Last week I got to
“preach to the choir” and do a workshop for the early childhood teachers in the
Archdiocese of Detroit. They were
“angels” to share these ideas!
Smart Cookies (Marisa
Bier)
Create a “smart
cookie” board in your classroom to encourage children to learn their sight
words. Each child has their name
on a cookie cutout. When they have
mastered a sight word it gets put on a cookie and added to their ring. At the end of the year have a cookie
party in honor of being “smart cookies”!
Great Minds
Think Alike! (Allison Davies)
At the beginning
of the year talk to the students about how to share the same great ideas. Instead of shouting out and saying,
“Hey, that’s my idea, too!” teach them this sign for “great minds think alike.”
*Use
both pointer fingers.
Place them on each side of the
head.
Rapidly move the pointer fingers back and forth.
*Children can use
this sign when answering questions, listening for specific information in a
story, etc.
Invisible
Stickers (Mary Lou Taptich)
Cover a scented
chapstick with contact paper. Put
it on the children’s hands or papers and tell them it’s an “invisible”
sticker. Kids LOVE it!!
ETM –
educationthroughmusic.com
What an amazing
organization developed by Randy McCheasney! We are on the same team when it comes to using music as a
vehicle to learn anything. I’d
love to attend one of their training sessions.
Grandparents
Game Party
Invite
grandparents in to play games with children.
Pick a Ping
Pong Ball
Put ideas on ping
pong balls and use to pick for transitions.