Summer in Minnesota is a great time to move your classroom outside. It is critical for helping our students make meaningful connections about how our world works, as well as good for their health (see previous blog Going Green.) This past week, we explored the sun. Thankfully, we had a week without incelement weather. I asked a simple, open-ended question to guide our discussion: “What can you tell me about the sun?” We came up with the following list:
- It is shiny. - It is this big (arms above your head). - It is yellow. - It is hot and sweaty. - It is a circle. - When I go outside it hurts my eyes. - It is like on another planet. - It helps the flowers grow.
After we made our list, I had a fun experiment to try. I reminded my students that the sun creates heat and we were going to use it as our oven. I covered a pizza box with tin foil and had each student put a graham cracker, piece of chocolate and a marshmallow on the bottom part of the box. Then we went outside and picked a spot to put our solar panel oven. In a little less than an hour we had delicious S’mores and my students were amazed at how the sun had melted the chocolate and marshmallow.
This kind of experiential, tangible learning is so crucial to our children’s development. They are able to visualize, manipulate and have a “real world” experience that connects them to the concepts they are learning about. The beauty of hands on learning is its ability to encompass such a wide variety of subject levels. Throughout this lesson, for example, we practiced our language and vocabulary skills, developed analytical and scientific thought, and engaged in social interactions among our classmates. And let me tell you, almost everyone wanted S’MORE!
The fact that music is a powerful tool is not a new concept to me. Growing up in a household of music educators, I practically sang my way through my entire school day. Recently, I ran into a CD that would both foster a love of music in the classroom and expose my students to different cultures around the world. Its selections give my class the opportunity to hear the many different ways music can be played and used.
During this week, we have been working with rhythm instruments. We've talked as a whole class about musical beats and enhanced our world music CD with live accompaniment. Another important component, we've we've discussed how we take care of our instruments and our friends as we make music together.
To form our classroom band, every class member had to choose a rhythm instrument. Once selections were made, I turned on the music while the children kept the beat.
The resulting joy and respect seen in our musical circle was nothing short of amazing. It was a great to see all students, in particular those learning better self-control skills, excel at this activity. Not only were they participating, they were also encouraging and supporting their peers!
This was not the only surprise. In my Monday and Tuesday observations this week, I began noticing a change in free choice center activities. A reluctant student, who often needs direction during free choice time, independently chose to journal about being in a band. Three others, who don’t often play together, created a bridge and tunnel system in our construction and design area. Four students invited each other to be a family of cats for the day in our dramatic play center. Two boys, who are actively working on using kind words, solved a conflict without a teacher’s help. We've even had a suggestion to host a dance party where each child would get to show off their moves! What a great way to practice our large motor and social skills!
I'm no researcher, but I would venture to say that our large group musical experiences are directly related to the increased student engagement, imaginative play and greater sense of community I'm seeing in our classroom. It is amazing how life’s great lessons can create such beautiful harmony. Hopefully my students will be able to “keep the beat” as they groove from pre-k into Kindergarten!
Teaching is often referred to as being “in the trenches” and if you have ever wondered what that means, by all means keep reading.
If you've even heard of Pioneer Day, my guess is you'd think its some quirky thing we do down here in Texas to celebrate our diverse heritage. You'd be very wrong though.
It all started with a bang last week-- literally -- when a severe storm with winds of 90+ mph ripped through our community in the middle of the night. The morning after, as I drove to school slowly inching my way through the darkened intersections of Dallas Fort-Worth, I contemplated the numerous scenarios that might lie ahead: Was the school still in tact? Were our students safe? Did they still have adequate housing? As I pulled into the parking lot, I was relieved to see that the first of my worries was unfounded. Some trees had fallen near the playground and the power was out, but our building was still standing.
My relief quickly turned to horror as I entered the darkened school to discover that classes were running on schedule. No, it wasn't a typical nightmare or “schoolmare” that us teachers often have, but basic necessities like air conditioning in the Texas heat and classroom and bathroom windows were completely missing . As I toured the damage, I had to pinch myself several times to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Our principal had things under control calling both teachers and students to the cafeteria. There we were informed of temporary emergency procedures: some classrooms were doubled up to make use of windows, several were forced to conduct lessons in the library, while others found themselves teaching traumatized children in the hallways near open outside doors.
Many students were crying and fearful of the dark although we had a small window in our room that provided some light. One little boy crying hysterically kept asking for our custodian. When I asked him why he said, “Because Mr. S fixes things and he can fix the lights!” Soon the chorus of “why’s” became deafening and completely overwhelming. No matter how many times we explained the power outage, the concept was too abstract for our little ones to understand. One after another they chimed in:
"Why can’t you turn on the lights?"
"Why is it so hot in here?"
"Why can’t we do the calendar?" (Our calendar is now done via the ActivBoard, which requires power)
"Why didn’t we hear the morning announcements?"
Multiply the above questions by 1000 and crank up the volume of inconsolable children 44 times to understand my day in a nutshell. While pre-k teachers are known for having many talents and skills, I assure you teaching a double-class of four-year-olds in the dark is not one of them.
We waited patiently for the announcement that school would be canceled as the temperatures in the classroom began to climb. The power lines weren’t the only things buzzing as teachers scurried back and forth with their flashlights to find out what was going on. With little new to report, the verdict was in, we would have to make do for now.
Our principal, known far and wide for his wit and witticisms, quickly coined the term “Pioneer Day” to help lighten the mood. His humor and contribution, ordering pizza for the entire staff, did wonders for staff moral. We quickly established a makeshift Pioneer Day schedule that included taking the students to the bathroom with flashlights. Our two classes alternated throughout the day; while one group sat at the tables, the other circled in a carpeted, large group area. We were fortunate that the calm after the storm brought a beautiful day. Half the students took a walk outside, while the remaining listened to a story (listening being the operative word since it was difficult to see the pictures), before we switched.
By the end of the school day, Pioneer Day had a whole new meaning for me. I felt like I had survived an entire month on a wagon train! Sweaty, dirty, and exhausted, legs and back aching from the day's constant crowd control activities, I had made it. Even my jaw hurt from having to talk constantly: ‘It’s going to be okay." "We’re safe." "I’m sorry I can’t turn on the lights.”
Although I didn’t have a mirror, I am certain I looked as if I had spent the entire day in a trench. But that's what being a good teacher is all about: surviving the trenches by making do with what you've got and still managing to bring the troops home safely. At the end of the day, I was grateful to be in a figurative trench with my class rather than the overseas or stuck-behind-a-desk-in-a-quiet-office-space variety.
Let this story serve as a reminder: be it Teacher Appreciation Day or any day, take time out of your busy schedule to thank a teacher for a job well done. While circumstances differ, chances are they too know about the trenches as operating within them just comes with our territory.
Spring Break has come and gone for us. Summer vacation is only six weeks away! It seems crazy – but our programming ends on May 1, 2008. As I look ahead, I realize that my students will have almost four months without school. I truly believe that each of us needs a break; it is important to have time to rest and rejuvenate. However, it concerns me to know that some of my students will -- dare I say, regress -- over the summer.
It is frustrating to observe my students over the past two days. I feel like in one short week we have lost our ability to control our bodies, treat each other kindly and function as a classroom community. As we review our classroom rules and remind ourselves how to behave, I observe the following situation: half of my class has “t.v. syndrome” (thanks for the term Vanessa!) In Vanessa’s post, she mentioned a phenomenon where it seems as though students are watching t.v. instead of being an active class member.
I could not believe it! I thought…”Well I have some students that kind of fit that description” – but they are creative or students without much school exposure. I made excuses that their daydreaming was the result of something else. Last year I had many “wanderers” during choice time. This year, I adjusted my curriculum to include a “touring the room” time to show students how to explore a new toy or work space.
Also, this year, more than any other year, I have name-calling and a lack of empathy. We have class meetings almost every week to figure out how we can make our community more kind. Some of my students pick and nag at each other as if they were siblings. Just today we had to stop during our song time to help two of our friends. They had decided to pick new best friends and bantered back and forth about who is the winner… and the fastest… and the best racer, super hero, etc.
Developmentally, these are concepts learned at the pre-kindergarten age. However, I am glad to hear that I am not alone when I worry about the overall social and emotional development of my students. It is this concern that pushes me to fight for more funding, a more consistent yearly school readiness schedule and positive parent involvement.
Birthdays are special for people of all ages. In our classes, we have a very fun and easy way to celebrate each child’s special day. Because several children have summer birthdays, we celebrate their half birthday. On these special days students may bring a treat if they wish, and they get a homemade crown made by my assistant! In addition, we make each child a birthday book.
The cover of each “Birthday Book” is designed by the birthday boy or girl. The rest of the pages are created by their peers. Each page states, “If I could give you something for your birthday I would give you…” And my students draw a picture to complete the sentence. With the help teachers and assistants, their drawings are transcribed. You might think all of the pictures are food, toys or other material possessions. Don’t get me wrong -- we get a lot of skateboards, balloons, pretty princesses and Transformers.
Surprisingly, we get an equal amount of the following:
“I would give you a sunshine.”
“I would give you me and you playing together nicely with the cars.”
“I would give you my mom because she would give you a big hug!”
These books have become coveted keepsakes. Two parents on different occasions have said, “That birthday book is my child’s favorite possession.” Another family has mentioned that their child, Curtis, has to read his birthday book every night before he goes to sleep. I have not had a family this year that does not wish to have their child’s birthday recognized. However, I do ask each family if they are not interested in participating as part of our home visiting process in the beginning of the year. In the past there have been families that do not celebrate birthdays. When this happens, we are still able to make books for our friend—instead, we make “I am special” books. Everyone involved was happy with this situation.
It makes me smile to think that a child can find so much joy in a gift that we didn’t find at Toys R Us. It is the true gift of friendship displayed in a classmates drawing and thought about what their friend might enjoy.
The week before Valentine’s Day I sent home a class list and an explanation about why we take time to celebrate this day. We talked about the importance of friendship and expressing your feelings in a positive way. The students were also encouraged to practice their penmanship and complete a pretty major task – putting their names and their friends’ names on 20 Valentines!
When last Thursday arrived, our room was decorated, and many students were dressed in red, pink, white, and heart patterns. As the packages and bags of Valentines came in, I noticed everyone prepared their Valentines a little different. Not only were they different characters or colors, but their approach to completing the task reflected their developmental state!
Cora, an inclusion student from our Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) class, made her “C” on each Valentine. A concept we have been working on for the past few weeks.
Chitra, a hardworking artist, hand-made each Valentine buy folding paper in half, drawing a different picture and name on each and signing her name.
William, another inclusion student from ECSE, wrote his whole name, but his family helped him cut and paste the names from the class list. One of his goals in our class is to stick with a task, and his parents helped him at home by providing a variety of ways to stick with it! They used scissors and glue, taped the valentines closed and had William use different colored markers for each name.
Bailey’s Valentine cards included her last name, which she has been practicing at home and at school.
Nick’s mom was worried because he did not want to help her prepare his Valentine cards. However, when Nick got to school on Thursday I watched as he went around to almost every student and wished them “Happy Valentine’s Day!” by name.
I have to agree with Vanessa - there are times when you don't know what you will get - 22 cards for the teacher, a package of baby shower invites?! But this learning process is so important to our families. Who knew that Valentine’s Day would provide such a clear example of the diverse learners I have in my pre-k classes?! Their individuality and approach to learning make our class a rich environment for learning and community building!
In the beginning of each school year, many teachers spend a lot of time getting to know their students. I think it’s important for my students to also get to know me -- it’s a twoway street. This process helps us build relationships and strengthens our classroom community or “family."
For example, I had to fly home to attend a wedding very early in the school year. I told the students I was going on an airplane to attend a wedding and to see my family. They were full of questions, fascinated that I had a family that lived far away. We discussed weddings and families, and we got to know each other better in the process. I learned that several students had grandparents living in Mexico -- which we determined was also “far away” -- and a few others had attended weddings before.
Recently, the entire class has become fascinated with my childhood. This happened by accident one day while the students were reading books during B.E.A.R. (Be Excited About Reading) time. Isabel brought a book from one of the book boxes to me.
Isabel: Look, teacher, there’s a number 6 and a number 9 on this book!
Me: Yes, Isabel, those numbers are the price. That means that book cost 69 cents.
Isabel: That’s a lot!
Me: Actually, this book is very special because it’s very old. It used to belong to me when I was little. We can tell it’s old because books cost a lot more than 69 cents today.
Isabel: Wow! You were little?
Isabel ran over to tell all her friends the big news.
Soon, the questions began:
Ricardo: When you were little, did you go to school?
Me: Yes, of course I went to school.
Isabel: Did you have a teacher?
Me: Yes, I had many different teachers.
Ricardo: Did you have an alarm clock? (Didn’t see that one coming...)
Me: Yes, I did. Do you have an alarm clock?
Ricardo: Yeah, I got a High School Musical one. What kind do you have?
Me: Well, now I have one that plays music. But when I was your age, I had a Snoopy alarm clock.
Several students all at once: Who’s Snoopy?
These types of conversations lead to a stronger classroom unit. By sharing stories about my life, the students open up and share their stories. Bonding like this makes classroom management and discipline much easier. Students begin to see me as a real person, and not just somebody who is in charge.
February can be a very challenging time in an ESL classroom. In addition to preparing my students for the annual Valentine card exchange, I have to explain the process to the parents as well. Many of the parents of students in my class were not born and or educated in the U.S. The concept of a class Valentine card exchange is completely foreign to them.
Over the years I have learned to navigate the treacherous waters of Valentine’s Day through old fashioned trial and error. In the beginning, I sent detailed notes to parents requesting that each child bring one Valentine card for each student in the class. I received everything from decks of playing cards to boxed sets of Christmas cards. Once I received an entire package of 24 baby shower invitations. I asked the student what the cards were for and he said “Your note said we needed 22 cards!” Another time I received 22 identical Hallmark greeting cards that all read “To my teacher on Valentine’s Day”. I was mortified that a parent thought I had requested 22 cards for myself!
Now, my strategies have expanded to include tactics such as copying the front of several boxes of school-type Valentine cards and sending them home as examples in addition to my usual note. At dismissal time,I bring empty boxes of Valentine cards with me so I can show them to parents when they pick up their children. I show the boxes to the students as well so when they are out shopping with their parents, they will be able to easily identify the correct items. We also have parent conferences in January, so I display a few boxes on the table and explain the holiday to the parents. Every year around this time you can find me lurking about the Valentine aisle in the local big mart stores posing as the unofficial “Valentine ambassador” and guiding families through their first Valentine exchange experience.
The best solution I have found thus far is to shop the sales after Valentine’s Day and buy boxes of Valentine cards for 10 cents each so I will be prepared for next year. Students can “shop” for their own Valentine cards and address them in class as well. The superheroes are always a big hit with the boys and the girls love Dora or Hello Kitty. You can always tell what's "hot" by the types of Valentine cards being sold in the stores. The students write their names on the back of each valentine card, but it can get tedious since we have 22 students- we have to break it down into a two-day process.
Despite the unique challenges that teaching ESL students presents, it is very rewarding work. Everything my students do in our class is a “first” for them and I enjoy providing them with those first experiences.
Today, we have laws that entitle all children – disabled or non-disabled – to an education in the "least restrictive environment." Inclusion is a part of the least restrictive environment, providing differently abled children opportunities to consistently interact with their peers in the regular classroom. Inclusion plays a vital role in any child's education " especially in pre-k. Our students are so young and their view of the world has not yet been completely solidified. By interacting with differently-abled children on a regular basis, our students learn that we're each unique. We are giving them valuable experiences that will leave lasting impressions for life.
I have had inclusion students in my previous classrooms. On my current campus, we have a developmental center that serves children with severe disabilities. When I first heard Jonathan was coming to our class from the developmental center, I wasn't sure what to think. Most of my experiences with inclusion up to this point had been with students who were autistic or had Down's Syndrome, but were otherwise physically independent. I had no prior experience with students like Jonathan who were in a wheelchair and required constant care by a nurse. I have learned from my prior experiences that four year olds are four year olds no matter what " I was certain everything would be fine. Of course, on Jonathan's first visit to our class there were lots of questions and stares from the students. I was careful not to label Jonathan by saying "Jonathan has ______," and instead allowed the students to make their own observations and ask questions.
This time of year is always bitter sweet. I must separate from the students and families with whom I have built relationships for the past ten months, and yet those students leave me with a social and academic foundation that will facilitate their success in the future.
Those mixed feelings are particularly pronounced this year, as I’ve decided to leave the classroom and take a leadership position with Teach For America. Rather than preparing to receive a new class of four year olds this fall, I will be working to bring cohorts of new teachers to pre-k classrooms across the country as the Director of Growth and Development for TFA’s Early Childhood Education initiative. Placement sites range from Camden, New Jersey and New York City to Houston, Texas and South Dakota. Teach For America’s focus on early childhood supports our overall mission to close the achievement gap. As we select, train, and support teachers committed to laying a strong academic and social foundation during a crucial stage in their students’ development, we hope to expand those students’ opportunities for success in school and beyond.
I will certainly miss directly impacting my students with a supportive classroom culture, individualized instruction, and a print-rich classroom environment. But my success in room 114 has taught me both the incredible prospects of high quality pre-k and the need to bring more intensely driven, passionate teachers to pre-k classrooms. The TFA position affords the opportunity for me to do just that, and will expand my impact and take my passion for early childhood education to the next level.
In the end, my work is about kids and their ability to be successful in school and the larger society. I taught my class both basic skills and the ability to think and problem solve. I also instilled in them the confidence needed to take risks and, in turn, grow as learners in the future. Now, I can be part of a larger effort to ensure that life circumstances at birth do not define and limit the life prospects of children in low-income areas.
This blog has been an invaluable outlet for my own reflections and a source of growth for me as a teacher. Though I’ll no longer be writing for this blog, I look forward to reading and commenting on the experiences of the next person with that privilege. Perhaps that will be you or someone you know? As policymakers and the public continue to consider and evaluate high-quality pre-k for all, the voices of teachers are never more needed in this discourse.
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