Cypress Sun - News
Woods school learns innovative ways to teach young learners
 |
| Teachers at The Woods Private School in Lakewood Forest are learning new ways to approach teaching pre-kindergartners. |
By VAL CLIFTON
Kindergartners, grab a pencil and paper. The days of learning colors and shapes are long gone.
With more children entering preschool at an earlier age, the academic playing field has become slightly more challenging than that of yesteryear, and some schools are preparing for the shift.
“What’s happening in education today is that kindergarten classroom is becoming a more academic playing field for the children,” said Get Set for School Program Leader and Education Expert Katrina Erikson. “Children are required to do a lot more writing and there are written standards set by the State of Texas where children have to perform at certain levels.”
Erikson said in addition, a majority of schools have full-day kindergarten allowing students more time to learn.
“In the Houston-area, we have a high level of kids who have been in preschool before they attend kindergarten, whereas 30 to 40 years ago, kindergarten was the first education that children were enrolled in,” she said.
To shorten this learning curve, preschool teachers from The Woods Private School in Lakewood Forest met Aug. 15 to learn ways to prepare preschoolers for kindergarten and to discuss the challenges facing today’s preschoolers.
The training workshop, lead by Erikson, focused on helping preschool teachers prepare their young students using the playful learning components of the “Get Set for School” curriculum.
“Because expectations of kindergarteners are higher than ever before, we are consistently striving to make sure our preschoolers are ready for kindergarten using the most age-appropriate techniques,” said Donna Boase, director and owner of The Woods. “Today’s preschool is the new kindergarten, but you cannot, and should not, teach 4-year olds the same way you teach 5-year olds and 6-year olds.”
When most of today’s preschoolers get to kindergarten, students are expected to recognize letters, hold a pencil properly, and-in many cases-write their names.
“Even though a child comes to kindergarten knowing their shapes, doesn’t mean they are any more ready to pick up a pencil and start writing,” Erikson said. “Their motor skills may not be prepared to do those type of tasks.”
A child who identifies letters, masters pencil grip, and develops drawing and coloring skills is better prepared for the transition to kindergarten.
These skills encourage reading, writing, and handwriting mastery, along with enhancing student confidence, she said.
Boase said an early childhood education lays a foundation for increased academic achievement.
Writing on handheld blackboards, building letters with wood pieces, and moving and singing to music are examples of ways the school will introduce rhyming, drawing and counting.
The program uses music, touch, and movement to prepare children for handwriting and to teach them how to form and place their letters correctly.
“We believe at this age they need to have a lot of fun,” Boase said. “We feel like if the children are enjoying themselves you open a door to learning.”
For more information, visit TheWoodsPrivateSchool.com or www.getsetforschool.com.
With more children entering preschool at an earlier age, the academic playing field has become slightly more challenging than that of yesteryear, and some schools are preparing for the shift.
“What’s happening in education today is that kindergarten classroom is becoming a more academic playing field for the children,” said Get Set for School Program Leader and Education Expert Katrina Erikson. “Children are required to do a lot more writing and there are written standards set by the State of Texas where children have to perform at certain levels.”
Erikson said in addition, a majority of schools have full-day kindergarten allowing students more time to learn.
“In the Houston-area, we have a high level of kids who have been in preschool before they attend kindergarten, whereas 30 to 40 years ago, kindergarten was the first education that children were enrolled in,” she said.
To shorten this learning curve, preschool teachers from The Woods Private School in Lakewood Forest met Aug. 15 to learn ways to prepare preschoolers for kindergarten and to discuss the challenges facing today’s preschoolers.
The training workshop, lead by Erikson, focused on helping preschool teachers prepare their young students using the playful learning components of the “Get Set for School” curriculum.
“Because expectations of kindergarteners are higher than ever before, we are consistently striving to make sure our preschoolers are ready for kindergarten using the most age-appropriate techniques,” said Donna Boase, director and owner of The Woods. “Today’s preschool is the new kindergarten, but you cannot, and should not, teach 4-year olds the same way you teach 5-year olds and 6-year olds.”
When most of today’s preschoolers get to kindergarten, students are expected to recognize letters, hold a pencil properly, and-in many cases-write their names.
“Even though a child comes to kindergarten knowing their shapes, doesn’t mean they are any more ready to pick up a pencil and start writing,” Erikson said. “Their motor skills may not be prepared to do those type of tasks.”
A child who identifies letters, masters pencil grip, and develops drawing and coloring skills is better prepared for the transition to kindergarten.
These skills encourage reading, writing, and handwriting mastery, along with enhancing student confidence, she said.
Boase said an early childhood education lays a foundation for increased academic achievement.
Writing on handheld blackboards, building letters with wood pieces, and moving and singing to music are examples of ways the school will introduce rhyming, drawing and counting.
The program uses music, touch, and movement to prepare children for handwriting and to teach them how to form and place their letters correctly.
“We believe at this age they need to have a lot of fun,” Boase said. “We feel like if the children are enjoying themselves you open a door to learning.”
For more information, visit TheWoodsPrivateSchool.com or www.getsetforschool.com.
Copyright © 2009 - Houston Community Newspapers Online