Los Angeles Unified School District Transitional Kindergarten

1. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictTransitional Kindergarten Preparing Our Youngest Students toSucceed in Kindergarten and Beyond November 8, 2011

2. TK Cohort I Student Demographics 2010-11

3. TK Teachers 2010-11 • Cohort I - 37 teachers • 100% had kindergarten teaching experience • 25% had preschool teaching experience • 16% with National Board Certification • 38% with Bilingual skills

4. TK Teachers 2011-12 • Cohort II - 115 teachers • 95% with kindergarten teaching experience • 35% with preschool teaching experience • 5% with National Board Certification • 55% with BCC or BCLAD (Spanish)

5. SB 1831…TK Curriculum SB 1831…” The first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate.”

6. What Are our Goals for TK Students?

7. Active Learning Experiences Learning Centers/Interest Areas Varied Instructional Strategies Integrated Curriculum Balance Between Teacher-Directed and Child-Directed Activities How Do We Support Children In Achieving those Goals?

8. Active Learning Experiences Teacher and students learn from each other Teacher sets up the environment to engage interests of children Teacher provides opportunities to facilitate conversations around interesting topics

9. Learning Centers/Interest Areas • Library /Reading • Listening Center • Writing Center • Computers • Science Discovery • Math Manipulatives • Block Area • Dramatic Play • Sand and Water • Art/Painting

10. Varied Instructional Strategies • ELD Strategies from K-teacher Trainings • Think-Pair-Share • Thinking Maps • Planning for Oral Language Development • Anchor Book • Vocabulary focus-songs & chants • Enrichment Activities & Center Extension • Dialogic Reading-”an interactive shared picture book reading practice designed to enhance young children's language and literacy skills.”

11. How to Modify the Curriculum?

12. Building the Foundation Accelerate lessons • Alphabet Time – • Phonological Awareness • Alphabet Recognition • Print Awareness • Oral Language- support for ELLs • Book Time- • Read Aloud • Shared Writing • Oral Retell Throughout the year

13. TK Language Arts Curriculum + Little Treasures-Alphabet Time Kinder ELD Treasures • Phonological awareness • Alphabet recognition • Print Awareness • Oral Language • Phonemic Awareness • Phonics • High-frequency words • Practice Readers • Oral Language

14. Resources to Develop Concepts and Vocabulary in Curricular Areas • Mathematics – Mathematics Their Way • Science – California Science Center “I Am a Scientist” • Physical Development – SPARK program Vocabulary Development and Hands-on Experiences!

15. Key Math Skills & Concepts SKILLS AND CONCEPTS: Free Exploration - Counting Number Patterns Sorting and Classifying Comparing FOUNDATION/STANDARD: • Mathematical Reasoning • Number Sense • Algebra and Functions • Geometry • Measurement

16. Science Curriculum • Hands on materials • Read Aloud books • Integration of all domains, reading, writing, mathematics, and social studies

17. Physical Development SPARK Manual K-2 SPARK Music CD Equipment Web site: Sparkfamily.org

18. How is TK Different? • Groupings – small flexible groups • Shorter blocks of time • Intentional interest areas/centers • Flexibility of schedule

20. Professional Development • Teacher and Principal Overview • 3 – Day Teacher Institute • In the Works: • District online TK Modules • Video clips of TK classrooms and best practice teaching strategies

21. “Show me and I forget; Teach me and I remember; Involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin

22. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictEarly Childhood Education Contact Information: Janis Shinmei-Program Coordinator janis.shinmei@lausd.net 213.241.4713