Kindergarten is a special time for children to develop the essential skills they need in the early stages of life and in the future when they grow up. Thus, educators in Underwood kindergartens need to develop ways to learn and build these essential skills. Among the skills that children have to know when they are in kindergarten are independence and responsibility. These two skills will one day define who the children are when they grow up. Thus, as an educator, you have a vital role in ensuring that you are teaching and nurturing independent and responsible kids. This article will discuss various ways in which educators build independence and responsibility among the kids in kindergarten.
Tips for Building Independence and Responsibility Among the Kids in Kindergarten in Underwood
The following are straightforward and practical tips that will help you nurture independence and responsibility among the kids in your kindergarten;
- Teach kids self-help skills
One of the ways you can build independence and responsibility among the kids is by encouraging them to take care of themselves. This means that they have to do some simple chores on their own. For instance, please encourage them to dress themselves, teach them how to use the restroom independently, clean after themselves, unpack and pack their bags, and wash their hands properly. Doing this will give them time to practice their self-help skills. This way, they will become self-sufficient, meaning the children can be independent and responsible when given the chance and encouragement.
- Come up with a routine and schedule
Consistency is critical to the children in kindergartens. This is because consistency creates predictability in routines. This way, they can always understand what is expected of them. Some routes and schedules you may have at school include arrival time, learning time, nap times, lunchtime and playtime. When the kids follow the routine and schedule you establish, they learn how to manage their time, and as a result, they will be independent and responsible children.
- Assign age-appropriate responsibilities
Assigning children with responsibilities they can handle depending on their age helps them feel capable and accountable. Thus, give the children in your kindergarten age-appropriate duties like putting the toys away, watering the plants, wiping the tables and even collecting the litter in the class. When they do their work flawlessly, ensure that you praise their efforts so they can be encouraged to work on their responsibilities.
- Give them choices and a chance to make decisions
Though an educator is the head of the classroom, you can always give the children in your class a chance to make choices and decisions on their own. For instance, they have several books, and the children pick the book they want to read. Also, instead of always organising their learning supplies at school, let them decide how they would like to organise these supplies. By making choices and decisions, the child feels that they are in control, and they become responsible for their actions.
- Teach them to solve some problems
When you are dealing with kids, you will hear a lot of very minor issues among them. However, this is because they do not know how to solve the problems they are facing. The good thing about teaching them problem-solving skills is that they will always try to fix the issues they face before they bring them to your attention. As a result, these kids will learn to be independent and will always be responsible for their actions.
Building independence and responsibility among kids is very crucial. Thus, as an educator at Underwood, ensure that you practice the above tips with the kids in your kindergarten, and you can be sure that you will have responsible and independent children in a matter of time.
Find out more from https://www.playandlearn.net.au/location/underwood/.