Preparing for the "Practice of Kindergarten Education" Essay

The document gives this subject as an essay test with 2 major questions in 90 minutes, covering lesson plans (weekly and daily plans) based on a common task. Multiple choice with 15 questions in 50 minutes is the format of subjects I and II. Performance tests and interviews are not given as the format of this subject. Check the latest format in the exam guide for your year.

The Course of Study calls for long-term plans covering the year, term, month and so on, and short-term plans covering the week, day and so on, which stay linked to the long-term plans and fit the children's actual daily life. "Year and term" and "term and month" are long-term periods. "Month and week" mixes a long-term period with a short-term one and does not match the Course of Study.

The Course of Study says specific aims and content are set by looking ahead at the children's development, considering the continuity of their life and seasonal change, and responding to their interests and actual stage of development. Following elementary school subject units does not fit the basic principle of comprehensive guidance through play. Matching other kindergartens' average pace for everyone ignores each child's actual development. Working backward from the event schedule also conflicts with the rule that events should be carefully selected so they do not burden children.

The Course of Study says teachers deepen their understanding of children while reflecting on the teaching process, grasp each child's strengths and potential, and use this to improve teaching. It states clearly that evaluation is not done by comparing children or by grading achievement against a fixed standard, so ranking and achievement grading are wrong. It also says the content should be properly passed on to the next year or to elementary schools, so not passing it on is wrong.

Section 4-3(7) of Chapter 1 says that, since varied involvement by the teacher matters, the teacher plays "various roles such as one who understands and a co-worker" (理解者，共同作業者) and gives suitable guidance for each situation. "Director and manager" and "supervisor and assessor" describe a teacher who decides or controls activities one-sidedly, which does not fit encouraging children's own activity. "Referee and scorer" is not in the Course of Study and conflicts with its view that evaluation is not grading.

The Course of Study says events should add variety to kindergarten life within its natural flow, let children take part actively and enjoyably, and be carefully selected after considering their educational value so they do not burden children. Adding more events and prioritizing rehearsal for show both go against selection and care about burden. The Course of Study lists event guidance among the points for making teaching plans, so leaving events out of plans is also wrong.

The Course of Study says that, since direct experience is important in early childhood, information devices should be used in connection with children's experiences, for example to supplement experiences that are hard to get in kindergarten life. Putting device skills first or replacing real experiences with videos goes against the focus on direct experience. On the other hand, the Course of Study explains how to use devices and does not ban them.

The Course of Study says to set specific aims and content clearly (a), arrange a suitable environment to achieve them (b), give the support children need to develop activities themselves (c), and meanwhile evaluate the teaching process and keep improving the plan. Starting with the environment reverses the order, since the environment is arranged "to achieve the specific aims." Starting with activities, or putting the environment last, also does not match the flow in which the environment is prepared from the aims and activities unfold within it.

The Guidelines say that for children under 3, individual plans are made based on each child's history, physical and mental development and actual activities. They require both long-term and short-term plans, so the statement about making no long-term plans is wrong. For naps, they say sleep time differs by development and individual, so it should not be uniform. For children 3 and over, they call for promoting individual growth together with relationships and cooperative activities, so leaving cooperative activities out is also wrong.

The Course of Study describes the desired images as concrete images, at graduation, of children whose qualities and abilities have grown through all activities based on the aims and content of Chapter 2, which teachers consider when teaching. Judging each child's achievement conflicts with the rule that evaluation is not grading against a fixed standard or comparing children. Teaching the items one by one like subjects does not fit growth through all activities and comprehensive guidance through play. The images are shared with elementary teachers for a smooth transition, but they are not for teaching elementary content in advance.