Kindergarten

So, this school year I am excited to be teaching kindergarten at Atoka Elementary!
A little background: For the last four years, I've been at Munford Elementary teaching first grade. But, something had been nagging at me to try to get a transfer to move to Atoka Elementary to get a kindergarten teaching position. I am so glad that in April I took the leap of faith because I truly am loving my new position and the kids I'm teaching!

It's so amazing how different kindergarten is than first grade. With first grade, there was so much pressure to meet the rigorous demands of all the formal testing for the grade level. With kindergarten, the expectations and assessments for the kids are so much more appropriate to their age and developmental level. I love how there is a set list of skills the kids should master each nine weeks. Everything is very cut and dry. The parents know what to expect, as the report card is in checklist form. It makes so much more sense for kids this age to have expectations described this way.

I also love that a big part of kindergarten is teaching the kids to take those first steps in understanding the "school experience". We have and make time for the kids to work and grow together and to have opportunities to learn from one another in creative ways.

And, their enthusiasm is contagious, too. My kids this year aren't just enthusiastic about "centers" (although that's definitely a favorite!). They're enthusiastic about everything at this age. Their enthusiasm makes me want to create more exciting and engaging activities and experiences for them. I really enjoy their excitement in taking on a new project, learning a new game, and playing/pretending/learning in a new setting.

So many of my friends can't begin to understand why I take on such a challenging (and often expensive and tiring :) ) career. But, I can't imagine doing anything else!! :)