Teachers new to our Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy seminars and website often ask, “Where do I begin?” Perhaps these suggestions will be of support:

  • Join your state kindergarten association, local kindergarten support groups, and/or local and state branches of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). See www.nkateach.org and www.naeyc.org; in Oregon see www.oregonaeyc.org.
  • Find out about the exemplary kindergarten programs in your community – observe kindergarten in action and begin dialoging with the mentor teachers about their philosophy and practice. Most accomplished kindergarten teachers are happy to support and encourage new teachers.
  • Attend early childhood and kindergarten literacy conferences and seminars.  Network with other kindergarten teachers who are excited about teaching and learning.  Ongoing dialog and camaraderie help us grow.
  • Develop a repertoire of joyful songs, poems, rhymes, and chants. Listen to quality children’s CDs and DVDs. (See Recommended Children’s CDs.) Download free poems and rhymes to learn. Develop an “I Can Read Poetry” notebook strategy. See photo essay.
  • Learn to sign songs and fingerspell the ABCs. (See Some Favorite ASL Resources.) Research strongly supports adding American Sign Language to the early literacy curriculum.   See ASL video clips on our website.
  • Visit exemplary kindergarten programs online. (Start with our Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy Award sites and other favorite kindergarten literacy sites; they are annotated with direct links to some of the most inspiring content on each site. 
  • Join the free mentor kindergarten teacher chat board at teachers.net and follow the dialog on topics of interest. You will discover very wise kindergarten voices – we read everything posted from KinderJane and Jacque Verrell.
  • You may enjoy our seminar and new literacy manual, Celebrate Language and Accelerate Literacy: High Expectations • Joyful Learning • Proven Strategies, which represents the culmination of 20 years of kindergarten literacy research and “best practices” from exemplary Northwest kindergartens.  It contains over 100 full-color photos of strategies and beautiful classrooms.  See Celebrate Language information form. (It will soon be available as a Distance Learning Program with accompanying DVDs for each chapter so I recommend that you wait and purchase it later.)
  • Study the video clips and photo essays of joyful accelerated literacy on our website.
  • Read professional books and newsletters about early literacy and positive discipline and how to build a joyful learning community. (See Resource Books for Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy.) Subscribe to the free Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy e-newsletter.
  • Ask if your school district, Department of Education, or local Teachers’ College has a mentoring program for new teachers.  Again, ask where the outstanding joyful kindergarten programs are: classrooms that accelerate literacy and honor childhood.  (See essay, Defining Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy.)
  • As you apply for teaching positions, seek to understand the philosophy and culture of the school. Beware of schools or districts that present you with a rigid scripted literacy program that must be followed “with fidelity.”  Look for schools where principals are strong curriculum leaders with a vision of creating a joyful and rigorous learning community.  Ask about the school’s commitment to meaningful parent involvement and to developing professional learning communities for teachers.
  • Bring your most caring self into the classroom; make your health a priority by keeping fit and doing what brings you the deepest joy.
  • Nurture your passions so you can bring them into the classroom.  Your love of literature, nature, art, music, travel, or ethnic foods can enrich the lives of your students as you weave your enthusiasm for learning into the life of your classroom.
  • Learn everything you can about “kid writing”.  See the website www.kidwriting.com and read the book Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals and Writing Workshop.  Study with Julie Lay and read the practical book Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of Kid Writing, by Julie Lay and Nellie Edge. For articles, photo essays, and book excerpts, see articles under All Kindergartners Love to Write from our own website.
  • Participate in a local kindergarten support group if one is available – it’s a great opportunity to visit other classrooms and share your successes and challenges. If there isn’t one available in your district, consider working with your district early literacy leaders to establish a professional learning community to meet the unique role of kindergarten. (See Salem Kindergarten Cadre)
  • If you live in Oregon, consider joining our New Kindergarten Teacher Cadre.  For details see Oregon New Kindergarten Teacher Cadre: Joyful Accelerated Literacy (3/08).

At the end of my seminar presentations, I often encourage teachers to go slow and choose one or two new learning goals.  I believe this is especially important for enthusiastic new teachers who want to do it all – by Monday morning!  Bond with your children and families. Keep the joy alive and create a language-rich environment first.  I often remember a teacher who wrote to me and said, “Nellie, you say ‘go slow’ but I go back to my school and look at the children – they don’t have years for us to get our act together!”  Another teacher wrote, “Okay, Nellie, I’ll go slow – just as fast as I can!”  And that is the teaching dilemma that wise, committed educators face– finding the balance that keeps us personally challenged and vibrant and our classrooms alive with the best, authentic learning practices.

As passionate, caring teachers we welcome you into the world of joyful and rigorous kindergarten teaching and learning.  ( See video clips of Master Kindergarten teachers; click the Videos tab at the top of our website.) There are few rewards dearer than a class of loving five year olds.

Good luck and enjoy your teaching journey.

With Smiles!
Nellie Edge

June 2008

 

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