Just a thought...

One of the most important skills that k's learn in Kindergarten is CONSISTENTLY COUNTING OBJECTS! Be careful not to be fooled into thinking they've got it - consistently counting objects takes lots of repetition. Just like so many skills, K's need lots of reps with counting objects to a particular number to master the skill (which leads to the skill of instant recognition of sets!). Having said that, I try to include at least one or two counting stations each week for the entire school year. I think sometimes we move too fast to "cover everything" - covering everything is definitely important, but not at the expense of the child's ability. What happens when they show up in 1st grade - having "covered" everything, but masters of nothing? I'm reminded of my dad's story of when he was a kid helping plow the family fields. They were very poor and still used mules to plow. To begin the process someone had to dig up and rid the field of the big rocks that were hiding under the ground. Obviously, a few would go undetected...a blow to the unfortunate soul who was manning the plow! Can you imagine being strapped to the plow with two strong mules pulling you along...straight into an unseen rock! My point is that if rocks were left it made the job harder on the next person. It also reduced the crop production because nothing grew where a rock was left. I think of this analogy often in my teaching. Find those rocks, K Teachers and do everything in your power to clear the field for those kiddos to flourish and enjoy a solid math foundation!