COME TO ME!

On this Mother’s Day, it doesn’t matter if you are a male or female or a biological parent or not. If you are an early childhood educator, you are a caregiver and in many situations as vital as the actual parent. We enter our profession not because of the money or dreams of high test scores. We become teachers of young children out of LOVE. You can take all your technology programs and assessments and performance standards – but, at the end of the day, it’s all about the relationship you create with each child.

Many years ago there was an older woman in one of my workshops. She had been working with children for over 50 years and I asked her if she had any advice for me. She gingerly got down on her knees, opened her arms, and said with a smile, “Come to me.” That was the inspiration for the thought I share with each of you on this special day.

COME TO ME
by Dr. Jean

Whether you are large or small, rich or poor –
Come to me.

Whether your skin is brown or beige, gold or tan –
Come to me.

I’ll embrace you and love you and cherish you –
Come to me.

I’ll play with you and make you laugh –
Come to me.

I’ll kiss your hurts and keep you safe –
Come to me.

I’ll give you happy memories and dreams for tomorrow -
Come to me.

I’ll share the wonder of learning and the joy of each day –
Come to me.

I’ll take time to listen to you and try to understand you –
Come to me.

I’ll cheer you, encourage you, and believe in you –
Come to me.

I’ll never give up. I’ll try and try. I’m an early childhood teacher.
Come to me!

                               

This is dedicated to my mother Frances McCracken Rosenberg.  She never went to college, but she was the BEST early childhood educator I've ever know.  Thanks, Mom!!  I hope you feel how much I love you and appreciate you and miss you!

KEEP ON READING AND WRITING

Here's a link to my Facebook Live I did Thursday with lots of 

"sweet" ideas to end your year:  http://bit.ly/2pFoAqU

You've worked so hard to get your children to where they are, but how do you keep them reading and writing over the summer?

Summer Journal
Carolyn Kisloski created this free download last year and it’s a wonderful way to encourage children to write over the summer.
                                 
*I gave it to my granddaughter and she thought it was pretty cool to have “homework” to do.
                    
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Summer-Writing-Prompts-Journal-2521920

Library Card
What better gift can you give your students at the end of the year than a library card? Take a field trip to your local library or ask the children’s librarian to visit your school and describe all their summer reading activities.

Summer Reading List
It’s easy to do an internet search and find a suggested reading list for your grade level. Parents would probably appreciate this when helping their child choose books to read over the summer.
                                 *I found this summer reading challenge and book list at scholastic.com.

Postcards
Cut cardstock the size of a postcard. Let children decorate one side with markers or crayons. On the reverse side draw a line down the middle. Have the children write the teacher’s name on one half. Explain that if they send you the postcard over the summer and write you a note that you will write back to them.
                    
*You could also give the children a pre-stamped envelope addressed to you. Explain that when they write you, you will write them back.

THE BEST THING ABOUT

Here's a link to the Facebook Live at Five I did last night:

http://bit.ly/2pFoAqU

"Selective nostalgia" is the ability to remember the good things and forget about the negative things.  Most children are more adept at this than grownups - thank goodness!

The Best Thing About… 

Invite children to recall some of their favorite memories from the school year. Give them a sheet of paper to illustrate it. Ask them to write (or dictate) a sentence about it. Put their pictures together in a cover that says, “The Best Thing About (Grade)” and bind. Save the book to read to your new class when school starts.
                                     
Welcome Brochure

Demonstrate how to fold a sheet of paper into thirds to make a brochure. Let each child create a brochure called “Welcome to Grade.” They could include things they’ll learn, special events, etc. Save these and give them (or send in the mail) to your upcoming students when school starts.
                                
Hint! Have children do a “rough draft.” Edit and then make a revised copy.

Back to School Bulletin Board

Invite your students to create a bulletin board to welcome the new class. Cover with newspaper to protect over the summer, and you’ll be ahead of the game when school starts. How about one of these themes?

     Lights, Camera, Action! (Photos of Special Events)

     A Great Batch (Gingerbread Cookies)

     (Teacher’s Name) Bunch (Bananas)

     Round Up for a Great Year (Horses)

     Lookin’ Good! (Giant Mirror)

     Kick off for (Grade)! (Football & Goal)

     Join (Teacher’s Name) Team! (Pennants and Pompoms)

     Welcome Super Stars (Stars)

     Swim into a New Year (Fish)

     Bloom in (Grade - Flower Garden)

Note!  I'm smiling to myself because we used many of these same themes years ago.  Some things just don't change!

??? DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL IN THE YEAR

I'm counting the hours until FACEBOOK LIVE AT FIVE this afternoon, but I bet you're counting the number of days you have left in the school year!

Days Left in the Year Song

Count down as you sing this song to the tune of “100 Bottles of Pop on the Wall.”
(Number of days) left in the school year.
(Number of days) left, that’s so.
We’ve had fun, we’re almost done.
(Number of days) to go.

Count Down Chain
Let each child make a paper chain with the number of days left in the school year. Each day they can remove one strip.
                                     
*Make a bulletin board with balloons for the number of school days left. Pop one balloon each day. (These could be real balloons or paper balloons.)

Time Line
Give each child a long strip of paper or a sentence strip.  Ask children to 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.)

Ten Things 
Have each child make a list of ten things they would like to do over the summer. (Younger children could dictate five things they would like to do.) 
*Send these home in your “end of year” letter to parents.
                 
*Fold these up like paper airplanes and send them flying on the playground.

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

Think of my blog as a “buffet.” I put a lot of “food” (ideas) out there and you pick and choose which ones you like the best.  If you're not busy tomorrow afternoon, please join me for FACEBOOK LIVE AT FIVE so I can demonstrate the songs and projects.  If you are busy, I'll post a video so you can watch when it's convenient.

School Is Over  (Tune: Frere Jacques)
School is over.
School is over. (Children repeat each line.)
Time to go.
Time to go.
We’ve had fun learning.
We’ve had fun learning.
Love you so.
Love you so.

Autograph Book 

As simple as this project is, the children will be thrilled to have their very own autograph book.  (Oh, yeah!  And it will keep them busy!)  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.
               
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.     
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.
                                        
Car Wash 

Have students make two lines facing each other. They should stand 2-3 feet apart. Demonstrate how to move your palms in a circular direction like a car wash. Choose one child at a time to walk “through” the car wash. Students should gently pat the friend going through the car wash as they make positive comments about that friend.

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.
     https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZG1Xb3A5TG9nSDQ/view?usp=sharing

"DESSERT" FOR THE END OF THE YEAR

Someone once told me that if you end the meal with a good dessert they will forget if the rest of the meal wasn’t very tasty. Isn’t that kind of like the school year? End on a happy note with some special days and activities and the children will forget the testing, workbooks, and mishaps. Besides, you and your students have worked hard all year, and it’s time to reward yourselves!!! (If anybody gives you a hard time just tell them it’s “Doctor’s orders.” (Dr. Jean the doctor of funness!)
                         
Over the next few days I’ll share some simple songs, art projects, and ideas to make your last few weeks memorable and fun. I’ll also do a Facebook Live at Five on Thursday (5/11) where I’ll demonstrate some of the projects.

End of Year Cadence
(The children repeat each line.)
School is coming to an end. (Stand, march, and slap thighs
School is coming to an end. to the beat.)
Say so long to all our friends.
Say so long to all our friends.
We’ve learned to read and write and spell.
We’ve learned to read and write and spell.
We know our shapes and numbers well.
We know our shapes and numbers well.
We’ve learned to follow classroom rules.
We’ve learned to follow classroom rules.
Getting along is really cool.
Getting along is really cool.
Science, music, art, PE.
Science, music, art, PE.
School’s been great for you and me.
School’s been great for you and me.
And when school begins again.
And when school begins again.
We’ll be happy to see our friends.
We’ll be happy to see our friends.

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 We Can!” and bind to make a book.
                                         
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.
                   
The Year from A to Z
The amount of time you have left in the school year will dictate how you approach this project. If you have a few weeks, then you could assign several letters each day and have children recall activities that begin with that sound. If you have more time then you could just do one letter each day.

Make blank alphabet books for each child and add this poem on 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!
                                               
At morning meeting encourage the children to brainstorm activities, friends’ names, books read, songs, etc. that begin with the letters and write them on the board. As an independent activity invite children to draw pictures and write about the different events in the ABC books.

How about some ideas to get you started?
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.

LEARNING/FITNESS TRAIL

You can integrate reading, writing, math, and exercise with a learning/fitness trail.
                              
Materials: cardboard rectangles (8” x 10”), markers, tape

Directions: Have your students brainstorm different “body” and “brain” exercises and write them on the board.

For example:
     10 jumping jacks
     say a nursery rhyme
     8 windmills
     count backwards from 20
     12 squats
     name your city, state, and country
     15 toe touches
     name 5 insects
     run in place
     sing the ABC’s forwards and then backwards
     count by 10’s to 100
     hop on one foot – hop on the other foot

Divide children into small groups and let them choose an exercise, write it on a piece of cardboard, and decorate it.

Tape the exercises around the playground and let the fun begin.
                               
Hint! Invite other classes to participate in your learning/fitness trail.