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Where kindergartners
have time to whistle and
sing
All eyes are on Pam Gossard
as she leads her kindergarten students in a lesson on predictions. Sitting
in a circle on the floor, the students try and predict which items will
be heavier or lighter as Gossard places each item in a balancing scale
and records their ideas on a white board. This leads into a discussion
on equalities.
When they’re finished
with the lesson, Gossard tells her students “When you go home today,
be sure to tell your parents you did an algebra lesson.” The lesson
is part of the district’s recently adopted Harcourt math curriculum.
Providing
balance
Pam Gossard started teaching
kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School in 1987, and it’s clear
that she loves her job. “I enjoy the energy of kindergarten, and
I love the five-year-olds’ fresh outlook. We always share new experiences
every day.”
Gossard was instrumental
in establishing the district’s first all-day kindergarten classroom
at Lincoln Elementary School in 1998. Prior to that, the district’s
kindergarten program followed a schedule that lasted for 3 hours and
20 minutes and often was divided into two classes, an a.m. and p.m.
program. Now all Eureka City elementary schools offer all-day kindergarten.
“All-day kindergarten
benefits kids,” said Gossard. “Before we started all-day kindergarten,
I was noticing more and more expected of my students and less and less
time to do important kindergarten activities including a daily independent
activity time. Now we can have that balance five days a week. Every
day we have an academic focus, but we also have time to paint and build
blocks and play in the playhouse. I was finding that even before the
State introduced the kindergarten standards, these activities were getting
crowded out of the short day.”
The all-day kindergarten
class meets the same hours as the first through third grade schedule.
For Gossard, the all-day schedule offers the extra time that kids need.
“It allows more time to meet the high academic standards and needs
of kindergartners in appropriate ways. We’ve always taught academics
in kindergarten. The key is appropriateness and with the standards being
very rigorous and aggressive, that’s a real challenge and it takes
time.”
Because they meet for the
same hours as their older classmates, the kindergartners have more opportunities
to take part in schoolwide activities. “In all-day kindergarten
you have time to go to the library in the morning, but you don’t
miss out on a school assembly like the Chamber Readers in the afternoon,”
said Gossard. “It’s important for them to become part of the
school culture.”
Less
stressful for kids
Parents may worry that the
longer school day will cause their kids to be stressed out. Gossard
is aware of the concern but notes, “I’ve found it’s a
lot less stressful for children. The first year we offered all-day kindergarten,
one of my most skeptical parents turned out to be one of my most supportive.
She was an at-home mom, and she was really worried. She wanted her child
at home for as long as possible. I invited her to come in the classroom
and work. And when she saw what was going on and how her child was coming
home happy, she became one of our biggest supporters.”
Gossard strives to make the
day as joyful as possible. “We have time to whistle and sing,”
she smiles. “We have time to talk, to listen to music. I want the
kids to feel relaxed and happy at school.”
Wonderful
language and literature
What are kindergartners expected
to know by the end of the school year? “In math, to count up to
30, write their numbers up to 30, recognize all the numerals to 30,
and solve problems using addition and subtraction,” explains Gossard.
“In language arts they learn the letter names and sounds and start
to decode simple words. They’re also expected to write. It’s
not just putting your ideas down on paper, with kindergartners it’s
how to hold the pencil and how to form the letters too.”
Reading at home gives kids
an early advantage. “Some kids come in with 1,000 hours of literacy
and some kids haven’t been read to,” mentioned Gossard. “The
challenge is to take each one at their level and make sure that they
get filled up with wonderful language and literature.”
Creating
a positive, joyful year
Offering all-day kindergarten
makes Eureka City Schools unique. According to Gossard it’s a program
many districts wish they could offer. “A lot of districts in the
State would love to do all-day kindergarten, but they can’t because
of a lack of facilities. There’s a lot of interest because of the
high expectations for kids and because teachers want to provide a real
positive, joyful year in kindergarten. We’re really fortunate in
Eureka. We have the facilities to be able to do good things for kids.”
For more information about
the all-day kindergarten program, contact your local Eureka City elementary
school or call 441-2400.
- Sheldon J. Reber, Director
of School and Community Relations
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