Many elelmentary classrooms have the bare basics. Above is a classroom from the slums of Kibera, Kenya. Local parents built the room out of galvanized panels normally used for roofs. The floor is a dirt floor. The posters on the "walls" are created out of sections from white sheets.

Many of the GLP volunteers, middle school, high school and college student who visit locations that we serve are really surprised to arrive in schools that are without school basic supplies,textbooks or even heat. 

For locations in our South Africa rural and township sites, this is unfortunately very typical of the areas 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Nyanga and Philippi showed that four had no library books whatsoever while in the other five the books were either outdated or stored in boxes and inaccessible to the pupils."

But the challenge is just as great in many other locations. In fact our sites in rural and slum areas of Kenya have a dramatic absense of the basics that early children should have for engendering a solid literacy foundation.

This creates a definite challenge for us. After all, one of the main objectives of any early childhood teacher is to instill a love of reading and books in all students.  Reading requires much skill and practice, and to practice you need books.  It's simple, the more children are exposed to books, the more they learn to love them. 

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.

What is a kindergarten classroom library?

A Kindergarten classroom library should be a place where students can go to look at, or "read" books.  The classroom library area should be a clear, defined space in your classroom with places for students to sit and read.   Some items you can add to create a more "homey",  personalized touch are lamps, curtains, chairs or furniture, and beanbags.  By creating an inviting area for reading, students are more likely to want to spend time in the library center.