Tech for Kinders

Emi's research and use of Common Curriculum looks very organized (love that!) and comprehensive. It looks like  Common Curriculum can be used to do long-range planning and to adjust those plans as needed while incorporating Common Core Standards. It looks like there is a lot that it can do to help teachers stay on top of their planning and teaching. I will need to take a closer and longer look to fully understand all of it.

 

Magic Circle

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
             -Maya Angelou

I've seen various versions of this saying through the years and I am not sure who said it first but I truly believe it- with adults as well as with children.

Kinder Phonics

A few weeks ago Emi asked about my approach to Literacy and teaching Phonics and Reading.  This is a topic dear to me as I clearly remember learning to read in First Grade. It was magic!!   We all sat on the floor in front of my teacher as she would read to us from a big Dick and Jane book. There was one with a red cover and one with a blue cover.   She would read each page to us and discuss the pictures and have us repeat the words. The pictures were adorable and sweet. My brother and sister would have been Dick and Jane (I still love the name Jane) and I would have been the pesky little sister. 

Polar Express Pajama Parade

We had a Polar Express Pajama Parade this week at school. Scholastic Reading Club /Classrooms Care has an amazing Pajama Program- more information on that can be found here and I encourage you all to look at it, it really was such a great experience both for us and for the kids.  We had our Kindergarten and First Graders bring new pajamas to donate (if they wanted to) and Scholastic will match each pair of pajamas with new book for a child in need- how wonderful, right? We had so many cute nightgowns and pajamas donated in our class, just look at this adorable Hello Kitty Christmas nightgown.

Giving Thanks in Kindergarten

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday - it's all about family, friends, fun and food. I  love the traditions and I have so much to be thankful for. It has become more meaningful since Emi and I visited Plymoth Plantation about 10 years ago and found out more about the true history of Thanksgiving. What a great place! I love history.

New to this Whole Blogging Thing

Aloha from Maui!  I'm Dana, Emi's Mom (lucky me!!) and I am excited to add this new dimension - Blogging - to my teaching and learning. I am quite the tech dinosaur most of the time - except when I'm the "tech guru" (ha!!) occasionally at school - which never fails to surprise me along with my colleagues. So, imagine my surprise when Emi broached the idea of us doing a blog together. I thought she was kidding. But... Hmmm, I love doing new things and the chance to grow and learn along with my sweet girl... I'm Stoked!!  (note - I am writing this by hand first as I sometimes compose my thoughts better that way - see what I mean - tech dinosaur!!)

I've known for a long time that Emi would be a wonderful teacher. She is so loving and compassionate and great with kids. It is a natural fit for her. Since she started her Masters Degree to become a teacher, it's been fun to learn along with her and to see that much of what she's learning is so relevant to what is going on in the field of Education today.

Teaching blogs are great.  Emi sends me links.  I am continually amazed and excited at all the cute things and great ideas that fellow teachers present on their blogs. Thank you for sharing everyone!!

I have been doing my Dream Job for a long time. In my mind, it is still the best job there is - for pay I mean. My favorite job ever is being a Mama. I decided at age 4 (in Preschool - more about that fun story at another time) that being a Mommy and a Kindergarten Teacher were just what I wanted to do. Suffice it to say, I made great choices as I've got the two most wonderful children - Jess and Emi - in the world and I teach Kindergarten!!!  I still wonder why everyone in the world doesn't want to be a Kindergarten Teacher. I have taught a few years of other grades: Preschool, First and a year of Third.  While they were all fun and had their upsides, my true calling and love is Kindergarten.  Kindergarteners are hilariously fun and so earnest and eager to learn.  I love breaking ideas and concepts down to small understandable chunks, creating aha moments all over the place. I love the wonder and magic of it all.  It's still a thrill!!