2019 Kindergarten Orientation

今年九月我們家小朋友將正式入學(xué)幼兒園（屬于小學(xué)）。我們?cè)谌ツ?2月注冊(cè)，今年二月參加了為期一個(gè)月的project rice, 讓孩子對(duì)他們未來(lái)的小學(xué)有個(gè)印象，做好準(zhǔn)備，認(rèn)識(shí)老師和新的小朋友。五月初，校方在學(xué)校的大禮堂舉辦了一個(gè)結(jié)業(yè)儀式，不僅讓孩子有成就感，也為他們對(duì)今后幼兒園的生活樹(shù)立信心。五月中，我參加了由學(xué)校和學(xué)區(qū)分別組織的家長(zhǎng)見(jiàn)面會(huì)，對(duì)學(xué)校，老師和教學(xué)宗旨有了大致了解。家長(zhǎng)們略微參觀了學(xué)校的圖書(shū)館，音樂(lè)教室和孩子們的教室。說(shuō)“略微”，因?yàn)槲覀兪窃诓淮驍_孩子們的日常活動(dòng)的情況下，在過(guò)道里輕聲快速地瀏覽一遍幼兒園孩子們平時(shí)涉及的活動(dòng)區(qū)域。一切從簡(jiǎn)，不大張旗鼓，不驚動(dòng)孩子，不打擾其他老師，也節(jié)省了接待老師的時(shí)間，畢竟她們的時(shí)間和精力更應(yīng)集中在學(xué)校事務(wù)上。

給我印象比較深刻的有三點(diǎn)：

我們所在的學(xué)區(qū)建立于1907年，至今有112年的歷史。教學(xué)大樓雖有95年的歷史，但維護(hù)得相當(dāng)好，有歷史沉淀感。學(xué)校硬件非常普通，但提供的學(xué)習(xí)資源豐富，有一種讓人容易沉浸，投入玩樂(lè)和學(xué)習(xí)的氛圍。教室里只有暖氣，沒(méi)有冷氣。畢竟暑假里學(xué)生回家，的確沒(méi)必要安裝冷氣。若在五月或九月特別熱的情況，老師會(huì)安排學(xué)生在大禮堂閱讀或繪畫(huà)，做一些安靜的事。

學(xué)生的午餐時(shí)間只有20分鐘！不管孩子是帶自家的午餐，還是吃學(xué)校食堂提供的午餐（需要排隊(duì)取食），不管是幼兒園還是六年級(jí)的孩子，由于學(xué)校規(guī)定必須在食堂用餐，而食堂大小有限，所以各個(gè)年級(jí)必須輪流使用食堂，限時(shí)20分鐘。這對(duì)孩子來(lái)說(shuō)是個(gè)考驗(yàn)，對(duì)每日準(zhǔn)備午餐的家長(zhǎng)來(lái)說(shuō)也是一項(xiàng)新課程?；丶液髮⒋耸赂嬖V孩子和家人，吃飯時(shí)將計(jì)時(shí)器的時(shí)間由30分鐘撥到25分鐘。給她幾周的過(guò)度時(shí)間，從6月開(kāi)始再將時(shí)間調(diào)整為20分鐘。雖然我不提倡快速吃飯，但我希望小朋友了解“20分鐘吃午餐”是什么概念。希望她明白，堅(jiān)持每天有效地完成午餐也是間接幫助學(xué)校節(jié)源。

學(xué)校圖書(shū)館有四萬(wàn)藏書(shū)，若分?jǐn)偟矫课粚W(xué)生的頭上，平均每人可得20本書(shū)。除了實(shí)體書(shū)，他們還有電子書(shū)，有聲書(shū)，各類(lèi)雜志，網(wǎng)絡(luò)文獻(xiàn)資料庫(kù)，以及各種參考資源。信息分享平臺(tái)做得很樸實(shí)，內(nèi)容實(shí)打?qū)?。Virtual Liabrary 的平臺(tái)包括 Destiny Quest, FindIt, World Book Reference Center, and Pebble Go. Destiny Quest 主要提供圖書(shū)借閱以及網(wǎng)上閱讀；而后三者更像資料庫(kù)，為不同年齡層的孩子（FindIt and World Book也針對(duì)成人）提供了直觀，明了，安全，可以獨(dú)立搜索資料的網(wǎng)絡(luò)平臺(tái)。

行政老師們與家長(zhǎng)們分享了針對(duì)低幼兒童的教育宗旨；幾位主課老師告訴我們孩子們會(huì)在學(xué)校里學(xué)到什么。簡(jiǎn)單來(lái)說(shuō)就是：成為一個(gè)夢(mèng)想者；從玩樂(lè)中成長(zhǎng)，學(xué)習(xí)獨(dú)立Independence，有責(zé)任感Responsibility，合作Cooperation以及尊重Respect。

關(guān)于夢(mèng)想，引用Langston Hughes的一首詩(shī)，The Dream Keeper:

Bring me all of your dreams,

You dreamers,

Bring me all of your heart melodies

That I may wrap them in a blue cloud-cloth

Away from the too-rough fingers of the world.

關(guān)于玩樂(lè)，引用Albert Einstein的一句話：PLAY is the highest form of RESEARCH.

關(guān)于低幼兒童的教育宗旨記錄和分享：

Mission Statement-

Our mission is to inspire all students to be confident, passionate learners with the courage and skills to lead their lives with integrity, while contributing to our global community with creativity and compassion.

Core Values-

We believe that:

• Communities and individuals thrive when the talents and abilities of all are valued and fostered.
• Each individual is responsible for his or her choices and the impact they create.
• There is no limit to human create.
• Honesty, integrity and trust are essential to sustaining meaningful partnerships.
• All people want to learn and succeed.
• A safe and healthy environment optimizes learning.
• Human life is precious.

Social Skills-

As a member of a school/classroom community your child will:

• build new relationships
• participate in conversations
• interact with others and take turns
• follow instructions
• learn the classroom routine
• develop responsibility
• learn how to successfully engage with his/her teacher and peers

The following will be integrated into your child's learning experiences throughout the school year:

• Conversation
• Self-help skills
• Fine/Gross motor skills
• Following directions
• PLAY

Literacy Skills-

As a reader, your child will:

• get excited about stories and books!
• begin to develop a reading identity
• read and discuss both fiction and nonfiction books
• tell about the characters, setting and what happens in a story
• tell about the main topic and details in an informational book
• use phonics to help decode

As a writer, you child will:

• begin to develop a writing identity
• begin to understand purposes for writing
• draw and write to tell stories, to inform, and to share opinions
• use knowledge of letters and sounds to label pictures and write words/sentences

Math Skills-

As a mathematician, your child will:

• use mathematical reasoning
• count
• write numbers
• understand addition and subtraction
• use objects and pictures to show addition and subtraction
• tell about and name shapes

Science Skills-

As a scientist, your child will:

• ask and answer questions
• develop and use models
• use inquiry skills to plan and carry out investigations
• design solutions to problems

Social Studies-

As a community member, your child will:

• ask questions
• develop an understanding of good character and citizenship
• learn about the surrounding community
• identity similarities and differences between him/herself and others

Prevention Department-

• Prevention department provides prevention programs aimed at reducing risk taking behaviors by empowering children to make healthy decisions. The District recognizes that students need a safe and comfortable learning climate and is committed to creating a caring community within our schools.
• Prevention staff provides classroom lessons, presentations, activities, service clubs, and trainings that are directed toward increasing children's protective factors.
• In addition, we offer small skills practice and discussion groups to reinforce and model appropriate behavior.
• Research suggests that your people who are provided opportunities for involvement in their school and community have enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence, which results in a decreased likelihood that they will participate in problematic behaviors.

Prevention Curriculum-

• Kindergarten - 4th Grade: Second Step & Too Good for Violence
• 5th Grade: Too Good for Drugs. Conflict Resolution Training - teaching students to be peacemakers. HIV/AIDS education.
• 6th Grade: Project TNT towards no tobacco use. All Stars Core - Building Bright Futures. Friendship Matters - a bully prevention program. Conflict Resolution Training - teaching students to be peacemakers. HIV/AIDS education. Positive Student Leaders. Mental health Awareness. SADD Club - students against destructive decisions.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS...

• Make books and stories exciting experiences! Time reading together is the reward.
• Take children on day trips and small excursions to engage their minds and enhance their experiences!
• Encourage your children's imagination and sense of wonder!
• Creativity can be messy! Don't be afraid to let them get dirty!
• Explore and celebrate nature together. Begin and continue family traditions.
• Teach love and acceptance!
• Remember to enjoy every moment because before you know it, they will be driving.
• Let them be LITTLE because they are only that way for a while.

Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write or count. Childhood is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace which is right for each individual child.