I subbed a kindergarten class and loved it! I've always considered teaching part-time and thought kindergarten would be a good grade to do that. It's a whole different world than second grade, but it has it's own perks! For one, you could sing a lot more songs!! Here are a few things that this teacher does that stood out to me:
1. She left name tags for all of the children. This was incredibly helpful! I subbed on a short day, so trying to learn all forty names would have been a little tough, maybe impossible.
2. I liked how her rules were posted and that her rewards were clear and fun.
3. Singing Songs: During carpet time, we had to sing, "The Days of the Week Song" and "The Months of the Year Song." It was pretty fun and all of the kids were smiling! Isn't that the best feeling, when you know your kids are learning and having fun?
"The Days of the Week Song"
(To the tune of "The Addams Family" theme song.)
The days of the week. (clap, clap)
The days of the week. (clap, clap)
The days of the week. The days of the week. The days of the week. (clap, clap)
There's Sunday and there's Monday. There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday. There's Thursday and there's Friday and then there's Saturday. (Children put a finger out for each day.)
The days of the week. (clap, clap)
The days of the week. (clap, clap)
The days of the week. The days of the week. The days of the week. (clap, clap)
Cute, right? She also lets the kids change the clapping part to make it more interesting. For example: bouncing a basketball or clapping like an alligator.
"The Months of the Year Song"
(To the tune of "Macarena.")
January (right hand straight out, palm faced down)
February (left hand straight out, palm faced down)
March (turn right hand over so the palm is faced up)
and April (turn left hand over so the palm is faced up)
May (right hand touches your shoulder)
June (left hand touches your shoulder)
July (right hand touches the back of the right side of your head)
and August (left hand touches the back of the right side of your head)
September (right hand touches the front left hip)
October (left hand touches the front right hip)
November (right hand touches the side of the right hip)
and December (left hand touches the side of the left hip)
Then you turn around. (Then you shake your booty and turn to the right.)
(You sing this song four times until you've turned back to where you started then you say "The Months of the Year!")
I love the "Macarena." I remember when it first came out, my older brother came home and taught it to me because he thought it was cool for me to know it. Then I showed it to all of my friends. Who doesn't like shaking their booty? That's why "The Hokey Pokey" is still going strong. Everyone's favorite part is when "you put your backside in and shake it all about". You know it's true. It's silly and kids love it!
4. Homework is clear.
The first grade team at my old school came up with this system then the Kindergarten teachers and second grade teachers copied their wonderful idea. I really loved that homework was similar K-2. Most of the teachers put this note on a manila envelope that has a metal clasp. Then they would laminate them and cut a slit over the hole. I had a homework folder so I put mine in a page protector because I sent home Fry Phrases (phrases with sight words to increase fluency) for them to pass off. Here's the homework note and the Fry Phrases.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B76c3KOhVlsKYUtoenBmeXAtUmM/edit?usp=sharing
Here are the Fry words and phrases.
Fry Words
Fry Phrases
The top is left blank so that stickers can be added once they are passed off. The students are supposed to bring their homework to school every day. I had a parent come twice a week for about a hour and a half to practice this with the kids during centers. If they forgot their folder then they could still pass it off and the parent would put a sticker on my chart. Then on Friday, when my homework parent came in, she would make sure all homework folders were updated.
Kindergarten was fun to sub and I can't wait to sub on a longer day so I can learn more about teaching kids how to read at that age.
Now you see why I taught preschool for all those years. It's such a fun age, just like Kindergarten. Shaving cream as a reward = Brilliant. My students always loved when I brought it out for them to play with.
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