we sing our little hearts out

When I was in grade 3 I was asked to play the cymbals in the school Christmas concert.  They didn't want me singing.

Oh, well.

Since I was 8, I have learned to find the right note most of the time, and we do a lot of singing and moving and dancing in the classroom.


I have music playing when I welcome the kids in at the beginning of the morning.

One of my favourites is Jack Johnson's Sing-a-longs and Lullabies.  Here's We are Gonna be Friends.


The helper for the day always gets to have a song about their name.  The class favourite is a Jack Hartmann song  - The Name Game.

Click the picture of Jack to hear The Name Game


My favourite classroom song is our clean up song.  And not just because it's when the classroom begins to be put back to rights again!  It's just a super cool song.

We clean up and dance to Oh My Goodness Look at this Mess by Sweet Honey In the Rock.  The song lasts 3 minutes and 20 seconds and has a great beat and fabulous words.  (Read more about clean up here.)

O my goodness look at this mess
I'm the one who made it I do confess
O my goodness look at this mess
I guess I better clean it up.

a few fabulous verses, and then this at the end of the song

O my good ness look at me
Accepting responsibility
O my goodness look at me
Growing up positively

You can have a 30 second listen on Sweet Honey in the Rock's myspace page.

It's a 99 cent download on itunes. 

I'm linked up with Rachel at Teaching with Z for her favourite classroom songs linky.  Rachel has invited teachers to "chat with her in the hallway" about their favourite songs for transition times.


We sing lots.  We sing loud.  And no one is asked to play the cymbals!


use your noodle

I have been coveting Montessori number rods for a couple of years.


Sadly, they don't fit my budget;  I even investigated making some.  (I asked my husband to buy me some wood and cut it to the right lengths - but he bought the wrong grade wood, and they have been sitting at the back of my car's trunk for over a year).

 I have been number rod-less ... until now.

Now my rods do not look as sleek and smooth as the ones that Maria Montessori created ... because my rods are made with pool noodles!

Grabbed a few noodles from my noodle stash. (Had some left over from making swords, and have bought a few more in "must have" colours!)


I marked cutting lines - 10cm, 20cm, 30cm all the way to 100 cm, and cut the noodles to the correct lengths.  I used a break knife, not a saw; the saw helped me keep my cutting edge level.  


I alternated the colours to provide some differentiation. 


I wavered back and forth whether I should print the numbers on the rod or not.  Numbers won.


And then I played counting. 


the 7 rod and the 3 rod are as big as the 10 rod
the 1 rod and the 2 rod and the 4 rod and the 3 rod are as big as the 10 rod
the 6 rod and the 4 rod are as big as the 10 rod

Now, unorthodox though they might be, I have counting rods -- oops, counting noodles.

I'm going to cheat a little bit here.

These were made, but not by me.

A former student, current high school art student and family friend wanted a project.  I was happy to oblige.



It all works with the rock thing that I have going on this summer.


I am enjoying reading all the posts about teachers setting up their classrooms and getting ready for the new school year.  ('specially since I have another month of summer holiday)

A lot of blogs are posting about Whole Brain Teaching.  I ran across it a couple of years ago, and have incorporated some strategies into my classroom.

But there are some things that just don't sit right with me.

Humour me ....


setting the scene
source: Hub Pages

after school one day a couple of weeks after school has started for the year

a parent (Mrs. Jones)  has asked to have a meeting with the teacher, Ms Smith, about her daughter Amanda (all names are products of my limited imagination and do not refer to real people)

they chat pleasantly for a few minutes about how much Amanda is enjoying school, that she is adjusting well to new routines and is getting along well with her classmates.

Mrs. Jones:  Amanda has been showing me your class rules at home.  She has learned them really well - actions and everything.

Ms. Smith:  The kids really do seem to be learning our class rules well. We say them as a class a couple of times a day, and everyone gets turns to be the class leader.

Mrs. Jones:  I'm wondering if these rules are something that you thought up, or are they from some program or something like that?

Ms. Smith:  They actually come from a way of teaching that I am really excited about - Whole Brain Teaching.  It's a way of teaching that engages students by teaching the way that the brain works best while incorporating a behaviour management system.

Mrs. Jones:  Tell me about these rules that Amanda keeps showing me actions for.

Ms. Smith:  Well, there are five rules.
1. Follow directions quickly.
2. Raise your hand to speak.
3. Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat.
4. Make smart choices.
5. Keep your dear teacher happy.

Mrs. Jones:  I really like the "make smart choices" one.

Ms. Smith:  Yes, that's a good one, but the one that is nuclear power is the fifth rule - "keep your dear teacher happy".  There are no loop holes in that one, because I know what kind of behaviour makes me happy.

Mrs. Jone:  Mmmmm.  But is is really my child's job to make you happy.

Ms. Smith: I really want to be the best teacher that I can be for this class.  The happier I am, the better teacher I can be.

Mrs. Jones:  I am afraid that I still do not see that your happiness is Amanda's responsibility.  I want Amanda to learn what's right and wrong, to be a respectful and responsible member of a community, and to base her actions on that, not what someone says will make them happy.  I want her to think for herself and to make smart choices.

Ms. Smith:  Oh, Amanda is making very smart choices ...

Mrs. Jones:  I want Amanda to be responsible for her own happiness, not for anyone else's.  I have been thinking about this, and I want to give you some scenarios.  Amanda's friend Francine says that it will make her happy if Amanda gives her the treat that is packed in her lunch for dessert.

Ms. Smith: But it's not Amanda's job to make Francine happy.

Mrs. Jones:  When she is a teenager, Amanda may well have a boyfriend.  He may well say to her, "It will make me happy if you x, y and z".  Not her job to make him happy.

Ms Smith:  I am sure that Amanda will know her own mind ...

Mrs. Jones:  And this scenario is something that I hope would never happen, but we know that it has, and does,  And this is no reflection at all on you.  What if you are away one day, and there is a substitute teacher.  This teacher tells Amanda that it will make him happy if she stays inside at recess and sits on his lap while they read a story together.


Rule number 5 is nuclear power.  Never been a fan of nuclear weapons.  The potential for destruction is just too great.

my two cents



ps  on a lighter note - go hang out with Pete - he's having a party.


introverts are people too

Between 1/3  and 1/2 of the kids in our classes are introverts (Susan Cain). 

That does not mean that they are "shy".  

That does not mean that they don't like to talk.

That does not mean that they don't know how to make friends.



It means that these kids need time to be in a quiet space and time to be alone with their thoughts.

Extroverts get energy from being surrounded by interactions with other people; introverts need alone time to recharge.

Earlier this year I read a wonderful book by Susan Cain - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. 

Susan Cain is also  a highly regarded TED speaker (2.5 million views).  She is well worth the listen.

                                  

Cain argues that we live in a "culture of personality" where extroversion is the ideal, and that those who are not gregarious and don't thrive on being the life of the party are at a cultural disadvantage.
But Caine states that we are all missing out if we only hear the loud voices of the extrovert.  Introverts tend to be creative and are careful, reflective thinkers.  Introverts can be effective leaders who make considered decisions and are not looking for personal glory. Van Gogh's Sunflowers and the personal computer are gifts from introverts to the world.

Back to the classroom.  (yup, that's me by my classroom door)


How can we meet the learning needs of the introverts in our rooms?

Here is my list for the care and teaching of introverts.

1.  provide space where a child can choose to be by themselves - and no one can come and take over the space or activity

2.  ensure that the classroom environment is not overstimulating

“They feel at their most alive and their most switched-on and their most capable when they’re in quieter, more low-key environments…a lot of the time."      
― Susan CainQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking                                                                   
3.  leave time to think - a quick answer is not always the best answer

4.  make sure that everyone who wants to has an opportunity to contribute to discussions, not only the most vocally assertive

“While the introvert is reflecting on the question (thinking first), the extrovert takes this as an invitation to fill the void (talking first). As long as the introvert doesn’t interrupt, the extrovert continues to fill the interpersonal space with talk. But as long as the extrovert talks, the introvert can’t think and stays mute. Mute means the invitation is still open, and continued talk assures that the introvert remains mute. By the time the extrovert pauses to ask, the introvert’s head is pounding and he or she just wants to get out so she can think. The extrovert just assumes the introvert had nothing to say, and moves on.”
― Laurie HelgoeIntrovert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength

5.  nurture their passions

6.  allow the child to be by themselves or with a friend rather than with a noisy crowd without insinuating there is anything wrong with that choice  (ie.  Jonny does not make friends easily

"at school you might have been prodded to come “out of your shell”—that noxious expression which fails to appreciate that some animals naturally carry shelter everywhere they go, and that some humans are just the same.”

7.  remember that constant groupwork (especially a rotation of different groups)  is like walking on hot coals

“We know we only have so much energy for reaching out; if we’re going to invest, we want it to be good.”
― Laurie HelgoeIntrovert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength

8.  make space for collaboration with interested people - it sparks creativity 

9. do not refer to the child as "shy" - "shy" denotes anxiety and is something that is expected that we "get over"


“The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some, it's a Broadway spotlight; for others, a lamplit desk. Use your natural powers -- of persistence, concentration, and insight -- to do work you love and work that matters. Solve problems. make art, think deeply.”
― Susan Cain



or, it might be the soft glow of a lantern at night ...




ps   Parenting From Scratch has a fabulous post about raising an introverted child.   
One of my jobs as a kindergarten teacher is to help parents allow their children to be independent.

No taking off shoes and organizing their stuff for them at drop off time in the morning.


No carrying backpacks for them after school.

They might be short, but kindergarten kids are beyond capable.

There are 2 hours left of Wednesday in my time zone.

Here are my words worth remembering.



Step away from that child.  She can do it herself.

On a completely different note - there's a Pete Party happening.  And you are invited.  Link up any and all of your old, new, shoes, school or button Pete posts.








colour in jars 

In my classroom one of the many things that I want for my kidlets, is for them to feel creative.  I want them to be artists.

So, one of my tasks is to provide inspiration and materials.

Sometimes that rolls into one.


When I am looking for ideas and inspiration how to make my classroom environment inviting and an integral part of my students' leaning (Reggio Emilia's third teacher), my go to resource is Designs for Living and Learning by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. It is a fabulous resources that never fails to both challenge and inspire me.


They show and discuss learning spaces that are set up so that art materials are available to the children, and are arranged beautifully.

I don't have an atelier (workshop in a Reggio school), but I can arrange pencil crayons so that they invite creativity.


We have shared crayons in regular old pencil boxes.

But when someone wants to be an artist, to think about shades of colour, they very carefully carry the artists pencils to where they want to create.


And if they want paper, they can take it from the paper bins.


With readily available materials, the kidlets can create with intention.

Whatever colour you choose, it's all good.







A couple of weeks ago, I saw some strawberry painted rocks on a friend's facebook page.  If you put them in your strawberry bed, they are supposed to keep the birds from eating the strawberries for your strawberry shortcake.


I am a little skeptical of their bird effectiveness, but thought that they would be a fun way to bring nature into the classroom.

My friend and teaching buddy decided that we would make them together while we attended a kindergarten institute. (We were the only ones arriving at our accommodation with a bag full of beach rocks, red spray paint and a variety of colours of acrylic latex!)

step 1
rocks on newspaper on the grass in a hidden corner

step 2
red spray paint (I kept waiting for someone to ask me what I was doing on a university campus with a can of spray paint - guess I just don't look bad a$$ enough!)


Let the painting begin!

step 3
We used a mixture of three different greens to paint the leaves at what was determined to be the top of the strawberry.


step 4
Paint on the seeds.  We used white paint.  I guess you could use black too.


step 5 
I sprayed the finished strawberries with a varathane spray to protect them and give them a bit of shine.


I think they look pretty good.

A basket of beautiful strawberries to be used as math manipulatives, for counting, sorting, to put out with a book (like Audrey and Don Wood's The Little Mouse, the Big Red Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear), or for inviting the imagination to play.



  


       


Pete the Cat rocks.


And so do the fabulous  and creative people who create wonderful Pete the Cat activities.

I have seen great ideas, printables and theme packs all over blogland.

And I thought -- wouldn't it be great to be able to find everything Pete all in one place?

So, link up ALL your Pete posts - old, new, shoes, school or buttons, activity, freebie, for sale - just so long as it is Pete.



Pete Linky


Remember to add the linky button, and link up with your post url (not your blog url).  

I can't wait to see all the Pete ideas.  Definitely all good.

Earlier this week, a linky party that Not Just Child's Play is holding caught my eye.

She asked "if you could choose one character from a children's story to describe yourself -- who would it be?"

No worries -- I thought.  Sounds like fun.

Not so easy. A lot harder than I thought.

Pooh thinking - not a clue to my literary doppelganger. 
So, I figured I had to change the rules - just a wee bit.  Maybe just bending them.

I found two literary characters that I think are maybe a bit like me - and that I would like to be more like them.

(Sorry, Miss Travers.  I hope you will forgive the rule bending.)

As a girl, I loved reading about girls who made an impact in their world - read all the Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria, Amelia Earhart, Madame Curie books that were in my local public library.

I also loved Pipi Longstocking.


The girl is unconventional but has common sense wisdom, wears whatever she wants to, is fiercely loyal, knows her own mind and acts on it, has a strong sense of justice, respect for those who deserve it and a bag of gold coins at her disposal.

The girl even got her own stamp!

No red hair, no pigtails, no pirate papa and no bag of gold coins hidden in the dresser.  But I sure like her.

Another strong girl, who cares not what she wears, who thinks outside the box, is willing to make unconventional choices to do what is best for her is Elizabeth, wearer of paper bags, follower of horses bones, confounder of dragons and rescuer of princes.

I love that the Paperbag Princess did what she needed to do to rescue Prince Ronald, and that when he was not worthy of her, she broke with convention and went off to live a wonderful adventurous life --without him.  

Never had a castle, and am married to the guy that I started dating at 19.  And I love Princess Elizabath's spunk.  She has it over the Disney Princesses any day of week.

I figure that both these girls rock, and I want to claim them as my kids lit doppelgangers.

Claim your kids lit character doppelganger.  

Visit Not Just Child's Play and link up. 

Not wanting to be left out of the linky party party, I have one up my sleeve.  It has to do with books - 'cause that seems to be a theme right now.

Watch out for it in the next couple of days.






the play's the thing - W. Shakespeare

Well, if Mr. Shakespeare, says so, then it must be so.

We are not erudite enough to tackle Hamlet, Macbeth or even Midsummer Night's Dream (although an incredibly gifted teacher from Stratford, Ontario has created a series called Shakespeare for Kids - Shakespeare plays adapted for children to perform.

So, we looked for a dramatic experience a little closer to home.


After I read the story a few times, and we retell it a few more times, we are ready for our moments in the spotlight.

We need a Max.  He will need a crown.  Luckily there is one in the dress up area.

We need a mom. She makes soup.  We will need a bowl and spoon.

And we need wild things.  Got that covered.

A part for everyone.

Oh, and maybe a narrator - someone who doesn't feel that any of the other roles are just right for them - at this point in their career - don't want to be typecast or anything.

And a couple of people for sound effects .... and props.

And the story begins with the entire cast sitting in a circle.

Well, you know the story that the narrator reads/tells.  Max gets a little out of hand and speaks rudely to  his mother and then threatens cannibalism.  He has to go to his room and figure out a better way to do things.

Usually both actors are very gifted in these roles.

Now the wild things have to show their versatility - they have to show the walls becoming the world all around, an ocean tumbling by, a boat, and finally their piece de resistance - the wild things - terrible eyes, terrible claws

Max has an opportunity for his 15 seconds of fame.  He can tame all those wild things by staring into all their yellow eyes (no blinking, now), and show them who's king.  (Props manager gets crown.)

Wild rumpus  ...  sound effects specialists get to work ...  classroom gets a little noisy ...

But Max gets it all under control.  He sends those wild things to bed, no supper.

Max explores another arena of emotion - introspection.  How is he going to show that he is lonely and  wants to go home?

Back to the wild things.  They get to show their terrible eyes and claws again - this time with a tinge of sadness.  Private boat, tumbling ocean and walls of Max's room.

Props manager quietly puts soup bowl and soup in the room.

The soup is hot and all is peaceful.

Repeat a few more times.

I have a toy Max and some Wild Things for replaying the story and for those who want to check out their directorial skills.


Link up with Barb at Grade ONEderful with your drama queen adventures - have your fifteen minutes of fame!



ps  I really hope that you sang the post title with ABBA flair.
Let nature be your teacher.  -- William Wordsworth

We aren't outside playing and learning all the time (even though one of my goals for the next school year is to have more learning time outside), so we have to bring outside into the classroom.

So, bits and pieces of nature find their way into the classroom.


Baskets of rocks, shells, pinecones and sticks have permanent homes in the classroom.  

And they get used for all sorts of things.  

At the ice cream stand, a small rock got you a single scoop, a medium rock paid for a double scoop and a triple was worth a big rock. 

 A stick becomes a set of weights for a superhero.

Shells and rocks are part of a fairy garden.

Rocks and peat moss make a dinosaur skeleton habitat.

found on the table in the house area

a natural table centrepiece for fine dining Friday 

roasting marshmallows on a campfire

building with sticks and log blocks

Some things are seasonal and come and go.

measuring with corn stalks provided by a girl in the class
After measuring, we ate corn on the cob.

We rarely get snow, so when we did,
 we played with it inside in the sand table as well as outside.

nests and egg shells

plastic (and real) bugs in a a moss garden

a snail found outside
was given a new and temporary home on a classroom plant

Storing school supplies and toys in baskets, as well as having them available for play, incorporates natural materials into the classroom environment.  The vast majority (all but a couple) have been purchased at thrift shops for under $1 each.

I love when kids bring fabulous finds from nature into the classroom to share with the class.  It so often provides those magical teaching moments - and then ongoing investigation and exploration.

Using natural loose materials for learning and playing allows my naturalist learners (one of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences) to connect with an indoor environment, and allows my little technology experts to experience playing with non digital media.

How do you bring outside inside?

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