Kindergarten: A Teacher, Her Students, and a Year of Learning

by Julie Diamond, Jules Feiffer (Foreword)

Hailed by renowned educator Deborah Meier as “a rare and special pleasure to read,” Kindergarten explores a year in the life of a kindergarten classroom through the eyes of the gifted veteran teacher and author Julie Diamond. In this lyrical, beautifully written first-person account, Diamond explains the logic behind the routines and rituals children need to thrive. As she guides us through all aspects of classroom life—the organization, curriculum, and relationships that create a unique class environment—we begin to understand what kindergarten can and should be: a culture that builds children’s desire to understand the world and lays the foundation for lifelong learning.

Kindergarten makes a compelling case for an expansive definition of teaching and learning, one that supports academic achievement without sacrificing students’ curiosity, creativity, or development of social values. Diamond’s celebration of the possibilities of classroom life is a welcome antidote to today’s test-driven climate. Written for parents and teachers alike, Kindergarten offers a rare glimpse into what’s really going on behind the apparent chaos of a busy kindergarten classroom, sharing much-needed insights into how our children can have the best possible early school experiences.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2011

About the author

Julie Diamond taught for many years in New York City public schools. She has worked in private schools, and taught graduate courses. Currently, she is supervising student teachers for NYU and City College. She has studied print-making extensively.

Reviews

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all I think teaching should be put into words. I want to give this book to all my teacher friends! I loved the content but also the way the book was written. Teaching books tend to be very content-heavy and I really appreciated the balance between practice/thoughts on it.

[Adelaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

ED103. Reading this one chapter at a time for class gave me greater opportunity to appreciate the details and take it slowly. Diamond writes very poetically and beautifully about her classroom and her students. I hope to incorporate some of her willingness to hold space for the unexpected unit on squirrels. However, I'm still wondering how to balance that with my own tendency towards structure and planning, as well as the more rigid curricular structure of older grades.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting but dense. I picked it up but found that for at least the first half of the book, I struggled to get through it. It did give me some insight into what teaching and being in a classroom might be like, but I don't think it was the right choice for me as I'm looking to go into teaching 4th grade or somewhere around that age group. It was worth reading but presented some challenges.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so very glad I read this book. It is not only a good book for teachers to read (Kindergarten or otherwise) - I think it’s a good book for human beings to read. The author tells the story, with warts a plenty, about her work as a teacher. Just watching, reading about her good work is inspiring and challenging.