Upper Kindergarten busy with Origami

I am sure this will be a surprise to my Japanese friends when they see us coloring papers for origami. Here I haven’t seen any shop selling papers exclusively for origami. Maybe I need to explore the market. We had plenty of origami papers as a gift. Now its almost finished and therefore we make children color one side of the paper. It’s a bit lengthy process and perhaps boring for some but children sing along while coloring. They use white papers for practice but color the final one. I leave it up for them to choose between crayons and colored pencils. I tried to make small squares out of glazed papers but it tore quickly while making creases.

I remember purchasing origami papers at hyaku-yen shop in Japan. My son made countless of models when he was just in kindergarten. I just wish children here in the school learn to make too.

some prefer pencil colors

very busy

group work for decoration

Teacher with a child

Nepali for Lower Kindergarten

     

This year we have slowed down the L KG course a bit as we have few children who are regular but not quite interested in writing. They enjoy afternoon classes when they engage themselves in practical work. I too prefer them to do their writings in the mornings when they are fresh and active. Written work is a must for preschoolers in Nepal. Besides recognizing letters we make sure they write beautifully and clearly. So this is a kind of pressure for few who do not like to write. I wish I didn't have to force them write but ............

Anyway these teaching materials should help children recognize difficult Nepali words. It can be used in different ways like placing picture card first and then matching word card or the other way. They can also group the cards like below.

Matching picture cards with word cards

I made few pocket charts with removable cards that rhyme and children find it easy to read. The pocket charts are little above their height.

Pocket chart

Word wall with pocket chart

The white and yellow are three letter word cards without any picture. Children can match the cards by themselves or the teachers can ask them to find and match. Hope children enjoy learning.

Matching white and yellow cards.

My voice

When teachers have fewer children to care for, its fun for both. They enjoy every moment. This year our famous five from Upper Kindergarten are simply adorable. They have study time in the morning and easy art and craft activities in the afternoons. What I saw in the classroom was something unusual. I guess this doesn't happen in the schools with large number of children and where fear resides deep in the child's mind regarding teachers, discipline and punishment. Although discipline in the classroom is a must but not always when the children are happy, quiet and not destructive.

 serious with their work in the morning 

easy moment in the afternoon using newspaper cuttings

Oh God! couldn't stop loving them