5-19-08 Journal Writings « Kindergarten University

5-19-08 Journal Writings

Andrew Ryan

Andrew S

Anna Elizabeth

Anna Grace

Ava

Brandon

Christopher

Connor

Grace

Lily

Maeve

Megan

Michael

Peter

Robert

Ryan Alexa

Ryan McL

Stephen

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Kindergarten University

We are a Kindergarten class in a Pre-K through 8th grade school in NYC.
We are trying – through grant writing and hard work – to be a Technology forward program.

Last year, the students used seasonal visits to the Botanical Garden’s New York Chinese Scholars Garden to create magnificent digital photo essays and artwork. We continued on our study path to learn more about China, its customs, inventions and inhabitants. We eventually embarked on individual detailed research projects about asian animals. The students were excited about gaining new knowledge and sharing it with others.

This year, we are looking closer to home for inspiration. We are going to be studying STATEN ISLAND across the curriculum. We will be visiting, photographing, sketching, researching and learning about our island’s history and the many wonders to be found right here on our island home.

ALL About US
The important components of our classroom’s philosophy are Interest Based Learning and the Montessori Method. With these methods the entire curriculum, from the reading materials and the writing topics to the science projects and math, are driven by the children’s interest based participation in everyday learning activities. Materials are ‘hands on’ with a multitude of manipulatives that enrich a child’s understanding of the learning taking place. The children are challenged to find what excites them and holds their attention. They are encouraged to take risks and showcase their expertise. In doing so they have many opportunities to learn about themselves and their world, to learn about their own abilities and to see how they can influence things, people, and their environment. They learn to become organized scientific thinkers, explorers, active and competent learners, and eventually teachers of fellow students.
The students learn how to learn, which is one of the most essential goals of education. A curriculum built on the foundations of Interest Based Learning allows children full agency in their educations. They will learn how to organize data and information in meaningful ways, to use the Internet for research both effectively and safely, and to use expository texts to find interest-related information. The students take the skills and the knowledge they acquire from studying a specific ‘interest based’ topic and apply them to future learning. They are capable of transferring their skills so that they are able to acquire knowledge in any area of their choosing.
There are several goals for each school year: 1) Students will become fluent readers, creative writers and organized thinkers. 2) The partnerships between the child and parent and the school are strongly shaped. And 3) That morality and good judgment are modeled. It is our aim to relate learning to the children’s own passions so that learning is undeniably enjoyable for them. A love of gaining knowledge ensures that they will become motivated to excel and to become active, inspired learners.

May 2008

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Kindergarten University

Expect Great Things