Kindergarten – 2nd Grade

Teacher: Dori Drenth

Learning together in a family atmosphere

The Little Room

Kindergarten, first, and second grades are fondly called the Little Room. Although the students are “little”, big things happen in these three years. The students enter as kindergarten students with limited knowledge of letters and numbers but leave second grade as proficient readers, creative writers, and mathematicians who can add and subtract large numbers with confidence. They build friendships across age groups and help each other to learn and explore. All subjects are taught through a Biblical perspective.

Kindergarten students learn to recognize and write numbers and letters, begin reading short vowel and “bossy e” words, explore math concepts such as patterns and one to one correspondence and more.

First grade students learn to read well through phonics and special sound practice. They work at learning addition and subtraction facts, clue words for word problems, and how to name fractions among many other topics.

The second graders gain fluency and comprehension skills in reading and learn to add and subtract with regrouping while also beginning multiplication, division, and fractions.

All students learn Bible stories and applications, memorize Bible verses, explore science and social studies, practice spelling and printing/cursive skills. Bible, science, and social studies are taught in a three-year cycle to all students together, while other subjects are taught by grade level. Hands on and creative teaching is used whenever possible.

About the teacher

Miss Drenth began teaching in 1993 after getting her teacher certificate from Calvin College. She later earned her Master’s in Education and Curriculum from Spring Arbor University. Miss Drenth taught various combinations of grades 4 through 8 her first 18 years of teaching before accepting the job of K-2 teacher at Ebenezer and has taught here since 2016. She loves using creativity and movement in her teaching and making her room be a safe, loving place so her students can thrive.

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