Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-04-27
Making The kindergarten
More Effective

TO pass easily and naturally into MS Scn0ol WORK
We plan kindergarten and primary work together
at the Model but they be in perfect coordina
ton until the kindergarten work is a required prep
aration for the primary"
The frst-grace teachers are anxious to get those
children who have had years training in the kin
dergarten, rather than those who just off the
street. because they take directions better are more
alert and their general conduct is better especially
their dealing with each other Educators believe
that If eight years to be spent in the elementary
education of child they should begin with the kin
dergarten and end with the seventh rather than
sacrifice the kindergarten work Supervisors at the
Kansas Normal hope to kindergarten work re-
CURED within few years.
Dr. F. j. Kelly, superintendent of the Normal
Training School who has recently been transferred
to a position as head of the Department of Educa-
tion at the University of Kansas believes that Kan
sas has not yet realized its need for kndergarens
nor how poorly it is supplying this want DR.
Kelly pointed out the fact that in the towns now
having kndergartens, 1910 children are of kinder
garten age while 1913 enrolled
Kindergartens in Kansas have in the State Normal
School at Emporia leader in the Kindergarten
Movement and in influencing child education in
the state The Normal is the center of Kansas
kindergarten Association work and trains three
fourths of the kindergarten teachers of Kansas
Practically all of the superintendent of Kansas
public schools are and Miss Alder says she has
never heard of a studying kindergarten work
This makes the way of the kindergarten hard, The
superintendent do not understand children and
have feeling of heplessness when referred to their
work This responsibility for the kim
dergarten teacher. She has not the advantage of a
general plan worked out by her superintendent she
must plan and work out for herself Equipment is
often insufficient on account of this ignorance upon
the part of the superintendent
I'VE have plenty of equipment" says Miss Alder,
who is able to make something out of nothing. 1--WE
have the Montessori material but it little" Miss
Alder was not enthusiastic the Montessor
methods ut gives chance to express individual
ity"
The play method is preferred at the Normal kinder
garten. The children like to use their playthings
They each have a doll five inches in length which
requires great deal of attention Since spring is
coming it is time for sheep shearng and the chill
dren are studying wooden cloth and incidentally 9TH
er materials This is the way they go about it, They
are given piece of cloth and allowed to design and
cut patterns They like to hear stories about where
he cloth came from and how it is woven Then they
sew up the dresses They may ask advice and help
)u they generally prefer to bend nently their
ask and make the rude stitches themselves
When the creations completed they are ex-
mined and talked The children themselves
ind out the weak places and have chance to cor
ect them. This is play but they must persevere
There is fooling around and jumping from one
ask to another. They form excellent habits of
bought and work. The kindergarten aim is for i'm