Tonight was the perfect night to sit out in the midwest sunshine watching A practicing softball and finish reading, Welcome to Kindergarten - A Month to Month Guide to Teaching and Learning by Bonnie Brown Walmsley and Debra Redlo Wing. I recently saw this title during the Heinemann sale and wondered how I had missed it a year ago when I made my transition to kindergarten. It's a little ironic to be reading this at the end of the year since I'm saying goodbye to my first year back in kindergarten. However, I was able to do a lot of reflection and think through my year with a lot of thinking about next year.
This book if packed with lots of practical and realistic thoughts from two experienced teachers. The book begins in August as we all prepare for the new year with schedules, room arrangements, and organization thoughts. Each month following is filled with curriculum ideas and how kindergartners develop. I loved their thoughts on project work, integrating the curriculum found throughout the book. They include valuable picture book titles to support their work with children. They are also huge on using music or singing supporting oral language and content learning while providing movement which young learners need. If you are ever needing to justify the use of blocks in your classroom to foster learning they provide a great explanation on page 59. I love how their students are creating projects by using artistic materials to extend and demonstrate learning. I found this book to be valuable in reminding me the importance of integration, students creating, and balance.
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