The boys were begging for a trip to Five Guys and Tommy Gun's today. So we went... Just the three of us.
They love the peanuts at Five Guys. They can scoop them by themselves and throw the shells on the floor. What more could a guy ask for.
Jake was sure that all of the bags under the peanuts were MORE peanuts. You know, because "people love the peanuts so much so they need lots of extra ones." I told him that they were actually potatoes.
"Why do dey need all of dose potatoes??"
When I told him they use the potatoes to make fries you would have thought I just told him that Mickey Mouse was in the house! His eyes got huge and he exclaimed, "whoa!!! I never knew I loved potatoes so much!!" He had a million questions and theories about how it all worked. How did the farmer pick them? How did they get to the store? How do they turn them into fries? Etc.
It was a long shot... but my mom taught me that the worst anyone can ever say is no... So I went to the counter and asked if the boys could see the potato slicer.
She said "YES"!!!!!!
What happened next was totally awesome. The manager went I to great detail about how to put the machine together, which parts are sharp and why there are parts that are greasy. She took them to the bags of potatoes and let them each pick one out. She let them each cut their potato in the machine. She encouraged them to try a bite of the raw potato. She showed them how to clean up after their job.
I had no idea that my little question could spark a mini- field trip for the kids.
Next time you're out and your little ones have big things that they're wondering about I hope you'll take the time to help them get the answers they're looking for. "Experts" are all around us... We just need to ask.
Happy first day of school. It's such an exciting time of year... for the kids, the teachers and the parents.
I want you to know that my son has all of the required items from the list in his backpack... The pencils are sharpened, each item has his name on it (yes, each crayon, eraser and pencil crayon) and I put fancy laces in his shoes because he can't tie them himself yet. I went to three stores to get the right glue sticks. I got him to bed on time last night.
He. Is. Ready.
Or is he?
You see, he has a lot of great skills.... But letters and printing and sitting quietly aren't on the list. I can't imagine him sitting through a spelling test. Maybe he will luck out and not get one this year. :)
He is unique and quirky and will amaze you often. He loves to play and imagine and create.
I ask that you please take the time to get to know him... To REALLY get to know him. Find something to connect with him. And I ask that you just love him. For who he is. Focus on his strengths rather than his weaknesses. I hope that you reserve a special place in your heart just for him. I hope he's "that kid" that you wonder about years later.
Be good to my boy. He's precious beyond words.
I know you understand, because you're a mom too. And you were probably up late worrying about your kids just like I was.
And know that I understand. Because I'm a teacher too. And as much as I'm excited to meet my new students tomorrow.... My mind will be with my little boy.
I hope you're ready for him.
Have a wonderful year. Thank you for taking him under your wing and teaching him to fly.
I've been working in my classroom all weekend and am so pumped for the little ones to arrive. I was looking around and it's pretty neutral and empty..... and that's INTENTIONAL.
I was thinking about what the parents will think when they come into the room. I can hear their thoughts already. "It's so bare!" "Where's all the colour?" "Did she forget to decorate the bulletin boards?" "Turn the lights on."
But you know what? All of that stuff is on purpose.
I used to get out my rolly cart of laminated teacher stuff and "DO" the bulletin boards. Hmmm, what background colour? What border will I use? What catchy phrase will I plaster on the hallway board with each child's name neatly written on a little icon. Pinterest is full of ideas... they can help. I need to get my carpet seating plan arranged.
I'm not doing that this year.
I've changed.
And I'm excited about that.
Here's how it looks now:
Clean, crisp and ready to be filled with THEIR stuff.. not mine.
Last year I was talking to someone very wise and she said, "When you walk into a space you should know who lives there." And I've never thought about that quite so much. It's true. I'm leaving the canvas blank and letting the kids take part in filling it up. With things that reflect THEM and things that THEY have created... not me. And THEY don't "live" there yet... so it's pretty bare.
The classrooms below are a few things... but ready to take on the personality of those that take up the space they are not!
This little guy is so lucky to have parents that will let him have experiences like this.
Maybe some of you are thinking, "it's too dangerous," "what if he screws through his arm?" or "He should have plastic tools."
But the truth is... He has been shown how to use these tools and he is given permission to be brave. He has adequate supervision and parents that trust him to know what to do.
It's magical to watch. He makes a hole in the pallet, puts the drill in reverse to remove the bit. Then he gets a screw and screwdriver and screws it into the wood. Repeat this process till bedtime and you've got one happy kid.
Moments like these make my heart do a happy dance. Not only is he strengthening his fine motor skills... He's asserting his independence. He's "working" and his work is REAL... Much more real than if he were using a plastic toy hammer. He's being creative and thoughtful. It's awesome.
What started as a random thought last year, has turned into an annual tradition. I think that I will have a Spa Day EVERY YEAR... no matter what grade I'm teaching. Even grade 12 kids would love a spa day (not that I have ANY aspirations of ever teaching grade 12, but you never know). I encourage you to set up a similar experience for the short people in your life.
They L.O.V.E.D. it. Even the macho boys that said they didn't want to come to school because "Spas are for girls" were right into it. One of those boys even went on record saying, "I love Spa day, this is the best day ever!!"
Here are some photos.
See.... not just for girls. :)
Certain stations were really popular... so we needed an appointment book.
Even the dinosaurs were getting massages. Yes, that's a BBQ brush, but it feels nice on your skin.
Yoga Station
We were blessed to have a real hairdresser come in... she came up with some very cool styles.
I am not a Star Wars fan. At all. In fact, I have never even seen a single minute of a single movie (gasp... I know!). But I am a fan of creating special Kindergarten memories. And when the calendar say "May the 4th Be With You," you can bet we're going to celebrate.
The boys in the class were soooooooooooo excited. The girls were too.. just not as much. But when the day came, the girls were just as much into it as the boys were (or perhaps a little more).
So the downfall of this whole plan was that it didn't enter into my mind until May 1..... not leaving me a heck of a lot of time to plan. Fear not... Pinterest to the rescue. Add that to some borrowed toys from our dayhome, a talking Darth Vader mask from a friend, a creative volunteer mom and a basket of toys from one student... and we were GOOD. TO. GO!
We had 2 toy stations and 2 craft stations that the kids rotated through. They all had a blast. We mixed in a lot of time for light saber duels too. I think that the learning assistants might recover eventually. I honestly feel bad for all of the things I ask them to endure in the name of awesome. But it's not about us... it's about the kids. Right? I'm already disappointed that May 4th is a Saturday next year (but I'm sure I'll work something out).
Here are more pictures. Again, the really good ones have kids' faces, so I'm unable to post them. :(
Top Ten Things I learned at Teacher's Convention this year:
10. A session on iPad apps will always be bad if the wifi connection isn't working. That poor presenter.... what do you do when your WHOLE session is web based? :(
9. I still don't know what a MOODLE is... but I probably should... so I didn't put my hand up and ask.
8. The wraps in the cafeteria are just as awesome as they were in the olden days, you know, when I was in college. They are more expensive now.... but worth every penny. I also found out that Betty retired. She made the best wraps.
7. "The success of the education system can be measured by whether or not our kids move back into our basements after college." Profound words from a wonderful session with Yong Zhao (www.zhaolearning.com)
6. It's not as hard to find a parking spot when you show up 20 minutes early. Who knew? I wish I would have known that when I was a student at MHC.
5. "We are all born leaders. But the ones that stand out are those who can be leaders day after day, even when nobody is watching." Thank you Cassie Campbell for your brilliant keynote address. And thank you for bringing back such strong memories and making my eyeballs sweaty with THIS Olympic montage.
4. "The professional code of conduct applies 24/7... there is no "on your own time" when you chose teaching. When you are a teacher you are a role model... of you don't want to be a role model.. don't be a teacher." Great learning in the E-Liability session.
3. It's always great when a huge group of teachers come together to learn and share. It's nice to catch up with old classmates and colleagues... and to see the new faces as well.
2. I will never get tired of looking at the art displays. It's a great place to steal ideas be inspired to come up with new and better projects to highlight student abilities.
And the number ONE thing I learned at Teacher's Convention is....
Recess and lunch are still my favourite subjects (much like my students). It makes me sad to think that schools put so little emphasis on these lovely SOCIAL times for our kiddos.
Thank you to all of the people that made the SEATCA 2012 Convention so awesome. You're the BEST!
All school year we have been saving our juice boxes... and Mrs. MJ takes them to the bottle depot and returns with MONEY..... woooo hoooo. We've been saving up for something awesome. And today was the big moment.
Random Acts of Kindness Day. It's my favourite field trip. Hands Down.
I took our bottle money (OK... I used my debit card.... but the kids don't know that). I bought 17 medium hot chocolates from Timmy Ho's. We taped a little note on the top ("Wishing You a Warm Day... From Mother Teresa Kindergarten... Random Acts of Kindness Project"). We broke off into groups.
And then.
The magic happened.
I love my job!
Each child had a hot chocolate to give away. They were a little nervous. A little excited. And a little unsure what to expect.
We walked through the mall. One child said, "I'm going to save mine for the bus driver." Awwwwww. The look on his face was priceless.
Another child said, "I'll take it to her, she looks thirsty." Another insisted that she wanted to take her hot chocolate to the "XBOX Guy" (EB Games store). And everyone that we met was THRILLED with our project (although some were a little confused).
We intended to catch people off guard. We intended to bless strangers. We intended to make someone's day.
Mission Accomplished.
And those short people learned that it only takes a little to make a big difference. $27 to be exact. :)
I say it often... "It you're going to make a mistake.... at least make it count."
Today we put that into action.
Let me tell you the story.....
In an effort to save money and create AWESOME experiences for the kids... I decided to use the City Bus as a way to get around town for a few of our field trips. Now I know that it's not smart to take a city bus to the pumpkin patch out of town or to the opposite end of the city. But you'd think that a trip downtown to the public library should be pretty simple. I assured our parents that it would be fun and they'd learn a lot. I got the transit route map... we phoned to tell them that we were coming... we confirmed our times and our routes... I typed out a detailed (to the minute) itinerary for us... we went to the stop early and froze our butts off.
The kids had a wonderful time at the Public Library... John the Storytelling guy is so incredibly perfect for that job. He has a gift, there's no doubt.
We met a few interesting characters on the bus. Who knew that you could fit an entire social studies curriculum into one city bus ride? One guy had a plastic bag of empties to take back to the recycle depot... maybe he works there too... I'm not sure. The bag was leaking mystery liquids onto the bus floor. The guy was practicing his stand-up comedy routine on us. And telling me how he hopes none of the kids are his... ha ha ha... I assured him that they were all accounted for. :) When he stood up, the smells from his bag wafted the area... yucky rotten beer smell. My little buddy B got SUPER excited and yelled out, "I SMELL BACON!!" Hahahahahahaahahaahahaah... I think I peed my pants laughing... although nobody noticed because of all of the other liquids on the floor.
In the morning it worked perfectly. Exactly as planned.
We have 2 classes. 22 morning kids. 16 afternoon kids.
The afternoon... well, that's another story:
We went to the bus stop early (as indicated by the itinerary). We stood outside, kindergarten popsicles. We waited.... and waited... and waited. Finally I called the Transit line. My call was important to them. And they were experiencing a high volume of calls. I hung up after 6 minutes. I don't think my call was all that important to them. I saw another bus on the other side of the road.... and I gave him the "what the heck?" signal. He stopped and told me I just missed the bus. I tell him that isn't possible... we had been standing out there for twenty minutes. He says, "NO! you have not." I assure him that we had been and had the cold noses to prove it. He says, "I tell you, flat out, NO, it is not possible." I had all sorts of things I wanted to tell that man.... but out of respect for my school and the lovely children entrusted to me... I refrained.
We got onto his bus. Going in the wrong direction. But to a terminal that would take us downtown.
Well... Mr. slowpoke rude pants didn't tell me it would take us a whole hour to get downtown.
What do you think happened next?
I bet you're just dying to know.... or you're just dying for the Reader's Digest version. Either way, you're still here.
We got to the mall. Instead of transferring to another bus... we decided to make a field trip at the mall. I called the Library and told John we couldn't join him. :( I called the school secretary to tell her that we weren't where we said we would be (that was responsible of me).
We had exactly 8 minutes to get to Santa's Workshop before he left for his afternoon nap. We HUSTLED to see Santa. Santa was THRILLED to see us!! We got into the line right before another school group... phew! Mrs. Clause sang carols with the kids that were waiting. 1 kid sat on Santa's lap and said, "I have to go peeeeee."
It was awesome. We were rolling with the punches. We were going with the flow. We were making lemonade when life handed us lemons.
Then... yes... there's more.... THE POWER WENT OUT AT THE MALL!! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! It's like the whole day was some kind of joke.
Santa kept seeing kids. Mrs. Clause kept singing. The skylights provided just enough light to get the pictures. Somehow, Mrs. S found a flashlight to take the "I have to go peeeee kids" (there were 3 of them by now) to the bathroom in the dark.
Again, we were rolling with the punches.
When it was all over we left. Surprise, surprise.. Mr. Polite bus driver was the one taking us back to school. We met more interesting bus friends. It all worked out.
The moral of the story: Do more fundraising. Book less trips. Whatever you do... don't take the city bus with a group of kindergarteners on a time limit.
Quick share: We've been playing an old game a new way in gym. We call it "What letter is it Mr. Wolf?" (although I'm sure there is a more witty name out there). The kids really like it. Just like "what time is it Mr. Wolf?", the kids ask what letter and take one step for each letter. It forces them to say and move to the alphabet in a rhythmic pattern.... not just following the beat of the ABC's song. They are starting to realize that elemeno isn't one letter.... and they are learning where letters are placed in the alphabet by seeing how far they go once a certain letter is called and having to choose a letter that is appropriate for the distance (ie.. if they're close, you can't pick 't'). We haven't quite figured out what to say when it's "LUNCHTIME..." for now we say "ALPHABET SOUP!!" We also change it up by doing crab walks, bear walks, bunny hops or crawling instead of taking giant steps. Anything to get those little guys sweaty. ;) It's not up for game of the year or anything... just wanted to share it with you. Happy Albhabetting. :)
This morning I was driving to work and noticed a guy... a fence-building kind of guy. He was walking along freshly placed fence posts (a project that started about a week ago). He carefully took the time to wiggle each post... making sure it was secure. Then he checked to make sure that each post was level. Whatever happened next is unknown to me... I kept driving. I guess I'll see the progress when I drive by again tomorrow.
I started thinking that if I was ever having a fence built, I would hope that the "builder guy" (as Jake calls them) would have that same attention to detail. I would be upset if they just rushed through the job and my fence blew over in 3 years.
Then, it struck me.... the "AH HA MOMENT!"
In the workforce we want employees that ensure a job is done PROPERLY. That people are paying attention to those little details. That things are not rushed through just to get it done quickly.
But in our classrooms, well, mine anyway.... we tend to rush through everything. GO... pray, GO.... snack, HURRY.... late for Music, QUICK... to the bathroom, No time for a story at the end of the day.... etc, etc, etc. We even have a fast version of our goodbye song (for when the parents are already there and we aren't quite done).
YIKES!!! How am I training these little TIKES?
What kind of workers will they be?
Will they be rushing the day away task by task, feeling like they haven't really done a decent job of anything.
Is life a series of checkmarks on a to-do list?
For me, it seems to be (lately anyway). And it's the kids that are missing out.
WERE missing out.
I'm going to change my outlook. I'm going to focus on slowing down and REALLY experiencing things. We'll take our time getting to music (the kids can't tell time anyway.... they don't know we're late). I'll let them glue on that last piece of ribbon, even if I already called for clean-up time.
If we don't get to everything.... I'm going to be OK with it. If an idea exists... and it doesn't happen... the kids won't know. They won't care either. And at the end of the day I'd rather them have one hundred QUALITY experiences than 62 Bajillion rushed experiences.
Enjoy taking time with the short people in your life. They deserve it.... so do you.
This lady is amazing.... and, well, that is a gross understatement. Carolyn is "the speech lady," but as anyone who knows her knows, she is sooooooo much more. Carolyn brings excitement and learning to EVERYTHING.
Let me tell you about how she saved the pumpkin patch day..............
Our initial Pumpkin Patch farm visit had to be cancelled because of a school scheduling conflict. We begged a local pumpkin farmer (can't name the farm because I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate every Kindergarten teacher in the city calling them for tours and free pumpkins). The date was set... I couldn't go (meetings)... so "Mrs. F" (the sub) was up for the challenge.
Everything was set up. Nametags out. Bus booked. Reminder bracelets sent home. Gardening scissors ready. Camera battery charged.
And then... it rained.... and rained... and rained.
I sent the Plan B plans and moved on.... knowing that this just wasn't our year for pumpkins. :(
And then, CAROLYN GOT AN IDEA (I love when that happens).
PLAN C.
Send 2 moms out to pick up the pumpkins from the farm.
Move the tables out of the middle of the room.
Lay down a giant tarp.
Skipping ropes for vines.
Everyone cut out a paper leaf to attach to the vine.
Read "It's Pumpkin Time."
Kids take a pumpkin and attach it to their leaf.
Smile for a picture.
Read another pumpkin story.
Everyone takes their pumpkin home.
Free.
Easy.
AWESOME.
Thanks Mrs. Carolyn. I am so blessed to have you on our team.
Look at these leaves... same plant, same vine, same climate, same hours of sunlight per day, same amount of precipitation...... but VERY different otherwise.
I've been admiring the changing leaves a lot this fall. But over and over again, I find myself pondering why certain leaves and trees change sooner than others. I'm sure that a Horticulturalist could explain the process to me using fancy terms like photosynthesis and chlorophyll.... but I prefer to use this 'phenomenon' as an analogy (I kind of have a thing for analogies... maybe you've noticed).
The group of trees represent different cities. Each Tree represents one school. Each branch represents a classroom in that school. Each leaf is a student in that classroom.
By now you're either thinking that I'm nuts or you're intrigued. Either way, you're still reading... that's positive ;)
It's amazing how closely nature represents humans in this scenario.
2 leaves.
Side by side.
Both getting EXACTLY the same thing.
Both facing the same "elements."
But both reacting TOTALLY differently to their environment.
Same goes for students in a classroom, classrooms in a school, and schools in a city.
It is POSSIBLE to give each student EXACTLY the same programming (not smart... just possible). But even when doing so, each child will respond differently to the teaching style, the physical environment and the social situation.
So, instead, I challenge you to treat every leaf on your trees as beautiful and unique. Give each one of them exactly what they NEED... not exactly what everyone else is getting.
Well.... the moment we've all been waiting for... THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!
Last week was "Staggered Entry" where the kids came in small groups for 30 minutes each.
But today was the REAL DEAL!
The FIRST DAY.
I'd be lying if I said it was smooth sailing. Or if I said I wasn't stressed. Or if I said everything went as planned.
But according to the short people... all of them would agree that it was awesome.
I just LOVE the looks on their faces on the first day of school. It's comparable to the faces you'd see at Mickey's House in Disneyland. They are fascinated. Everything is so magical. They don't notice that the teacher feels frazzled. They don't notice that their moms are leaving with tears in their eyes. Those things don't matter when you've just found a little chair at a little table with YOUR NAME ON IT!
My reality: I only have 3 hours a day with these little ones... I need to make the most of it. Which, to clarify, DOES NOT mean that we are doing flash cards and worksheets all day. Actually, it's the opposite. I want to create QUALITY experiences that will teach much more than any worksheet ever could. It became obvious IMMEDIATELY that we have some issues with scissoring and hand dominance... and maybe a few "my way or the highway" attitudes. ;) The typical things... and more will pop up as we go. But overall it was fun... It was great... and we dove right in.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the school year.
I've been thinking about the topic of "INCLUSION" a lot lately... and I just wanted to get some of my thoughts out there.
As a teacher, Inclusion means that everyone belongs and everyone will have their needs met while they are in my care.
As a parent, Inclusion means that my children are all different and I need to treat them as such.
As a Christian, Inclusion means that I need to see people as Jesus sees them... PERFECT in every aspect.
As a member of society, Inclusion means that we must respect the human RIGHTS of others and enable EVERYONE to be a part of the world we share.
What does "INCLUSION" mean to you?
So many people think of this buzz word "inclusion," as a school thing. But, stop to think about it... no, REALLY THINK about it... INCLUSION is actually a HUMAN thing.
Wheel chair accessible parks and trails, Handicapped parking stalls, Welfare programs, our Canadian medicare system, drug rehabilitation centres, various occupations requiring various levels of education, TTY phone systems, Gluten free menus, etc, etc, etc, etc... the list goes on and on. Little accommodations to make the world (or our country anyway) accessible to all.
Just as ALL people have a right to exist and have their needs met in society, so too do ALL children have a right to an education. It might not look the same as the student sitting in the desk next to them... but FAIR does not mean that everyone gets the SAME treatment. FAIR means that everyone gets what they NEED.
I leave you with this wonderful poem. If you have ever loved anyone with a disability, hidden or not, you will be touched by these words:
The Misunderstood Child A poem about children with hidden disabilities by Kathy Winters
I am the child that looks healthy and fine.
I was born with ten fingers and toes.
But something is different, somewhere in my mind,
And what it is, nobody knows.
I am the child that struggles in school,
Though they say that I'm perfectly smart.
They tell me I'm lazy -- can learn if I try --
But I don't seem to know where to start.
I am the child that won't wear the clothes
Which hurt me or bother my feet.
I dread sudden noises, can't handle most smells,
And tastes -- there are few foods I'll eat.
I am the child that can't catch the ball
And runs with an awkward gait.
I am the one chosen last on the team
And I cringe as I stand there and wait.
I am the child with whom no one will play --
The one that gets bullied and teased.
I try to fit in and I want to be liked,
But nothing I do seems to please.
I am the child that tantrums and freaks
Over things that seem petty and trite.
You'll never know how I panic inside,
When I'm lost in my anger and fright.
I am the child that fidgets and squirms
Though I'm told to sit still and be good.
Do you think that I choose to be out of control?
Don't you know that I would if I could?
I am the child with the broken heart
Though I act like I don't really care.
Perhaps there's a reason God made me this way --
Some message he sent me to share.
For I am the child that needs to be loved
And accepted and valued too.
I am the child that is misunderstood.
I am different - but look just like you.
[Kathy Winters is a part-time writer and full-time mother of three. She has a 14-year-old son with Asperger Syndrome and an 11-year-old son with ADHD/Tourettes Syndrome.
90% of School Staff don't know the custodian's name (I made that statistic up just now).... but seriously, does anyone have ANY idea how hard these people work??
The custodian at my school is "Irena," "Mrs. G." and "MY HERO!"
NOBODY on our staff works as hard as she does.... NOBODY. While the school sits empty over the summer, while many of us are on holidays, sipping margaritas, hanging out at the lake, getting a tan..... and NOT working....... Irena is busting her butt (literally) to get the school in tip-top shape for the fall.
She is at the school at 6:30 every morning.
She carries a sweat towel... she needs it.
She moves the furniture in EVERY room... from one side of the room to the other... cleans, strips, waxes, shampoos.... and then moves EVERY piece of furniture to the other side of the room.... cleans, strips, waxes, shampoos... and then puts everything back into place as if she was never there.... she also dusts everything and washes the handprints from the previous year off of EVERYTHING!
She does the same thing in the hallways...
She also does the same thing in the gym.
Gyms are not small..... not sure if you have noticed.
Today she did the gym floors while the Air Conditioning was off in the school. It was 31 degrees outside... and about 400 degrees inside (slight exaggeration).
WOW... I'm sweaty just thinking about that.
The bottom line: The people that get the least recognition, the least respect and the least appreciation... deserve it the most.
Tomorrow... I'm going to take Irena a slurpee... and a timbit (well, maybe I'll think of a treat that is less geared to my three-year-old) and give her a big hug and the most sincere thank you she has ever received. She deserves it. Speaking of things she deserves... how about an assistant? I'll put in a good word for her. ;)
