| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | to develop the standards, believe they can. They |
| Chicago schools educators were surprised during | | | | just will not be able to teach at the same leisurely |
| their teacher training session in mid-September | | | | pace as the full-day programs. |
| with new state learning standards for kindergarten | | | | The new standards are only guidelines for schools |
| students. Previously, Illinois was one of 11 states | | | | to use and are a mixture of educational and |
| that did not have learning standards for | | | | practical life skills, learned in a fun and carefree |
| kindergarten. The state adopted standards for | | | | environment. They go beyond the usual basic |
| grades one through 12 in 1997 and even have | | | | reading and math skills, adding such skills as: |
| specific early learning standards for | | | | Phonics (being able to sound out three-letter |
| preschoolers. | | | | words with two consonants and a vowel, such as |
| Setting academic goals for kindergarten students | | | | the word cat), reading one-syllable and |
| was not a priority, since attending kindergarten is | | | | high-use words, knowing all capital and lowercase |
| not required in Illinois. Yet, all school districts across | | | | letters of the alphabet under the language arts |
| the state, including the Chicago schools, offer at | | | | standards; |
| least a half-day kindergarten program. In the | | | | Counting from one to 100; understand the |
| school year 2004-2005, 146,000 children attended | | | | concepts of more, less and equal; and solving |
| either a full or half-day kindergarten program, | | | | basic math problems under the math standards; |
| according to the Illinois State Board of Education. | | | | Being able to describe the effects of forces |
| The state began developing the standards a few | | | | of nature, such as wind, gravity and magnetism |
| years ago in response to many requests from | | | | under the science standards; |
| kindergarten teachers, including many in the | | | | Finger painting, Play-Doh sculptures, dance and |
| Chicago schools. They take a lot of pressure off | | | | familiarity with musical instruments are under the |
| the Chicago schools kindergarten teachers, who | | | | fine arts standards; and |
| previously had to develop their own learning | | | | The Physcial development and health |
| standards. The new standards eliminate the | | | | standards include such things as:o Ways to |
| academic inconsistency that existed across the | | | | prevent spreading illness, such as covering your |
| state, even between Chicago schools kindergarten | | | | mouth when you cough and washing hands;o |
| classrooms. | | | | Social and emotional development by learning to |
| The only downside is for Chicago schools teachers | | | | explore, share and work with others; ando Ethical, |
| with half-day kindergarten programs. Many | | | | safety and societal factors in making decisions, |
| wonder if they can teach everything within the | | | | such as understanding that hurting others is |
| short time. Shelby King, a consultant who helped | | | | wrong. |