Reaching Standards and Beyond in Kindergarten

Gera Jacobs is a professor of early childhood education and taught kindergarten, preschool, and the elementary grades for many years. She has published articles in a number of national and regional journals and produced a CD-ROM on inclusion for young children with special needs. She has presented at numerous state, regional, and national conferences, and has conducted many inservice presentations for teachers. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Governing Board and served on the NAEYC Affiliate Council. The Carnegie Corporation named her the South Dakota Professor of the Year in 2002. She was chairperson of the South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines Panel, responsible for writing the preschool standards for South Dakota. Jacobs and her coauthor Kathy Crowley have helped to organize an annual statewide kindergarten academy for many years in South Dakota and have presented at kindergarten institutes in other states. They are the coauthors of Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards: Nurturing Children’s Sense of Wonder and Joy in Learning, published by Corwin Press and winner of a 2008 Teachers’ Choice Award, sponsored by Learning Magazine, and a 2007 Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. Their collaboration began many years ago as team-teachers in a kindergarten classroom. Kathy Crowley is a kindergarten teacher and has taught kindergarten, preschool, and the elementary grades for many years. She was director of an afterschool program and a member of the South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines Panel. Serving as a teacher leader for a statewide mathematics initiative, she provides training to other teachers on innovative math strategies. An active member of several professional organizations, she has presented at numerous state, regional, and national conferences. Crowley served as vice president of the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children and received the SDAEYC state service award in 2006. Her community named her the Teacher of the Year in 2007. Crowley and her coauthor Gera Jacobs have helped to organize an annual statewide kindergarten academy for many years in South Dakota and have presented at kindergarten institutes in other states. They are the coauthors of Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards: Nurturing Children’s Sense of Wonder and Joy in Learning, published by Corwin Press and winner of a 2008 Teachers’ Choice Award, sponsored by Learning Magazine and a 2007 Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. Their collaboration began many years ago as team-teachers in a kindergarten classroom.

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
1. The Importance of the Kindergarten Year: Getting Off to a Good Start
Reaching Standards in Kindergarten and the Power of Play
Ready for the Children
Transition to Kindergarten and Forming Partnerships With Families
Strengthening Relationships
Meeting the Needs of All Children
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
2. Designing the Kindergarten Environment
Creating a Welcoming Environment
Kindergarten Room Design
Designing Interest Areas That Invite Learning
Managing Interest Areas
The Social Environment
Scheduling to Make the Most of Our Time Together
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
3. Addressing Standards Through Engaging Studies and Authentic Assessment
Engaging Studies and Projects
Assessing Children′s Progress Toward Reaching Standards
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
4. Nurturing Children′s Sense of Wonder Through Science
Designing the Environment to Promote Science Inquiry
Addressing Standards and Developing Science Concepts Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
5. Fostering Involved Citizens Through Social Studies
Designing the Environment for Our Future World Citizens
Addressing Standards and Developing Social Studies Concepts Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
6. Engaging Young Readers and Writers in the Literacy-Rich Kindergarten
Designing a Nurturing Environment for Young Readers and Writers
Addressing Language and Literacy Standards and Goals Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Discovering More About Learning New Languages
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
7. Motivating Mathematics
Designing the Environment to Promote Mathematical Thinking
Addressing Standards and Developing Mathematical Concepts Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
8. Celebrating Creativity Through the Arts
Designing the Environment to Promote Creativity Through the Arts
Addressing Standards in the Arts Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
9. Promoting Healthy Physical and Social-Emotional Development
Designing the Environment to Promote Healthy Physical Development
Addressing Standards and Fostering Physical Development Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Designing the Environment to Promote Positive Approaches to Learning and Social-Emotional Development
Nurturing Positive Approaches to Learning and Social-Emotional Development Through Engaging Studies and Experiences
Supporting Children Learning English as a New Language
Working With Children′s Individual Needs
10. Connecting the Dots: Reaching Standards and Beyond
Kindergarten for All Children
The Length of the Kindergarten Day
Supporting the Transition to First Grade
Reaching Beyond the Standards
Resources
Children′s Books
Children′s Music
Calendar Letter for Families
Calendar Pages for Families
Label Lemur Name Badge
References
Suggested Readings
Index