WORDS OF WISDOM

What a crazy world we live in!  It makes me sad when I hear that they've taken blocks and housekeeping out of kindergarten. It makes me sad that teachers don't have time to sing and dance because they are so busy pushing skills. It makes me sad that children are tapping and swiping instead of doing puzzles or creating with play dough. It makes me sad that we are focusing on what's wrong with children instead of what's right with children!

I have some "words of wisdom" from over five+ decades as an educator and seven+ decades as a human being that I'd like to share with you.  (These are thoughts that I wish I could impart to education decision makers as well!) 

I hope to fill your heart, encourage you, and help you remember why you became a teacher. 

Note!  I'll also do a daily "throw back" idea. What's that? It's some "antique" activity from my "old" workshops that should not be forgotten.

 

What was your favorite thing about school when you were young? Treasure those times and promise yourself to try and share those special memories with your children this coming school year.


THROWBACK
Read the book THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. Explain that in our classroom everyone says "I CAN" like the little engine.

Hint! Remind the children that we are AmeriCANS and not Americant's!

I Think I Can (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
I think I can are words I like to say.
I think I can are words I like to say.
In time I’ll get it right if I try with all my might.
I think I can are words I like to say.

Hint! Cover a Pringle's can with paper and glue on googly eyes. Pass the “eye can” around and encourage the children to complete this sentence: I CAN________.

 

Nursery Rhyme Collection

Here is a video of several nursery rhymes for you and your students.

Click to view video

Click to download printable

. 

 

CAMP KINDERGARTEN

This is the coolest idea that Michelle Page shared with me many years ago. This is also a great reminder of WHAT KINDERGARTEN SHOULD BE!  Even if you can teach "KINDERGARTEN" all year, you can end with this special memory.

Note! It could be called Camp Pre-K, Camp First Grade, Camp name of school, Camp teacher's name, whatever!!


Camp Kindergarten (Michelle Page)
We do camp kindergarten the last two weeks in the school year. Every morning we meet at the flagpole for the pledge and camp songs.

*“Baby Fish,” “The Ants Go Marching,” “Banana Dance,” “Peanut Butter,” and "Tooty Ta" are a few songs we sing.

The parents write letters for “mail call” and the children write back.

We take an ABC nature walk and try to find objects for each letter in the alphabet.




We make s’mores and trail mix for snack.

The children bring blankets, towels, and sleeping bags. They get to take off their shoes to read, do work, listen to a story.

We go fishing for words (plastic pool and words with magnets).

We go on a bear hunt and then draw pictures of our adventure.

To tie in science we study about bugs and worms.

What an amazing way to celebrate and end the school year!

Look at our camp t-shirts with the kids’ names on the back.

        

IT'S KINDERGARTEN DAY!

Froebel started the first kindergarten in Germany in 1837, and his birthday was April 21. Kindergarten originated to help children adapt to learning and social interactions in a fun way. Froebel believed in self-directed play, singing, dancing, blocks…a “garden” where children could grow! He’d probably roll over in his grave now if he saw what was going on!!

As I write this I am remembering my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Myers. I LOVED her! I mean, I worshipped her! She was a fairy godmother and the center of my world. She seemed ancient to me at the time, but I’m probably way older now than she was when she taught me. Thank goodness for hair dye and make up!!!

I remember playing “The Farmer in the Dell” and other circle games. I also remember the finger play “Here are grandma’s glasses…” We had sugar cookies with a hole in the middle that we would put on our finger as we ate and we also had orange kool-aid. (Oh, my goodness! The sugar police would get Mrs. Myers for sure!!!) My favorite activity was painting. I especially liked to paint princesses. Back in those days the only princess I knew about was Cinderella, but I longed to be like her. One day as I was at the easel I painted a stripe down my leg. It looked so good I painted another…and another…and another…until my legs had beautiful stripes all over them. Mrs. Myers could have squelched my creativity right then and there, but she just laughed and said, “Don’t do it again.”  Fortunately, my mother had a sense of humor as well!

Another memory I have is learning to tie my shoes. I wore corrective saddle oxfords I feared would come untied at school and then what would I do? Everyone would know that I couldn’t tie shoes!!! Well, one day they came untied and Mrs. Myers said, “You’re a smart girl. Now, you just sit down and figure it out.” And you know what? I did!!!! She knew when to coddle and when to push.

And incredible as it may seem, although all I did was PLAY in kindergarten, I can actually read and write!!

Note! Although I’m focusing on “kindergarten” today, this message holds for all early childhood teachers from preschool through first grade.

WHAT’S THE POINT? By Dr. Jean

If you cover every objective in the curriculum, but don’t have time to play outside or take field trips—
What’s the point of kindergarten?

If you do every page in the workbook, but don’t have time to laugh, do show and tell, or sing a song—
What’s the point of kindergarten?

If you know all your letters and sounds and numbers and sight words, but don’t know how to be a friend or share—
What’s the point of kindergarten?

If you score high on the standardized test, but don’t like school—
What’s the point of kindergarten?

If you master every skill and have 2 hours of screen time, but don’t have time to play in the block center or housekeeping or do puzzles—
What’s the point of kindergarten?

If teachers are so overwhelmed by the demands, expectations, and assessments they are given that they don’t have time to hug, smile, read, cheer, cherish, and look in the eyes of those wonderful little children in their classroom---
Then what’s the point of being a kindergarten teacher?

But we know that five is a magical time, and children only have one chance in a lifetime to be five. SHUT YOUR DOOR and hold hands, sing, dance, paint, tell stories, make believe, play outside, and continue to give children happy memories! And only you can do that because YOU are a kindergarten teacher and YOU are SPECIAL and AMAZING just like the children you teach!

Love always, Dr. Jean

KINDERGARTEN DAY TREATS!!!

Here are some new videos and ideas from Alex May (webmaster)!

YouTube - Silent

https://bit.ly/drJKnockSock

PDF Download

https://bit.ly/drJPuppetTheatre

YouTube - Narrated

https://bit.ly/drJKnockNarrated

LOOKING FOR A POT OF GOLD?

It's not a pot of gold...it's the little things that make lasting memories for children.

My grandson is now in college, but when he was in preschool the children took off their shoes at naptime on St. Patrick's Day and put them in the hall. When they woke up there was a Rice Krispie treat in their shoes for snack. He still remembers it.  Here are some other memory makers for St. Patrick's Day.

Hunting for Gold - Spray paint pebbles or rocks gold. (Spread out on newspaper. Spray with gold paint. Dry. Shake. Spray the other side with gold paint. Dry. Shake. Spray a third time.) Hide the pebbles on the playground before children arrive at school. Tell the children a leprechaun hid some gold for them. What fun they will have hunting for the gold nuggets!

Hint! Need a little bucket for collecting that gold? Hole punch opposite sides of a plastic cup. Insert a pipe cleaner handle and you’ve got a perfect “pot of gold.”

What If? Have children write stories (or draw pictures and dictate) what they would do if they found a pot of gold.

Leprechaun Mischief – While the children are at lunch or on the playground, turn over a few chairs, put books on the floor, and mess up the classroom. Sprinkle a little green glitter around. Have the children write stories about what they think happened.

Catch a Leprechaun - Challenge children to design “traps” to catch a leprechaun in the block center. Give children an empty sack out on the playground and see who can catch a leprechaun.

Green Snack – Eat foods that are green like celery, broccoli, lime jello, snap peas, edamame, etc. You could also use green food coloring to dye cream cheese, milk, yogurt or other snacks.

Leprechaun Lunch – Purchase miniature peanut butter crackers (Ritz), cookies (Chips Ahoy), and other mini-foods. Serve these on dessert plates with napkins cut in fourths. Milk or juice in medicine cups makes this a perfect snack for “wee folks.”

Field Trip - Take a field trip (on the internet) to Ireland. Find Ireland on the globe. How could you get there? Could you go in a car? Why or why not?

Math Manipulatives – Spread out dry lima beans on a newspaper. Spray paint one side gold. Dry. Flip over and spray paint the other side gold. These golden nuggets are perfect for making sets, adding, and subtracting.

BOLOGNA DAY IS NO BALONEY!

Here's a special day you'll want to include in your lesson plans for Tuesday.  Many years ago on Balogna Day, K.J.’s third grade teacher (Mr. D) taught them this song from the 70’s. K.J. sang it to his mother when he got home and she got a kick out of remembering the song as they sang it together. Those are the kind of experiences and bridges that are not in your curriculum that children will remember.

October 24th National Bologna Day
My bologna has a first name,
It’s O – S – C – A – R.
My bologna has a second name,
It’s M - A – Y – E – R.
Oh, I love to eat it every day,
And if you’ll ask me why I’ll say,
Cause Oscar Mayer has a way
With B – A – L – O – G – N – A.

*Here’s the original 1973 video some of you might remember:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmPRHJd3uHI

Sandwich Book

How about a sandwich book to go with your bologna?  You'll need two cheap paper plates to make this book. Fold both plates in half. Cut in 1 ½” from the rim on both sides as shown. Cut off the folded edge between the rim on the second plate. Roll up the first plate and insert it in the hole in the second plate. Unroll and you’ll have a book.

*Let children write about their favorite sandwich.
*Have children write a “how to” make a sandwich.
*Invite children to be chefs and create a new sandwich.

MEMORY ROCK GARDEN

Several weeks ago when I visited a school in Greenville I saw this garden and it captured my interest. The principal explained that her son had died and the children and staff painted rocks and created this beautiful memory garden for her.

I was so intrigued by the project that I did a little more research and found this fabulous website:

Click here to visit Kids Gardening

Just think how you could adapt this to an end of year project. The children could paint rocks with their names, kind words, a welcome message, etc. You could even make a letter garden where children choose a letter, sight word, or other skill and paint a rock. 

Hint!  Rocks can also be a bridge to talking about diversity.  Go on a rock hunt and let each child find a rock.  Have the children sit in a circle and take turns describing their rocks and passing them around for other to hold.  How their rocks alike? How are they different?  How are people alike?  How are they different?  Wouldn't it be a boring world if all the rocks and people looked exactly the same?

Here's some background information from kidsgardening.org:

The American Journal of Public Health published a literature review on The Connection Between Art, Healing and Public Health examining the health benefits of visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression, and expressive writing. The Children and Nature Network’s Research Library is full of studies looking at the social and emotional benefits of spending time in nature. What if you combine the two by engaging in creative activities that encourage self-expression in a natural setting?

In an ideal youth garden setting, kids would have the opportunity to help design the garden and select the plants and special features included. However, when there are a large number of kids utilizing a garden (such as at a school or public space), this level of involvement can be challenging due to cost and available space. Educators can turn to simpler crafts using inexpensive or repurposed materials as an alternative for allowing students to help decorate the garden space and make it their own. This lesson lays out ideas for using painted rocks in your garden to allow young gardeners to express themselves, to communicate with each other, and to contribute to the garden in a personal way.

Note!  They stressed the importance of working together to create guidelines so it's a positive experience for everyone.  

*Acrylic paints/pens and sealant were recommended.

Branching Out
Use KidsGardening’s Growing Poems lesson to encourage more ways of using the garden as inspiration for self-expression.

Check out the Kindness in the Garden lesson for more ideas for incorporating kind acts in garden spaces. Additional ideas can be found through the Compassion Flower Project developed in partnership with Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day.

GRANDPARENTS' DAY

September 13th is officially Grandparents' Day, but any day is the perfect time to recall a special memory or give them a call.

I remember that my grandfather would put me on a stool and let me help him make canned tomato soup when I visited. That sure was good soup! I also remember my grandmother would let me have tea parties and put all the sugar I wanted in my tea. Isn't it interesting that so many of my memories involve food???

Someone once told me that when a person you care for passes away and you remember them your love is like beams of light going to them. I hope it's true!

This would be a good week to have children write or draw pictures about their grandparents and what they enjoy doing with them. You could also give children art supplies so they could make cards for their grandparents.
                       

Here is a song that my daughter wrote for Grandparents' Day. The link will take you to my website where you can download the vocal or instrumental version.

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2014/09_Sep_css/pg00.html

Grandparents’ Day - (Tune: “Simple Gifts”)
Grandma and Grandpa we just want to say
How much we love you on this special day.
With smiles and kisses and bear hugs, too
We want to say thanks for all that you do!
You make us feel like superstars!
You help us to see how wonderful we are.
The love and the time that you have shared
Will stay with us always and everywhere!
We play games together, we go for walks
We go out fishing or just sit and talk
We read books together and have so much fun!
Every moment with you is a special one.
You make us feel like superstars!
You help us to see how wonderful we are.
The love and the time that you have shared
Will stay with us always and everywhere!

FRIENDSHIP SOUVENIRS

These projects will give children a tangible way to remember their friends.

Memory Shirt
Have children bring in an old t-shirt from home. (White works best.) Provide them with fabric pens and let them have friends write their names and draw pictures on their shirts.
Hint! Plan several days for this project. It’s “no fun” if you have to do it all at once.

Sweet Dreams Pillowcase
Let children bring in a pillowcase and have their friends decorate them with their names and pictures. They will have “sweet dreams” all summer!


Friendship Necklace
You will need construction paper, yarn, markers, and hole punches for this project. Cut the construction paper into 2 ½” squares, circles or other simple shapes. Each child will need as many pieces as there are students in your room. Have them write their name and draw pictures on their shapes. Punch holes. Now comes the fun part! Children get to go around the room and give a shape to each of their friends. Encourage them to say something kind they remember about their friend as they pass them out. Finally, children string the shapes on yarn and knot the ends to make a necklace.

Time Capsule
Create a memento of the year with a time capsule. Ask each child to bring in Pringle’s can. Have them draw a picture of themselves and put it in the can. Let them write or dictate what they want to be when they grow up and illustrate it. Challenge them to collect a wrapper from their favorite food, something their favorite color, friends’ signatures, and other small, meaningful objects to add to their bottles. After gluing on the lid and decorating the outside, send the time capsules home with a note to the parents asking them to save them until their child graduates from high school.
                     

My Teacher LOVES Me!
Take a photo of yourself with each child. Fill their name in the poem below and
glue it to a card with the photo. Present it to them the last day with an air hug!

You’re a very special person
And (name), you should know
How I loved to be your teacher.
How fast the year did go!
Please come back to visit me
As through the grades you grow.
Try hard to learn all that you can.
There is so much to know!
The one thing I tried to teach you
To last your whole life through,
Is to know that you are special
Just because YOU ARE YOU!

 

MEMORY MAKERS

Here are some activities that will give your children positive memories of their school year.  You might need to adapt them to your particular teaching situation, but they will put a special feeling in your students' hearts.

Memory Book

Run off copies of a memory book for each child to color and fill in the missing information. Here are some suggestions:
1st page – “My Memory Book” with teacher’s name, school, year.
2nd page – “This is me.” (Child draws self –portrait.)
3rd page – “This is my teacher.” (Child draws teacher’s picture.)
4th page – “Here are my friends.” (Child draws friends.)
5th page – “My favorite thing at school is...” (Draws favorite activities.)
6th page – “Something I’ve learned this year…” (Draws accomplishment.)
7th page – “When I grow up I want to be…” (Draws future self.)
8th page – “This is my handprint.” (Trace around child’s hand.)
You could also have children draw their favorite sport, color, book, song, food, etc.
*If you do an end of year conference with parents this would be a good thing to share.


Autograph Book
Cut paper in fourths. (I like to use colored paper.) Have children count out 10 pieces. Hole punch and tie with a ribbon. Children walk around the room and get their friends’ autographs.

Time Line
Give each child a long strip of paper. Draw a line down the middle. Have children draw what they looked like when they started the school year on the left and what they look like now on the right. They can fill in the middle of the time line with special memories. (You might need to brainstorm or show photos to spark their memories.)


Now I Can!
Brainstorm all the things your students have learned during the school year. Give each child a sheet of paper and have them draw something they couldn’t do at the beginning of the year that they can do now. Complete this sentence: “I couldn’t _______, but now I can _______.” Make a cover that says “Now I Can!” and bind to make a book.


Class Yearbook
A teacher in New York shared this idea with me years ago. It’s going to take a little work, but it will be something children will treasure the rest of their lives! You will need to assemble photographs of the children, as well as pictures you’ve taken throughout the school year. Take 26 sheets of paper and write a letter on each page. Glue pictures of the children on the page their name begins with. Next, sort through the pictures and glue them on appropriate pages. (I’ve given you some suggestions for each letter below.) Label the pictures and run off a copy for each child. Use cardstock for the front and back cover and bind.

A- apple tasting, art, alphabet, “Alligator”
B- “Bear Hunt,” blocks, birthdays, books, bus
C- computers, caterpillars, counting, cooking, CLIFFORD
D- dinosaurs, dancing, drawing, “Days of the Week”
E- easel, exercise, eating, exploring
F- friends, fall, first day of school, “Five Little Monkeys”
G- GINGERBREAD MAN, games, graphs, gym
H- Hundred Day, Halloween, holidays, handprint
I- ice and snow, insects, “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “I can___”
J- jack o’ lanterns, journals, jump rope
K- KISSING HAND, kites, kindness, “Katalina”
L- letters, library, “Lettercise,” lunch, LEO
M-“Macarena Months,” music, math, magnets
N- nests, nursery rhymes, names, numbers
O- oceans, outside, “Over in the Meadow”
P- pizza parlor, P.E., puzzles, painting, “Peanut Butter”
Q- quiet time, quilts
R- reading, rainy days, running, rabbits, “Rime Time”
S- singing, spring, shapes, senses, science
T- “Tooty Ta,” turkeys, teeth, tests, TACKY THE PENGUIN
U- upside down, under, umbrellas (April showers)
V- Valentine’s Day, VERY BUSY SPIDER
W- word wall, writing, winter, “Wally Acha,” weather
X- “X” marks the spot (treasure hunt), X with body
Z- zoo field trip, zigzag art, “Z” end of the year
*Use the name of the school, teacher’s name, etc.

Here’s a poem for the cover:
We’ve learned and played in many ways,
But now the year must end.
Here’s a book to remember special days,
And all your kindergarten (first grade) friends!
Hint! If you don’t have photographs, have your children draw pictures for your book.

*Make a video of your students singing, working in centers, and doing other things they like best at school.

ABC Countdown

Several years ago Brad McKinney (Kindergarten Teacher at Severn Elementary) emailed this idea to me. I was searching through old blogs and I found it!!  With all the craziness this past year, the ABC COUNTDOWN might end your year on a positive note.  It's something that you could easily adapt to your calendar or teaching situation.

Note!  As someone once told me, "It doesn't matter what you serve your guests for dinner.  Just make sure the dessert is good because that's what they'll remember."  Think of this last month of school as "dessert"!  Make it GOOD and HAPPY!

Parents and Guardians,

Believe it or not, the school year is quickly coming to an end. During the last 26 days of school, our class will be participating in an ABC Countdown. Each school day will have a different activity related to the letter for that day. Your child may need to wear or bring something special on some days – those days are underlined. This sheet will help you and your child remember what day of the countdown we are on.



A
Monday
Animal Day
Bring your favorite stuffed animal to school

B
Tuesday
Bubble Day
We will be making and blowing bubbles

C
Wednesday
Card Game Day
Bring your favorite card game to play at school

D

Thursday
Dinosaur Day
We will be dinosaur detectives 

E
Friday
Everybody dress in your favorite team shirt

F
Wednesday
Fruit Day
Bring your favorite fruit for snack today 

G
Thursday

Going on a picnic
Bring a packed lunch!

H
Friday
Hat Day
Wear your favorite hat to school

I
Monday

Imagine Day
Imagine you had a magic wand - what would you wish for?

J
Tuesday
Joke Day
Write down your favorite joke to share with class

K
Wednesday
Kick Off Your Shoes Day
You will be able to take your shoes off in class all day

L
Thursday
Leisure Day
We will relax outside with a book (weather permitting)

M
Friday
Memory Day
We will be writing about our favorite memories from kindergarten this year

N
Monday
Nature Day 
Make binoculars and go on a nature walk

O
Tuesday
Orange Day
Wear the color orange and bring an orange for snack

P
Wednesday
Picnic Day
Bring a packed lunch from home

Q
Thursday, June 12
Quiz Your Teacher Day
Bring your hardest question to stump your teacher.

R
Friday 
Roadrunner Field Day
Field day games and activities outside with entire grade level

S
Monday
Sidewalk Art Day
We will be decorating a section of the sidewalk

T
Tuesday
Talent Show Day
Share your talent with the class

U
Wednesday
Used Book Day
Bring a used book you would like to donate to the class or library

V
Thursday
Veggie Day
Bring your favorite vegetable for snack

W
Friday
Wishy Washy Day
Be prepared to get wet!

X
Monday
X-change Autographs Day
Make an autograph book and collect as many autographs as you can

Y
Tuesday
Year End Clearance
Bring a bag to gather all your items from the year

Z
Wednesday, June 25
Zoom Out of School Day
Last day of kindergarten