Kindergarten brings all sorts of exciting changes and emotions, and EPS couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome the students that will one day make up the graduating Class of 2035! Over 800 students began their educational journeys this year where they will spend time focusing on the building blocks of knowledge: reading, writing, and math intertwined with such common topics of colors, days of the week, and weather.
In their first days as students, these energetic learners have a lot to look forward to. As they participate in the routines of the morning meeting, interactive calendar time, and hands-on math with manipulatives, they are supported in their learning of foundational skills. During the morning meeting interactions, students build positive social relationships while practicing how to greet, discuss, reason, take turns in conversation, actively listen, and accept multiple perspectives. Following the morning meeting, students engage in calendar math routines where they practice counting, predict patterns, compare quantities, and have a chance to hone their leadership skills while making real-life connections to the information in a youth-friendly way. Those math lessons lead the way into their hands-on learning time where students are encouraged to manipulate tools like counters and cubes to understand math in concrete ways before moving to more abstract learning.
Regardless of the educational topic that’s bringing today’s excitement, current Fire Ridge Elementary kindergarten teacher, Mrs. DeBolt, knows that these experiences are giving “learners the opportunity to develop skills that will contribute to their success both personally and academically for life.” Knowing that, these students are surely off on the right foot as they discover a love for learning and begin to build relationships with each other that will be an integral part of their educational journey.
