Program enlightens kindergartners about jobs in community

By Special to The Intermountain Catholic (May 6, 2016)

As part of the Social Studies curriculum, the kindergarten class at Saint Vincent de Paul School participates in a Community Helper Program, which is designed to teach students to identify the purpose and roles of those who help in their community. The program’s goal is to enable students to recognize various roles of being a good citizen and identify ways in which they can be a good citizen in their own community.

Agatha Sutherland, Saint Vincent de Paul kindergarten teacher, coordinates guest speakers from the Saint Vincent community to visit the classroom.

“These community helpers talk about their career, explaining their roles in the community and being good citizens,” Sutherland explained. “In addition, it also ties to the religion curriculum, teaching my students about helping others, being humble, merciful and putting others before themselves.”

These guest speakers have been parents, relatives and friends. The kindergartners have learned about the following careers: chemist/biologist, radiologist, veterinarian, nurse, microbiologist, police officer, fire chief and surgical technician.

In May, students will practice what they have learned with a presentation to their classmates. Kindergarten students will select a community helper they want to research, dress like this person, create a poster, and share their discoveries about that person’s career and role of a good citizen in the community.

This is a great program for kindergartners to learn about the community around them and how they can apply their Christian teachings to help others in any career they eventually choose.

Photos courtesy of St. Vincent de Paul School