You teach kindergarten?! That must be fun?!
It can be, but it can also be draining mentally, emotionally and physically. Overwhelming, scary, worrisome are all things teaching can be and yet, there is nothing I would rather do than to spend my days with my littles.
In 1997( cough, cough),I started teaching kindergarten. To say that kindergarten has changed since then is an understatement. When I started all those years ago, kindergarten was a half day program for all students. We covered story time, math, centers/stations, rest, snack time in that half day. Back then, play was a vital part of the kindergarten student’s day. My classroom was filled with child centered practices. I loved my job, my students and my profession. The following year, I moved to a full day position in 2nd grade so I could get the insurance before my husband and I married that spring.
Ten years later, Kindergarten was now a full day option. I wanted back in the grade I love to teach. That year, I was still trying to run the same program that had been the core to the half day child centered philosophy. The first thing I did was start with standards to plan my schedule for the year. The focus had changed to more data centered activities for students and for teachers. I knew this was true in second grade, since my students took the Terra Nova test and I had to present the data to my principal. Still, I never thought 5 and 6 year olds would be subjected to the same data driven practices as 8-18 year old students. For that matter, I never thought they would also be taking standardized tests.
What Has Changed?
Now kindergarten is only offered as full day. In 1997, students needed to be able to write their names, state their address, count to 100 and have the ability to handle themselves in various social settings appropriately . Today’s standards, assume they can write their name and know the letter names upon entering kindergarten. They expect them to be able to write two complete sentences using nouns, verbs , capitalization and punctuation correctly, be able to read at a level D fluently, be able to add and subtract, know what makes living things grow, on top of so many more things I used to teach in second grade. Another thing they need to master is to be able to use computers correctly- to access, complete and return homework to me digitally.
The other thing that has changed is the workload for teachers.
We differentiate every lesson. Which means we challenge those that need challenged, support those that need more guidance and remediate those that need skills retaught. So we do what each child needs to be successful just like twenty years ago without the fancy title, but now with more paperwork. We hope the hours spent planning, creating and prepping for lessons will keep our students attention the same way their devices do.
Some days, I listen to every child read a text in their correct level while keeping the rest of my class focused on independent work. Others, I deal with behavior issues or students with ACE scores so high it would make you cry. Sometimes, I do it all in the same day. There’s the sitting in meetings discussing data, standardized tests scores and the filling out of paperwork to document everything we have taught, retaught or introduced to a student. I’m just hitting the surface, there’s still so much more. Let me remind you this is all in a grade my state has yet to mandate for students. (In Indiana, you don’t have to attend school until you are seven years old.)
What hasn’t changed?
Yet, there is one thing that hasn’t changed – the kids. They still lose their glue caps at a rate I can’t explain. They scrape their knees, spill their milk, need me to tie their shoes and I still pray every time those strings won’t be wet. They are still wonderfully curious, shy, outgoing, creative, musical, athletic, friendly, eager learners. They are still wonderful little people that I dearly love to be around everyday! They are accepting of each other in a way that is unlike adults that have built walls and conditions around whom to talk or associate. Kindergarteners don’t know strangers. If you have met them, they will remember you and how you made them feel and they will react accordingly. The shy and introverted students take a little more time to see their personalities. They will be bless you with seeing their less reserved side when they feel safe around you. All in their own time. They will begin to blossom under your care. Most importantly, kindergarteners need to feel seen, safe and cared for daily. Maybe now more than ever you are their safety net, their rock, possibly their only hug, and their teacher whom they will remember forever. They will remember how you made them feel in your room and that is reason enough to smile–for them. The innocent ones with all the changes forced upon them.
So yes, kindergarten can be fun, and rewarding.
Just like every other job, it has challenges that can break you if you focus only on the other stuff. We’re told to push away and not discuss- the planning, low pay, data collection, disrespect from society. I used to see only the other stuff and I felt so overwhelmed at times I couldn’t seem to find my way out. The other stuff had robbed the joy of teaching from me. Teaching has become political, instead of child centered. Yet, our outcome is people not product. We are helping to educate the next business people, scientists, gymnasts, farmers, world leaders, etc.. The world is shaped by teachers in many ways some would like all to forget. All while being paid unfairly, being disrespected, and blamed for the problems of the world.
-But the kids haven’t changed. Many of their situations have with societal changes. Five years olds still develop the same way the five year olds did in 1997. So on those days that I feel exhausted from teaching, I focus on these words-five year olds haven’t changed and with those words my perspective changes. I know I can walk back into my classroom smiling for them. My purpose clearly defined in my mind. Without that it might be hard to see the joy or purpose in many of my days or where that stinking glue cap went.