Kindergarten's 3 R's: Respect, Resources and Rants

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-24T19:47:00.000-06:00

Gung Hei Fat Choy!

Finding inspiration here, I decided to make my own Chinese dragon template which I then copied onto several pieces of different colored construction paper.

The Stars were happy to cancel Brain Break for the afternoon, opting to cut-cut-cut, snip-snip-snip and glue-glue-glue:

Our classroom aide folded the bodies (red and yellow construction paper strips, 32 inches by 1 and a half inches) as the Stars created their dragon faces.

Once assembled, the dragons were added to our hallway bulletin board, wishing everyone health and happiness during the year of the dragon:

They certainly have their own personalities!

How do your students celebrate Chinese New Year?

Coloring Books in the Classroom

2012-01-17T20:56:00.000-06:00

Kindergarten is a wonderful place for hands-on learning! Students build, form, cut, pinch, push, pull, press, squeeze, tap, pound, stack, jump, balance and *imaginate* so many creations daily that it's easy to observe which boys and girls are coming along nicely with their fine and gross motor development.

From time to time you may want to collect work samples demonstrating your students' fine motor control. I keep portfolios for each of my Super Stars, with samples of their drawing, writing, coloring, and cutting from their first week of school, each mid-quarter, and quarter/semester. Samples can appear both formal and informal: a cutting page with specially drawn lines to demonstrate control of scissors and tracking, or a sweet "I love you Teacher" drawing gifted to me on some special morning.

Simplicity ~works~: I pull pages from a coloring book for a "quick-check" coloring assessment that students can work on as a filler activity between lessons, or a center of its own on an indoor-recess-day:

Most coloring books have illustrations on both sides of each page, so it's easy to have my Stars color one side of the page, have me date it, and tuck it away until the end of the quarter when they can color the back.

Holiday coloring books are on clearance after Christmas, making them very affordable. My Stars don't tend to try to "copy" one another as no one ends up with the same picture to color, and they appreciate the non-worksheet feel of the activity. Using coloring book pages saves on your copying budget/allotment (if you have one) as parents are often willing to donate coloring books their children no longer use, and students tend to try to color more neatly than they did previously when they see their *flip side.*

Win win winwinwin.

*I love the words and phrases my students use! Imaginate: used as a verb, "Mrs. Sommerville, I'm going to imaginate these blocks into a castle, okay?" The "flip side" is the back of any page, because to see it, you have to flip it to the other side!*

*****

~ You can also use coloring books for sight word practice! Instead of coloring by numbers, shapes, letters, or color words, choose a simple illustration (not too many small details) and write sight words on each section of the picture.

~ Instructables shares How To Make a Coloring Book. Wouldn't your students love to color pictures of themselves?

Great Gobblers!

2011-11-21T12:47:00.001-06:00

We used our gobblers as a writing prompt, gluing them above our responses to "Save a turkey, eat more ______________!"

Cupcakes, chicken nuggets, candy, and even pudding were suggested as suitable replacements for the traditional turkey dinner.

:)

Gobble gobble!

The Hand

2011-11-20T07:32:00.002-06:00

My mother sent this to me over Thanksgiving last year.

Of course it gave me another reason to appreciate my decision to wear waterproof mascara that day.

Have some tissue ready:

  THE HAND

                Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun
                assignment -- to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

                Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still
                many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies
                of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of
                her student's art. And they were.

                But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind
                of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As
                other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her
                side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.

                Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something
                for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.

                His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could
                it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise
                turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and
                care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds
                us. And so the discussion went -- until the teacher almost forgot the young
                artist himself.

                When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas'
                desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was.

                The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher."

                She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or
                there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand,
                Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil."
                Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's
                hand.

                Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.

                The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something about teachers
                teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship, and how much
                it means to the Douglases of the world. They might not always say thanks.
                But they'll remember the hand that reaches out.

                -- Author Unknown

Happy Thanksgiving dear teachers.

Veterans, We Love You

2011-11-07T14:29:00.000-06:00

As my Super Stars were deciding what "thankful" meant, one of them asked "Mrs. Sommerville, what's that holiday after Halloween, but before Thanksgiving? The one for Army guys like my dad?"

Veterans Day, perhaps not the holiday that many students of civilian parents would group together with the usual Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas trio, but one that we as teachers on a military post observe with respect, not only for our nation's Armed Forces past and present, but for their families and children as well.

After we identified who veterans were and are, and agreed that veterans not only gave us our freedom but continue to protect it as well, I asked what kind of art project we should make for our hallway display. Our shared kindergarten wavelength being what it is, one student began "Veterans gave us our freedom..." and a second student finished the thought with "We give veterans our hearts. Mrs. Sommerville! We should make hearts!"

Of course I teared up.

And then got to work.

I traced a large open heart onto white tagboard:

...asked our aide to punch out red and blue stars (each student used six or seven of each, depending on how far apart they spaced them onto the heart):

After students affixed the stars around the heart in an AB pattern, they glued it onto purple backing paper (yes, one of my student's fathers is a Purple Heart recipient):

Students then wrote "Thank you Veterans. We love you." on handwriting paper and glued it onto the heart (apologies for the grainy photo):

Silver glitter glue was swirled onto stars for some added sparkle, and the hearts framed our bulletin board turkey character:

Student-inspired displays are the best, don't you agree?

Thank You for Your Vote!

2011-11-02T19:53:00.001-05:00

Click and vote- and many thanks!

Michaele

New Homeowners

2011-10-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

I'll be "off the grid" for a week or so, but for a wonderfully good reason:

Dear Husband and I have bought a house!

Yes, we are still in possession of our right arms and our first-born child.

The packing and moving crew are the same ones who helped rescue us after the flood, so we're in good hands.

Have a great week, and check back soon... I'll be busy unpacking boxes and decorating!

:)

Labeling Personal Property

2011-10-13T17:02:00.000-05:00

Perhaps this one can also be filed under "more stuff your teacher prep courses don't teach you."

My Super Stars were finishing up with their afternoon centers and had started to clean the room, when from two tables away I heard:

Uh, Mrs. Sommerville. There's something moving on the floor.

No, wait. The floor is moving.

No, I was right the first time. There's something moving on the floor.

It's a snake.

**Not** my favorite words, but words that, as a kindergarten teacher, I must respond to. Quickly. Appropriately.

C-A-L-M-L-Y.

Imagine my relief when I discovered that it was a baby snake. Small. Petite. Itty bitty even:

Can you see him? He was fabulously camouflaged, which made for an interesting discussion as my aide quickly found a camera and a parent volunteer gathered the students over into the cubby area to pack up for home time.

It was terribly handy that we had a clear manipulatives tub that could be dumped out and utilized as a trap...

...but it was this shot that had me laughing:

The snake is apparently my own personal property now.

Label your belongings, dear colleagues. Label them.

**grin**

*****

This is the second classroom visitor we've had this year! I wonder what's next...

Bailey Book Giveaway Winners!

2011-10-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my winners for Scholastic's Bailey Book Giveaway!

Grand Prize Winner: Lynola said...

I teach K and I have a super cute little dark brown dog. He is soft, stuffed, and doesn't shed.

Runner Up #1: @reeree62 said...

I'm a volunteer teacher aide in a K classroom & LOVE it!! Mom of 3 grown kids, we have 2 Labs, Casey (chocolate) and Holly (yellow)! Love the Bailey book!!! 

…and Runner Up #2 who has yet to respond to my email message:

Runner Up #2: Keys4Education said...

I am a mutt kind of girl. A lot of great pups mixed together to make perfection! :o) I have no pups right now; however, I can't wait to bring one into my home again. :o)  PS. I teach kindergarten!   

Congratulations! I have forwarded the names and addresses of the grand prize winner and first runner up to our Scholastic Representative, Chelsy!

Many thanks again to Scholastic for offering such a wonderful story to students, teachers, and families via a blog giveaway!

Versatile Blogger Award and Meme Invitation

2011-09-20T07:24:00.000-05:00

How nice for Chrissy to include me in this fun meme~!

Here we go, S-E-V-E-N things you may not know about me:

1) My name is Michaele, pronounced "My-kul," like Michael Jordan. It's NOT **Michelle** (Yes I'm sure, and no, my parents didn't want a boy.)

2) I prefer to wear men's watches, big, clunky, and loose on my wrist like a bracelet. I'm often told "Oh, Mrs. Sommerville, be careful, your watch isn't clasped, it's going to fall off" by eagle-eyed parents and colleagues.

3) I miss pile carpeting for the sole reason that I'm addicted to the carpet tracks created by a fresh vacuuming.

4) The fingernails are ~real~. I highly recommend this topcoat product found at Sally Beauty stores:

5) My favorite Muppet is the Ma-Nah-Ma-Nah Guy.

6) I'm not a big fan of people who WON'T share. Might be a kindergarten-teacher-thing.

7) Along with forty other teachers, I was recently honored as a Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominee, proudly representing my school district, colleagues, Super Stars, and their families:

The funny thing about the banquet? I forgot to wear a watch. Turns out all nominees were given one (with an apple on the face of course!) in recognition of their dedication to teaching. It's the first women's watch I've owned in over a decade, and with the leather strap, it's anything BUT loose.

I guess people won't have to worry about me losing my watch now!

*****
Chrissy tagged so many of the bloggers that I would have chosen to participate in this meme, so instead of redundantly requesting that they play along, let me issue an open invitation to you, dear readers: I'd love to learn more about you, and would very much like to visit your blog! Grab/copy the badge above, write your post, and then link back by commenting on this post so we can all come visit.

Another Thing Your Ed. Prep Courses Don't Tell You

2011-09-19T17:54:00.000-05:00

Sure, you'll wear ~many~ hats as a teacher: teacher, snack-provider, disciplinarian, nurse, speech therapist, and soother-of-boo-boo's-and-owies.

But there's a good chance you'll also need to be a PIRATE, and possibly even...

... a MOOSE.

Make sure to staple paper headgear so that the prongs face to the OUTSIDE of the band, otherwise you'll risk ~major~ snag and scrape damage.

That's what I'm here for: teacher fashion heads-up and advice.

**grin**

*****

Here's a great pirate hat and eyepatch template from Made It~

The Sassy Pepper shows us how to make a very cute "Sunday" or fancy hat with newspapers...

Want to make the traditional triangular newspaper hat? Click here for a photo tutorial~

Paper bunny ears found here...

... and why not use a paper plate to make a flower crown?

*****

Winners for my Bailey Book Give Away have been selected, but I haven't heard back yet from the Scholastic representative. Once I do, I'll let you know who the winners are (nope, I'm not trying to leave you in suspense)!

As We Observe 9-11

2011-09-09T17:17:00.000-05:00

Families, this weekend please remember:

Young children often do not have the necessary coping or filtering skills that adults do. Repetitive and graphic imagery and video of planes crashing into buildings and people plummeting to their deaths are not appropriate for them to view.

Thank you for considering the needs, fears, and perspectives of our young family members this weekend.

Bailey Book Review and GIVEAWAY~

2011-08-30T20:37:00.003-05:00

Storytime brings my Super Stars and I together each morning, every day before recess, and right before we leave for home in a way like no other. Storytime is in fact, one of the first "routines" each new group of kindergarten students masters early on each school year. Can you blame them? Engaging literature, intriguing illustrations, and ~the voices~ we use to share stories (okay, the voices *I* use when I read aloud) all catch our students as the world of reading magically opens as they sit at our feet, enthralled.

Needless to say, I was delighted when Bailey arrived in my mailbox:

Written and illustrated by Harry Bliss, Bailey is the story of a brilliant dog who, along with his classmates, is learning to navigate the world of ~school.~

Like most students, Bailey wakes each morning and must wash and brush the sleepies away before riding the bus to school. Unlike most students, Bailey's school fashion includes colorful dog collars.

Bailey participates in all school and class activities, giving his ALL during music, though my students' favorite part of the story was when Bailey danced his wiggles and sillies out. Several students wondered how Bailey would eat his snack and lunch (Would he carry a lunch tray or lunch box? Would he have a dog bowl?) and our teacher aide laughed out loud when she realized why Bailey developed a tummy ache requiring a visit to the school nurse (I'll give you a hint: ..."my dog ate my homework").

During book free-choice time, Bailey was enjoyed again and again, my students poring over each and every page, looking for hidden humor, doggie favorites, and squirrels!

*****
Would YOU like to win a copy of Bailey?

I'll have THREE winners:

The grand prize winner will receive a copy of Bailey AND a Bailey lunch box:

...while the two runners up will each win a copy of Bailey to add to their own classroom libraries.

To enter this giveaway, please do at least one of the following:

1) Leave a comment ~on this post only~ telling me what grade you teach and what kind of dog (if any) you have! Make sure I have an email address or link so I can notify you if you're the winner!

2) Tweet this giveaway, leaving me a comment ~on this post only~ letting me know the Twitter-verse has been made aware that this great book is available...

3) "Like" Scholastic Book Clubs on FB (feel free to track down Kindergarten's 3 R's on FB as well), leaving a comment ~on this post only~ letting me know you're linking up with us.

Doing all three (and leaving comments for each one) will earn you three chances to win!

I'll be drawing the winner on Thursday, September 15, 2011.

Good luck, and happy reading!

*****

Kindergarten Reality: It's Not All Sunshine and Roses

2011-08-23T20:59:00.001-05:00

I've been back to school for two weeks now, two weeks of half-day sessions where my class of nineteen students has been divided into a morning group of nine students and an afternoon group of ten. We're able to ease most students into new school routines when they're in the smaller groups: how to handle and put away personal belongings, giving papers to the teacher, using the lunch chart, washing hands, and using desk tools safely and at the appropriate times. Students can tour the school, and are introduced to specialists who in turn can share rules and routines that will need to be in place for effective and efficient use of time when we visit Art, Music, Science, Library and P.E. All of our learning centers can be demonstrated and explained, and we can get to know each student a bit better, academically through baseline screening/assessments and socially through one-on-one time. We begin to bond.

Even with the smaller groups, it's a huge undertaking. What most non-kindergarten teachers and parents fail to understand though is that despite this introductory time, once both groups of students are combined and attending kindergarten full day, it's a whole new ball of wax.

Why?

~ Students are four, five, or six years old. Many have had immediate attention from and constant interaction with their parents since birth, and haven't yet developed the skills, patience, or understanding of how time passes to be able to wait for their turn with the teacher. Adults will make an appointment and go on about their lives until it's time to meet. Kindergartners will not.

~ Having to compete with eighteen (or more) other students for the teacher's attention is a pain! How to get noticed and experience that instant gratification of acknowledgement? Push. Yell. Interrupt. Whine. Impatiently raise your hand so 1) you get points for following the rules but 2) get to talk to the teacher first. You know, all those things that work with moms and dads.

~ Speaking of what works at home: I asked a student demonstrating what I suspected was selective hearing exactly how many times he made his mother say his name before he answered her. The young man actually pondered, counted on his fingers, and then told me "three or four." No grin, no sass, and I suspect, no fib. My next question had to be "... and am I your mother?" No sarcasm, no authority, no threat. Just a question. He pondered again. "Uh......nooooooooo," followed by a puzzled expression that washed over his cherubic face.

That's right, you might *think* that parents or pre-school have readied your new students for sharing, taking turns, empathizing, sympathizing, being patient, and complying, but I'm here to tell you: I love kindergarten. I love kindergartners.

I do NOT love the first few weeks of our full day program.

My Stars are frustrated. They doubt me. They lash out at one another. They want my attention and they want it now, even though we're in the middle of a story, or a classmate has had an accident and needs his hand held to walk down to the nurse's office for a change of clothes. But *I* want you NOW teacher.

During the small group transition weeks, patience is easier. One-on-one time happens more often. It's easier to buy into following the rules, humoring the teacher, cutting one another some slack. Kindergarten is fun, and the kids are willing to come day after day. Parents are relieved and reassured.

And then WHAM-O, reality sets in, and we're back to square one. Parents become concerned because their children start saying they don't like kindergarten. Mrs. Sommerville is ~not~ the "bestest and nicest teacher ever," and sharing materials with that little girl that always grabs instead of asking or taking turns isn't fun. Students might compete with siblings at home, but I guarantee there are few who have to juggle eighteen other personalities, temperaments, moods and needs under their roof for seven straight hours when all they really care about are their own.

Sure, some of the kids are spoiled. Some are unexperienced and unexposed. Some are so performance-driven that they appear perfectly ready for school: they wait, use their indoor voices, say please and thank you, know how to use scissors safely, and they don't over-react when *that* kid cuts in line for the third time. After a few days of this perfection however, those sweethearts crack too, and rightfully so.

It's tough. Though it's part of the job, and I know everything, given time, will end up okay, it's draining. Difficult. Stressful.

And that's the truth.

Classroom Clothespins

2011-08-21T17:07:00.000-05:00

My students have several locations throughout our room where we chart, graph, and tally information daily. Sometimes they'll write their names or make a mark to answer questions posed on chart paper or our markerboard, and other times they'll clip clothespins to appropriate sections of whatever chart we might be using for survey info. These clips have their names on them.

Thanks to prior hand injuries, it's difficult for me to write legibly when I print small letters on narrow surfaces. Hooray for printers, scissors, wooden clothespins and Mod Podge!

First I print out my students' names twice, making sure the ink has time to dry completely:

Then I clip clothespins to some cardstock to keep them from rolling.

I trim the paper so each name fits on the longer wooden section of the clothespin:

Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge across the clip where the name will be adhered:

Then press the name onto the clip, smoothing out any air bubbles. Be careful not to smear the ink on the paper:

Paint a thin layer (okay, so it looks globby and opaque- never fear, it will dry clear) over the paper and let it dry before flipping the clip over and repeating the process on the back:

These particular clips will be used on our class lunch chart, so that students, visitors and I can indicate whether we're having school lunch or home lunch each day.

Though these are plain (fabulous for name recognition), these clips are easy to "prettify" if you'd like.

Here I've clipped some scrapbook paper:

... and I've topped them off with star buttons, using the wonder adhesive, E-6000:

Once dry, you can add magnets to the back of each clip if you'd like to use these on magnetic surfaces. The Mod Podge dries VERY quickly, but the E-6000 should be allowed to dry overnight.

*****

~ Pin and Paper offers another great clothespin tutorial here...

~ ... with Creature Comforts offering creative clippy goodness here...

~ Scroll all the way through Mama's Little Monkey's tutorial for a fun stamping idea for clothes pins... I'm thinking SIGHT WORDS!

~ If you're a crafter, you know holiday gifts must be made early! Here's a fabulous Christmas card display idea using.... yep, you guessed it....craftyified clothespins.

*****

How do you fill your students' learning areas with print?

Classroom Visitor

2011-08-11T19:06:00.000-05:00

Reading Blueberries for Sal each year on Blue Day is a *must* for me.

Today during story time, students quietly raised their hands mid-story and pointed up toward the ceiling:

My morning group (the class is split into a.m. and p.m. groups for the first two weeks of school) maintained a whispery tone as they asked questions about the lizard, perhaps hoping that they wouldn't scare it off by becoming too loud:

Teacher, how did that lizard get up there?

Mrs. Sommerville, how did the lizard get inside the light?

Mrs. Sommerville, does he know we can see him?

After he scampered away, we returned to the story, where kuplink! kuplank! kuplunk! made the Stars smile.

*****

In the afternoon, I was reading I Love You, Blue Kangaroo, when a shriek erupted from the carpet:

Mrs. Sommerville! There'salizardthere'salizardthere'salizard!

Sure enough:

Apparently it's a literary lizard, and my two groups of Stars have very different ways of reacting.

Day One: You Can Call Me...

2011-08-09T19:46:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of every school year, introductions must be made, names have to be learned, and my students and I begin to build our relationships with one another.

Years ago, my maiden name was a difficult one for parents to pronounce. My students could say my name beautifully, though its origin isn't American English, but Inupiaq Eskimo. It has two "K's." One family thought my name was Ms. Cowlick.

Yes, Ms. Cowlick.

(illustration found here)

Needless to say, I allowed my Super Star families to call me "Ms. K." whenever the need arose.

Two years ago I taught a young lady who still hadn't acquired her V's, so instead of being greeted as "Mrs. Sommerville," I received a sing-song-y "Good morning Mrs. Sommerbille" as she entered the classroom each day.

You can't deny the cuteness factor when you're a kindergarten teacher!

Today however, might be the one that goes down in my career as the ~best~ renaming day I've experienced as a teacher.

My morning group of Super Stars had worked through storytime, a center, a discussion about classroom rules, and a coloring page before their grumbling tummies let me know it was time for snack. Students retrieved their pudding cups, crackers, granola bars, bananas, chips, and juice boxes from their backpacks and then sat down at their desks to eat.

Several students asked for help when snipping the tops off of their snack bags. Another boy asked me to help him punch the straw through his juice pouch. When all seemed right as rain, I walked back toward my desk to check the rest of the day's schedule. From behind me, I heard one of my girls:

J: Uh, teacher? Teacher? Mrs.... Mrs... *whispers to table-mate* What is her name again?

K: *using a whisper voice* Mrs. Sommerville. Her name is Mrs. Sommerville.

J: Oh, okay. Mrs. Happy Meal? Mrs. Happy Meal... I need some help opening my snack please!

K: *still using a whisper voice* Uh, no, her name isn't Mrs. Happy Meal, it's Mrs. Som.....mer.....ville.

J: Oh, uh-huh. I need help opening my snack!

*****

I was ~rolling~!

And then the teacher in me took over: does she need a hearing evaluation sooner rather than later? Was she just doing a food/snack association thing with my name? Or is this the student who will be the main source of the laugh lines I'm bound to continue to develop this year?

Day One, down.

...and I'll take a chicken nugget Happy Meal with apple slices and a Diet Coke with a girl toy, thank you very much!

Teacher Tip: The Paper Cutter is Your Friend

2011-08-06T18:32:00.000-05:00

Our math consumables look like this:

Each student has eight packets of workpages (like the ones above) covering our math curriculum for school use. We don't teach the themes (and therefore don't use the pages) in order, and we also want to prevent students from accidentally writing on or altering multiple workpages by giving them the packet as a whole. To solve these problems, we pull pages, sort them, and store them in "instructional order" in our file cabinets.

If you've ever pulled pages from workbooks, you know the workout your hands and wrists endure. You've also probably muttered a curse ~~or twelve~~ under your breath as you've accidentally ripped a page so unevenly that it can't be salvaged. If the packets or workbooks aren't terribly thick, you can enlist the help of one of the scariest teacher tools ever created to make your job a bit easier: the paper cutter.

Here's the packet... I've flipped it so that it's positioned with the spine under the safety bar and the blade:

Yes, that blade is *dangerous*. Make sure that your fingers and clothes are clear of the board before you lower the blade arm.

Cut the spine off of the packet, and remember that there are probably sharp staples sticking out of it. That's right, the blade of the paper cutter can hurt you, and the staples hidden in the spine can hurt you too... it's a conspiracy!

Your worksheets can be sorted after you've finished cutting off the spines:

*****

Pages in thicker workbooks can also be cut away from the spine **if** you section the workbook first, opening it in half (breaking the spine/glue if possible) and cutting it down the middle, then halving each section into quarters and cutting them so that the sections are thinner. If you try to chop a workbook that is too thick, you risk damaging the worksheets, seriously injuring yourself as you force the blade down, and breaking the paper cutter which will then have to be repaired or replaced. Not exactly the best way to start the school year!

Safety first. Efficiency second.

Do You Know Roy G. Biv?

2011-08-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

A fun song for art teachers and students learning to identify colors!

Classroom Tour for Students

2011-07-30T09:00:00.008-05:00

Do you have a web page for your classroom provided by your school district? If so, take advantage of blog, photo, or announcement options that can help you communicate with not only your students' families, but your students themselves.

New kindergartners have registered at my school, and I've been sneaking in each day to arrange furniture, prepare bulletin board displays, clean tubs of manipulatives, and get that new-school-year magic mojo going. Several shy students have come down to sneak a peek into their new classroom, but for those Super Stars who won't be able to visit until next week, I've prepared a photo-tour so they too, can get a glimpse of the fun things that await them!

Our school mascot, Buffalo Brad, offered to help:

I uploaded my photos to Photobucket so I could edit them and add "thought bubbles" so we'd know what Brad is "thinking." Photobucket also has a slideshow tool where I'm able to select photos and put them in order, saving them with a simple *click* that copies the code that I can then just paste into the blog.

How do you use the web to communicate with families and students?

*****
In the comments:

gail said...

What a wonderful idea! I hope you don't mind if I borrow it. My classroom is still waiting for the floors to dry before I can put things in their places. Then I will take pictures. Do you have a favorite program for adding speech/thought bubbles?

Hi Gail! Photobucket has the "thought bubble" as a text box option in its photo editing tools. Once I've uploaded and saved a photo, I click on it, and scroll my mouse across the top of the photo. A pop-up editing toolbar appears: file, edit, resize, rotate, share, etc. I click on "edit" and a new picture viewer opens up with photo editing tabs across the top of the picture: Basic, Effects, Retro, Decorate, Animations, Beautify, Distort, etc. Text or thought bubbles can be added by clicking the "Decorate" tab. Stickers, Text, Glitter Text, Draw, Erase, Fill, Grab Color, Speech, Thought and several other options appear at the top of the photo. Choose "Thought" and click on your photo in the area you'd like the bubble to appear. You'll be able to select from some fun fonts, font sizes, select the color of your text, and can even make the background transparent if you'd like more of a "watermarked" effect (for Text, not Thought) on your photo. Drag the text box to make it taller/shorter, narrower/wider to best fit in the photo.

You have to save the changes you've made to the photo, but I always "save a copy" (button below photo) so that I always have the original picture to work with at some later time, free of text or other edits.

Hope this helps!

Rethinking the Collegial Dynamic

2011-07-22T22:17:00.000-05:00

Looking back at the photos from my very first classroom must have given my brain a bit of a jolt this week. I've been reminiscing, remembering "new teacher" experiences, and rethinking the why's and wherefores behind my reasons for teaching, all while stapling up new bulletin board paper, trim, and thematic posters. Despite my many years of experience, I'm yet again bruising my shins as I arrange short tables, chairs and learning center furniture. Some things never change.

My thoughts have jumped between remembrances, a-ha's, criticisms, and affirmations. Hindsight being what it is, I've even managed to come to an understanding about how important it is to continue to just be myself, despite changes at work. My upbringing will always be that of a "teacher's kid." I've taught in four different schools and districts in three different states, so my perception, interests and practice will be affected by those locales as much as the present one influences me. Nothing will change my past work experiences, be they successes, bungles, or exercises in sheer endurance. Most importantly, *I* have changed, and acknowledge that I am likely to continue to do so.

Like many new teachers, I didn't want to seek out help from my colleagues that first year out of college. In fact, I didn't even want to admit that I wanted or needed input from a mentor! I recreated the wheel, I stumbled, and I had to do everything myself, a hands-on learner to the very end. I couldn't use a colleague's lesson plan template because I had to go through the motions of creating my own piece by piece. Yes, I lived at school, early mornings, late evenings, long weekends. I had to learn by doing, not by taking the advice, patterns, or master copies from others. It was a long year. A long two years. Three years. Four.

Class sizes changed, curriculum materials changed, computers invaded the building en masse. After a decade in the same school at the same grade with the same colleagues, I fell in love, married, and was relocated thanks to Uncle Sam. I was called to interview for a job in a district I hadn't even submitted a resume or application to, and was hired immediately. I learned that district's edu-acronyms, taught, and partnered with my only other grade level colleague, and learned first-hand what it meant to be part of a military family and what it meant to teach the children of our nation's armed forces. I also learned to avoid taking the trash out at night because the sight of tarantulas cooling themselves on our walls creeped me out to no end.

Another military move and I found myself teaching in Oz while my husband was deployed. The experiences from that year taught me I could endure just about anything with the right people at my side, and that despite hardship, I could still provide an excellent "first year of school" experience to kindergartners. NCLB acronyms were added to my professional vocabulary, and I discovered online social media. I began blogging. I ranted, vented, and discovered an audience that commiserated with me, encouraged me, and helped me by offering ideas, resources, and counterpoint. This new form of collegiality redefined how, when, and with whom I could interact and learn. Teachers I'd never met began to dialogue with me, and they encouraged me to share with others. Not only could I learn from them, I could teach them: kindergartners are a different breed, and not everyone has the knack that I apparently do. I came to realize that what I know can help others beyond the walls of my own classroom, school building, district, state, and country.

Two more relocations and I found myself back in Oz, still in kindergarten, still teaching soldier's children. Friendships and collegial relationships borne from the internet made the move with me, as did my blog. If I wanted to recreate the wheel, I could, but even better, I could share it with others who were interested. I found like-minded public, private, and home school teachers, and developed a strong appreciation for the professional reciprocity that was prevalent amongst those of us who "put ourselves out there." Yet another district's edu-acronyms were added to my list, but by this time, it needed to be culled: is it a SIT team, a SWAT team, or the SEAL team? You might be surprised at the kinds of looks you can get from new colleagues when you use the wrong acronym or term. Even more entertaining are the mutterings about yourself you overhear when you work with colleagues whose experiences, though numerous, don't match your own.

I've been the new teacher, the brown teacher hired to maintain an affirmative action percentile, the affordable choice, the highly qualified, and the "best fit" for a district. I've also been the square peg in a world of round holes, which colleagues come to grips with in their own way, in their own time. Why would this observation make such an impression upon me after fifteen-plus years? Because despite the semi-lengthy timeline of my own personal and professional changes and growth, my students and their parents have never seemed to need to make an adjustment when getting to know me. We've laughed, shared, debated, and we've partnered, just as colleagues do. Maybe parents and families have felt they have a more intimate understanding of my intentions as their child's kindergarten teacher. Perhaps, out of necessity, I created a global professional learning network for myself upon which I continue to turn more often than the colleagues within my building.

Or I'm just an odd duck.

Something to ponder.

(Image found here)

Show and Share: My Very First Classroom

2011-07-19T15:08:00.000-05:00

It's a good thing I found these photos and scanned them, because this classroom no longer exists:

In fact, the school building that housed my very first classroom, and of course, my first group of Super Stars, no longer exists. It was leveled to make room for a new building that bears the same name as its predecessor:

Mis-matched tables and chairs, very little staple-board to think of (it's on the fronts of the metal sliding/swinging closet doors), and miles of green chalkboard. This is where I first set up shop:

The two doors with glass... those were my art supply shelves. See the staple-board on the closed closet door? Displays or posters had to be stapled on as flat as flat can be so that when the doors were swung open and slid into the closet, nothing would be ripped off.

Certainly edges were torn. If the walls didn't snag the paper, the little fingers and hands of my students did as they opened and closed the doors each day to hang up snow gear and backpacks, or take it all down for recess or home time.

Our single sink flanked by the classroom door and the only shelves available for my *then* non-existent class library.

Did you notice the baby carrier on one of the tables? I was hired about three months after I had Dear Daughter, and after the school year had already started.

Dear Daughter will be seventeen years old tomorrow.

My first group of Super Stars are starting their senior year... of college. Some are getting married. Others have started families.

I don't feel old. I feel... bowled over.

All I can think is... wow.

*****

Did you take photos of your first classroom? If so and you've blogged them, link back in the comments section. I'd love to come visit!

Identifying Learning Disorders by Looking at the Brain

2011-07-18T19:45:00.000-05:00

Dr. Aditi Shankardass offers a second opinion on diagnosing learning disorders, suggesting that physicians actually "take a look at the brain" of a child who demonstrates communication and/or learning difficulties. At this point, teachers and parents are simply able to observe a child's behaviors, making an educated guess as to what direction to move in to seek out remediation or interventions. I'm fascinated and intrigued: could this specialized EEG accurately identify the cause of a child's behavior, removing the guesswork and substantially reducing the risk of potential misdiagnoses and their subsequent inappropriate interventions?

Take a listen, and let me know what you think.

Kindergarten's 3 R's on Facebook

2011-07-18T16:46:00.000-05:00

Click here to find Kindergarten's 3 R's on Facebook! Comments, links, tips, questions and ideas that you'd like to share regarding kindergarten, early childhood education, and developmentally appropriate practice are welcome.

*****

I found some photos that I'm going to scan and blog for you tomorrow: my very first classroom!

Bare walls, mismatched furniture, and *gasp*, very few stapleboard surfaces... which just goes to prove we all start somewhere.

After looking at the photos, it appears I've come a long way since 1993.

As it should be.

*****

Re-Thinking Learning Spaces

2011-07-16T12:08:00.001-05:00

Any classroom teacher can tell you about the hunt: the hunt for the perfect classroom theme, the hunt for perfect room decor, the hunt for the boundaries that we use to help give structure to our students' learning spaces and activity areas.

We like to find a positive theme or character, or utilize elements from our state standards (remember, many of us are already making the transition to the Common Core) to create the environment we feel is most conducive to meeting diverse learning styles and engaging our students into as much active participation as possible . Certainly teachers also decorate to make their room inviting and safe.

B-u-t...no matter what bulletin board display, pocket chart, potted plants, or seating arrangement we use in our classroom, typically there is one constant boundary that cannot be ignored, no matter how much butcher paper we staple over the top of it in an attempt to transform the space: the four walls.

Teachers maneuver around the wall problem by going on field trips, utilizing videos, or going outside for a neighborhood walk, but these options have their drawbacks. Field trips often require transportation and present a financial cost to families or the school. Videos, while interesting and engaging, keep students as voyeurs, instead of providing them with hands-on experience. Some neighborhoods simply aren't safe areas for children, no matter how many adult chaperones they might have walking with them.

So much has been said for making technology invisible, for making it as standard a classroom tool as books, pencils, Play Dough, unifix cubes and instruments, and for introducing and seamlessly integrating it into the classroom environment exactly the way it has been adopted and utilized in most of our homes. As a teacher of young children, I know that the entire world is an experiential classroom for my students. Why shouldn't more of our outdoor areas be recognized and utilized as daily learning spaces, integrating nature, healthy living, social awareness, play and curricular concepts? Can students only learn effectively when they are contained within a building's walls, our own version of a styrofoam tabletop ant farm?

Take a look at these, and let me know what you think.

(Photo by Katsuhisa Kida)

This is a kindergarten learning space encircling a tree in Japan- go here for the article and additional photos~

In addition to blacktop and gross motor playground equipment, why not provide students with a sensory garden/activity area that facilitates imaginative play while incorporating mathematical elements such as geometry (mosaic tiling) and organic science (wood, greenery, decorative and edible plants) into its design? This sensory playground was designed and created by School Playground Designers in the UK with photos found here:

Like you, I'll certainly be selective about the paper I use on my bulletin boards this year, and I'll delineate my students' indoor spaces into safe and engaging activity centers, but I'll also be looking for ways to expand our learning environment past the staple boards, concrete, brick, and windows.

Want some more ideas? Head over to Teacher Tom and check out his preschoolers' outdoor play area~