Ideas for Teaching Kindergarten

By Kathy Houk, Saturday, July 2, 2016

This is part two of this article. Part one focused on teaching the ABC’s of attitude, blessings, and character.

Be prepared yourself. You should be there to greet them; you should not be doing lesson plans, etc. as students arrive.
Have a quiet activity ready at the table from time to time—coloring sheet, small puzzles, etc.
Establish a routine for them as they arrive—hang coats, homework satchels, lunch boxes.
Have buttons for the students to wear—pledge leader; song leader; prayer leader, line leader, secretary, bathroom monitors, door guard, reading group button, etc.
The work for the day should already be on the board—flashcards, games to play that day, new letters to learn, etc.
Before prayer tell the prayer leader what to pray for. By the second semester they may already know.

“To fail to plan is to plan to fail.”

Books of the Bible—teach motions for Old Testament; sing New Testament.
Song—teach hymns as well as choruses (have some action choruses).
- Have a 3x5 card with selections on it so you are always ready.
- When teaching a new song sing it for them first, then have them hum while you sing, then have them try to sing with you.
Verses—ABC verses as well as passages; learning two Bible verses a week is doable. Students will learn the passage better if you teach them hand motions to go along with it.
Lesson—always stand with the Bible open.
- Have pictures/visuals if possible
- Make application throughout the lesson
- Ask questions; call on different students
- Give out buttons—Bible award/Chapel award

“Our goal is to teach them to love the Lord with all of their hearts.”

Read to them; their desire to imitate will help them learn to read.
Sometimes I read a word, then have them read a word; or I read a sentence, then have them read a sentence.
Keep ABC cards in order in an envelope so they are always available.
Have books in the classroom.
Put labels on objects in the room so they can read the words.

“They need to learn to read so they can read the Bible.”

Supply them with pencil grips and pencil toppers.
Watch posture.
When teaching a new letter demonstrate it once, then have them trace it in the air with you. Remember that it is easy to find yourself working with an individual and losing classroom control.
Teach them to fold their hands when they are done with what you have given them.
Put smiley faces or other cheery marks on their papers.
Give out a neat worker button to a student who does exceptionally neat work.
Show the class a neat paper.

“One’s handwriting is a reflection of one’s personality and character.”

“We are so important to God that He has numbered the hairs on our head.”

Know how to take care of self—tie shoes, helping with chores, etc.
Practice routines—sitting in a chair properly, walking in lines, answering an adult. Standing up straight, turning chairs, passing papers, bathroom break, etc.

Develops eye-hand coordination.
Provides time to exercise.
Have art supplies in a bag.
Teach history by telling stories, use pictures from books to keep their attention.

“Activity time should be planned by the teacher or the students will provide their own activity.”

Team them to clean their area before leaving the room.
Have prayer and dismiss orderly.
The students should be given a glimpse of what will happen the next day in kindergarten before they leave for the day.
Maximum learning is always the result of maximum involvement—I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand.
A teacher’s greatest threat is “satisfaction.” Always be learning and reading in the areas you teach.