A is for Acceptance, L is for Love

          Every school year starts as a clean slate with a whole new group of kids, parents, surprises, challenges, failures and successes. In some years patience is hard to find and  requires digging a little bit deeper to find a little glimmer of what’s left and some years things run more smoothly from start to finish and teaching is a bit more effortless.

          This year, even though it’s almost June, We're still working on walking quietly in the hallway, remembering to raise a hand when you have something important to say, not fooling around in the bathroom when you have a job to do, and teaching kids to be kind and respectful, this has been one of those years of digging just a little bit deeper.

            This year has had its challenges, but when I look back on the past 9 months, (and I’m convinced it’s no coincidence that the school year is the same length as an average pregnancy) and I think about how far they have come, I know that the year has been successful in ways that I haven’t necessarily noticed day to day.

                        I have learned a lot from these children.

            I’ve learned that classroom management is ever evolving. Every teacher has a bag of tricks we pull out to create a safe and happy learning environment and just when you think that after lots of years you have it down, you don’t. You need to abandon some of those tricks and find new ones and there is never a guarantee that those will work. But you keep trying because teachers don’t give up on anyone.

             This year more than ever I have realized the importance of being on a team, the realization that I can’t, or wouldn’t want to do this alone, that some days the only thing that gets me through the door are the people  I get to work with everyday.

            I was reminded that every child has a gift even those that try my patience everyday, those that come with academic challenges, or difficult lives outside of school. Those kids are the ones I work at the hardest. Getting them to like coming to school everyday and engaged in the things we are learning, getting them to persevere and try their best even when they would much rather be playing video games or running around outside.

            I’ve learned that even the shyest kid will eventually come around and show his true personality if I can show him that it’s safe to let it out.

            I’ve learned that sometimes my expectations of a child’s ability is out of whack and they surprise me with the things they are capable of, or let me know when it’s time to back off a bit and just let a kid sit quietly in a corner with a good book.

            I was reminded that a sibling is never like the one that came before and sometimes this is a pleasant surprise!

            I learned that every family is unique and important and each and every parent wants what’s best for their child and I was reminded that every child is somebody’s baby.

            I’ve learned that there is always something new to learn, about children and families, moms, dads, new baby sisters, big brothers, dinosaurs, The Force (although I’m pretty much an expert on all things Star Wars).

            I’ve learned more about bravery this year than I ever expected to. I’ve seen children take risks that many adults are unable to take and I become a bit emotional when I realize how fortunate I am to have been here to witness it, support it and be a part of it.

            This year I’ve had to teach more about acceptance than any other year, and occasionally it’s the adults in our building that I’ve had to educate more so than the kids. Kids are pretty accepting little creatures especially in kindergarten. Kids don’t notice color, or gender or disabilities, and if they do, they aren’t afraid to ask a question and deserve an honest answer. Lucky for me they are also pretty satisfied with the simple answers.

                So this year even though I’m tired, really, really tired and very ready for summer, this year, this team and these kids have, in many ways, made me a better teacher and I will be forever grateful for that.

           

S is for Snowflakes

"The thing about "snowflakes" is this: They are beautiful and unique, but in large numbers become an unstoppable avalanche that will bury you." @GeorgeTakei

 This election cycle has sucked me in and spit me out.

Confidence, pride, disbelief, shock, sadness, disgust, fear, hope, empowerment. I've felt them all.

I was an active participant in the No on Two Movement, which kept the cap on Charter Schools in our state. I stuck a bumper sticker to my car, I made phone calls, I held a sign, I talked to anyone I could about this important vote.  I was more worried about this passing than I was about the Presidential Election. I was confident my candidate would win, the polls said so, why worry?
I've always been a firm believer that my local government is more important to my day to day happiness than who is sitting in The White House.
I was proud to exercise my right to vote, I was about to vote for the first woman President of the United States, a historic vote to be sure considering not so very long ago I wouldn't have been able to cast a vote at all.
As I watched the results come in, it was clear the charter school cap would remain. I was thrilled and settled in to watch as the rest of the evening unfolded.
As more and more state results were called I sat in disbelief. No, this really can't be happening. What went wrong, how could this be? The questions were endless. I tried to go to bed, I couldn't sleep. I got up the next morning feeling as if I had been run over by a truck. She was so much more qualified, intelligent, well spoken, reasonable!
Although my candidate lost the election, she IS the choice of the majority but that is of small consolation. He is The President now. I can respect the office, but I'll be honest, I'm having a very hard time respecting the man.
I couldn't bring myself to watch the inauguration, I'm proud to live in a country where the transfer or power is indeed peaceful, but I couldn't watch. I couldn't. It's not about being a sore loser, it's not about his politics, it's not that I'm a registered Democrat and he's not. Had any of the other Republican candidates been elected I would have been disappointed, but I could have accepted it.
I don't support anything he represents and I'm fearful for my family, my students, my friends and what this administration is going to mean for us and the things we care about. Especially those who are two young to speak for themselves.
Inauguration night I was sitting with my youngest talking. We were both obviously sad. He told me how weird it felt for him that Barack Obama was no longer our president.
"He's been The President for half my life mom."  "I'll be in college by the time we can vote Trump out." "But this time you'll get to vote!", I told him.
I have no doubt, that like my older two boys, he'll be a thoughtful voter. He'll pay attention to the issues and he'll do his research. He'll be opinionated and he'll be able to back up his opinion.
It's his generation where our hopes lie now. If the Trump presidency has done nothing else it has made people stop and pay attention. I will admit I have watched more CNN, listened to more NPR and read more than I ever have in the past.
I did not march yesterday, but I wish I had. I was proud watching so many people, not only in Washington, Boston and almost every major city in our country, but around the world marching in protest and for basic human rights.
It was empowering to watch the peaceful protest of people who are afraid of what may come, but not afraid to stand up for what they believe in.  Two of my former students and their wonderful, thoughtful Iranian born mom attended the Woman's March. My name is proudly displayed on their banner, second name top row! I am honored to have been included.

I think we are going to be okay. I pray that we are going to be okay. It might be a bumpy road, but with all of us who are unhappy with the way things are, who are not going to stay quiet, who will speak up for those who can not speak up for themselves, when we join together with kindness, in peace and with purpose we can make a difference.
Together we can move mountains.
Love Trumps Hate
Yes We Can.

L is for Leadership

What makes a good school leader?
I've been thinking about this question a lot over the past week or so and I've come to the conclusion that it depends on who you ask.

As a parent my view of what makes a good principal has changed over the years.  When I was the parent of a kindergartener I just wanted to know that my child was safe and happy. I wasn't so concerned with his academic achievement at the time because I knew that would eventually take care of itself. I was more concerned that the school was locked during the day and there was enough coverage at recess. As my children moved up through the grades the quality of the education they received became more important to me and I needed to know the principal was overseeing that. However when I think back on the principals in each  of the schools my children attended I realize something, there was trust between the principal and the teachers in the school. Teachers had some autonomy in their own classrooms and although the newest program or philosophy would make its way into the classrooms it was the teacher who was mostly in charge of what happened there. As a parent I was fortunate to have children with few behavior or academic issues so my relationships with the various school principals was one of collegiality. However, when an issue would arise I appreciated it when a principal could be fair and listen to all sides of an issue before making a decision. As a parent I needed to know that my children had a principal that would listen to me as a parent of a child in his school and that my opinion mattered even if we weren't in agreement.

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

~John Quincy Adams

As a teacher my view of what I believe makes a good school leader is very different. As a teacher I realize just keeping everyone in the building safe is just one part of a very complicated job. I believe that a principal should be child focused in every decision. Education has become a business and unfortunately very much about data and "moving the needle". Data of course has it's place as a valuable tool in giving children the education that best suits their needs,  but it's important to not lose sight of the fact that we are in the business of children. As a teacher I want a principal who takes the time to know the children and their families, who understands that school culture is the foundation to build upon and a good school culture and climate is why kids want to come to school and makes families feel welcome as part of the school community. A good school principal is involved in the day to day happenings of the school as a whole, but also involved in what happens in the classroom and playground and cafeteria.

"Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It's being able to take it as well as dish it out. That's the only way you're going to get respect from the players."

~Larry Bird 

As a teacher I want a principal who will be fair and who will view education as a collaborative effort between families, teachers and administration. I want a principal who holds us as teachers to a high standard of excellence but is willing to offer support when necessary. I want a principal who is open to new ideas and strategies. I want to work with a principal who shows and interest in her teachers  their interests, strengths and struggles and one who is trusting of the teachers  in his building, one who views us as experts in our understanding of how children learn. A good principal views his staff as colleagues, partners in the education of children.  A good school leader  is willing to teach and guide to help teachers improve but is also willing to learn from her staff too.

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."
~John F Kennedy 

I can't pretend to assume that it's easy to be a principal that encompasses all these qualities. I do know that any successful principal that I've worked for or have known have many of them. These were the school leaders who's vision I could believe in. It was apparent in the way they embraced the school as a collaborative community of learning. They were present leaders, present in the lives of the children they served, because when all is said and done, the kids are what matters.

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

~Dr. Seuss

 

R is for Respect

When I began teaching in my current district ten years ago I was excited at the prospect of working in the only school where I ever wanted to teach. This particular school was where I student taught and where I chose to send my children. It is my neighborhood school so when I walk down the halls I'm not only greeting parents of the kids I teach but my neighbors too. There is something to be said for working in the community in which you live. I'm vested in ways that others may not be and I feel everyday that I make a difference in the lives of children and in many ways making my community a better place to live.

In my classroom each day we talk a lot about respectful behavior, how to treat each other in the way that we would like to be treated. We talk about being bucket fillers and not bucket dippers by putting good feelings in the invisible buckets of others and not taking good feelings out by being mean or disrespectful with our words and actions.

Although sometimes it's a struggle to teach our smallest students what the word respect means, we try everyday by being good models about what it means to be respectful. They show us respect when they listen intently to a focus lesson, follow directions, are silent during a fire drill or remember to walk quietly through the hallways so as not to disturb other kids who are learning.

This past week was teacher appreciation week. We have the most wonderfully appreciative group of parents heading up our PTO. They feed us, pamper us, and generally make us feel valued by their words and actions. They appreciate what each of us does to educate their children, understanding how much time and effort goes in to planning for the lessons that will help their children grow into successful little humans. They appreciate that we are not only teaching their children how to read, write and compute but teaching them how to empathetic, how to share and to respect each other. They appreciate that we are the ones giving their child a hug when they are sad, providing a Band-aid for an invisible paper cut, washing chocolate pudding off the little faces and keeping them safe and happy when the are at school Not only do those parents make us feel appreciated, they respect us for the hard work and difficult job we have.

We teachers respect and support each other. When one of us is feeling defeated or overwhelmed we are there with a hug, with a listening ear and sometimes a shoulder to cry on. We plan together, we share ideas, we cover each other's classes when we need a breather and share a laugh or two when we most need it.

Lately however, respect from our school district is not so easily found. With all our hard work and dedication, with all our own money spent on supplies we have been made to feel that what we do is just not good enough. The words and actions of those not in the trenches are actions that are disrespectful of our time, our expertise, our wallets and our families.

We are given tasks that rarely have any direct correlation to educating young children, paperwork that bogs us down and takes time away from planning developmentally appropriate lessons that foster creativity and social well being. There is a general feeling of distrust that we are able to teach in the way we know how.  Although we hear the words, "we know you are working hard" the actions of those saying those words speak differently.

Everyday I hear of another teacher who is "getting her ducks in a row", working on his resume, gathering letters of recommendation and references, opting to find another district to work in, a district where the actions and words of the administration  are words of respect, a district that understands those of us on the front lines have a pretty good idea about how young children learn.

I don't know a single teacher who does not  believe that there is always room for improvement in our teaching practices. We are our own worst critics. We know when a lesson fails and we make mental notes about how we can make the lesson better next time.

We know and respect the children in our classrooms. We take the time to get to know them, their likes, their interests, their needs. We take the time to get to know their families and their struggles. We understand that every child in the school is ours even if they left our classroom years before and even if they never learned within the walls of our rooms.

We understand the need for data and we understand its value, but we also understand that data is only a small part of knowing how to best reach our children. We understand that we need to educate the whole child, their musical abilities, their creativity in art, their social needs. We need to respect each child for their individuality and not disregard that to concentrate solely on their latest reading level and whether they score proficient on their latest math assessment.

Just as we attempt to respect each child as individuals, teachers need to be respected for their individual teaching style and expertise. It saddens me to see the best teachers I know ready to leave our school and district because they just can't be disrespected any longer. This is not about not wanting to work hard it's about being recognized for the work we are doing.

I don't pretend to know everything about turning around a school district, but there is one thing of which I am certain, disrespecting teachers will never raise achievement, it will only drive us away.

Tt is for time.

If you ask a teacher "What do you need more of?" you might hear some say glue sticks, chart paper, crayons or pencils (pencils seem to disappear without a trace overnight!)

But more often than not, what teachers really want more of is time. I'm not talking about extending the school day, or adding more planning time, although that would be great! The kind of time I'm talking about is time to teach the things we know kids want and need to learn in an environment that has some time flexibility. 

Our schedules have become rigid and overloaded with data driven instruction. Yes, we teach the basics, math, literacy centers, reader's workshop, guided reading, writing and science. We TRY to find time within our schedules for social studies...social studies is usually the first to go to make room for the other subjects.

There is barely time for a quick snack. Lunch and recess time is shorter, and don't even get me started on making time for play...although I do my best to make sure that happens in some way everyday.

Teachers know that often times learning opportunities just present themselves, those teachable moments that you just run with. It usually happens with a question from a student, or an incident at recess or something touched upon during a read aloud. A lot of these teachable moments revolve around social issues and as a teacher I truly believe it's important to find the time to address them. It's our job as teachers to turn our children in to good citizens. Students who are socially aware, can show some empathy and who understand why it's important to apologize when we've hurt someone's feelings.

Unfortunately, many of us are afraid to run with these teachable moments because there isn't enough time. We hear all the time how important it is to stick to the schedule but what I've come to understand is that the schedule isn't necessarily about cramming as much learning into those little brains as possible, but more about being on schedule when someone walks in for an instructional round or observation...if they come in to observe math, they want to see math.

This very thing happened to me recently. My kindergarten students were in the middle of snack time when an instructional posse came into my room during math rounds (think of it like interns making rounds in a hospital). My first thought was panic that my kids were still eating snack when it was officially math time, but then (call me a rebel) I let them finish their snack. I gave them their five minute warning and let the posse wait.

Part of me was a little afraid of being caught in a "gotcha moment" as we've begun to call them, but most of me thought of those kids needing to finish their snack because I know as a teacher that they were going to be a lot more ready to learn about three-dimensional shapes if they had snack first. They finished, cleaned up their messes and sat down in the circle ready to learn. It was great interactive lesson and not once did I hear "I'm hungry, when can we have snack?"

We need the time to address the needs of our students and sometimes those needs are not determined by a schedule. We need to have the time and flexibility within our school day to run with the teachable moment whenever those moments occur and even if it's just because a child needs a break because his tummy is hungry or he needs to refocus with a few yoga poses.

Was I going to change the world by letting my kids finish snack? No, but it felt good to do what I knew was right for my kids. 

N is for Numbers

Kindergarten by the Numbers 

 

11...days of kindergarten 

2...amazing kindergarten colleagues

24...pencils sharpened

2...parents reassured

6...milk cartons to open

1...late slip

378...cheerios to sweep

12...shoelaces tied

3...band-aids.

3...boo-boos kissed

2...go-gurts openend

5...straws in juice boxes

1...banana peeled

1...missing glue stick cover

1...bathroom accident

3...teary cheeks wiped

3...books read aloud

2...notes written

3...emails answered

1...fish fed

4...plants watered

too many...times I heard the word "rigor"

11...little girls

9...little boys

20...smiling faces

a lot...of laughter

another...day done.

 

C is for Culture

It’s been a very long time since I sat down to write in this little space of mine. I’ve been wanting to for a while now, but just couldn’t find the inspiration. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just get started, let’s see where this takes me.

So here I sit about to start another school year. It’s usually about this time of year I start to feel ready to be on a schedule again, to feel productive and get back to work but this year it’s different, maybe because we had such a short summer after a long winter of snow days, or maybe because last year was a really tough one with a lot of new initiatives and challenges. Whatever the reason I’m not feeling quite ready. However, ready or not …here they come!

I’ve been thinking a lot about school culture. I’ve read quite a bit on the subject, mostly articles written by other teachers and administrators. I’ve talked about it with my colleagues, and as I write I'm talking about it with my best friend too. I've even gone so far as to do a little informal research by polling parents but more about that a little later.

Let me start by saying my school is a special place. Most school’s are, but to know Horace Mann is to love Horace Mann. It has a feeling. It’s not the most beautiful of school buildings, it’s old, it's in serious need of updating and it has its limitations but people walk in and it reminds them of the elementary schools they attended as children. We have no gym and our cafeteria is tiny. Despite the limitations, learning happens here. We are a dedicated bunch, working tirelessly to educate children and we know it's not the physical building that's important but the people in it.

It’s not easy to be a teacher these days, “work smarter, not harder” is something we hear often. We have curriculum maps to follow, trajectories and lesson plans to write, the word “rigor” is becoming a regular buzzword in the halls of public schools everywhere. As a teacher I know it’s important to challenge the students in my class, to teach them to think for themselves, ask questions, and be inquisitive. I know it’s important for them to achieve academically but I also know if a child is not enjoying school, learning isn’t going to happen. This is where culture comes in.

My fear is that with all the pressures from politicians, the business world and administrators who are concerned with test scores and keeping up with the rest of the world, the culture of community in my little school and others across the country will be disregarded as unimportant.

Of course the primary purpose of a school is to foster a culture of learning and student achievement, but as educators it’s equally important to foster a culture of community where administrators, teachers, parents and students work together.

Parents first and foremost want their children to achieve academically, but they want something more from their school. Parents want to know their children are learning, that they are being challenged, they want them to succeed both academically and socially. They want their children to feel safe, happy and loved. They want school to be a place where their children want to be. I know this because I’m not only a teacher but a parent too. It’s what I want for my own kids.

I know this because I asked parents what they thought of our school. I heard words like, “respect”, “family” “home away from home”.  They said things like “dedication” “perseverance” “warm” and “friendly”.

I know those are all feel good words, but it’s what makes school a special place. Those teachers, parents and students who are or have ever been part of our community know it. It’s important that in these days of high stakes testing, data, and assessment that we don’t lose sight of what makes our community special. 

The people, traditions and ideals that make kids want to come to school.

P is for Perseverance

Social Media these days is inundated with article after article written by teachers who have decided to leave the teaching profession. Just Google "why I'm leaving teaching" and you'll see title after title written by teachers new and veteran.

These teachers site many reasons for leaving; unfair evaluation systems where teachers are judged by the test scores of their students, lack of support from their districts, unions or administration, increased and unrealistic class sizes, more and more demands being put on teachers with less pay, inadequate facilities, materials and funding. The list goes on and on. 

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to balance teaching and family life, the demands of our profession cross over into or homes having not been given adequate time within our school day to accomplish all that needs to be done. " Work harder, work smarter, of course you are expected to work at home, hang in there."

The teachers I am so honored to work with ARE hanging in there. 

Teachers are easily the most caring and hardest working people I know, and I know a lot of them. They are not afraid to work hard, or to find a better way to reach a struggling child. The teachers I know are always thinking with their hearts doing what's best for kids.

For me this year, that's what I find most difficult. Being asked to teach in a way that I don't think is best for kids. Asking the youngest of our students to learn a curriculum they aren't read for. That's what I struggle with. That's where my tears came from. 

If I were to leave the profession, it would not be because I'm afraid to work hard, it wouldn't be because I don't want to bring work home. It wouldn't be because I spend too much of my own money on my classroom, or that I'm afraid of being judged on my students' performance on the latest math assessment. It would be because philosophically I struggle with what I'm being asked to teach. I struggle with knowing deep in my heart that we are putting too much pressure on our youngest students all in the name of high stakes achievement.

I'm not going anywhere. 

I'm not going anywhere because if I do, I'm giving up. Giving up on the hope that things can be better and will be better. It's my job to do what's best for kids. I'm not against teaching a kindergartner to read, or asking them to understand how numbers work. I'm not opposed to asking them to work hard to reach their potential. What I am opposed to is not giving them enough time to play and be the little kids they are or have the right to be. 

I'm not walking away because they deserve better, and if I can somehow find a way to balance academic expectations and creative play, then I will. I am not going to walk away from my philosophical beliefs about what I know is right. I'm an early childhood teacher it's my job to be an advocate for them when they are unable to advocate for themselves. Perhaps things aren't going to change right away, but with a little perseverance from those of us who work with the littlest of our students thing can be different. 

I'm going to stick around and find out.

K is for Kids

Wow. My poor little blog has gone untouched for almost a year. I don't think I've ever gone this long without writing about some activity we've done, or some cute, funny story about one of my kindergarten kids.
For as long as I've been able to put my thoughts down on paper I've used writing as a way to be creative, to decompress, or express my opinions.

Not only have I not written for my blog, I haven't so much as clicked on the link to get me here to read it. I was not feeling inspired and honestly I've just been too busy. My plan was to end the school year last year and spend my summer writing, catching up, and uploading the many pictures of lessons and kindergarten accomplishments from the past year. It never happened.

When summer rolled around I was just too spent to think about it. Being a teacher is difficult, the best job in the world, but it is not easy and after a long year, I just needed to chill. Read a book just for pleasure, dig my toes in the sand, ride my bike, spend some time just doing nothing and not thinking about anything school related. Now if you are a teacher or know one, you pretty much know it's next to impossible not to think about school...it's just who we are. Always planning, always learning, always trying to find a better way to inspire children.

The summer as usually flew by and there I was mid-August facing another school year. I'm usually more than ready by then to get started, to be on some kind of schedule and routine. I love meeting the new bunch of kids, getting to know them and their parents, so full of promise and excitement for the year ahead. I love seeing my teacher friends who I haven't seen in more than two months, they have become like family and by the end of the summer I've missed them.

I have 21 little cherubs this year, a larger class than I've ever had. They are all unique, have a wide range of abilities and struggles and I love them all. They are cute,smart and very funny.

They are why I do what I do.

I have to remind myself daily of that..."They are why I do what I do."

Being a teacher has become increasingly more difficult. There are more and more pressures being put on us daily. Meetings, lesson plans, action plans, meetings, assessments, self evaluations, goal setting, observations, meetings, behavior plans, and did I mention meetings? All in the name of raising achievement. We are a dedicated bunch...towing the line, doing what is asked of us even when we don't think we can do it anymore. It's not like we don't want to work hard, we DO work hard and we aren't afraid to put all our effort into it and work smarter and harder and longer.

They are why we do what we do.

We know what's good for kids, we are kid experts, developmentally and fundamentally. We know that we can raise achievement by teaching kids that learning is fun, by creating a classroom environment and lessons that make kids want to come to school and be inspired. By letting kids know that they are capable of anything they set their little minds to and giving them the tools they need to show them how to accomplish that. We know that by giving them the tools they need to explore, discover, think and ask questions they will learn.

We aren't going to raise achievement by asking kids to learn something they aren't developmentally ready to, we aren't going to raise achievement by testing kids and we aren't going to raise achievement by stressing out teachers or worse children.

I do my best each and everyday to make my classroom one where kids are not only learning, but discovering their abilities, not just reading, writing, math and science but music and art, empathy, respectfulness and creativity...those things that can't be measured with a test. I'm not going to apologize or stop taking out the play-do, the paint, and the music. Years from now they aren't going to remember who taught them how to read, but they are going to remember chasing the Gingerbread Man down the hallway, the Halloween parade and the Thanksgiving feast, the leprechaun footprints that magically appear in the hallway year after year, the field trips and the fun. Those are the things that make children want to come to school and learn, those are the things I'll continue to do in my classroom because it's about the kids.

They are why I do what I do.

T is for Teacher

Victoria Soto

Victoria Soto, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, Mary Sherlach, Lauren Rousseau, Rachel D'Avino,
Anne Marie Murphy. These are the teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School.
 Heroes who gave their lives protecting children.

Every teacher I know would do the same. We educate, protect and love our children. It's what we do. 

Their deaths have brought attention to the teaching profession. Attention which is long overdue. It's a shame that it had to take such a tragedy. In the days following 9/11 our country was made aware of the lengths fire fighters and police officers would go to save lives not giving a second thought to putting themselves into harms way. We always knew they were heroes, but watching the images of that horrible day put things into perspective. It gave us a new appreciation for who they are and what they do.

During the past week I've read articles, blog posts and editorials about teachers. It seems our country has suddenly become pro-teacher. It's wonderful to see, a new appreciation for what we do. I've received  hugs from parents, words of thanks, and lovely notes written in Christmas cards. I have never felt more appreciated for doing the job I love to do.

While surfing Facebook today I read a post titled, Dear Teachers. It's a tongue and cheek letter bashing parents.  When I first read it I found myself nodding my head in agreement, but then I began to think. I don't think we are going to get anywhere by bashing parents.

I truly believe the hypothetical parent described in the post is in the minority. Do parents like this exist? Yes unfortunately, but I have no doubt that all parents want what's best for their children. There are those parents who have no choice but to drop off their children early, not because they want to go to Starbucks, but because if they are late for their jobs, they won't have a job. Then there are those parents who need us to feed their children because they can't afford to do so themselves, or those who worry more about providing their family with a warm coat than reading to them each night.
My school recently held parent/teacher conferences and despite their different situations, and their level of parental involvement each and every parent I spoke to, without a doubt, love and want what's best for their child.
  
This year our school's Christmas concert entertained a full house. There was not a seat to be found. All but one parent kept their appointment with me for conferences, and that parent called to reschedule. Perhaps recent events have made all of us look at our priorities.

I work with children who sometimes have parents who  have not been taught how to parent because they themselves have not had good role models. There are so many facets to this problem. I am a teacher, but first and foremost I am a mother who appreciates each and every teacher who has ever had a part in my children's education. I think that's true for most parents.
  
I will be honest, I've done my share of complaining, but perhaps recent events have opened my eyes a bit too. I look at my students and their parents through different eyes now. If we truly believe the mantra "parents as partners" then our attitudes need to change too. Being a parent is not easy, in fact being a teacher is easier. I can always quit my teaching job, but I'm a parent for life.








  

P is for Pray

I went to church today. Not unusual for a Sunday morning I suppose. But today I went for a different reason. Not because it was Sunday morning, or the Advent Season.
I went to church today as a parent and as a teacher.
I went to church today because I needed my prayers to be heard, maybe a little more clearly and maybe a little bit louder. I went to church today and cried.

I have the good fortune of being a kindergarten teacher. I get to teach and play with our school's youngest students. Not only am I their teacher, responsible for their learning, but in many ways I am responsible for their well-being and their happiness. For six hours a day, 180 days a year, I am their nurse, their surrogate parent, their confidant and sometimes their best friend.

This tragedy has put what I do into perspective for me. I've always known that we do as teachers is important, but as I read the stories of the teacher heroes it has become very clear how important. Teachers save lives.
I'm not talking only about putting ourselves in harms way to protect our students, I don't know a teacher who wouldn't, but we save lives on a much larger scale.
We teach our children skills for life. We teach them how to read, count, share. Sometimes we provide them with the only meal they'll have that day, often we read the only book they'll hear, or give the only hug they'll feel.
We provide their parents with a shoulder to cry on, some reassurance when they don't know what to do or how to cope with life.

I went to church today. I prayed today for myself that I'll be able to continue to teach to the best of my ability. I prayed for my husband the 4th grade teacher, my two oldest children who will become teachers. I prayed for my 6th grader to keep him safe in his big school on the hill. I prayed for my friends, the teachers I have the privilege of working with each day.

I went to church today and I prayed for the children.

Today...I have no words.

A peek inside room 134!

 Welcome to Kindergarten!

I've been wanting to post pictures of my classroom for awhile now, and since we just had our school's Open House, it was picture ready.
As hard as I try it won't stay that way for long. So before the little piles of papers, folders and student work start collecting in the corners I grabbed the camera and took a few shots.

 

I use the back table for messy projects since it's the only part of the floor covered in linoleum. 

Our playhouse (the most popular spot in the room) is also back there. The play house was built in 1946 and has been in the room ever since. When I moved in to the room it was white and was in need of a coat of paint. I chose yellow!

We use the tables for snack time, our Superkids lessons, guided reading and math and literacy centers.

The library area is my favorite part of the room, it's so comfy, cozy and inviting. I finally found a system that works for sorting my books. Each bin is sorted alphabetically by author, but I also have a shelf that's sorted by theme. Each kid also has a clothes pin with their name on it. When they take a book from the bin, they clip their name to the bin to hold their place. This system has saved me a lot of sorting!

The front of the room where the kids and I sit for circle time. Lots of learning happens here!

Thanks for taking a look!

Apples, Pigs and Poetry!

Wow! It's been a long time between blog posts! The only excuse I have is...I've been busy! It's time consuming setting up a classroom, sending two boys off to college, running a middle schooler here, there and everywhere, not to mention planning lessons, cooking dinners, etc, etc, etc! Is it any wonder I've had no time to blog?

Okay, enough with the excuses, time to get back at it.

The new year is in full swing and we've been busy! We spent the first few weeks getting to know each other, learning rules, talking about our hopes and dreams and of course learning! It's what we do.

Some of my favorite kindergarten themes happen in the fall, from apples, farm animals and pumpkins there is so much learning and fun involved with these activities it would be impossible for me to include them all. Here are a few of my favorites.

Ten Apples Up On Top!

Ten Apples up on Top by Theo. LeSieg (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) is one of my class' favorite books. This is such a simple follow up activity, perfect for the beginning of the year. Perfect after a Guided Discover on the proper use of a glue stick and a good lesson in one to one correspondence!

 

 Piggy Poetry

We just finished up our farm animal unit with our first field trip to the local fair. I am surprised every year at how limited the kids' experiences are with these animals that were so much a part of my growing up. I often have to explain to them that bunnies don't lay eggs, and that poop comes in all shapes, sizes...and smells! There is always that one little boy or girl that is afraid of the cows, not understanding that a cow is probably one of the most gentle animals on the planet. 

The kids always love the pigs the best, each year some farmer has the foresight to plan the birth of piglets just in time for the fair. This year we got to see seven baby pigs, almost cute enough to take home...at least until you realize how big those little things actually get.

We created some adorable piglets of our own to go along with our muddy poetry.

 

Next up...All things Pumpkin!

F is for Fly

We have been on summer break for nearly three weeks now.
It's a welcomed break each year, but more so this year than any that I can remember. Our school had it's struggles but we made it through the year, and watched as the kids in our classrooms learned and grew as they became ready to move on to the next grade. I had a great class of kids, bright, funny and adorable and I always feel a little emotional as they walk out of room 134 for the last time.

It was a year of change for me. My oldest now home from his second year in college, my middle son graduated from high school, following his brother to college and my youngest moving on to middle school.
This one was especially bittersweet for me. He and I started kindergarten together, me as a teacher and he as a student in the room across the hall. I've seen him walk the halls each year from kindergarten to fifth grade, and on June 20th walk out the door of our school for the last time. As difficult as that was for me to watch, I couldn't be more proud of the big kid he's become. For any of my colleagues reading this, all of you who have had even a small part in that, I thank you. You truly are special to me.

Until now my little blog has gone untouched. Week after week has gone by without even a word. My classroom was a happy, busy and productive one, but I just wasn't feeling inspired to write about it. Perhaps it was the struggles of a difficult school year, or maybe I just needed a break.
 Inspiration sometimes comes from the strangest of places and as I was sitting here on my porch listening to the birds chirping I decided it was time to do some writing.

A few weeks ago we noticed the birds in the yard were especially noisy. Not only noisy, but noisy at a very early hour of the day. I love the sounds of singing birds as much as the next person, but at 4:30 in the morning it is less than enjoyable! One day my oldest, not being able to stand the symphony any longer threw open his window to see what all the noise was about, and there right under the window was a nest of baby robins.
We became a little more sympathetic to the noise knowing it was just their way of letting the mommy and daddy robin know they needed to be fed. So we put up with the noise knowing it would end soon enough as those little birds found their wings and flew away.

One afternoon we noticed one had fallen out of the nest and was hopping around in the grass. The mom and dad were not happy, chirping loudly, encouraging him to fly. He made his way to the hedge and hid there, mom and dad flying in and out feeding him there on the ground until he was ready to take off on his own. That evening I returned home from grocery shopping and heard chirping like I had never heard before. Mr and Mrs Robin were very upset about something. Looking around I spotted it. A neighborhood cat, ready to make his move...not on my watch sister! I shooed it away and kept a close watch for it until I was sure she wasn't coming back.

The next day they were gone, a few adult robins hopping around the yard, and an empty nest.

I don't like watching my kids grow up, but I'm strangely okay with it at the same time. I know it's what's supposed to happen. Mikey will be turning 21 soon and I've noticed that he really is outgrowing us. He still needs us of course for moral support and we pay his bills! But he is old enough to make adult decisions, decisions that I may not always agree with, but it's about letting him learn for himself.

Daniel is heading off to college, I know I'll cry again like I did with the first one, but he's ready to go even if I'm not ready to let him.
And Patrick, my not so little one anymore is about to attend the big school on the hill. Not under my watchful eye anymore, but I think that's a good thing for both of us.

It's a bit like that baby robin in the hedge. Jumping out of the nest may not have been such a great idea, and his parents certainly let him know it, but eventually he learned what he needed to do to take off on his own.

So fly high boys...I will always be here to make noise and scare away the cats.

M is for Math

Most of my teacher friends have heard me say at one time or another, "There's a reason why I teach kindergarten math." The fact of the matter is, math has never been a favorite subject of mine, at least growing up. My brain just does not work that way. I have a vivid childhood memory of sitting at the kitchen table while my grandfather "tried" to help me with math. Let's just say he was a very patient man.               

  Do you need an essay written, I'm your go to girl, but algebraic equations? Not so much.When my kids hit high school (maybe even sooner) their math homework became a mystery to me. I'd hear "Mom can you help me with my math homework?" "Nope, go ask dad." It's not that I didn't want to help them...I couldn't! 

Even though I'm not a big math fan, I still enjoy teaching it, at least to kindergarteners! We have a lot of fun with math in my classroom.

One of my favorite lessons to teach each year is the Marshmallow lesson! What's not to love about a sticky marshmallow? Of course my kids would much rather eat them than build with them, so every few minutes I shout out, "you may eat two marshmallows!" They love that! They are pretty creative with their marshmallows and toothpicks and I'm always amazed at the structures they are able to build.

I also love finding fun and interesting ways to teach graphing. We graph everything from gingerbread men, who will win the Superbowl, which of us like Green Eggs and Ham, and how many fish of each color we can catch. I try to make our graphs as fun and visually appealing as possible.

I think the best thing about math is that it's universal. It doesn't matter what language you speak, math is math. I find that those kids who struggle with phonemic awareness, letter id and phonics can be and usually are successful with kindergarten math concepts. Succeeding gives them that little bit of confidence that struggling kids so often need. 

Math makes kids feel smart!