Is teaching Kindergarten going to be a huge change from teaching 2nd grade?

Question

Last year I taught second grade. Then I had to forfeit my job because I thought I was relocating to a new state, but that ended up falling through.

Now, I'm looking for a job again and have been told that there's a Kindergarten position available. I'd have to take a couple exams to qualify for it since my certification is from 1st - 8th grade, but its no biggie.

Is it going to be a big change? I've heard that the Kindergarten brain works differently than the 1st - 8th grade brain which is why they require teachers to have a different certification to teach it.

Answer 1

I taught 2nd grade for 7 years and then moved down to kindergarten.  Kindergartners don't know the routines of school - you need to teach them how to raise their hand, walk quietly in a line, sit still and listen to a story.  It takes lots of patience to teach these and you will remember that "2nd graders already know how to do this."  Teach the routines of school in a positive setting, praising kids for their good behavior ("I see Jennifer is sitting with her legs crossed and hands in her lap.  Thank you Jennifer" instead of, "Bobby! you need to sit down now!")

Academically, I start with the premise that kindergartners don't know anything.  We practice counting up to 10 the first 3-4 weeks, sing the ABC song, learn the letter "a", show them how to hold pencils, etc.  The very , very basics.  Do your best to make sure you are starting at the absolute bottom of what you are teaching, and move up as you see the kids can do what you want.

Kids love learning things  through songs.  I teach lining up with a little song:

   Standing in line is easy to do

   When you take care of only you

Feet straight ahead, hands at your side

Lips are closed and we smile with pride (we hum the last 5 words as our lips are closed)

I don't know if their brain works differently or not - they are more concrete in their thinking than 2nd graders.

Kids love puppets - if what you say doesn't interest them, get a little puppet on your hand and have the puppet tell the kids what you were trying to tell them.  You can talk to the puppet and it can talk back to you.

Kindergartners need a lot more TLC than 2nd graders.  

Answer 2

Kindergarten is a whole new story there are so many things that you need to excel in. You must be outgoing, creative, fun, caring. Basically you must be the best mother possible for 20 small children at the same time. This is a lot of work so you must ask yourself if you are ready for the positive and negative consequences.

The decision is yours to make alone.

Answer 3

I agree with first responder.

Answer 4

Of course a kindergartener is going to think differently. I think though that 2nd graders are just advanced 1st graders. There is a bigger leap from 2nd to 3rd.

I'm thinking that kindergarteners need more center based learning - activities to rotate through. They also need ALOT of modeling and teaching how to "do" school. YOu will probably get a huge range in kindergarten -those kids who went to preschool and those who didn't therefore academically the only way to meet the needs of all yoru kids is to have center work. I also remember that kinergarten parents are super nervous and needy. Primary in general is needy but kindergarten - yikees -it is their first time in school and fortunately these paretns are much more willing to volunteer in the classroom to help you out!