Teaching Kindergarten

Teacher competence
must be rooted
in an understanding
of children and
culture and
in a set of
values that
determines appropriate
influences on
young children.

From: "Preparing Teachers for Early Childhood Programs in the United States" by Olivia N. Saracho, Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children, 1993, p. 424. Reprinted by permission of Prentice Hall Canada Inc.. All rights reserved.

Personal Qualities and Competencies of the Kindergarten Teacher

The revised Kindergarten curriculum continues to emphasize the philosophy of the Report of the Minister's Committee on Kindergarten Education, Saskatchewan Department of Education, 1972. This document (pages 3 to 6) identified six features that were to be incorporated into the Kindergarten program. It is possible to infer from these features personal qualities and competencies Kindergarten teachers need in order to make the program a reality.

The six features of the new program were to be:

a receptive and supportive environment for learning
materials and equipment designed to provide for multi-level and multi-content experiences
instruction based on the individual needs of each child
an integration of ways oflearning with understandings to be developed
a total learning environment which provides for alternate ways of learning: play, games, sensory education, concrete manipulation and physical participation
emphasis on language development.

The Minister's Committee report stated that "the teacher of Kindergarten must possess a positive attitude of trust, respect and acceptance of children and an appreciation for their total development." These qualities are needed in order to provide "a receptive and supportive environment." It can be inferred that the Kindergarten teacher needs to be well organized and knowledgeable about children's growth and development in order to individualize instruction. He/she needs to have a broad knowledge base in order to be resourceful with respect to multi-level and multi-content experiences, understand how children learn, and be able to see the learning process as an integrated whole rather than simply as the sum of many parts.

The teacher not only needs an attitude of acceptance which enables each child to feel valued, but also needs competence in observing both verbal and non-verbal behaviour, an ability to assess the child based on these observations and an ability to respond appropriately.

An effective Kindergarten teacher is able to use a variety of instructional methods, and is skilful in setting specific objectives, asking questions and assessing children's progress.

A Kindergarten teacher is resourceful, recognizing the "teachable moments" and involving the community around the school. The teacher has a broad view of the learning process and capitalizes on the children's interests and experiences.

The teacher is attentive to the needs of all the children, including children from various cultures and those with special needs. He/she recognizes the need to develop a sense of self-worth and competence through successfully meeting appropriate challenges.