Pamphlet on Kindergarten Teaching, 1946 ( Pt 1/2 )

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Kindergarten Teaching  

WHAT IS KINDERGARTEN TEACHING?  

In Nursery Schools and Kindergartens all over  
Australia there is a very great demand for the ser-  
vices of specially trained teachers to work with  
children between the ages of two and six years.  
The job of the kindergarten teacher is, in co-  
operation with the parents, to make the best possible  
provision for the physical, mental, social and  
emotional development of the children in her care.  
The profession is suitable only for women.  

NATURE OF WORK.  

In the kindergarten the teacher has the task of  
planning a free, happy, and healthy environment  
and of helping each child to make the best possible  
use of it, guiding and leading him in the development  
of his own personality and individuality; and teach-  
ing him to take his share in small group responsi-  
bilities, in group plans and decisions.  
By means of the planned activities of the child’s  
day, such as play, routines, stories, discussions, nature  
studies, music, language and literature, art exper-  
iences, and the multitude of informal adult-child  
contacts, she seeks to further the development of his  
intelligence, his social sense, his emotional stability,  
and his spiritual well-being.  
Much of the child’s training is carried out by means  
of play, and the kindergarten teacher must see that  
play materials are provided which encourage him to  
experiment, create, and construct—materials which  
give him problems to solve and through which he  
learns to recognize colours, shapes, and relationships  
between one object and another.  
She is responsible, too, for the supervision of the  
health and nutrition of every child. This involves  
arrangements for regular measuring and weighing; 
periodic medical examinations and, sometimes, dental  
treatment; daily health inspection; immunization;  
activity to promote muscle development and good  
posture; sleep on suitable individual beds; and  
balanced mid-day meals. 

The kindergarten teacher is concerned not only  
with a programme for the physical and mental health  
of the child during the hours he is attending the  
kindergarten, but she is also concerned with assisting  
the parents to acquire a knowledge of child guidance.  
Her experience of large numbers of young children  
enables her to judge whether or not a child is develop-  
ing well for his age. Her understanding of the  
fundamental needs of children enables her to make  
sound, practical suggestions for the child’s all-round  
care and training.  

Therefore, while the greater part of her working  
day will be spent with little children, she will also  
be required to make frequent personal contacts with  
parents and committees. In addition, if she is in  
charge of a larger kindergarten, she will, as director,  
be responsible for a trained staff of kindergarten  
teachers, a domestic staff, and often for students in  
training.  

AVENUES OF EMPLOYMENT.  
1. Free kindergartens and nursery schools in  
all States.  
2. Lady Gowrie Child Centres.  
3. Education Departments in some States.  
(A few enter the service after being trained,  
apart from those trained by the department  
itself.)  
4. Private kindergartens; church kindergar-  
tens.  
5. Child welfare centres; play centres.  

6. Kindergartens connected with non-State  
schools.  
• There is a very great shortage of kinder-  
garten teachers at present throughout the Com-  
monwealth—a shortage that is likely to continue  
for some years. 

Note. —This pamphlet refers exclusively to the train-  
ing of kindergarten teachers as carried out by voluntary  
organizations, i.e., the Kindergarten Training College,  
and the Nursery School Training College. Women  
wishing to enter the service of State Education Depart 1  
ments which offer courses of training for kindergarten  
or infant school teachers (dealing with the child from  
about 5 to 8 years of age) should seek information from  
the Department in the State concerned.