Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to some common
questions of students and parents.
- Why is my child in a blended class of Junior and Senior Kindergartens?
- How can teachers deliver the program to both JK and SK students?
- What will my child learn in Kindergarten?
- How can I help my child to learn?
Why is my child in a blended class of Junior and Senior Kindergartens?
The Durham District School Board supports the organization of
blended JK/SK classes because these programs more closely
resemble the neighbourhood and home where children of various
ages play and learn from each other.
Research summarized by Theilheimer (1993) in the
article, "Benefits of Mixed-Aged Grouping for Children, Parents,
and Teachers" points to the following benefits of blended
classrooms:
- They support children's varied stages of development
- They invite cooperation and other forms of pro-social behaviour
- They minimize competitive pressures
- They encourage a wide range of activities in which varying
levels of skills can be applied
- They provide leadership and tutoring opportunities for the SK
students
- They provide modeling of more complex learning behaviours for
the JK students
- They enable students to have greater continuity in their
programming as a result of the two year program
How can teachers deliver the program to both JK and SK students?
In any given classroom, the children will demonstrate a range
of abilities because children develop their knowledge and skills
at different rates and in different ways. It is the role of the
teacher to ensure that the environment and the resources provided
in Kindergarten are appropriate for meeting the needs of all
children. Children will participate in a variety of whole group,
small group and individual learning activities through the use of
classroom learning centers. Here children can work at their own
level to acquire new concepts and consolidate skills.
What will my child learn in Kindergarten?
The Ministry of Education and Training has published a curriculum
document entitled The Kindergarten Program, 2006 describing the
philosophy and learning expectations for the two-year
Kindergarten program.
Please see the "Links for Parents" to view a copy of this
curriculum document.
How can I help my child to learn?
Parents play a very important role in their children's
education. Studies have shown that the single most important
factor in a child's school success is the amount of reading
he/she did with his/her parents throughout the pre-school and
early school years. Sharing books together for 10-15 minutes a
day is a wonderful way to spend quality time with you and to
start them on the road to lifelong learning.
