Kindergarten and Core Curriculum

Common Essential Learnings

The Kindergarten program offers many opportunities to incorporate the Common Essential Learnings (C.E.L.s). The decision to focus on one or more C.E.L.s is guided by the needs and abilities of individual students and by the particular topic or activities. Throughout a theme, it is intended that each Common Essential Learning will have been developed to the extent possible.

Since the C.E.L.s are not necessarily separate and discrete categories, it is anticipated that working toward the development of one Common Essential Learning may contribute to the development of others. For example, many of the processes, skills, understanding and abilities required for the C.E.L.s of Communication, Numeracy, and Critical and Creative Thinking are also needed for the development of Technological Literacy.

Activities and experiences which work toward the development of the Common Essential Learnings include:

working with concrete materials
real-life experiences
observing
questioning
sharing
using all five senses
learning to make choices
focusing on alternatives
becoming data collectors
drawing, mapping, graphing, charting, labelling and displaying
developing categories, sorting, ordering and classifying
observing good role models
having responsibilities in the classroom.

Teachers should refer to Understanding the Common Essential Learnings: A Handbook for Teachers, Saskatchewan Education, 1988 for more complete information on the Common Essential Learnings.

Adaptive Dimension

The Adaptive Dimension is an essential part of all educational programs. Like the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension is a component of Core Curriculum and permeates all curriculum and instruction. The Adaptive Dimension is defined as:

the concept of making adjustments in approved educational programs to accommodate diversity in student learning needs. It includes those practices the teacher undertakes to make curriculum, instruction, and the learning environment meaningful and appropriate for each student.

The essence of the Adaptive Dimension rests in the phrase "seeking other ways". Offering students alternative access to and expression of knowledge facilitates their participation in learning. Just as physical environments can be made more accessible through modifications such as ramps or wider doorways, learning environments can be made more accessible through a modification of setting, method or material. The Adaptive Dimension is used to:

maximize student independence
facilitate integration
maximize generalization and transfer
lessen discrepancies between achievement and ability
promote a love of learning
promote a positive self-image and feeling of belonging
promote confidence
promote a willingness to become involved in learning.

These purposes address a primary function of the school, that of helping students to maximize their potentials as independent learners.

While some students may find aspects of the classroom program difficult, other students will not be challenged enough in some areas. With varying adaptations of teaching methodologies, curriculum organization and timetabling, or with the assistance of appropriate technologies, almost all students can be active participants in the core content of the curriculum. Some general guidelines for adaptation follow:

Alter instructional strategies to meet the needs of the individual.
Alter the manner in which the student is required to respond to the teacher and/or to the learning experience.
Alter the setting or the materials so that the student may benefit more fully from the activity or experience. The less rigid the setting and the approach, the easier it is to adapt.
Use interactive techniques which allow close monitoring of the students' progress.
Encourage as much student participation as possible in both planning and instruction.
Modify and evaluate procedures in order to maximize the amount of relevant information received from each student.
Use support systems (methods and personnel) as extensively as possible.

The Adaptive Dimension includes all practices the teacher employs to making learning meaningful and appropriate for each student. Because the Adaptive Dimension permeates all teaching practice, sound professional judgment becomes the critical factor in decision-making. This curriculum guide allows for such flexibility and decision-making.

Teachers should refer to The Adaptive Dimension in Core Curriculum, Saskatchewan Education, 1992 for further information on the Adaptive Dimension.

Locally Determined Options

Locally Determined Options refer to courses that are locally approved and taught in addition to the Required Areas of Study. In Kindergarten these options could include, for example, core French and religion. For more information refer to Core Curriculum: Plans for Implementation, Saskatchewan Education, 1987.

"A Picture of Me" by Kurtis

Quotes From Kids: A Deep Sunburn - On an unusually hot spring morning a rather flushed Kindergarten student came in from recess exclaiming, "I think I have heartburn all over my body!"