Thoughts at the Bottom of the Beanstalk

What is Kindergarten All About?

The ABC's for Parents

Developing
Reading Behaviors

Math Goals

Developing
Writing Behaviors

Homework

Websites for Parents

Thoughts at the Bottom of a Beanstalk
(author unknown)

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Jack who was about to climb his very first beanstalk. He had a fresh haircut and a brand-new book bag. Even though his friends in the neighborhood had climbed this same beanstalk almost every day last year this was Jack's first day and he was a little nervous. So was his mother.

Early in the morning she brought him to the foot of the beanstalk. She talked encouragingly to Jack about all the fun he would have that day and how nice his giant would be. She reassured him that she would be back to pick him up at the end of the day.

For a moment they stood together, silently holding hands, gazing up at the beanstalk. To Jack it seemed much bigger than it had when his mother had pointed it out on the way to the store last week. His mother thought it looked big, too. She swallowed. Maybe she should have held Jack out a year... 

Jack's mother straightened his shirt one last time, patted his shoulder and smiled down at him. She promised to stay and wave while he started climbing.

Jack didn't say a word. He walked forward, grabbed a low-growing stem and slowly pulled himself up to the first leaf. He balanced there for a moment and then climbed more eagerly to the second leaf, then to the third and soon he had vanished into a high tangle of leaves and stems with never a backward glance at his mother.

She stood alone at the bottom of the beanstalk, gazing up at the spot where Jack had disappeared. There was no rustle, no movement, no sound to indicate that he was anywhere inside. "Sometimes," she thought, "it's harder to be the one who waves good-bye than it is to be the one who climbs the beanstalk."

She wondered how Jack would do. Would he miss her? How would he behave? Did his giant understand that little boys sometimes acted silly when they felt unsure? She fought down an urge to spring up the stalk after Jack and maybe duck behind a bean to take a peek at how he was doing. "I'd better not. What if he saw me?" She knew Jack was really old enough to handle this on his own. She reminded herself that, after all this was thought to be an excellent beanstalk and that everyone said his giant was not only kind but had outstanding qualifications.

It's not so much that I'm worried about him," she thought, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's just that he's growing up and I'm going to miss him."

Jack's mother turned to leave. "Jack's going to have lots of bigger beanstalks to climb in his life," she told herself. "Today's the day he starts practicing for them... And today's the day I start practicing something too...

cheering him on and waving good-bye."

What is Kindergarten All About?
By James L. Hymes, Jr.Ed.D

There is a lot of misunderstanding today about kindergartens. I'd like to pass on a few ideas for you mull over about what a kindergarten looks like, and why; and what it is supposed to do. I hope you find the ideas interesting and perhaps they may set to rest some questions you have.

 

One of the troubles in understanding kindergartens is that we all remember best what school was like in the years not too far behind us - our high school days, 5th and 6th grades: sitting, themselves answering the teacher's questions, getting a grade, doing homework. 

That is school, upper grade school. But kindergarten isn't like that. Kindergarten is a school for five-year-olds-- that is the important point. And I don't need to tell you that your Five is very different from your upper-grade youngsters. So:

Kindergarten looks different.

It sounds different.

Kindergarten has a whole different style. It is for Fives. It is geared to Fives. It is custom-made to fit children of this particular age.

The key question, then, is: What are Fives like? For one thing, although they talk big and brave, inside of themselves Fives are very soft. They are essentially shy. They put on a show of big, but they know that the world is pretty overwhelming, They are timid, even the toughest of them.

 

A school for these children - a school for beginners - has to be a gentle school. It has to be a warm and friendly school. Kindergarten can't and must not be a place that overpowers youngsters and pushes them back.

This means that the size of a kindergarten is important. A kindergarten shouldn't have the feel of an auditorium or a stadium. It means that children should be able to spend a lot of their time in little groups - two or three children together, or even working alone - so they can be and at ease. And of course, the soft tone and good spirit of the teacher are exceedingly significant.

 

What else about Fives? A note that always strikes me is that they are doers. They are forever on the go. They are into everything. Their nature will change as they grow older but right now, Fives are not good sitters; they are not youngsters who can keep for very quiet long; and they are not good listeners either. Instead, they have another quite wonderful quality: They want to see and do for themselves. 

What does this mean for a kindergarten? It means that the emphasis has to be on reality and on action: on animals, on jobs the children do, on activities they carry out on trips they take, on workers of all kinds who come into the classroom. 

The emphasis has to be on chances for children to use their hands and to work tools: magnets, magnifying glasses, saws hammers...to work even with what look like with playthings: clay, blocks, paint, puzzles, sand...Kindergarten is not a place for teaching children by talking at them, not a place for grownups' lectures. It is a place where active children are involved in the goings-on. Fives learn best that way.

James L. Hymes Jr. Is a Past President of the National Association for the Education of young Children and author of many publications for parents and children.

The ABCs for Parents
(Source: unknown)

Ask your child about the school day.
Begin your child's day with a nourishing breakfast.
Congratulate you child for doing well.
Discuss homework with your child.
Encourage your child to read.
Find a quiet place for your child to study.
Give your child responsibility.
Hug your child to build self worth.
Include your child in making simple family decisions.
Join a library with your child.
Keep your child on a schedule that includes exercise and sleep.
Limit TV viewing by selecting programs with your child.
Make the time you spend with your child special.
Notice and discuss changes in your child's behavior.
Offer to help your child organize school papers.
Provide your child with good role models.
Question the activities your child shares with friends.
Respect your child's right to have opinions different from yours.
Share an interest or a hobby with your child.
Take time to listen to your child.
Urge your child to say "NO!" to unwanted touching.
Visit places of interest with your child.
Work with your child to set up rules of behavior.
Xerox and save records or articles that benefit your child.
Yield results by encouraging your child to do better.
Zoom through these ABCs again and again!

Math Goals

• Counting to 100
• Recognizing numerals to 30
• Participating in calendar work--counting, reciting pattern, knowing days of the week, counting by tens
• Copying,recognizing, and creating patterns
• Sorting groups of objects
• Being able to tell and understand simple story problems
• Writing numerals 1-10
• Understanding number combinations for 4,5,6,7,8, and 9 and writing number sentences

Developing Writing Behaviors

Children will experiment with writing just like they do with reading. Writing helps children organize their thoughts so they can express themselves. It also helps them begin to put the "puzzle" of letters and sounds together and therefore, helps the reading process. Children who have developed positive writing behaviors will choose to write and will share their writing with you.

• Provide a variety of writing materials for your child (e.g., paper, note pads, cards, post-it notes, pencils, crayons, markers, clip board).

• Provide a special place where your child can use the writing materials (e.g., spot at the kitchen table, a cleared coffee table, a desk).
• Accept what your child writes. Children go through stages of writing including scribbling, drawing pictures, and random letters (alphabet soup).
• Respond to the content of the writing, not how it looks or how words are spelled. Writing is not just copying.
• Provide a special place to display your child's writing, such as the front of the refrigerator or a small bulletin board.
• Provide real reasons for writing (e.g., grocery list, reminder notes, thank you notes, stories, signs).
• Answer your child's questions about writing.
• Help your child become self-reliant. If he/she asks how to spell a word, help stretch it out so your child can hear the sounds. Guide them through the word; do not get in the habit of spelling words for your child.
• Write notes to your child and put them in special places (e.g., bathroom mirror, lunch box, under the pillow).
• Be a model. Let your child see you writing. Remember he/she wants to grow up to be just like you!