How many years have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 27 years - some in kindergarten, some in first grade, and 2 years teaching 3 year olds in a daycare setting.

How has the way you teach changed over the years? What lessons have you learned?

Kindergarten used to be a first-time school experience for most children, which centered around reading and math readiness with a big emphasis on social skills. Now, it is more academically focused with the majority of children actually learning to read and write independently. Most children have attended pre-school or some kind of daycare situation, so they are better acclimated to a group learning environment than years ago.

The basic way I teach has not changed, though. Young children still need to be taught through the use of hands-on materials and developmentally appropriate activities. A good foundation of the basic skills will enable them to be life-long learners. That's still my goal!

What advice would you give to a teacher who's starting their first year and feels overwhelmed?

Hopefully, they will be assigned a mentor teacher to help them cope. If not, I suggest they find a "buddy" teacher who has at least five years of experience to help them with planning and organizing their day. I think understanding how to integrate subject areas and have the day "flow" is very hard in kindergarten.

I would also advise them to remember that they have a personal life. Planning and preparing before and after school is necessary, but it is very easy to spend so much time doing this that you get burned out and exhausted.

What role does technology play in your teaching? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

We have two computer labs in our school. Our class goes once a week and the children can work individually on math and reading skills. We also have two computers in our classroom for them to use during the day. We have recently been using a machine called "Elmo" for class lessons. It is basically an overhead projector that projects objects onto a television screen.

The children can place their journal on Elmo, and the picture they have drawn is shown on the screen. They can make a pattern using pattern blocks or buttons on Elmo and the whole class can see what they have done by watching the television screen. It allows children to share their work in a much easier format than before. The children love it when Elmo comes to visit.

How do you involve the community in your classroom?

I encourage parents to volunteer in my classroom. They help with making dittos, laminating, and making games for the class. I also love to have them help with the children. They assist children who may need a little extra help, play reading and math games with small groups of children, and help with special art or cooking activities. It's always great to have an extra pair of hands!

We also go on some community field trips during the year to give the children an opportunity to experience things they may not have a chance to do otherwise. We go to a pumpkin farm, the local air museum, the Chesapeake Bay, and this year, we plan to go to a berry farm. We were told that our kindergarten classes have the record for the most trips to the local air museum!