but I had a year in the purgatory otherwise known as kindergarten. I suppose I would do it again to avoid starvation or homelessness, but I'm not even sure that would be inspiration enough. Kindergarten and primary teachers have far harder jobs than people realize and I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. A kindergarten teacher sets the stage for the rest of a child's academic life.
Eh, my kids skipped Kindergarten altogether.....
So I don't agree with you on this.
Okie-dokie, let's try this again. The first teacher a student encounters in a formal school setting sets the stage for the rest of a child's academic life. Among other things, they can either leave them with a warm fuzzy attitude towards school or sense of wariness and distrust. They can introduce them to effective habits and a sense of cooperation that will bolster their ability to learn or they can present them with chaos and convey that there are little to no expectations to them. That first teacher establishes in a child's subconscious what a school should or shouldn't be and what is and isn't expected of them.
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