Whether you are a kindergarten teacher or a parent of a kindergarten aged child you know that they are very malleable and are always learning about their surroundings. We should take advantage of this impressionable time to teach children their ABC’s.

Attitude

• Teach them to have a good attitude.
• Write them encouraging notes on brightly colored paper for good behavior such as improving in something.
• Praise publicly; reprimand privately.
• Public praise will motivate others around that student.

Blessings

• Always be thankful; when the day starts, state something to be thankful for—sun shining, rain, clouds, etc.
• Do not have favorite students; be thankful for all of your students.
• Take pictures throughout the year of field trips, friends, and chapel.
• Send a good note to each student each week—keep track of them in a communications book. I attached mine to my plan book and carried it with me.

Character

• Teach character traits—loyalty, honesty, punctuality, dilgence, love, kindness, neatness, and orderliness (you should model this with your desk area and classroom).

• Teach manners—saying “please” and “thank you,” cleaning up after themselves, and being polite:

                        P—Patiently raise our hand and waiting to be called on

                        O—Opening our eyes and ears

                        L—Letting our classmates listen

                        I—In honor preferring one another

                        T—Trying our best the first time

                        E—Each of us staying in our seats

This is part one of this article, part two will include ideas to help your school day run smoothly and make your kindergarten a place children enjoy.