In August 2007 a group of New Jersey middle school and high school student volunteers visited South African schools that were without school supplies, heat or textbooks.
This is unfortunately very typical of the ares that were excluded during the apartheid era. As a recent South African newspaper noted in February 2008, "A snap survey of township high school libraries has revealed that nine out of 10 are permanently locked, have no books, or are non-existent" (The Cape Argus, February 1, 2008, page 5).
Even worse, the newspaper then found that: "Libraries at the high schools contacted in Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Philippi showed that four had no library books whatsoever while in the other five the books were either outdated or stored in boxes and inaccessible to the pupils."
They distributed over 50,000 books and dozens of boxes of school supplies.The books were distributed throughout schools and communities (as well as an orphanage) in rural areas outside of Johannesburg, as well as to the Kagiso and Soweto districts in the city.
As a follow-up project, the group is working on collecting materials for the creation of eight kindergarten rooms. In many of the schools this is a typical classroom...
The basics are in place but not is such away as to foster the kind of experience we think kindergarten can be.
What We Think a Good Kindergarten is All About
Kindergarten classrooms encourage the growth of children’s self-esteem, expands their love of learning, their general knowledge and facilitate’s their ability to get along with others.
Children have access to various activities throughout the day, such as block building, pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as pegboards, and puzzles.
Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. Exploring the natural world of plants and animals, cooking, taking attendance, and serving snack are all meaningful activities to children.
Children learn in both large and small groups.
Children have an opportunity to play outside every day that weather permits. This play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
Teachers read books to children throughout the day, not just at group story time.
Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel safe sending their child to kindergarten.
What we want available in a GLP kindergarten room…
There is almost always a writing table, a science table, an art table, a play dough or another kind of tactile table, and usually another empty table for the kids to follow their own interests.
You will also see our easels, the reading nook,the sand or water table, the computers, the blocks, the kitchen or imaginative play area, and all of the rest of our toys, games, puzzles and activities.
You might also see the overhead projector set up with letters, or numbers or pattern blocks, or a special felt board center, or a puzzle center or, an invention corner or a “take apart” table.
The Kindergarten Room Initiative
