3.1 Considerations for program planning

A flexible approach to learning: The flow of the day

Providing children with a full day of learning in Kindergarten gives educators time to support and enhance the children's learning, and allows children time to become absorbed more deeply in what they are exploring and investigating.

The "flow of the day" refers to a flexible and fluid plan that includes a variety of contexts for learning and a minimum of transitions, resulting in a more integrated and connected day for the children. The flow of the day can also be adapted to meet the changing needs of the children in the class.

The flow of the day is based on a schedule for the days of the week, which the educators develop together, with a focus on meeting the needs of the children in the best way possible. While the schedule has to accommodate various administrative and practical needs and functions, it must also be designed to allow for the large blocks of time for play that are necessary for deep learning, and to minimize transitions for the children. Educators reflect on the flow of the day at all times, and make adjustments to the schedule as necessary to ensure that it effectively responds to children's needs and makes the best use of the knowledge, skills, and experience of the Kindergarten educators, as well as of planning-time teachers and the volunteers in the classroom. The flow of the day may change to suit the season – for instance, the task of putting on coats and boots in winter becomes a feature of the day for which time has to be allowed.

The following are some important criteria to consider when creating an effective Kindergarten schedule:

• Large uninterrupted blocks of time are devoted to play- and inquiry-based learning in indoor and outdoor settings, and the children and educators negotiate and co-construct the learning that happens during these blocks of time. Transitions are kept to a minimum – for example, consideration should be given to how many times during the day children are asked to "stop and tidy up".
• Learning related to all four frames is fully integrated throughout the day. This integrated learning means, for example, that literacy development and mathematics learning occur throughout play and inquiry, and not within isolated blocks of time.
• When the whole class is brought together, the meeting has a specific focus and lasts for a minimum amount of time.
• Educators provide opportunities for children to engage in individual and small-group learning during play (e.g., to address particular needs or interests; to review documentation; to co-construct a learning area) and use various learning and teaching strategies (e.g., shared reading, interactive writing, explicit instruction in mathematics) as opportunities arise from play.

It is essential that the flow of the day be flexible, to allow the children to:

• have a rest or some quiet time or a snack when they need it;
• become deeply absorbed in an inquiry and extend their explorations as their engagement requires;
• sit or stand in a way or location that best allows them to focus on what is happening.

Educators often co-create visual schedules with the children, which the children can consult throughout the day. The visual schedule may consist of detachable segments, which can be moved around if the group co-constructs an alternative flow of the day.

Supporting transitions

Transitions are milestone events for children … They are times of exciting change … and times of new opportunities and growth for every child. They can also be times of uncertainty where surroundings are not the same, expectations and procedures different and faces as yet unfamiliar. … Transition should be viewed as a process rather than an event that involves children, [educators] and parents together. Transition has been described as an ongoing journey rather than a destination. (Early Years Matters, 2016)

By the time they come to Kindergarten, many children will have experienced such transitions as the following:

• from being an only child to being a sibling
• from one home to another home
• from home to a child care setting
• from one aspect of daily life to another (e.g., from playing inside to playing outdoors)
• from a preschool program to Kindergarten

Fundamental to a smooth transition are relationships that serve as a bridge between the family and school and provide continuity from preschool to kindergarten. These relationships can be found among parents, teachers, family workers, other school staff, and the child's peers. (Kraft-Sayre & Pianta, 2000, p. 2)

In their relationships with families, educators play an essential role in facilitating the transitions that children face. They plan for ways to support smooth transitions in such circumstances as the following:

• across early years settings (e.g., between child care and Kindergarten)
• between the home and Kindergarten
• from one learning experience or daily routine to another in Kindergarten

Because children enter Kindergarten with a diverse range of experiences, abilities, and needs, the rate at which children adapt to the school environment will vary. To facilitate this adaptation, educators collaborate with families and other significant partners, such as school and community resource teams, to ensure the best possible transition to the school environment.

As part of making children's transition to Kindergarten easier, educators endeavour to maintain a sense of calm in the classroom and provide large blocks of time to engage children's attention in sustained, complex play and inquiry. Educators also strive to cultivate authentic, caring relationships and connections and a sense of belonging among children, adults, and the world around them. "When a child is involved in and surrounded by supportive relationships, the transition to Kindergarten occurs more smoothly" (Kraft-Sayre & Pianta, 2000, p. 2).

For more information on making transitions from early childhood programs to Kindergarten smoother for children, see the following:

• Ontario Early Years Policy Framework (2013)
• How Does Learning Happen? (2014)
• The Early Learning Framework website

For information on supporting transitions for children and families who speak a language other than English, see the following:

• Supporting English Language Learners in Kindergarten: A Practical Guide for Ontario Educators (2007), pp. 33–38
• "English Language Learners", in this chapter
• For information on transition planning for children with special education needs, see the following section.

Children with special education needs

Kindergarten educators are the key educators of children with special education needs. They have a responsibility to help all children learn, and they work collaboratively with special education teachers, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. They commit to assisting every child to prepare for living with the highest degree of independence possible.

Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013) describes a set of beliefs, based on evidence from research, that guide program planning for integrated assessment and instruction for children with special education needs. Educators pay particular attention to these beliefs, which are as follows:

• All children^{footnote 1[1]} can succeed.
• Each child has his or her own unique patterns of learning.
• Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience.
• Universal design^{footnote 2[2]} and differentiated instruction ^{footnote 3[3]} are effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or productivity needs of any group of children.
• Classroom educators are the key educators for a child's literacy and numeracy development.
• Classroom educators need the support of the larger community to create a learning environment that supports children with special education needs.
• Fairness is not sameness.

These beliefs are also aligned with the principle that children are "competent, curious, capable of complex thinking, and rich in potential and experience".

See "Fundamental Principles of Play-Based Learning", in Chapter 1.1, "Introduction".

In any given classroom, children may demonstrate a wide range of strengths and needs. Kindergarten educators plan programs that recognize this diversity and design tasks and challenges that respect the children's particular abilities so that every child can derive the greatest possible benefit from the learning process. Integrated assessment and instruction that are suited to the characteristics of a diverse group of children but are also precisely tailored to the unique strengths and needs of each child can be achieved using the principles of Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, and a tiered approach.

In planning Kindergarten programs for children with special education needs, educators begin by examining both the program expectations and the individual child's strengths and learning needs to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the child:

• no accommodations^{footnote 4[4]} or modified expectations;
• accommodations only;
• modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations;
• alternative expectations, which are not derived from the program expectations.

If the child requires accommodations and/or modified or alternative expectations, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). More detailed information about developing and implementing IEPs for children with special education needs can be found in The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide, 2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004). A detailed discussion of the ministry's requirements for IEPs is provided in Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000).

Children requiring accommodations only
Providing accommodations to children with special education needs should be the first option considered in program planning. Accommodations allow the child with special education needs to access the program without any changes to the expectations. Many children with special education needs are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the Kindergarten program and to demonstrate learning independently. The accommodations required to facilitate the child's learning must be identified in his or her IEP (IEP Standards, 2000, p. 11). A child's IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, frames.
There are three types of accommodations:

• Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. Some examples include the use of large print, Braille, or sensory toys or equipment.
• Environmental accommodations are changes that the child may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as special lighting, individual quiet space, or a visual schedule.
• Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures that enable the child to demonstrate his or her learning, such as the use of speech-to-text software.

If a child requires "accommodations only" to support learning, the IEP box on the Kindergarten Communication of Learning: Initial Observations report and on the Kindergarten Communication of Learning report will not be checked. Reporting provided under Key Learning, Growth in Learning, and Next Steps in Learning in both reports will be based on the expectations in this document.

Children requiring modified or alternative expectations
Modified expectations for most Kindergarten children with special education needs will be based on the Kindergarten program expectations, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations. Modified expectations must represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable learning, and must describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the child can demonstrate independently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations.

Modified expectations must indicate the knowledge and/or skills that the child is expected to demonstrate independently and that will be assessed in each reporting period (IEP Standards, 2000, pp. 10 and 11). Modified expectations should be expressed in such a way that the child and parents can understand not only the key learning the child is expected to demonstrate independently but also the basis on which his or her performance will be evaluated, resulting in comments that are recorded on the reports. The learning expectations for the child must be reviewed in relation to the child's progress at least once every reporting period, and must be updated as necessary (IEP Standards, 2000, p. 11).

If a child requires modified expectations, assessment and evaluation of his or her key learning will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP. On the Kindergarten Communication of Learning reports, the IEP box must be checked for any frame in which the child requires modified expectations, and the following statement must be inserted: "Program expectations have been modified to meet the needs of the child." The educators' comments should include relevant information on the key learning and on the child's demonstrated growth in learning related to the modified expectations, as well as next steps for the child's learning.

For the majority of children, alternative expectations would be additional to modified or regular Kindergarten program expectations. If a child requires alternative expectations, assessment and evaluation of his or her key learning will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP. On the Kindergarten Communication of Learning reports, the IEP box must be checked for any frame in which the child requires alternative expectations, and the following statement must be inserted: "Key learning, growth in learning, and next steps in learning are based on alternative learning expectations in the IEP."

Transition plans for children with special education needs
For children with special education needs, transition planning is critical for a smooth and successful entry to school. A transition plan must be developed for a child who has an IEP, and may also be developed for a child who is receiving special education programs and/or services but does not have an IEP.

The transition plan should be responsive to the child's physical, emotional, and learning needs, and should be developed in collaboration with parents and members of the school's special education team, community agencies, and other professionals, as required, to determine the nature and extent of the transition support that the child requires. The plan must identify specific transition goals, the actions required to achieve the goals, the kind of support needed, roles and responsibilities, and timelines for the implementation and/or completion of each of the identified actions.

For further information about transition planning, see "Policy/Program Memorandum No. 156: Supporting Transitions for Students with Special Education Needs" (2013).

English language learners

Ontario schools have some of the most multilingual student populations in the world. Among them are many English language learners – students whose first language is a language other than English, or is a variety of English that is significantly different from the variety used for instruction in Ontario's English-language schools, and who may require focused educational supports to assist them in attaining proficiency in English. English language learners may be Canadian-born or recently arrived from other countries. They come from diverse backgrounds and school experiences, and have a wide variety of strengths and needs.

Children who are English language learners may require additional supports as they make the transition to Kindergarten. Educators consider the instruction that might be necessary in their play- and inquiry-based learning environments that will maximize English-language acquisition.

Canadian-born English language learners
Many English language learners were born in Canada and raised in families or communities in which languages other than English are spoken. They may include, for example:

• First Nations, Métis, or Inuit children whose first language is a language other than English;
• children who were born in communities that have maintained a distinct cultural and linguistic tradition and who have a first language that is not English;
• children who were born in immigrant communities in which languages other than English are primarily spoken.

Newcomers from other countries
Newcomers arrive from countries around the world at various stages in their educational careers. Young children may arrive in their preschool years or at the age when they can begin Kindergarten. They may arrive at the beginning of the school year or at any time during the school year. Depending on their age and country of origin, they may have had some educational experiences prior to their arrival in Canada (e.g., preschool, private school). Newcomers from other countries may include:

• children who have arrived in Canada with their families as part of a voluntary, planned immigration process, some of whom may have some knowledge of English as a foreign language;
• children who have arrived in Canada as a result of a war or other crisis in their home country, and who may have left their homeland under conditions of extreme urgency. These children have often suffered traumatic experiences, and may also be separated from family members.

Children who require modified expectations
When a child's learning and growth in learning are based on expectations modified from the expectations in The Kindergarten Program to support English language learning needs, educators will check the "ESL" box for the frame.

Educators will not check the "ESL" box to indicate only:

• that the child is an English language learner; or
• that accommodations have been provided to support learning.

For more information, see: English Language Learners – ESL and ELD Programs and Services: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2007).

Equity and inclusive education in Kindergarten

The Ontario Equity and Inclusive Education strategy focuses on respecting diversity, promoting inclusive education, and identifying and eliminating the discriminatory biases, systemic barriers, and power dynamics that limit the ability of children to learn, grow, and contribute to society. Antidiscrimination education continues to be an important and integral component of the strategy.

In an environment based on the principles of inclusive education, all children in Kindergarten, their parents, other family members, and other members of the school community – regardless of ancestry, culture, ethnicity, sex, physical or intellectual ability, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or other similar factors – are welcomed, included, treated fairly, and respected. Diversity is valued, and all members of the school community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted.

Every child in Kindergarten is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning. In an inclusive education system, all children see themselves reflected in the program, their physical surroundings, and the broader environment, so that they can feel engaged in and empowered by their learning experiences.

The implementation of antidiscrimination principles in education influences all aspects of school life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all children to work to high levels of achievement, affirms the worth of all children, and helps all children strengthen their sense of identity and develop a positive self-image. It encourages staff and children alike to value and show respect for diversity in the school and the broader society. Antidiscrimination education promotes fairness, healthy relationships, and active, responsible citizenship.

Early childhood settings can be pro-active in identifying strategies that will respect families' diverse linguistic, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds and value this diversity as an asset that enriches the environment for everyone. ... Preconceived notions about children's ethno-cultural backgrounds, gender, abilities or socioeconomic circumstances create barriers that reduce engagement and equitable outcomes (Bernhard, Freire, & Mulligan, 2004). Addressing prejudices increases the involvement of all children. Early childhood practitioners can take actions to avoid prejudice and to counteract bias when it occurs in early childhood settings. (ELECT, 2007, p. 12)

Children bring to school traditional practices, values, and the beliefs and experiences of their families and communities. Ontario is a province of many cultures and languages, and Kindergarten programs strive to reflect those differences. Environments that promote attitudes and beliefs that support equity, diversity, and democracy, and that are inclusive of children with special needs, help children develop empathy and a strong sense of self in relation to others.

Educators can give children a variety of opportunities to learn about diversity and diverse perspectives. They can enable children from a wide range of backgrounds to see themselves reflected in the program by drawing attention to the perspectives of various ethnocultural, religious, and racial communities, the contributions of women, and the beliefs and practices of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. By doing so, they also give children the opportunity to learn about the diversity of people and perspectives in their local community. It is essential that learning opportunities and materials used to support the Kindergarten program reflect the diversity of Ontario society.

Kindergarten programs, including assessment practices, should take into account the wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, interests, aptitudes, and learning needs of all children. Learning experiences, resources, and materials used in Kindergarten must be free from bias and stereotyping so that children can make meaningful connections between what they are learning and their own backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles. Books should include fairy tales, stories from mythology, and tales about children and adults from diverse social, cultural, spiritual, and family contexts. Books in children's first language, or in the language they speak at home, should also be available, so that family members at home can see what the children are learning, and can participate in their learning.

School-community interactions should reflect the diversity of both the local community and the broader society. A variety of strategies can be used to communicate with and engage parents and community members from diverse communities, and to encourage their participation in and support for school activities, programs, and events. Schools may consider offering assistance with child care or making alternative scheduling arrangements in order to help caregivers participate. Children can also help by encouraging and accompanying their families, who may be unfamiliar with the Ontario school system. Special outreach strategies and encouragement may be needed to draw in the parents of English language learners and First Nations, Métis, or Inuit children, and to make them feel more comfortable in their interactions with the school.

Healthy relationships and Kindergarten

Every child is entitled to learn in a safe, caring environment, free from violence and harassment. Research has shown that children learn and achieve better in such environments. A safe and supportive social environment in a school is founded on healthy relationships – the relationships between children, between children and adults, and between adults. Healthy relationships are based on respect, caring, empathy, trust, and dignity, and thrive in an environment in which diversity is honoured and accepted. Healthy relationships do not tolerate abusive, controlling, violent, bullying/harassing, or other inappropriate behaviours. To experience themselves as valued and connected members of an inclusive social environment, children need to be involved in healthy relationships with their peers, educators, and other members of the school community.

Several provincial policies, programs, and initiatives, including Foundations for a Healthy School, the Equity and Inclusive Education strategy, and the Safe Schools strategy, are designed to foster caring and safe learning environments in the context of healthy and inclusive schools. These policies and initiatives promote positive learning and teaching environments that support the development of healthy relationships, encourage academic achievement, and help all children to reach their full potential.

In its 2008 report, Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools: Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships, the Safe Schools Action Team confirmed "that the most effective way to enable all students to learn about healthy and respectful relationships is through the school curriculum" (p. 11). Educators can promote this learning in a variety of ways. For example, by giving children opportunities to apply critical thinking and problem-solving strategies and to address issues through group discussions, role play, and other means, they can help them develop and practise the skills they need for building healthy relationships. Educators can also have a positive influence on children by modelling the behaviours, values, and skills that are needed to develop and sustain healthy relationships, and by addressing immediate relationship issues that may arise among children.

An emphasis on developing the skills that are needed to build and support healthy relationships can be found throughout the Kindergarten program. For example, expectations that focus on belonging and contributing introduce children, in age-appropriate ways, to the knowledge and skills they will need to maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.

Environmental education

Ontario's education system will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and practices they need to be environmentally responsible citizens. Students will understand our fundamental connections to each other and to the world around us through our relationship to food, water, energy, air, and land, and our interaction with all living things. The education system will provide opportunities within the classroom and the community for students to engage in actions that deepen this understanding. (Ontario Ministry of Education, Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow, 2009, p. 6)

Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow: A Policy Framework for Environmental Education in Ontario Schools (cited above) outlines an approach to environmental education that recognizes the needs of all Ontario learners and promotes environmental responsibility in the operations of all levels of the education system.

The three goals outlined in Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow are organized around the themes of teaching and learning, student engagement and community connections, and environmental leadership. The first goal is to promote learning about environmental issues and solutions. The second is to engage children in practising and promoting environmental stewardship, both at school and in the community. The third stresses the importance of providing leadership by implementing and promoting responsible environmental practices throughout the education system so that staff, parents, community members, and children become dedicated to living more sustainably.

The Kindergarten program offers many opportunities for accomplishing these goals. The learning environment includes the outdoors – the schoolyard, fields and trails in the vicinity of the school, and various other outdoor venues. Helping children develop appreciation and respect for the environment is an integral part of providing learning opportunities in these spaces. Experiences that allow children to appreciate and understand the value of fresh air and outdoor spaces, the environmental benefits of active transportation (e.g., walking and biking), the environmental implications of various food choices, the impact of using trails, and the health risks associated with exposure to direct sunlight and air pollution are all components of environmental education that can be integrated with learning in the Kindergarten program. To facilitate these connections, educators are encouraged to make the outdoors an integral part of their learning environment in order to help children observe, explore, and appreciate nature.

As children learn more about themselves through the development of personal and social skills, learn to work effectively and respectfully with others through the development of self-regulation skills, and acquire the capacity for systems thinking through the development of critical and creative thinking skills, they increase their capacity to make connections with the world around them and to become environmentally responsible citizens.

See "Laying the Foundations for Citizenship and Environmental Stewardship" in Chapter 2.1, "Thinking about Belonging and Contributing".

The role of the arts in Kindergarten

The exciting "brain" news is that participating in art, music, movement, and storytelling ... not only develops language, mathematics, science, and social skills, but also strengthen[s] the synapses between brain cells. Research shows that these synapses grow stronger through active participation in the arts. (Booth Church, n.d.)

Experiences in the arts foster creative thinking in a variety of areas, not only within the arts themselves. When the learning environment provides opportunities for children to create art in any form, communication between various parts of the brain is stimulated.

Along with the development of skills in the arts, participation in the arts provides children with opportunities to experience the satisfaction of contributing something of their own within their social sphere, which helps them develop a sense of belonging. For that reason, the arts-related learning expectations are included in the Belonging and Contributing frame of the Kindergarten program.

See "Developing a Sense of Belonging and Contributing through the Arts" in Chapter 2.1, "Thinking about Belonging and Contributing".

Engagement in learning through the arts also supports the development of children's self-regulation skills. As children observe the art works of others, work independently on their own creations, or take the risk to try something new with an idea, they are learning to self-regulate. As they share their ideas and listen to the diverse views and opinions of others, they are also developing respect for others and the ability to collaborate. In addition, their ability to deal with stressors is increased.

By being actively engaged in arts activities, students become motivated and can develop the ability to be persistent in tasks; through their successes, they develop self-confidence. In addition, participation in the arts gives them opportunities to develop social skills, such as skills in conflict resolution, self-control, and collaboration, as well as social tolerance and empathy. They can also learn to take creative risks in a safe environment. (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: The Arts, 2009, p. 50)

The arts provide children with a vehicle to explore and express their thoughts and feelings. Communication happens through creative expression. When children manipulate materials, explore music and movement, create symbols, and engage in imaginative expression (e.g., visual art, storytelling), and dramatic play, they are communicating. Creating and designing fuse together the cognitive, emotional, and physical domains – thinking, feeling, and doing. The creative expression of ideas, feelings, and interpretations using a variety of materials also helps consolidate children's learning; enhances their creative, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills; and strengthens their memory and sense of identity.

In addition to providing opportunities for literacy development, the arts program also builds on, reinforces, and enhances mathematical literacy. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs, and many components of the arts curriculum emphasize students' ability to interpret and use symbols and graphic texts. (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: The Arts, 2009, p. 52)

There are many types of patterns, rhythms, and relationships in the world around us, and the human brain inherently finds enjoyment in seeing or hearing them (Dartnell, n.d.). The development of an understanding of pattern in the arts not only supports children's appreciation of visual arts, music, and dance and drama, but also enhances their understanding of various types of patterns and relationships in the context of mathematics.

Educators who see children as capable and competent provoke children's awareness of their own innate creativity and that of others in a wide variety of ways in order to stimulate their imagination further. Educators provide a variety of tools, materials, and opportunities to enable the children to give expression to their ideas and feelings as they make use of their prior knowledge and experiences and take creative risks to develop new ideas in every aspect of their learning.

The role of information and communications technology

Information and communications technology (ICT) provides a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich the educators' instructional strategies and support children's learning. ICT tools include multimedia resources, databases, the Internet, digital cameras, and an extensive array of specialized software. ICT can also be used to connect children to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom.

The integration of information and communications technology into the Kindergarten program represents a natural extension of the learning expectations, as does the use of other technological devices. Whenever appropriate, therefore, children should be encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. Current technologies are useful both as research tools and as creative media. Educators should be critical consumers of educational software to ensure that the software offers opportunities for higher-level thinking. Programs that promote only rote repetition of facts and information should be avoided.

Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, all children must be made aware of issues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.

The role of the school library in Kindergarten programs

The school library program can help to build and transform children's knowledge to support a lifetime of learning in an information- and knowledge-based society. The school library program supports success by encouraging children to read and use many forms of text for understanding and enjoyment, and by helping them to gather and use information effectively. The school library program enables children to:

• develop a love of reading for learning and for pleasure;
• begin to acquire an understanding of the richness and diversity of artistic and informational texts produced in Canada and around the world;
• begin to appreciate and value the role of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning.

The school library program plays a key role in the development of information literacy and research skills. In collaboration with educators, teacher-librarians design, teach, and provide children with authentic information and research tasks that foster learning, including the ability to:

• access, select, gather, process, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information;
• use the information obtained to explore and investigate issues, solve problems, make decisions, build knowledge, create personal meaning, and enrich their lives;
• communicate their findings for different audiences, using a variety of formats and technologies;
• use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination.

In addition, teacher-librarians can work with educators to help children to:

• develop literacy in using non-print forms, such as the Internet, CDs, DVDs, and videos;
• design inquiry questions;
• document and reflect on their learning;
• create and produce single-medium or multimedia presentations.

Health and safety in Kindergarten

Educators are responsible for ensuring the safety of the children, both in and out of doors. Educators also strive to develop in children an awareness of the importance of staying healthy and safe. In Kindergarten, children begin to develop a sense of responsibility for their health, well-being, and safety. They learn about the importance of playing, exploring, and investigating in safe ways to prevent injury to themselves and others.

Children learn by observing the practice of adults and other children. Educators must therefore model safe practices at all times and communicate safety requirements to children in accordance with school and school board policies. Children must be made aware that health and safety are everyone's responsibility – at home, at school, and in the outdoors.

To ensure the safety of children, learning areas need to be equipped with appropriate materials and resources – for example, art materials need to be non-toxic, and educators need to be aware of any possible danger that could arise from inappropriate use.

Routines provide opportunities for children to learn about health and safety. Children must be aware of any required safety drills and of ways of interacting with one another to ensure that they are not putting themselves or their peers in danger.

In a safe learning environment, the educators will:

• be aware of up-to-date safety information and follow board policies and guidelines related to health and safety;
• discuss health and safety issues with the children;
• plan the learning environment with safety as a primary consideration, and involve the children in devising ways to make the environment safe for all;
• observe children to ensure that safe practices are being followed;
• have plans in place in case of an emergency.

Health and safety issues not usually associated with Kindergarten may be important when the learning involves field trips. A field trip can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to children's learning experiences, but it also takes the educators and children out of the predictable classroom environment and into an unfamiliar setting. Educators must preview and plan these experiences carefully to protect children's health and safety. For example, for field trips in the outdoors, educators need to determine whether appropriate protection is required (e.g., sunscreen, hats, rain gear) and assess risks related to plants and animals (e.g., poison ivy, mosquitoes).

The school principal must ensure that parents have informed the school of any medical conditions that might affect their children, either in the regular classroom or during field trips. Educators must take children's medical conditions into consideration when planning learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.