Kindergarten and Core Curriculum

The most
important thing
an administrator
can do is to
provide a supportive,
trusting environment
so teachers
feel good
about taking risks
even if it
doesn't always
work out.

From: Our Primary Program: Taking the Pulse, Part I - A Journey Through the Classrooms by Maureen Dockendorf and Susan Close, 1990, p. 125. Reproduced with permission of British Columbia Ministry of Education, Skills and Training. All rights reserved.

Kindergarten and Core Curriculum

Core Curriculum is based on a Kindergarten to Grade 12 continuum and has four components. These components include: The Required Areas of Study, the Common Essential Learnings, the Adaptive Dimension and Locally Determined Options.

Within the framework of the Core Curriculum, Kindergarten is a foundational part of the Kindergarten to Grade 12 continuum. Developmentally appropriate activities can provide a foundation for later learning related to both the Required Areas of Study and the Common Essential Learnings.

Learners in Kindergarten have a different set of developmental characteristics from learners in Elementary, Middle or Secondary Levels. These differences should be reflected in curriculum and instruction. Developmentally appropriate practice takes into account both age appropriateness and individual differences.

Required Areas of Study

Note: The required Areas of Study include Arts Education, English Language Arts, Health, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science and Social Studies. As required Areas of Study curricula are revised, information will be sent to the schools.

Importance of Integration

Foundational understanding for each Required Area of Study is best developed with young children through integrated experiences. A thematic approach in an activity-centred environment is most appropriate. Foundational understanding in several areas will develop as children use numerous concrete materials and participate in teacher-directed experiences such as going on outings and singing songs. An activity such as block building can lead, for instance, to the learning of math concepts ("How many blocks do you think we'll need?"), science concepts ("How can we move these big blocks over there?") social studies concepts ("This city needs a firehall and a police station.") and language development ("Lets make a sign that says, `Please don't knock our tower over!' "). The Kindergarten program should emphasize the following in order to develop each student's understanding: student-centred purpose; use of manipulative materials; hands-on experiential play; observation, language use and reflection; and support from the teacher.

Student-centred Purpose

This refers to the student's need to know, understand and find out. The desire to know comes from experiencing the world in a meaningful way. Teachers can facilitate students' search for meaning by providing materials that allow students to make discoveries, upon which they can then build further learning. Students' backgrounds and experiences will play a role in how they make sense of their discoveries.

Providing students with relevant choices will allow them to explore areas in which they are interested and lead them to develop a sense of purpose for learning. The role of the teacher is to plan the learning, provide the choices, prepare the environment and guide the experiences.

Use of Manipulative Materials

The younger the child, the more context-embedded the experience should be. Kindergarten children learn through handling and experimenting with concrete materials. Such materials and equipment should provide for multicultural, non-sexist experiences. The teacher should make sure the materials do not stereotype according to culture or gender.

It is important to provide a variety of manipulatives when exploring any concept. For example, students may initially explore the concept of capacity at the water table with different sizes of plastic beakers, containers and cups. Further play and exploration can be encouraged through the use of other "pourable" substances such as grains, lentils, sand, coloured water, marbles, pebbles, buttons, paper clips, macaroni or rubber bands.

Hands-on Experiential Play

It is through play that young children come to know and understand the world around them. The socio-emotional, physical and intellectual development of children is dependent upon activity. Therefore, the Kindergarten program uses child-initiated, child-directed, teacher-supported play as an essential part of the educational process. Play, as opposed to lectures, drill and assigned worksheets, is the best way for Kindergarten students to learn.

It is important that children have time for free exploration, experimentation and observation, particularly when concepts, materials or activities are new or unknown to the students.

Observation, Language Use and Reflection

One of the purposes of having students touch, handle, manipulate or experiment with materials is to allow them to discuss their observations from an experiential point of view. Much of the development in these early years occurs as students strengthen their perceptual abilities through concrete experiences. Observations, manipulations and experiences with objects, visual images, sounds, music and movement contribute to the development of students' perceptual abilities.

The use of language in a positive, supportive learning climate also facilitates perceptual development. Young children learn through communicating with others, both verbally and non-verbally. As children share their observations and their ideas they come to understand what it is they are thinking and learning. Classrooms which invite students to use language to question or to explore, nurture a natural curiosity about the world. The teacher can provide a model for language use and help students link their ideas together.

Reflection upon observations leads to the development of perceptual, procedural, conceptual and personal understanding.

Support From the Teacher

Teachers can support the continuous growth and learning of young children by:

Encouraging children to make choices and decisions based upon the available materials, activities and time. This involvement in designing and managing their own learning helps them to understand the purpose of learning and to grow into independent learners.
Participating in children's play for the purpose of extending it.
Accepting and respecting children and their ideas. Questioning should be open-ended and encourage students to give information which the teacher does not have. The emphasis here is not on soliciting singular responses, or one right answer. Rather, the teacher seriously considers the children's points of view and is interested in finding out what they know and how they reach their conclusions.
Encouraging children to learn about themselves and their world through the various senses. This develops students' observation and perceptual abilities and contributes to their procedural, conceptual and personal understanding.
Offering specific questions or comments that guide the student, rather than giving rewards or general feedback (e.g., "I see you are building a zoo. Where do the animals go for shade?").
Enhancing incidental learning (that is, taking advantage of "teachable" moments as they occur).
Observing students. This allows teachers to collect information regarding students' language development, their interactions with others, their problem-solving abilities and so on.
Teaching children to support and encourage each other. Modelling and role playing are two ways of helping students develop a supportive attitude.

Kindergarten teachers should refer to the elementary level curriculum guide for each Required Area of Study and attend any inservice provided for elementary teachers. In this way, Kindergarten teachers will come to understand the planning processes and approaches of the areas of study and will be able to use them, as appropriate, in their Kindergarten programs.