The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-05-06
BY VERA M. CRANE
Past President Waterbury Chapter
Association for Childhood Education

Professor Patty Smith Hill has
truthfully said, "A truly educational
program must include that con.
sistant guidance In home, school
and community which insureS the
continuous indignation that ex.
presses itself In ability 10 get along
with people; In enjoyment Of things
Of beauty; In expression through
art media OF what the child feels
about life; In acquisition OF skills
or constructive purposes; in physi-
cal activity and Joy OF living; In In
terest OF life about him"
The kindergarten has very def
mite place In all Of these segments
OF the educational program, and
endeavors TO develop the child along
these lines, The kindergarten child
Is given q great many experiences
which help him TO become worth
while member Of group,
Observation
He has training In observing like
nesses and differences; In observa-
ton and concentration; In counting
and simple story telling; In gaining
individual confidence and muscular
control; In acquiring purposeful
vocabulary; IN learning left and
right to the extent OF following d.
rections and OF working from left TO
right; IN learning the difference
between fast and slow, back and
front, loud and soft.
In kindergarten, we aim TO de-
velop along right paths, the childs
emotional, physical and mental
ability.
He gets much physical activity
through rhythmic music,' games,
dramatization, and his free play
activities.
The kindergarten child learns to
listen to, and to interpret music
into such activities as hopping skip
ping, running, walking, jumping
rope, ealloping horses, flying birds,
swaying trees. whirling leaves or
snowfiakes. raking; being brownies,
elephants and rabbits and into SIM
pie little dance steps. He also has
opportunities for listening to music,
and creating his own little dance
steps.
The children dramatic play to
music such as raking up leaves and
rubbish; gathering it up and put
ting it into baskets; emptying bas-
kets. and when all Is cleared up, re-
turning to cleaned spot to play ball,
bounce balls and jump rope, all In
imaginative play
In playing such simple games as
bouncing balls, tossing them into
baskets, picking them up with
spoons, guessing colors of balls
taken away and finding hidden
balls the child not only has physi-
cal activity and fun. but he learns
colors, counting. and uses simple
sentences to tell about his accom-
plishments.
Distinguishing Voices
The kindergarten child in other
games learns to distinguish the
voices OF the other children by list
ening with eyes closed, and guess
ing who Is speaking to him. He
learns craftsmanship in simple rae
ing and contest games.
He dramatizes songs. verses, and
stories, and here he loses much self
consciousness through his enjoy
ment of imitation with which most
children seem imbued.
Dramatizing and retelling stories,
and verses helps the child's creative
self-expression, his enunciation and
pronunciation. and TO use different
tones and expressions of voice.
In kindergartne, we strive to look
for interests in life about US: in
the community life: in the beauty
OF changing seasons, Of growing
things and by Installing interest in
animals and in keeping our own
room as clean and attractive as
possible.
We look Cor beauty in pictures by
discussiong them: In music through
song and rhythm; in books through
pictures and stories: In nature BY
observing the changing seasons and