The Kindergarten Program

Allowing children options
implicitly communicates
that we believe
in them
and in
their ability
to do.

Reprinted by permission of the publisher from Wasserman, S., SERIOUS PLAYERS IN THE PRIMARY CLASSROOM, (New York: Teachers College Press, (c) 1990 by Teachers College, Columbia University, All rights reserved. ), pp. 7.

Aim

The aim of the Kindergarten program is to provide a strong foundation from which students can grow to become active participants in life-long learning.

Goals

The aim of the program can be achieved through meeting the following goals. By participating in the Kindergarten program, children will:

develop confidence in themselves and their ability to learn
demonstrate curiosity and the ability to focus their attention
acquire a level of communicative competence that is personally satisfying
acquire social skills and abilities which enable them to relate to other children and to adults
remain true to their individual natures, being free to develop to their own potentials.

Philosophy

The philosophy of early childhood education that provides the foundation for Kindergarten programs in Saskatchewan is derived from the ideas of German philosopher and educator Friedrich Froebel and the American philosopher John Dewey. The work of the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget has also enhanced our understanding of how children learn. Each recognized the important relationship of activity to learning.

Froebel believed in children's potential for good and the need to provide a place in which children could be nurtured and developed through experiences with the natural environment and caring people. He believed true education originated in activity and that play was an essential part of the education process.

Dewey emphasized, among other things, the importance of the social context in a child's developing understanding of self in relation to others.

Piaget has helped us to understand how learning takes place through problem solving and how teachers may be able to facilitate that learning. Children go through stages of development as they come to understand and to know themselves and the world around them. These stages are intended to serve as general guidelines and not as fixed boundaries. It is crucial to build upon not only students' abilities, but also upon their interests, experiences and background knowledge. Therefore, rather than expecting children to be ready for school, schools must be prepared to adapt to meet the varying needs of the children.

Central to the philosophy of early childhood are the beliefs that:

all aspects of development are interrelated
growth and learning are continuous processes
each individual child is worthy of respect and encouragement.

A Kindergarten program based on this philosophy needs to be a balanced one, providing opportunities for individuals to develop in each of the physical, socio-emotional and intellectual areas. The neglect of one area jeopardizes achievement in the others. For this reason, Kindergarten programs must provide for the development of the whole child.
It is recognized, however, that a positive self-concept provides a solid foundation for development in all areas. A positive self-concept is more likely to develop in an environment which provides for personal acceptance and successful achievement. Such an environment enables children to continue to be actively involved in learning and to expand the boundaries of their private worlds.

Quotes From Kids: A Practical Gift - One day a student surprised the teacher by the statement he made while offering the gift of an eraser he had found. With a sincere look on his face, Sean burst out, "Teacher, here's an eraser in case you'd like to make some mistakes!"