Michaele Sommerville's coffee-powered rants, resources and reflections of all things ~KINDERGARTEN~
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Meme: Teacher Talents
Kiri8 at Elbows, Knees, Dreams tagged me for a wonderful meme: Teacher Talents, those additional duties that never quite earn mention on job applications, resumes, or teacher evaluation forms.
What can I do?
~ I can get away with violence in the classroom: dropping eggs with Humpty Dumpty-esque faces drawn on to demonstrate how gravity works...
~ I can make the big rules easy to comprehend: lowercase g, j, p, q, y are the only ones that can go "swimming" below the bottom writing line... A, E, I, O, and U are the "glue" that stick between consonants to help make words... asking for help is a sign of brilliance... and telling me when a classmate is trying to drink glue or clean teeth with scissors does NOT fall under the category of "tattling."
~ While some teachers make parents' blood pressure shoot sky high by note, e-mail, phone call or conference, I can make parents cry (sometimes sob) with joy when I show them how far their children have come since the beginning of school.
~ I can get away with blaming fairies for everything: the Hiccup Fairy, the Untie-the-Shoelaces Fairy, and the Desk Fairy are regulars in my classroom.
~ I help parents, colleagues, and other professionals remember that five and six year olds are NOT short third graders.
~ I can straighten a line of students with a single raised eyebrow, start and stop said line's movement with a nod, and make nineteen students beam with pride with a silent thumbs-up.
~ I am a fashion trend-setter: pink fingernail polish with glitter is a *must*, my socks can have all sorts of pictures and illustrations on them, and my lapels, neckline, wrists and earlobes have no problem sporting apples, pumpkins, Christmas trees, valentine hearts, shamrocks, and of course, STARS year 'round. Don't try this at home folks, I'm a professional!
~ I know that twirly skirts and dresses are the prettiest and watches with flip-up cases totally rock...
~ I'm kind enough to NOT let parents know everything their children reveal about them, no matter how humorous and tempting...
~ I can escort a ready-to-barf student to the nurse's office holding a trashcan in one hand, paper towels in the other while walking backward (occasionally wearing sandals or flip flops) without crashing into walls, teachers, or other students in the hallway. ("If you get it in the trashcan, you get two points Honey!")
~ I can help parents make some difficult, stressful, yet appropriate decisions by focusing on the positive: It's not "retaining" a child, it's giving him or her the gift of time.
~ I can teach children to master swinging (pump your legs back and forth), getting a piece of tape off of the dispenser (lift up, pull out a little, then pull down), and blowing their own noses (get a Kleenex *not your shirt*, close your mouth, blow through your nose, catch the snot in the tissue, pinch your nose, and wipe up the rest) without losing my patience or my appetite for lunch.
Readers, what are some of your rarely-if-ever-mentioned skills, mastered as a teacher? Please share them in the comments, or pass the meme along and link back here so we can come read your list and applaud your expertise!
What can I do?
~ I can get away with violence in the classroom: dropping eggs with Humpty Dumpty-esque faces drawn on to demonstrate how gravity works...
~ I can make the big rules easy to comprehend: lowercase g, j, p, q, y are the only ones that can go "swimming" below the bottom writing line... A, E, I, O, and U are the "glue" that stick between consonants to help make words... asking for help is a sign of brilliance... and telling me when a classmate is trying to drink glue or clean teeth with scissors does NOT fall under the category of "tattling."
~ While some teachers make parents' blood pressure shoot sky high by note, e-mail, phone call or conference, I can make parents cry (sometimes sob) with joy when I show them how far their children have come since the beginning of school.
~ I can get away with blaming fairies for everything: the Hiccup Fairy, the Untie-the-Shoelaces Fairy, and the Desk Fairy are regulars in my classroom.
~ I help parents, colleagues, and other professionals remember that five and six year olds are NOT short third graders.
~ I can straighten a line of students with a single raised eyebrow, start and stop said line's movement with a nod, and make nineteen students beam with pride with a silent thumbs-up.
~ I am a fashion trend-setter: pink fingernail polish with glitter is a *must*, my socks can have all sorts of pictures and illustrations on them, and my lapels, neckline, wrists and earlobes have no problem sporting apples, pumpkins, Christmas trees, valentine hearts, shamrocks, and of course, STARS year 'round. Don't try this at home folks, I'm a professional!
~ I know that twirly skirts and dresses are the prettiest and watches with flip-up cases totally rock...
~ I'm kind enough to NOT let parents know everything their children reveal about them, no matter how humorous and tempting...
~ I can escort a ready-to-barf student to the nurse's office holding a trashcan in one hand, paper towels in the other while walking backward (occasionally wearing sandals or flip flops) without crashing into walls, teachers, or other students in the hallway. ("If you get it in the trashcan, you get two points Honey!")
~ I can help parents make some difficult, stressful, yet appropriate decisions by focusing on the positive: It's not "retaining" a child, it's giving him or her the gift of time.
~ I can teach children to master swinging (pump your legs back and forth), getting a piece of tape off of the dispenser (lift up, pull out a little, then pull down), and blowing their own noses (get a Kleenex *not your shirt*, close your mouth, blow through your nose, catch the snot in the tissue, pinch your nose, and wipe up the rest) without losing my patience or my appetite for lunch.
Readers, what are some of your rarely-if-ever-mentioned skills, mastered as a teacher? Please share them in the comments, or pass the meme along and link back here so we can come read your list and applaud your expertise!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
B is for Beautiful Butterflies
*****
~ Ramblings of a Crazy Woman shares a similar painted butterfly project...
~ Miss Fancy Pants and Staci Taylor share how-to's for making a room sign with pretty paper butterfly die cuts...
~ Marie shares instructions for a simple tissue paper butterfly craft over at Design Mom...
~ ... and for your pocket chart:
Butterfly, Butterfly
(as posted at Teachers.net by Jill/K/OK)
Butterfly, butterfly, fly away.
Butterfly, butterfly, don't delay.
Butterfly, butterfly, fly so high.
Butterfly, butterfly, touch the sky.
Butterfly, butterfly, turn around.
Butterfly, butterfly, touch the ground.
Butterfly, butterfly, quick as a wink.
Find a (color) flower and stop to drink.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Autism Advocate
Here is Temple Grandin advocating for "smart, geeky kids," those students who fall within the Autism spectrum and demonstrate a variety of ways of thinking:
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Video Saturday: Pulling the Heartstrings Makes You Think
With housework, playtime, gardening, and more housework thrown in for good measure this weekend, the length of these videos is just right for my schedule.
But I also greatly appreciate the messages:
Embrace Life: Always Wear Your Seatbelt
The Power of Friendship
Kleenex, anyone?
But I also greatly appreciate the messages:
Embrace Life: Always Wear Your Seatbelt
The Power of Friendship
Kleenex, anyone?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Have You Ever Had...
... one of those days, AND one of **those** days... on the same day?
Here I am after today's five hour field trip to a nature park (details: four kindergarten classes, the wilds of Oz requiring jeans, hiking shoes, bug spray, emergency kit, sunscreen, snacks, camera and unfailing knowledge of every possible potty location):
Note the lethargy, made even more pronounced by the forty minute ride back to school in a ninety-eight degree bus.
Ninety.... eight.... degrees. Thank goodness my colleague knew just the right way to solve the problem by bringing the situation to the bus driver's attention. My Alaskan genes had me complaining:
Like my hat?
Colleague to the rescue, students enjoying a nice long nap, and happy Super Stars sharing their favorite parts of the field trip once they woke up helped bring my joy level back to within its normal range...
...just in time to come home to find that Vanessa, over at Pre-K pages, had included me on her Dream Teaching Team, leaving me:
(photo courtesy of Cute Overload)
Yep, it's good when one of those days ends up being one of **those** days!
Thank you Vanessa, thank you colleague-to-the-rescue, thank you parent volunteers, thank you classroom aide, thank you nature guides and park rangers...
...and thank you to the inventor of air conditioning.
Here I am after today's five hour field trip to a nature park (details: four kindergarten classes, the wilds of Oz requiring jeans, hiking shoes, bug spray, emergency kit, sunscreen, snacks, camera and unfailing knowledge of every possible potty location):
Note the lethargy, made even more pronounced by the forty minute ride back to school in a ninety-eight degree bus.
Ninety.... eight.... degrees. Thank goodness my colleague knew just the right way to solve the problem by bringing the situation to the bus driver's attention. My Alaskan genes had me complaining:
Like my hat?
Colleague to the rescue, students enjoying a nice long nap, and happy Super Stars sharing their favorite parts of the field trip once they woke up helped bring my joy level back to within its normal range...
...just in time to come home to find that Vanessa, over at Pre-K pages, had included me on her Dream Teaching Team, leaving me:
(photo courtesy of Cute Overload)
Yep, it's good when one of those days ends up being one of **those** days!
Thank you Vanessa, thank you colleague-to-the-rescue, thank you parent volunteers, thank you classroom aide, thank you nature guides and park rangers...
...and thank you to the inventor of air conditioning.
TED Talks: Reciprocal Learning Between Children and Adults
Something tells me that this young lady hasn't been grilled and drilled over math and reading state standard testing... and it's obviously a good thing. Watch, listen and reflect as Adora Svitak makes the case for reciprocal learning between children and adults:
She's right.
She's right.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Teacher Tip: Kindergarten Occasionally = Mess
Look closely... find the orange play dough:
Play dough isn't a noisy classroom material (the rolling pins that the students use to flatten the stuff on the other hand...), which pretty much explains how one of my Stars managed to spread multiple pellets of orange clay all over our classroom carpet while I was reading a story at circle.
He was "cleaning" his center.
Ten minutes later, he "did the writing center:"
When learning and exploring, students can create messes. Mess-making is part of our creative process, but you've no doubt noticed that we often need a clean palette when we start start to get our creative groove on. Children must learn how to not only make a mess, but to clean up after themselves so that classmates and peers can use the space and materials in their own way safely.
* Introduce students to a clean up song, and no, it doesn't have to be the "Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Do Your Share" song either! I play an upbeat instrumental song, a favorite class sing-along, or a lyrically appropriate rock song on our c.d. player and tell the class that the floor/desks/cubbies must be clean prior to the end of the song. Music and movement, cleanliness and cooperation... all good things!
* Tell your students in code, in another language, or indicate by holding up several fingers how many things they need to take care of in the room (pushing in chairs, returning materials to bins, books to shelves, picking up pieces of garbage off of the floor) before going to recess or lunch. Clean up several times throughout the day instead of saving it all for the end-of-the-school-day-rush.
* Assign clean up jobs/responsibilities to students for the week: Student A will push in chairs, Student B will sharpen pencils, Student C will pass out papers, and Student D will inspect learning centers, making sure each rotation enables students to leave a center clean for their peers and join one that has been left clean for their own use.
* Has the Desk Fairy ever visited your classroom? No? Well then it's time to let her visit, leaving the following message with a new pencil or bookmark:
I made a little visit,
and found your desk was neat,
so I thought it only proper
to leave a little treat!
* Purchase child-sized whisk brooms and dust pans. Teach your students how to use them appropriately.
* Fair is fair: if you made the mess, you clean it up. You may ask for help after you've started, but your friends might be busy cleaning up their own messes and won't be able to help.
* Many parents have a clean up system in place at home, but for those who don't, share your clean up song and classroom routines in your weekly letters or messages. Chances are, parents clean up after their children (which is why students leave their materials messy and forgotten with easy abandon) and would appreciate being able to use a routine already recognized by their son/daughter from school.
What are your tricks of the trade for making sure students clean up after themselves? Please share them in the comment section!
Play dough isn't a noisy classroom material (the rolling pins that the students use to flatten the stuff on the other hand...), which pretty much explains how one of my Stars managed to spread multiple pellets of orange clay all over our classroom carpet while I was reading a story at circle.
He was "cleaning" his center.
Ten minutes later, he "did the writing center:"
When learning and exploring, students can create messes. Mess-making is part of our creative process, but you've no doubt noticed that we often need a clean palette when we start start to get our creative groove on. Children must learn how to not only make a mess, but to clean up after themselves so that classmates and peers can use the space and materials in their own way safely.
* Introduce students to a clean up song, and no, it doesn't have to be the "Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Do Your Share" song either! I play an upbeat instrumental song, a favorite class sing-along, or a lyrically appropriate rock song on our c.d. player and tell the class that the floor/desks/cubbies must be clean prior to the end of the song. Music and movement, cleanliness and cooperation... all good things!
* Tell your students in code, in another language, or indicate by holding up several fingers how many things they need to take care of in the room (pushing in chairs, returning materials to bins, books to shelves, picking up pieces of garbage off of the floor) before going to recess or lunch. Clean up several times throughout the day instead of saving it all for the end-of-the-school-day-rush.
* Assign clean up jobs/responsibilities to students for the week: Student A will push in chairs, Student B will sharpen pencils, Student C will pass out papers, and Student D will inspect learning centers, making sure each rotation enables students to leave a center clean for their peers and join one that has been left clean for their own use.
* Has the Desk Fairy ever visited your classroom? No? Well then it's time to let her visit, leaving the following message with a new pencil or bookmark:
I made a little visit,
and found your desk was neat,
so I thought it only proper
to leave a little treat!
* Purchase child-sized whisk brooms and dust pans. Teach your students how to use them appropriately.
* Fair is fair: if you made the mess, you clean it up. You may ask for help after you've started, but your friends might be busy cleaning up their own messes and won't be able to help.
* Many parents have a clean up system in place at home, but for those who don't, share your clean up song and classroom routines in your weekly letters or messages. Chances are, parents clean up after their children (which is why students leave their materials messy and forgotten with easy abandon) and would appreciate being able to use a routine already recognized by their son/daughter from school.
What are your tricks of the trade for making sure students clean up after themselves? Please share them in the comment section!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Earth Day, April 22
Earth Day 2010 is just around the corner (April 22), so here are some links for you:
~ Earth Day coloring pages at Make and Takes...
* Enchanted Learning recycles egg cartons to make animals...
~ DLTK's Crafts for Kids uses a coffee filter, markers and water to make Planet Earth...
* Green Daily shares Earth Day crafts for kids, including "crazy hair" grass cups and edible rice cereal Earth treats...
~ Play an online Clean-up-Your-World game (sorting glass, paper, plastic, and cans) at FunSchool Kaboose...
* ...and remember to join the Lorax and speak for the trees!
Please share your favorite Earth Day links in the comment section!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Birthday Crowns
This year I have quite a few "spring babies" in my class. We've been celebrating birthdays every week (with more to come) and enjoying cupcakes, birthday cookies, and singing our birthday song both with and without the optional "cha-cha-cha's." With smiles and vigorous nods, I've so enjoyed kiri8's latest post at Elbows, Knees, Dreams, "Cha Cha Cha" and Halpey's post about his own students' crowning glory over at Look At My Happy Rainbow.
Birthdays are special. Crowns are cool. Don't forget they also come in handy for Fairy Tale Dress Up Days or other academic and fun-time celebrations, story retellings and imaginary play!
You can purchase pre-made crowns or make your own. Many teachers allow their students to decorate their crowns using construction paper, markers, paint, stickers, and foamies, but I also like to add fiesta fringe or holiday sparkle garland when my Stars want that little something *extra*:
My students choose the color of construction paper, fiesta fringe, scraps of wallpaper or scrapbooking paper that they'd like to use, though they also really enjoy using magazine clippings of their favorite toys, foods, or pictures.
I use one of the large rectangular pieces of paper (12X18?) for the crown with a bit extra stapled at the back for size adjustment. I fold up the bottom long edge of the paper twice to made the headband...
...and then fold the crown in half, cutting off the top edge. Girls tend to like the wavy top, while boys like the sharp pointy edges a la Max in Where the Wild Things Are:
Cut out shapes and designs, adhere stickers, and glue everything to the construction paper, stapling or hot gluing the fiesta fringe/garland along the bottom edge (**hint** staple the fiesta fringe or size-extender so that the prongs of the staples come through the front of the crown, NOT the inside where they can scratch your student's forehead):
Don't forget the birthday boy's or girl's name and new age:
...and watch your student beam with pride as s/he is recognized throughout the school as the special Birthday Student!
*****
Pre-made birthday crowns:
... at Oriental Trading Company
...at Carson Dellosa
...and downloadable and printable crown templates at First Palette!
Birthdays are special. Crowns are cool. Don't forget they also come in handy for Fairy Tale Dress Up Days or other academic and fun-time celebrations, story retellings and imaginary play!
You can purchase pre-made crowns or make your own. Many teachers allow their students to decorate their crowns using construction paper, markers, paint, stickers, and foamies, but I also like to add fiesta fringe or holiday sparkle garland when my Stars want that little something *extra*:
My students choose the color of construction paper, fiesta fringe, scraps of wallpaper or scrapbooking paper that they'd like to use, though they also really enjoy using magazine clippings of their favorite toys, foods, or pictures.
I use one of the large rectangular pieces of paper (12X18?) for the crown with a bit extra stapled at the back for size adjustment. I fold up the bottom long edge of the paper twice to made the headband...
...and then fold the crown in half, cutting off the top edge. Girls tend to like the wavy top, while boys like the sharp pointy edges a la Max in Where the Wild Things Are:
Cut out shapes and designs, adhere stickers, and glue everything to the construction paper, stapling or hot gluing the fiesta fringe/garland along the bottom edge (**hint** staple the fiesta fringe or size-extender so that the prongs of the staples come through the front of the crown, NOT the inside where they can scratch your student's forehead):
Don't forget the birthday boy's or girl's name and new age:
...and watch your student beam with pride as s/he is recognized throughout the school as the special Birthday Student!
*****
Pre-made birthday crowns:
... at Oriental Trading Company
...at Carson Dellosa
...and downloadable and printable crown templates at First Palette!
Dixie Carter
I loved watching Designing Women, my two favorite characters being Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker. Suzanne's clothes, hair, sassy narcissism and of course, fur coats always caught my eye, but it was Julia's sophistication, class, loyalty, and spine with the mouth to back it up that inspired me.
A woman called "The Terminator?" Oh y-e-a-h:
(apologies for the error "Your" instead of "You're," I didn't title the video)
I can't help wonder what Julia Sugarbaker would have said about the current state of public education.
I would have paid to see that speech.
A woman called "The Terminator?" Oh y-e-a-h:
(apologies for the error "Your" instead of "You're," I didn't title the video)
I can't help wonder what Julia Sugarbaker would have said about the current state of public education.
I would have paid to see that speech.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Sunday, April 04, 2010
OWOH Appreciation
The magic of One World One Heart 2010 is still brightening these spring days after making the last few weeks of winter infinitely more bearable for me! It was such a wonderful experience not only participating as a blogger, but as a prize contributor. My banners have arrived at their new homes, and my own prizes have settled here in Oz:
My incredible collage was made by Heidi at Dreams Intertwined:
I love Heidi's blog for so many reasons, but I especially love it when she shares photos of furniture, as she always shows some cubbied/multi-drawered treasure that's right up my alley!
The adorable spring purse is from Trisha at Easily Amused, Hard to Offend:
Check out her paper rose tutorial- I love blogs that share how-to's!
My beautiful spring necklace is from Lemondrop Marie at Lemondrop Vintage:
Miss Marie is a fashionista of vintage style and makes me dream of dressing like Penelope... she mixes and manages to make not-always-matching look perfectly-put-together! Repurposed beads and baubles with an organza bow have adorned my neck multiple times already since February!
Dear Daughter has tried to steal my skull and crossbones corker bow made by Jenn at Miss Mae Boutique:
While I LOVE hair pretties (I have quite the mane that requires mondo-taming!), I'm also a fan of Jenn's ribbon/bow cupcake toppers- so cute!
The BEST smelling and feeling "body butter bar" came from Grandma Betty's, and included with my vanilla scented bar was a *bonus treat* of stamped muslin ribbon and string from Country Lady at Homespun Alley:
Finding new studios and artisans to follow is one of my favorite things about One World One Heart! Add to that the opportunity to make new friends ~globally~, and you can see why the event has grown larger each year since Lisa Swifka first created it four years ago.
One of my new global friends is Pauline, "Polinka" from France who crafted perfectly pink coasters from repurposed cardboard and paper:
And mes amis, Polinka even shares a tutorial on how to make coasters for yourself, translated in English. MERCI!
One World One Heart = Friendship, handmade goodness, and the creative spirit.
Bliss.
My incredible collage was made by Heidi at Dreams Intertwined:
I love Heidi's blog for so many reasons, but I especially love it when she shares photos of furniture, as she always shows some cubbied/multi-drawered treasure that's right up my alley!
The adorable spring purse is from Trisha at Easily Amused, Hard to Offend:
Check out her paper rose tutorial- I love blogs that share how-to's!
My beautiful spring necklace is from Lemondrop Marie at Lemondrop Vintage:
Miss Marie is a fashionista of vintage style and makes me dream of dressing like Penelope... she mixes and manages to make not-always-matching look perfectly-put-together! Repurposed beads and baubles with an organza bow have adorned my neck multiple times already since February!
Dear Daughter has tried to steal my skull and crossbones corker bow made by Jenn at Miss Mae Boutique:
While I LOVE hair pretties (I have quite the mane that requires mondo-taming!), I'm also a fan of Jenn's ribbon/bow cupcake toppers- so cute!
The BEST smelling and feeling "body butter bar" came from Grandma Betty's, and included with my vanilla scented bar was a *bonus treat* of stamped muslin ribbon and string from Country Lady at Homespun Alley:
Finding new studios and artisans to follow is one of my favorite things about One World One Heart! Add to that the opportunity to make new friends ~globally~, and you can see why the event has grown larger each year since Lisa Swifka first created it four years ago.
One of my new global friends is Pauline, "Polinka" from France who crafted perfectly pink coasters from repurposed cardboard and paper:
And mes amis, Polinka even shares a tutorial on how to make coasters for yourself, translated in English. MERCI!
One World One Heart = Friendship, handmade goodness, and the creative spirit.
Bliss.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Juggling
While visiting with a former-teacher-aide-turned-friend yesterday, I realized I could have answered her simple question, "What have you been doing lately?" with an equally simple answer: juggling.
We wanted to catch up as we hadn't laid eyes on one another since October (we touch base via the phone from time to time), so I drove over to her home for a visit in the middle of a torrential spring storm (hail, lightning, thunder, flooded streets, crazy drivers), and we brought each other up to speed on family, work, joys and issues over the course of several hours.
Teaching. Mothering. Cooking. Cleaning. Stressing. Running interference. Supporting my spouse during his deployment. Baking cookies and doing my part to show gratitude and support for my colleagues. Guiding parents through difficult situations. Celebrating accomplishments. Mourning. Grieving. Feeling numb. Celebrating. Creating. More cleaning. Encouraging my students. Letting Mrs. Stouffer do the cooking. Exploring. Reading. Sleeping.
Manicuring my nails and adding an awesome chip-proof topcoat.
Because my hands should look good as I'm doing all of this, right?
Photo by Diavie
We wanted to catch up as we hadn't laid eyes on one another since October (we touch base via the phone from time to time), so I drove over to her home for a visit in the middle of a torrential spring storm (hail, lightning, thunder, flooded streets, crazy drivers), and we brought each other up to speed on family, work, joys and issues over the course of several hours.
Teaching. Mothering. Cooking. Cleaning. Stressing. Running interference. Supporting my spouse during his deployment. Baking cookies and doing my part to show gratitude and support for my colleagues. Guiding parents through difficult situations. Celebrating accomplishments. Mourning. Grieving. Feeling numb. Celebrating. Creating. More cleaning. Encouraging my students. Letting Mrs. Stouffer do the cooking. Exploring. Reading. Sleeping.
Manicuring my nails and adding an awesome chip-proof topcoat.
Because my hands should look good as I'm doing all of this, right?
Photo by Diavie
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