Kindergarten Readiness

Top 10 Signs of a Good Kindergarten Classroom

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Source: National Association for the Education of Young Children


Kindergarten is a time for children to expand their love of learning, their general knowledge, their ability to get along with others, and their interest in reaching out to the world. While kindergarten marks an important transition from preschool to the primary grades, it is important that children still get to be children -- getting kindergarteners ready for elementary school does not mean substituting academics for play time, forcing children to master first grade "skills," or relying on standardized tests to assess children's success.

Kindergarten "curriculum" actually includes such events as snack time, recess, and individual and group activities in addition to those activities we think of as traditionally educational. Developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms encourage the growth of children's self-esteem, their cultural identities, their independence and their individual strengths. Kindergarten children will continue to develop control of their own behavior through the guidance and support of warm, caring adults. At this stage, children are already eager to learn and possess an innate curiosity. Teachers with a strong background in early childhood education and child development can best provide for children what they need to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Here are 10 signs of a good kindergarten classroom:

  1. Children are playing and working with materials or other children. They are not aimlessly wandering or forced to sit quietly for long periods of time.
  2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day, such as block building, pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as legos, pegboards, and puzzles. Children are not all doing the same things at the same time.
  3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend time only with the entire group.
  4. The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and dictated stories.
  5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. Exploring the natural world of plants and animals, cooking, taking attendance, and serving snack are all meaningful activities to children.
  6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Filling out worksheets should not be their primary activity.
  7. Children have an opportunity to play outside every day that weather permits. This play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
  8. Teachers read books to children throughout the day, not just at group story time.
  9. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Because children differ in experiences and background, they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.
  10. Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel safe sending their child to kindergarten. Children are happy; they are not crying or regularly sick.

Individual kindergarten classrooms will vary, and curriculum will vary according to the interests and backgrounds of the children. But all developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms will have one thing in common: the focus will be on the development of the child as a whole.

Additional Resources:

  • Good teaching practices for older preschoolers and kindergarteners. 1990. Washington, DC: NAEYC #522. 50¢ each/100 for $10. Spanish edition, Prácticas de enseñanza apropriados para niños mayores en preescolar y kinder, #523.
  • Peck, J., G. McCaig & M.E. Sapp, Kindergarten policies: What is best for children? Washington, DC: NAEYC. #141/$6.

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Other readers' comments on this article:

  1. Thanks so very much for this much needed information.

    Posted by Willie on Aug 11, 2007 5:08 pm

  2. Very informative

    Posted by Peggy Landry on Aug 14, 2007 5:51 pm

  3. Thanks for this great list.  With all of the standardized testing and standards expectations going on in our kindergarten classrooms, it is wonderful to see a list of what we as teachers know is really important, our children's overall development, not just test results.

    Posted by Janet Young on Aug 25, 2007 11:07 pm

  4.  Help with classroom rules list also help with teacher good manners.

    Posted by Debora Hendrix on Aug 30, 2007 12:54 pm

  5. Great info!!

    Posted by Gabi Ramos on Sep 26, 2007 1:01 pm

  6. I am a kindergarten teacher with the Memphis City School system in TN. I was looking for web sites to help with the inclusion of Special needs students in the regular class. I find this site and I have saved it to my favorites because it is so useful. I will be visiting this site often. Thanks.

    Posted by Christy Edwards on Sep 30, 2007 9:55 pm

  7. Thank you for this information .

    Posted by J.saenz on Oct 8, 2007 1:33 pm

  8. Great info.  I can share this with school where my daughter attends so that it becomes better in upcoming years.  Thanks

    Posted by S. Ng on Oct 18, 2007 12:56 pm

  9. I am so happy with the my son's preschool. It was a last minute decision not to send him to the school we had first chosen. I wondered why my son and I like his school so much.
    All 10 on your list checks out.

    Posted by JUDITH SYMONETTE on Oct 19, 2007 8:13 pm

  10. hi
     
    thankyou . this is a very good site which offers very useful information that can be used as guidance by the nursery as well as parents.
     
    Principal
    New Nursery in dubai

    Posted by Padu Surtani on Nov 13, 2007 3:52 am

  11. Thanks so very much for this much needed information.

    Posted by hasif on Nov 19, 2007 11:42 am

  12. that is very good, thanks for this editor.

    Posted by gedun on Dec 7, 2007 6:06 am

  13. The information in this article is helpful and is exactly why I'm thinking of home schooling my children.  I worked with the Bd. of Ed. for 16 years and saw a lot of problems facing ours youths today within the classroom setting.  My speaking out about a lot of the injustices against our children didn't make me popular with other teachers or the administration for that matter.  I decided to start a daycare and I will use the valuable info in this article.  Again, thank you.

    Posted by Bosie on Dec 10, 2007 4:35 am

  14. This is one of the fantastic work I have ever read on kindergarten readiness. it is well structured and straight to the point.

    Posted by adeniran alfred on Dec 16, 2007 9:34 am

  15. I work at a private school now, and know sometimes days are stressful, but I also know that it's not the children's fault.  I hope that when my son starts kindergarten (this fall), that he is blessed enough to meet teachers and assistants who really want to help every child.

    Posted by Anonymous on Jan 7, 2008 9:29 pm

  16. happy day.

    Posted by christa on Jan 21, 2008 2:03 pm

  17.  i have a granddaughter in kidergarden.  she has had problems in the area if taking a nap in school the teacher is  saying she will fail kindergarden  because of the  we suggested that she be given weork to do during this time. the administrartion is saying she is'nt smart enough to be allowed to do this by herself.  we feel that she is being dealt with unfairly.

    Posted by geraldine vining on Jan 29, 2008 7:08 pm

  18. tips for remember lesson easliy

    Posted by pramod on Feb 3, 2008 12:40 am

  19. Great write up on the 10 signs of a good kindergarten classroom. I'm sure it will be helpful for families who are searching for a kindergarten program.
                           Sincerely,
                     Kindergarten teacher

    Posted by vickie on Feb 16, 2008 7:20 pm

  20. This site has just helped me out, My first year as a kindergarten teacher, reports are due, never wriiten a childs report, reading up the site has now given me great ideas :)
    Thank you

    Posted by Salloo on Mar 3, 2008 3:28 pm

  21. As a new kindergarten assistant teacher, I am very pleased to see what you have listed here.   Parents sometimes forget that even eating snack together is a learning experience.   I am happy to report that the teacher I work with is absolutely doing everything on your list and more.  She is WONDERFUL!  

    Posted by Mallory on Mar 19, 2008 9:23 am

  22. I have a 5 year old in kindergarten public school.  I am very fustrated and concerned.  Their "no tolerance" policy has become a "no caring" policy.  I live in pender co., NC. where there is a kindergartener with charges brought against them.  They are taking a 5 year old to court.  Also another mother told me that her son (in elementary school) was told her son could be suspended for sexual harrassment because he wrote a note on a napkin.  He wrote his name then loves then wrote a girls name.  My 5 year old has been suspended three times.  He loves the time off even though it means he loses all his privledges at home.  All they are doing is teaching him how to get time off from school.  Suspension is good if used wisely.  If a student is not a threat to anyone, why suspend?  What is happening here?  More importantly, what can we do about it?  I would like to hear other school stories - good or bad.

    Posted by Linda Paul on Apr 18, 2008 9:40 am

  23. I have to agree with Linda Paul 100% its insane how the schools are run like prisons, my 5 yr old teacher sends home the most ridiculous notes ex he laughed out loud in the lunch room, he was skipping down the hallway, he touch another student in the line, I am like are you serious? I know this has to do with the drug companies who are the biggest pimps in America trying to railroad parents into turning their children into medicated zombies, the more kids on these dangerous meds, the more money for the schools, a bigger library, more books. these children are expected to act as adults, I'm told my son cries in school. there are way too many teachers who does not belong in this profession, I'm a former nurse and when I grew to hate my job I switch to another field entirely. if they don't like children and have no patience and no wish to educate they need to do us all a favor and leave. I have totally lost faith in the public school system and see why so many parents opt to homeschool. the present public school system is nightmare filled with prison wardens aka teachers.

    Posted by Michelle Lewis on Apr 24, 2008 8:33 am



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