This document offers a narrative "Look Into" JumpStart Kindergarten. We are using it in the teacher training to help them envision a K JumpStart classroom. IDE’s “Look Into” narratives are intended to be a snapshot rather than a full description of the classroom. As a sketch of one teacher’s classroom, it does not provide a complete representation of all Kindergarten JumpStart Classrooms. Instead, it will offer a general sense of the K JumpStart Classroom in action and insights into particular structures and strategies that can be used. This example will not be what each K JumpStart classroom will look like at the start of the program, but will be what we collectively work toward with students and teachers through the summer program. 

We will provide support to all K JumpStart teachers for building skills in their English Language Learners. This is just one tool for that.  There are Considerations for ELLs throughout the weekly K JumpStart Teacher Implementation Guides in purple text.

This Look Fors tool is based on the NYSED P-3 Instructional Strategies. As you are visiting K JumpStart Classrooms, use these Look Fors and Questions for Consideration to guide your support and feedback. Reference the Teacher Implementation Guide, Student Progress Checklist, Schedule, and Unit Materials from Week 1 (and beyond) as you visit and offer guidance. 

Building students' executive function is at the core of K JumpStart and Future-Powered Kindergarten classrooms! There are 40 key executive function skills that build throughout students' academic careers (and life!), categorized into six levels of life skills. In K JumpStart, the structures are designed to build these skills with initial exposure, especially in the ares of Conscious Control, Engagement, and Collaboration. 

As you are visiting K JumpStart Classrooms, use this tool to reflect upon how many skills you see students using, and seek opportunities to give teachers feedback on how they are building these skills by empowering students to make choices and take responsibility; that will support growth toward the P3 Strategirs for Students (especially student ownership) and the Mindset Shifts for teachers. 

Purposeful play is intentionally facilitated by teachers who create opportunities for students to build executive function through planning, collaboration, problem solving, reflection, and independence. In week 2, teachers identifed one Executive Function Goal and one Facilitation Goal to strengthen their practice and support student growth.

As you visit K JumpStart classrooms, use this tool to notice the intentional teacher moves that help students develop these skills. The look fors and reflective questions are designed to spark meaningful conversations, celebrate effective practice, and identify opportunities to support teachers as they build classrooms where executive function grows through purposeful play. Together with the K JumpStart Look Fors aligned to the NYSED P-3 Instructional Guidance Toolkit, this tool reinforces the teacher practices that help students become increasingly independent, engaged, and ready for kindergarten. 

This NYSED P-3 Classroom Walkthrough Checklist is provided to illustrate how the recommended P-3 effective instructional strategies are reflected in K JumpStart. Your support and feedback to K JumpStart teachers should focus on how they are using these strategies to intentionally build students' readiness for Kindergarten with a focus on building executive function skills.