Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a year full of wonder, development and adventure. At Meadowlark Christian School (MCS), we want to inspire and support the natural curiosity and needs of our youngest learners and help them to achieve high levels of growth in all areas.

MCS offers two Kindergarten schedules:

• Full days on Tuesday/Thursday & alternating (every other) Friday
• Full days on Monday/Wednesday & alternating (every other) Friday

Our Kindergarten students learn through both direct instruction and activities, and many opportunities to explore and discover through play. Small classes keep new students from being overwhelmed and allow staff to connect with students in personal and individual ways.

The Kindergarten curriculum comes from the Alberta Programs of Study. Students work to develop their understanding and abilities as beginning Language and Numeracy users, and also explore and discuss concepts related to Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Personal and Social Responsibility, Music and Art.

Students are supported to develop their knowledge of who God is, who they are as part of God’s story and how this equips us to live in community and serve others. We believe this is an essential part of every aspect of our program. Students look for evidence of God’s design throughout all of the subject areas. They also study age-appropriate Scripture passages and discuss what these passages teach us about God, ourselves and each other. Routine chapels and special Spiritual Retreat days deepen this learning.

“Love one another” is the basis for supporting students to develop positive relationships with those around them. Through explicit service projects students are taught empathy and how true leadership begins with helping and serving others.

Preparing for Kindergarten

Many parents wonder, “What should I be doing to prepare my child for Kindergarten?” A few simple, but impactful suggestions, (based on Laura Lane’s article: 5 simple ways to prepare your child for Kindergarten) include:

1. Talk together and listen closely to your child’s responses. Not only are you developing the skills that will form the basis for your child’s literacy growth, you are modelling and instilling positive and essential communication skills.
2. Play! You may have heard the expression “Play is the work of childhood” — it’s true! Play helps children establish many essential intellectual and physical skills. Playing with others helps develop interpersonal abilities such as conflict resolution, empathy, expressing feelings and showing respect.
3. Provide experiences away from you. Time spent with other family members, in “groups” or “clubs”, or on safe, supervised playdates, helps your child develop independence and the ability to interact with less familiar adults.
4. Encourage independence and self-care. Learning to master simple tasks like packing a backpack, opening food containers and doing up the zippers on outerwear help children feel independent and capable. Although they will always receive help in Kindergarten when they need it, independence in these tasks contributes to the student’s confidence in his or her own ability to accomplish important things!
5. Keep learning fun and relaxed. Read, count, sing, explore and play — together! Positive learning interactions like these have tremendous, proven benefits. Celebrate their achievements, even if they seem “small” and cherish the experiences shared together. Activities like these help students develop their identities as learners!

Please be sure to contact the school if you have any questions about Kindergarten, or require more information! We would love to hear from you.