Elizabeth, thanks so much for bringing in a message from Lillian Katz, one of my favorite professionals when my kids were little and when I was the director at a church related preschool. She always had a knack for summing up a point so concisely and accurately, I thought.
My children had very little preschool experience, and my son's kindergarten teacher was definitely dubious about that lack of "learning experience" she thought was essential. A couple months later, she admitted that he was just fine without preschool, and she wanted to chat sometime soon about what I'd been doing at home with him because he was far ahead of most of the other kids. I was flattered by that, but I also thought that too much is wrapped up in getting ready for the next thing when what I'd done was simply provide library books galore, art and craft supplies, sand and water play spaces inside and out, playgrounds around us, a backyard full of natural life to explore as we planted gardens every year and then followed my child's natural interests as we learned and explored the world at their pace, slow or fast, as they were interested.
I was put off of preschools in general because I arrived early one time with my daughter, Jennifer, an older three-year-old. The teacher was busy carefully cutting out objects for the children to paste onto a large piece of construction paper. I asked about letting the children cut them out instead, even though they might not be as nicely trimmed. She said it took too much time and the mothers preferred something neat and nice for the refrigerator. We didn't stay there much longer after that as I wanted what my child had made herself. I didn't care about the teacher's cutting skills on my fridge! Jennifer had been cutting for several months--not fabulous but proud that she was learning and getting better and better. We kept a big box of all things to cut, paste, color, etc., including junk mail fliers and my magazines to be cut up as she and her friends desired. Back then, many things came in the mail with stamps to tear out and paste to an order form for magazine subscriptions, etc. I'd add the envelopes and the order forms, and the kids loved pretending they were buying things and sending a letter through the mail. So, I am happy to hear the discussions about not worrying about kindergarten next year. And I'm happy to know I am not the only one who finds kindergarten today as entirely inappropriate for five-year-olds! My kids were both reading chapter books before going to kindergarten, but they just evolved into readers because we read aloud so much of the time. But in every other way, they were normal five-year-olds. In fact, my daughter was behind schedule in her ability to separate from me as she began kindergarten. She needed to learn how to do that, and I found a teacher at a private school for that year because I was confident she could help Jenn learn to separate safely and with a supportive caregiver/teacher. Meet the kiddos where they are now; next year will take care of itself without starving them today in preparation for that famine coming in the future
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this discussion!
Peggy O.
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Peggy Oliver
Retired English Professor
San Jacinto College Retiree, Houston, TX
Ankeny IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-26-2022 10:47 AM
From: Elizabeth Sherwood
Subject: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime
What an interesting conversation this has been! When the idea of getting ready for next year comes up - as it does in so many areas of preschool teaching - I am reminded of a comment I once heard from Lilian Katz - "If you know there's going to be a famine next year, do you starve them this year so they get used to it?"
I also consider a goal for kindergarten from my aunt, Betty Kirby, who was a kindergarten teacher in the 1950s in Riverside, Illinois. It's a paraphrase of an idea from John Dewey.
To live life fully and well because this is a year of his life and not just a time to get ready to live.
Certainly, no matter what age we teach (for me right now, it's undergrad teacher candidates), we need to be aware of what comes next. At the same time, we also need to value the here and now and support those we teach in living it fully. Here's one final comment from a cooperating teacher to a student teacher who was struggling to transition from a kindergarten placement to a preschool placement - "You need to remember that a three-year-old isn't a broken five-year-old!"
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Elizabeth Sherwood
Professor
SIUE
Glen Carbon IL
Original Message:
Sent: 03-25-2022 08:27 AM
From: Kristen Kennen
Subject: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime
Good morning!
This has been such an interesting thread to follow and has meandered into a variety of quality practices related to full group experiences for young children. You may be interested in a research article by 4 individuals at Temple University titled "CIRCLE TIME REVISITED: How Do Preschool Classrooms Use This Part of the Day?" (authors are Andres S. Bustamante, Annemarie H. Hindman, Carly R. Champagne, Barbara A. Wasik). I used this research data to prepare a PD session on the topic and found that it confirmed many of my beliefs about the fairly common practices that are out there............. that really work AGAINST what we are intending to happen at that time of day. Of particular interest was this idea that we might inadvertently be "depleting children's behavioral regulation" by inappropriate expectations.
Kristen
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Kristen Kennen
Early Childhood Education Specialist
EdAdvance
Danbury, CT
Original Message:
Sent: 03-25-2022 06:47 AM
From: Sheila Anderson
Subject: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime
When I had a home program, I did exactly as Trisha does. I had a volunteer make us a set of the cloth marble maze fidget tools and that has been a game changer.
Our large group time is short in duration and has a variety of sitting on individual circle mats and standing up and moving around. I have one child who needs to be a safe distance from the others, so he sits on a circle mat behind a line of tape on the floor. He does all of the activities we do, in his own safe area. Slowly, I am allowing him to sit closer to his peers and noticing aloud when his body was under control. He used to come to a group activity and karate-kick children in the back of their heads or jump on them.
I have learned so much from my colleagues in this discussion and I am grateful.
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[Sheila] [Anderson]
[Director]
[St. Mary Catholic ]
[Traverse City] [MI
Original Message:
Sent: 03-24-2022 08:23 AM
From: Trisha Dart
Subject: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime
I have a mixed age group of 2-4 year olds. Home-based ECE program. My students lay, sit on a chair, some don't even sit at circle, some sit on their butt. I allow them to sit what is comfortable for them. My 2s sometimes wander and come back. I know they are listening still when they start singing our new song or finger play within a couple days. The only thing I don't allow is rolling around on the rug. That becomes a problem with individual space.
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Trisha Dart
Owner/Teacher
Little Ones Learning Preschool and Childcare
Comstock Park, MI
Original Message:
Sent: 02-15-2018 04:14 PM
From: Maria Perillo
Subject: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime
Hi Friends, I am looking for some thoughts on the most developmentally appropriate way to be a part of Circle/Storytime for 4-5 year olds.
I encourage my students to sit "on their bottoms." Criss cross, legs stretched out or knees bent are all acceptable. I have a few children who prefer to kneel or lay down on their bellies. Is it best to allow freedom of position as long as they are engaged or should there be a more specific requirement?
I am looking forward to your thoughts. Maria
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Maria Perillo
Prescott AZ
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