We sit down with Arien Striplin, a 17-year veteran of kindergarten to talk about what happens in her classroom. She gives great tips and suggestions to parents for getting their kids ready for school next year.
Want to register for kindergarten in Flagler Schools for the 2021-22 school year? We're here to help! Here's a link with important information: https://flaglerschools.com/about_us/newsroom/what_is_new/kindergarten_registration_2021-2022
We sit down with Arien Striplin, a 17-year veteran of kindergarten to talk about what happens in her classroom. She gives great tips and suggestions to parents for getting their kids ready for school next year.
Want to register for kindergarten in Flagler Schools for the 2021-22 school year? We're here to help! Here's a link with important information: https://flaglerschools.com/about_us/newsroom/what_is_new/kindergarten_registration_2021-2022
Is my child ready for kindergarten? Am I ready for kindergarten? Don't worry, calm down. We've got help. This is Focused on Flagler Schools and I'm Jason Wheeler, Community Information Specialist with Flagler Schools. We want to share the achievements and challenges facing our students, teachers and staff right here in Flagler County, Florida. So let's dive right in. We're sitting in Arien Stripland's kindergarten class at Old Kings Elementary Schooll, she happens to be the Teacher of the Year for for Old Kings Elementary. Thank you for joining us.
Arien Striplin:Thank you for inviting me.
Jason Wheeler:Your background? Why get into teaching? How did we get here to Old Kings for you?
Arien Striplin:Um, when I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher, I went off to college for four years, and I got my undergraduate degree in childhood education. And then I went back for another year, and I got my master's in childhood education. And I've been teaching for 17 years now.
Jason Wheeler:So you've been you've been in the kindergarten first grade realm and and I laughed because I spoke with Khady Harmon, our Teacher of the Year. She's at Matanzas. And and I asked her in our last podcast episode, if we could plop you into an elementary school. Would you be as successful? Could you do that? And and she firmly said, no, that's not her wheelhouse. She likes the the semi-adults of high school. You're on the other end. You're good here.
Arien Striplin:Yes.
Jason Wheeler:We pop you in a high school and you could...could you survive in a high school?
Arien Striplin:Oh, absolutely not. I love the little ones. I like to be sarcastic with them and sing and dance and watch them learn coming in from kindergarten. A lot of them are struggling writing in their names, letters, sounds, and by the end, they're going out reading and writing. So it's very neat to see that progress.
Jason Wheeler:How important are these first few years of school for the students? You've seen this...this progression over the years.
Arien Striplin:Yes, it is extremely important. When they come out of kindergarten in their reading and writing. It sets them up for success later down in the years following.
Jason Wheeler:How does actually how is kindergarten changed in the 17 years? Because I know you have parents who think well, this is not what we did in kindergarten.
Arien Striplin:No, it's not.
Jason Wheeler:It has changed drastically over 17 years, has it not?
Arien Striplin:It has changed a lot. My first year we had play time, and that was built into the curriculum. And you know, naptime. And not anymore. They are working from the time they walk in to the time that we leave. And I wish there was a couple even more hours in the day to even fit more in our kids. okay with that. I know cuz again, parents are thinking about naptime and play time. And we're, we're pushing them too, too much too young. They are they actually they're sponges. I mean, they are incredible the things that they can do, we don't think that they can write paragraphs and mind come out of kindergarten and printing five paragraphs with a strong introduction first next lesson and In conclusion, and if they don't get that, in conclusion, they always have to tell me, I didn't get it done, and that they had to finish the next day. So they they really can do it.
Jason Wheeler:Does V...having vpk help? Can you notice you notice that difference when they're...when they're coming in?
Arien Striplin:Absolutely. It does. It really sets that fun foundation. How sit in a seat. How to form those letters, know their letters and sounds. It really actually does help a lot.
Jason Wheeler:How important is it to have parental help, input, involvement?
Arien Striplin:That's always key. I know, whatever grade level but especially this this age, absolutely, the more involvement, the more they succeed, I can call any of my parents at any given time, and say, Hey, they need help in this area. And they will help them. Having that support from the parents is absolutely amazing. Because they can do the same thing that we're doing in class at home if they're having difficulty. And you can see that improvement.
Jason Wheeler:What should a parent has now this time of the year is is when we're starting to have the kindergarten registrations and everything. What should a parent look for in a kindergarten program when they're looking at different schools?
Arien Striplin:Um, I mean, I love looking at how the teacher you know, interacts with their kids and I love to be energetic with them and singing and dancing. And it's kind of whatever fits your child's personality. You know, if they like that, sitting more than maybe that or the more activeness like, I tend to get them. You know, we're sitting maybe a few minutes a day because we're up and moving around a lot.
Jason Wheeler:How important is that though, to have them because I know they're bundles of energy, you're a bundle of energy, but there you have a room full of them.
Arien Striplin:They love it. They they do so good. I mean we do little games like you know verbs, nouns, adjectives, and we're constantly doing those and we're acting out, you know, living and nonliving. And they love it, they are just blossoming because of this.
Jason Wheeler:We're starting to enter the summer months soon, sooner than we all anticipate, I guess. But uh, How can parents,if they have an incoming kindergartner or first grader, how can they prepare their students, their children, for that...the journey of education in public school?
Arien Striplin:I would definitely work if they're coming into kindergarten on letters and sounds, it is huge. If they come in knowing those, then they can pick up the reading quicker, the writing their names, and which is important so that they know who they are, and where to find their name tags and things like that, I would just prepare them, you know, maybe to sit in a chair for five to 10 minutes a day, and sit down, do their work quickly. And then they can go out and play.
Jason Wheeler:And I gotta say, I've had the pleasure of sitting in in classes for the last five years or so I've had this position and sitting in kindergarten classes these days, it is amazing what these these children, these students have at their fingertips and what they're able to do, um, you mentioned, you know, writing five paragraphs, which for afive year old is, is huge.
Arien Striplin:It's amazing.
Jason Wheeler:I mean, you got a humungous smile about this, but to see it, especially a child who may be struggling coming in. And after a year, able to do this. And because I know you've mentioned before, you weren't always the best student you had you had your difficulties, and so you can empathize with these kids.
Arien Striplin:Absolutely. That's the one reason why I did pick kindergarten to begin with, because, as a struggling learner, I didn't get the foundation that I needed in kindergarten. So if I can help these kiddos, get that foundation in, succeed later on, so they don't have to struggle. I mean, even sometimes I while myself and say, Oh, my gosh, I never heard that. And I have to go back and I'm like, wow, you know, I learned something new. So it's actually really cool that they pick it up that quickly. And then years to come. I mean, you know, my first class, now they're babysitting for me, and I can see them and how it helps.
Jason Wheeler:How rewarding is that to see a student you taught, you know, as they are preparing to graduate?
Arien Striplin:It is so neat. I've had a couple of students actually go into teaching. And they wrote papers about me. And then they sent it to me to look over, which was really neat to see.
Jason Wheeler:Oh, my gosh. Teaching kindergarten, the last half of the last year and all of this year, what is that taught you about what you can do professionally what the kids can handle? Because it's, it's been extremely different.
Arien Striplin:Absolutely. But you know, they have done so good with spacing apart and the desk because I usually have tables. So that's been a big change for me, not, you know, having them together. But they actually have done so good with it. And kindergarten, they're just learning all new. So they don't actually even know it's different. Because they came in and they said, Oh, this is the way it is. But I actually rearranged my room. And in October, I actually even took up all my monkey theme and actually just did a blue theme to more calm. So it actually... I had to switch my whole room around because of this.
Jason Wheeler:Which I guess was good. Because if you do the same thing over and over again for 17 years, I mean, he can't help you a little stale a bit. Yes, I would. I would imagine you wish it was a little bit different than having the way we're doing it now.
Arien Striplin:Absolutely.
Jason Wheeler:What has this taught you as we head towards the 2021-22 school year, where hopefully, things will be a little bit more, I don't want to say normal, but how they used to be? What is something that you take, you can take away from this past year and a half moving forward to the next school year?
Arien Striplin:That we can basically do anything that our mindset has to, we came in, we are a little hesitant at first, you know, what's this going to be like? How are we going to do this and we just got a bunch of things handed to us. And we just picked it up and just moved along. And the kids just went right along with it getting fundations in October, and Haggerty in January, and new math and they just picked it up. It's amazing to see. So I would just definitely say you can do anything if you put your mind to it and have the right set of mindset.
Jason Wheeler:This has been a challenge I would imagine. But not one you can overcome.
Arien Striplin:Absolutely.
Jason Wheeler:How do you speak to your fellow educators who may be struggling a little bit more to deal with what we've had to deal with last year and a half?
Arien Striplin:Absolutely..it's different on how everyone handles different situations. But I would say have a positive attitude. These kiddos they don't know any better. They come in, they're just so excited every single day to be in the classroom, give you that hug. And, you know, the more that we support them, the more love that we give them, the more they give you so I would definitely say that.
Jason Wheeler:Are y'all supporting each other more?
Arien Striplin:Yeah.
Jason Wheeler:A lot more conversations like I'm having...I'm having a tough day, can you...can you watch out for
Arien Striplin:Absolutely. There's teachers that you just, me? you know, fall in line with. And you always have, we have a great team and kindergarten. So pretty much any of us if we're having a bad day, or we need help on something, we always kind of cover for each other. So that's the great thing about us.
Jason Wheeler:This is gonna be tough question. But what makes you sad?
Arien Striplin:Almost the end of the school year. Um, I guess what makes me sad is obviously seeing them go. But that cooperation at the beginning of the year, like I said, usually I have those desks, not desks, tables, so that they can sit next to each other, and they can really learn about each other. So when we're doing different activities they can be together.Tthis year was a little bit different, because we have to keep them a little bit further apart. So they didn't get to interact as much as they normally would. So I just hope that doesn't have a negative effect that with the years going on, and how to interact with other children.
Jason Wheeler:What makes you happy?
Arien Striplin:Just seeing them every day and seeing their bright personality is walking in the classroom and, you know, they run up and if I'm not paying attention, they give me a big hug and say you didn't say good morning to me. Okay. So I'm just seeing them every single day and so eager to want to learn and I love when they're participating. That's wonderful to see.
Jason Wheeler:Arien Striplin, kindergarten teacher Old Kings Elementary School, Old Kings' Teacher of the Year, thank you so much for the conversation.
Arien Striplin:Thank you so much for inviting me.
Jason Wheeler:Now, if you're interested in registering your child for kindergarten here in Flagler Schools, we have a list of things you need to do on our website: flaglerschools.com. We have an online registration, and paper enrollment forms can also be found on our website. When you register you'll need the original birth certificate, the current shot record, current physical record, a proof of Flagler county residency and guardian or custody papers if parents or the guardian is not on the child's birth certificate. Again, all this can be found on our website flaglerschools.com. I'll put a link in the notes of this podcast.
Unknown:And we want to thank you for listening to Focused on Flagler Schools, a production of the Flagler County School District. New episodes are released every other Thursday. If you like what you hear, subscribe, and check out Flagler Schools at www.flaglerschools.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where we're @FlaglerSchools. Thanks for listening and remember, let's Keep Focused on Flagler Schools.