Spotlight on Small Group Learning

Is there a place for teaching specific skills and knowledge in Full Day Kindergarten?   You bet there is!  Should all children be learning the same thing at the same time?  Absolutely not.

Small group learning allows us to meet children where they are at and to move them forward based on their current knowledge, understanding, and readiness.  Vygotsky's work on the zone of proximal development addresses the concept that there is an area for each child (and adult!) that is just challenging enough to be motivating and at the proper zone that it does not become overwhelming.  It is of huge importance that we meet each child at this zone to prevent disengagement (challenge too low) or frustration and negative associations toward their ability to learn (challenge above their developmental readiness).

So how do we decide where the proper zone is for a child?  In terms of our math groups, we take one day per small group to do a general activity in a particular strand of math.   For example, our recent work with 3D shapes began with a song and sharing about properties of that shape.   We also are constantly assessing through play so already have a good idea in many cases of a child's knowledge and understanding.  We then discovered which children needed further work on naming shapes, which had a solid concept and could be further challenged, and which children needed more experience with attaching 3D shapes to every day materials. 

 (Above children are finding cylinders outside of small group math time and you can also see a small group investigating cylinders)

We have now begun our small groups in literacy and spent the first months carefully observing children's literacy skills through play.   This way, we are able to work with groups who are working on letter recognition, sound recognition, beginning stages of reading as a group, and independent reading.  During this small group time, we write down assessment information that we use to plan for the next time we meet.   It also assists us in thinking about what skills need to be further built during play and we add different materials to get at these areas and watch carefully during discovery time to assess how these skills are being applied.  A huge part of the kindergarten curriculum is built around the phrase "in a variety of contexts".  It is not enough for us to see a skill demonstrated in a whole group lesson (or a small group lesson, for that matter).   We must also see evidence within a child's play.

(Above:  this shared reading piece was used for a small literacy group who were interested in dance.  The focus was on reading repetitive sight words (am, you) and using initial sounds to read.)

There are a few whole group activities that we facilitate during the day.  One involves meeting together in the morning outdoors to discuss learning opportunities in the classroom and to build relationships.  Another is during read aloud time where every child (no matter what literacy skills they bring) can build pre-reading or reading expectations.  From making inferences and predictions while looking at pictures to listening to letter sounds or rhyming words to building oral language as they share ideas or answer questions - all of these areas are the building blocks for reading.  Finally, we meet together at the end of the day to reflect on our day and are beginning to show one or two photos from the day to have students share their thinking and learning with each other.

(Above:  Miss Heffernan facilitates an end of the day reflection while a child discusses the photo she shares.  Mrs. Armstrong gathers the children together for a read aloud.)

The philosophy behind the importance of small group learning is simple - we believe in challenging your children based on where they are at and ensuring they see themselves as competent and capable learners.  Teaching skills only as a whole group would be a disservice to the skills and talents that your children individually bring to the classroom.  Working in small groups gives us a crystal clear picture of how skills are being built and allows us to differentiate instruction.

(Above:  after a small group math lesson on graphing, an educator steps back to assess knowledge while the children explain their graph options to other children who enter from outdoors.)

If you are interested in reading further, there is a wonderful article found at http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=134.   It discusses the challenge with worksheets (and points to the problem of every child learning the same thing in the same way) and connects to the topic of the importance of small group and differentiated learning.

As mentioned, a huge part of the philosophy in our classroom is seeing each child as capable and competent and we are truly filled with amazement and wonder each day.  Small group learning allows us to delve deeply into your child's learning and to build their confidence and skills in developmentally appropriate ways.