KINDERGARTEN: A DAYLONG ADVENTURE; ORGANIZATION IMPORTANT BUT STUDENT ACTIVITIES MUST BE FUN

After 30 years of teaching kindergarten, Linda Hill doesn't expect much from students on their first day of class.

"I want a happy little kid who's eager to learn and happy to be there," Hill said. "Being able to get along with others is important too."

Hill said some students are able to read before they ever step through the doors of Clippard Elementary, where she teaches. Others might not be able to read by the time they leave her class.

"That's OK," she said. "We didn't all walk and talk on the same day and we'll learn to do other things at different times too."

Hill said every student should know his or her full name, address and phone number, adding: "That's simply for their safety."

Other than that information, she said she would be happy to do the teaching on the rest of the information.

Hill said she has seen children change in the three decades she has taught. Children early in her career would arrive at school the first day after spending four or five years with mom and having a nursery rhyme background.

"We weren't in such a mobile world then," she said. "Now with mother working, they're exposed to a lot more in a day-care setting or even in the home. They have more knowledge about worldwide things because of television, it has made a big impact."

After a decade of teaching kindergarten, Bonnie LeGrand said children adjust well to the potentially traumatic event of starting school.

"I try to make sure they see their name up on things, greeting them to the beginning of school," said the Alma Schrader teacher. "Also, I make sure there are lots of hugs and smiles."

LeGrand said she spends the first few weeks prior to school organizing and decorating her room. "You have to be organized and have everything at hand," she said.

Kaye Hathhorn, a kindergarten teacher beginning her second year at May Greene, said organization was important, but teachers also must ensure that activities are fun.

"We have a lot of hands-on activities," she said. "Anything they can learn and think they're playing a game is much better. They can enjoy it and also learn a skill."

Hathhorn's teaching experience is a little different than most kindergarten teachers in the Cape Girardeau Public Schools. She teaches one of two all-day kindergartens.

"I really like it," she said of her daylong adventure with 25 energetic 5- and 6-year-olds. "We can start a project in the morning, set it down, go do something else and finish it in the afternoon."

Hathhorn said it doesn't matter how much the children know when they go off to school for the first time. "We just take them where they are to as far as they can go."

In addition to the children being encouraged to visit school before the first day of classes, parents have the opportunity to attend an orientation this week.

Kindergarten Orientation

Alma Schrader Elementary

Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Charles C. Clippard Elementary

Tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Franklin Elementary

Tonight, choice of 5:30 or 6:30 p.m. meetings

Jefferson Elementary

Tonight at 7 p.m.

May Greene Elementary

Thursday, 6 p.m.

Washington Elementary

Wednesday, 7 p.m.