I figure each parental blogger has a post on Kindergarten. The woes, the drama, the stress.
Here is my take on the modern Kindergarten.

Years ago, a little girl rode a bus and went to Kindergarten. It was a half day. She would sing songs, each cookies with her tiny bottle of milk (glass!), build with the play blocks and listen to stories. This girl was lucky. She had an older sister who had taught her to read! But the teacher did not like that. When it was story time, she would read a page, turn the book around and ask the children what would happen on the next page based on the pictures. The little girl, eager to please, would read ahead and then tell the class exactly what would happen. The teacher grew angry and told the little girl she was to never read ahead again. It was not fair to the other children. The little girl learned that it was wrong to show your skills and that reading was a bad thing. She learned that lesson again and again as she grew up, including being forced to read sections out of books before she could check them out of the library.

Fortunately, my children will not have these issues. Today’s kindergarten is different. This morning, Soleil came over to our bed at 7. We turned on the TV at 7:30, had her get her clothes for the day and change while we showered. Then we had breakfast and walked to the bus stop. Soleil was on the bus by 8:35am.

She will take a long ride to school, learning how to work with other kids. She has already learned that the older girls on the bus protect her. When a little boy scratched her, the big girls comforted her and told the bus driver. She gets to school and waits in the line for her teacher. Her teacher brings all of the kids to the class room. They take out their notes for her, hang their backpacks in their cubbies and go to free play until the teacher is ready for circle time.

At circle time, they discuss the calendar, they fill the calendar with patterns, they count the number of days they have been in school and learn about the hundreds (not yet), tens and one places for writing numbers. They don’t realize they are learning this, but they are. The leader of the day discusses the weather. They read a book and talk about feelings.

Some time during the morning, they work on their letter of the week. This week is T. They’ve already talked about A and I. They practice writing the letter and making the sound. Then it is time for math. Math is fun. It is all games. Right now, it is all probability and graphing. Again, the kids don’t KNOW these are the terms. They pull out one of three things from a container and color in a bar on a piece of paper for each item they pulled out. Then they see which item "wins".

They have choice time, where they sign up for activities. The activities include drawing, painting, writing, playing with blocks, the discovery zone, reading books, writing notes for other class mates (really drawing notes for most kids), listening to story books, dramatic play or the quiet zone. They must cooperate and wait turns if an activity is all signed up. They learn to problem solve if something goes wrong. The teacher and her assistant hover, but do not interfere unless needed. They guide the children into finding the answer.

They have snack and lunch and recess. They have art class, gym, library (Soleil’s favorite..and on Fridays!), and music. They learn to stand in line and follow instructions. Teachers in the school praise children who they catch walking and gently remind those who run that it is not acceptable to do so.

The teaching team has a "literacy program". The children are sometimes given a teacher choice at choice time. They have to work with the teachers during that time. Sometimes it is coloring a book and reading with the teachers. Sometimes it is working on letter recognition. Sometimes it is a math game with words.

The school started a program for the children called Open Circle. They discuss responsibility for the community and for others. They discuss respect and rules. Soleil knows the word "non-negotiable". She knew it already, but now her class does too.

At 3:00pm they go home. Soleil and most of her class go to Kids’ Club, the town’s after school program. They take a bus, they snack (again) and then play. Coloring and reading, painting, playing. This is where I worry more. Soleil made a sign the other day "Please rescue animals". Complete with Diego, Alicia, Dora, Boots, Baby Jaguar and a tapir, a toucan and a few other animals. Some of the second grade girls starting singing "Kill the animals". This made her angry and she marched around with her sign. Go Soleil!

Is her day far more packed than mine was at Kindergarten?
Yes 

Do I feel she is being pushed?
No. The school approaches the lower grades with a very nurturing view. And Soleil thinks it is all games (although she knows she is learning).

I don’t find Kindergarten to be boot camp, or difficult. I think it is the right level of exploration and learning for these kids.

I am thrilled with Kindergarten so far!