18 - Wednesday, June 19, 1985 - North Shore News

New curriculum

B.C. KINDERGARTEN students will be doing

things differently starting September 1984,

By TIMOTHY R

Ev Chirk, District 44's
Primary Consultant,
presented an overview of a
new kindergaten curriculum
to the North Vancouver
School Board June Lt,

Clark told trustees in a
regular school board meeting
that the new program was
designed around the findings
of a kindergaten needs study
conducted four years ago by
the District.

Kindergarten teachers, the
study found, needed help in

Buy z =
OU FIND 11 ADVERT

a LE WELL REFUND

THE DIFFERENCE

HOME FURNISHINGS

Warehouse/Showroom
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
(2 biks. behind the Avaton)
at 1075 Roosevelt Cres., N.Yan.

12-4 Sin 9G0-O738

formulating a more conten.
porary teaching direction and
help in developing learning
themes to make the most of
what ceseareh is showing to
be the evermore critical
kindergarten learning years.
Parents, said Clark, have
also become increasingly con-
cerned about the value of
learning through play.

“TD think it's a program we
can all feel good about as
educators,"* said Clark,

Curriculum emphasis will

tor

centre on developing the
10,000 word vocabulary Chat
niost’ five-year-olds — bring
with them to kindergartens
stimulating learning through
symbolic play; and encourag-
ing children to read and write
from the beginning of their
kindergarten enrollment.
Philosophy behind changes
in the curriculum are based in
what is a growing realization
of the importance of
kindergarten to a child's
educaiional development and
the importance of play in the
tearning process, said Clark:
“When adults see a room full

of kids playing, their usual

reaction ts to assume that it's
just’ fooling around, just
wasting time, but there is a
tremendous amount of social
interaction and fearning tak-
ing place."'

Through the development
of classroom themes, Clark
explained, play can be
augmented with ficld trips
and other sources to provide
a natural way for students to
learn and the opportunity for

teachers to observe and
monitor this learning
process.

Clark said the various ma-

jor goals of the new cur-
riculuins are to develop emo-
tional well-being of
kindergarten students
through having them accept
challenge and risk failure; to
help them develop social
skills and responsibilities
through cooperative ac-
tivities; to help them unders-
tand other peoples through
experiencing other heritages
and cultures; to promote
physical well-being through
awareness of nutrition,
gencral health and safety;
and to develop their
aesthetic, artistic, and in-

North Van kindergarten

tellectual abilities through
art, drama, dance, and pro-
blem solving,

In answer to trustee
Margaret Goodman's ques-
tion as to setting specific
goals for kindergarten
students under the new cur-
ticulum, Clark said there
were no specific end goals for
students to meet rather ex-
pectations to work towards.

Board Chairman Margaret
Jessup said she was detighted
that the new curciculum was
finally being put into place
‘after five years of asking
for it.’’

ST. GEORGES PLAC .

A most distinctive business address

Directly across from Lions Gate Hospital at corner of
14th & St. Georges. ;
Panoramic Harbour, downtown and mountain views.
Quality design, development and improvements.
Energy efficient construction.

Substantial on-site parking.

For leasing enquiries on this exciting North Shore development,

cat 736-2394 bastion

development corporation itd,

aoe

PANO USING SRO

3