Kindergarten can be a scary time for a five-year-old. Even with the brightly colored carpet and smiling teacher it is a brand new experience that includes four hours of no cartoons, no favorite stuffed animal and no mommy. Project-Based learning is a great way to help children thrive in the kindergarten classroom while having fun. The idea behind project-based learning is that children are meant to be active learners and will eventually grow up to be an active part of the global community. Project-based learning in kindergarten teaches kindergarten concepts using hands on, activity based, projects. This enables the students to problem solve, work through the activity and create meaning in academics. Instead of filling in worksheet after worksheet, the students in a project-based classroom are placed into small groups and are allowed to be creative with their learning. In the process, they are learning how to work together, solve simple problems such as sharing and picking partners fairly, as well as the alphabet and how to read. It gives the students a feeling of responsibility and accomplishment, even at five years old, that will last throughout their school years.
Kindergarteners love creativity. They love to be in the middle of the finger paints and puppet shows. They want to be grown up and know their ABC’s and how to write their names. They love to read to people, even when they don’t know all the words. The best way to ensure your child is ready to enter a project-based classroom in kindergarten is to play with them. Read to them and ask them what they liked best about the book. Paint pictures of the moon and the stars with them. Write poems with them. Take them to the park and teach them to share, why we should not litter and how to make friends with other five year olds. Show them it is okay to make mistakes and how to apologize. Play with them.
Kindergarten can start out scary and end up being a fantastic experience. Project- based learning in kindergarten is a hands on way to teach children academics along with real world problem solving. It puts the child in charge of his or her learning, and uses the teacher as a facilitator. It allows the child to share with their parents all of the great things they learned in school.
For more information visit www.scvcharterschool.org .