Losing my favorite teacher store:(

I was so sad to hear that United Art and Education in Strongsville was going out of business. It seems hard to believe since they are the only teacher store around anymore! I went yesterday because everything was 30% off. I got some games for tutoring, a tablet of chart paper, and a recycling bulletin board set with new border. After I paid, and asked for lamination, they were out and not getting anymore. So, I'm looking for a cheap place to laminate, if anyone knows of a place. Otherwise, I will just use contact paper, which is what I use on all of my file folder games.

Are ALL preschools crushing kids?

     A teacher friend on Facebook posted this article, The New Preschool is Crushing Kids, and I read it out of curiosity. I was initially surprised at the suggestion that preschool is too much these days. However, I do know that some classes are developmentally inappropriate. I became introspective of my Head Start class and the Teaching Strategies curriculum, and overwhelmingly feel that this is not the case. We learn through play, although we do have daily small group "work". Our work consists of writing our names, gluing, cutting, counting, and making art, versus worksheets. We have lots of language constantly, and something that makes Head Start different is our family style meals and tooth brushing. My classroom is very warm and loving to all and we practice conflict resolution by using our words and problem solving.
     Now don't get me wrong, lots of learning is taking place through explicit teaching. We interact with the students and play games one on one or groups of 2-3 to individualize. We have letter show-and-tell so that they have the fun experience of bringing things to school, but we get to isolate that to beginning sounds. Students get practice with public speaking from the age of 3. We learn about shapes through play (see pizza math blog entry), but then make art like these super cute circle collages. Everyone's collage is completely different, yet still all circles.

Students get choice time to play on their own in the classroom, as well as either outside or in the gym. This free play is still within the bounds of the learning environment I have set up. There are many types of blocks, writing materials, dress up, painting, music, and pretending (just to name a few!).

     Now, this article also suggests that students who attend preschool have not only an advantage in later grades, but in fact a disadvantage, and I find that scary. My students love coming to school and hate to leave! My biggest goal each year is to have students love school and form a positive association that will last through the upper grades. Quality teaching is imperative. Some people think that teaching preschool is easy and that there is no skill involved, but I will argue that point every time! Every action and word is intentional and thought out! I love preschool:)

Pizza Parlor Math

     I was very excited to finally get everything ready for the Pizza Parlor in Dramatic Play! The best part is, the kids loved it when I introduced it. It is a way to change up "House Area" to make it more exciting, but it is a way to incorporate LOTS of math into play:) There is geometry, symbolism, sorting, counting, and reading involved in this pretend play experience.
     I used paper plates as pizza crust, large red circles for sauce, yellow triangles for cheese, small orange circles for pepperoni, brown squares for mushrooms, green rectangles for peppers, and black ovals for olives. Each "topping" is sorted into bowls and students will have to resort every time they disassemble a pizza.

I created menus with the symbols for each topping and laminated them (I tried really hard to upload the pdf for download, but couldn't figure out how to do it!). The "server" will use a dry erase marker to check the boxes of each topping the customer wants before giving the order to the cook. When the pizza is made, the server and customer check the order form to ensure the order is correct. After the customer "pays", the menu is easily erased to be used again! 

Unique fall experience

    I love adding things from nature to the science area, and fall is the best time because it's so easy to find cute gourds, pumpkins, and Indian corn. I also have a basket of shelled nuts and a coconut.
    So, my coteacher has a preschooler this year and it is interesting to hear what they are doing in their class. One thing that I thought was awesome was ears of deer corn in the sand table. Ohio has lots of corn that is too hard to eat, but looks like regular corn and not the texture of Indian corn. Unfortunately, I started looking for corn about a week after everyone cut down their cornfields:(
     I asked about everyone I know if they knew a farmer or had another connection, and another teacher in my building came through with a dozen ears (thanks again Melanie!)! I added the corn to the sand table and gave an introduction about how to peel off the kernels from the cob.

The loose corn can then be scooped and dumped when it is all off the cobs. 

I hope the novelty doesn't wear off too quickly because today the sand table was the main attraction! Everyone was very quiet and engaged:)

Pasta sorting

     When I was a first grade teacher I made bags of pasta to use as math manipulatives. We used them for sorting, graphing, patterning, you name it! Plus, it was a cheap way to make versatile kits with so many attributes. I made pasta bags last year again, which we mostly use for sorting and counting. It is a fun and easy way to assess matching and how many attributes they can sort by.

This is an easy way to individualize because each child can succeed on their own level. Some are just matching, some can sort by shape, and some begin to create patterns. As you can see from the pics, I have 2 sizes of shells, bow ties, and tubes. My preschool bags have less shapes than my 1st grade bags did. Of course, some preschoolers are more interested in making train tracks or a horse, lol, but they can be guided to look for attributes.

So yeah...that really happens.

     I finally got the chance to make a doctor appointment for the first time since the summer because I had Veteran's Day off (thank you vets!). My hands get so dry and scaly from washing them 100 times a day, especially in the winter. When I use lotion, I get patches of inflamed, itchy, burning skin. I had finally had enough. Well actually, I started to think it may be a chemical burn from the bleach water we use to sanitize the tables and sink.

It's kind of hard to tell from these photos, but they look terrible. Not to mention I have lots of little cracks in my skin:( 

I was reminded in the 6 hour Communicable Disease class I took this week that each little crack is a way for a virus, bacteria, and microbes to enter my body. Yuck!

     So I also had a "bug bite" on my arm that wasn't going away. It's on a place that I don't look at all day so I didn't really notice it until someone in my family asked about it. A closer look made me realize how round it was. See where I'm going with this...? Yes, it is indeed ringworm. Wait! Ringworm is a fungus, not an actual worm, but still gross. And, it is only spread from direct contact with infected skin which means I now have to figure out which one of my kiddos gave it to me!

     I got a cream for both skin ailments, along with a flu shot. I'm not a germaphobe, but I hate being sick. I remembered hearing that not all vaccines are meant to last forever, and that communicable disease class made me want to get boosters for everything, lol. So much so that I requested a titer for Hep B. What is a titer, you ask? They do a blood test and analyze the amount of antibodies in your blood to determine if you are still immune, or if you need another vaccine. Still anxiously awaiting those results!

     I guess every job has risks. The risks we take in Early Childhood usually come in the form of an attack on the immune system!

Choice time/center management

     I found this great tool from Twinkl that I am using this year to try to manage behavior during free play time. I wanted to do something like this last year, but I just never had the time, so I knew I needed to start the year off using a tool. This is an area label that students clip their name clip onto when they enter the area and it also tells how many are allowed in each area. 

First, I needed to decide a good maximum number of students permitted per area, to prevent conflict from over-crowding and lack of resources. Next, I printed the labels on cardstock and laminated them. I attached a metal ring and hung them from 3M hooks. 

Students all have a colored clothespin with their name on it that they use every day. They are responsible for picking their area and counting to make sure that the number is not exceeded. This has the added advantage of name recognition, counting practice, and one to one correspondence. I noticed that my older kiddos are getting better at recognizing numerals to boot!

They need to move their clip every time they place in a new area. Another advantage? When the area isn't cleaned up, the clips are often still attached so we know who to call back for clean up!

It took a few days to get used to this system, but now it is just part of our every day routine:)

Busy, Busy, Busy!

     Every day is a busy day with preschoolers. Dealing with a lot of behavior problems only adds to the challenges. Our morning class is usually pretty peaceful and always enjoyable. We have a few clingy kiddos, but overall they love school. We have lots of redirections throughout the morning, but nothing is extreme. Our afternoon class, however......that is another story!
     I always say I enjoy a good challenge; you never know what you are made of until you are put to the test. I have risen to the challenge in my life many times. Last year, a child in my class tested every bit of my educational theory and experience. I researched and researched because the help we desperately needed never came to fruition. I implemented a variety of strategies, which many students used, but not the challenging one. I digress...enough about last year, let's talk this year. While the behaviors, ie; throwing things, running out of the room, climbing on furniture, refusing to hold hands in the hall and running away from the teachers, using obscene gestures, not lining up when the whistle blows, and refusing to participate in all large group activities, (just to name a few, lol), are the same as last year, the intentions are completely different. My strategy in dealing with these behaviors had to be different than how we dealt with them last year. In addition, we have a lot of secondary behavior issues in other children as well, ie; anger, defiance, high energy, no impulse control, cognitive and speech issues. Many students have a hard time understanding why one student is allowed to build at the table instead of sitting on the rug with the class.
     With consistency, lots of structure and routines, and lots of warmth and nurturing, all the behaviors are improving. The extremes are going away and we have found things that hold attention for students with short attention spans. This year, praising positive behavior is working, whereas last year it was a trigger. Using a sticker chart and a treasure chest is again proving to be very effective, even though I prefer not to use external rewards. We had 2 afternoons last week that my coteacher and I agreed were pretty smooth. We were getting a little burned out, but then our nice afternoons happened and I reminded us both that that was no accident!
     Have I mentioned the stress we are under because of our fear of a bed bug infestation?! Well, we were so worried about bed bugs, that lice invaded our class. Our dress up clothes (which everyone loves because we have a lot of great stuff) are bagged up along with our puppets for 2 weeks or until all the lice has been eradicated! I bought lice repel hair spray and repel shampoo, which are both natural with essential oils instead of chemicals, and so far they are both working!
     My goal this year has been to increase the amount of time spent writing and discussing and using letters. I am happy to report that I am surprised how many students can write and name letters. Now, we are not quite up to phonics, but we are moving in that direction! In fact, on Friday we went for a walk and I heard several voices saying "Look! There's an X!" I look around and see everyone pointing at the sky:)

That was a proud moment!

Play in the sand and water tables

The sand and water tables are another sensory experience that kids love and need. They are messy creatures and it takes a while to practice using these areas correctly. In the sand table, we start out using larger, easier to clean (off the floor) materials and gradually make our way to sand by the end of the year.

First, we put a variety of packing peanuts and colorful craft foam pieces and explain not to break them into pieces. We also discuss not to put them in their mouth, but that since they are not food, if they fall on the floor it is okay to pick them up and put them back in the sand table. We have scoops, shovels, funnels, rakes, spoons, and small toys to hide. We picked red toys initially, just so they will start to notice particular colors in isolation, but will change them in another week or so.

The water table gets changed up periodically by adding colored toys and sometimes by adding color to the water. We have spoons, funnels, measuring cups, as well as several size clear hoses in the water table to explore with. We recently found a water mill that everyone is enjoying! Every so often, the water table gets turned into a baby bathtub which always seems to be a big hit with girls and boys!

Pretend play doesn't just happen in house area. I am always surprised and delighted to hear all the pretend play happening in these areas. On my birthday this past week, everyone who went in the sand table made me a birthday cake:)

Rules and Routines

     I've been so busy trying to establish rules and routines, all while managing behavior, that I haven't posted anything lately. It is important to be firm in establishing rules and routines early in the year so that children know what to expect. We have lots of toys in the classroom, but most of them are not available to play with as soon as they enter the classroom. It can be very tiring constantly guiding children away from house area and block area the first few weeks, but eventually they will know that there will be plenty of time to play later in the day.

     I want children to remember the rules and schedule, but I also want them to be able to "read" them as a reference as well. I found great pictures to illustrate the rules and took class photos for the schedule. Class rules are important; there should be 3-5, and the rules should be easy to understand. We spend quite a bit of time discussing the rules and their importance in keeping everyone safe. I have children take turns reading the rules to the class each day as well.

     We discuss listening to the teachers as well as each other, because I teach them how to solve their own social problems instead of me intervening for them. We talk about walking in the class and in the hall, but also that they are able to run, just in the gym or outside! When we talk about sharing, we discuss how sharing doesn't mean giving toys away to someone just because they ask for it, but that it means playing together and taking turns. 

     I put a lot of effort into modeling pro-social behaviors and I love it when I hear and see my students using my words and imitating my behavior. On Friday, one of my "big" kids told a younger child "good thinking!" during a conversation. I am hopeful that all of my hard work will pay off, although I have a lot of boys in my afternoon class with a variety of behavioral issues. It is a work in progress, but a chance to try different management techniques.

Birthday bar graph

I just wanted to quickly share the birthday display I just created. We still have more kids to enroll, so there will eventually be double the ice cream scoops. My coteacher and I decided to work with the lines instead of buying paper to cover up the old blackboard. We turned it into a bar graph! Brilliant, I think!

Sensory boxes galore!

     I usually use the weekends to catch up on school stuff. A teacher can never truly leave work behind because being a teacher is a way of life! I am constantly thinking of fun creative ways to incorporate lots of sensory learning into every day. This weekend I spent quite a bit of time looking through stuff I brought home at the end of the year to see what needed to go back now, and what will just take up space for a while. Unfortunately, packing up my class was a rush job the last few days of school, so it wasn't organized when it was packed:(
     I pulled out the amazing sensory boxes I made last year, which weren't really utilized like I would have liked. However, that was partially my fault because I didn't encourage their exploration. We had so many behavior issues where things were getting destroyed, I didn't want them to be one of them. I decided the first thing I needed to do was to label the boxes with photos so my students could see them on the shelf. When I was taking photos, I remembered how cute they were and decided to share and encourage others to make them!
     Sensory boxes are little self-contained kits with a variety of colors and textures for children to play with solo, as a calming activity.

This fairy kit also has beaded necklaces and is filled with satin flower petals. 

My bird box has Spanish moss as the filler, along with realistic nests, feathered birds, and plastic eggs.

This moon box is filled with dry black beans, smooth black rocks, glow-in-the-dark stars, ping-pong balls, and astronauts and space vehicles.

I love this garden gnome box with split green peas, flower pots and gnomes. I am still looking for mushrooms to add to this one!

Polar box is mostly penguins, but I do have a mini orca and polar bear along with hard plastic and foam snowflakes. The multi-color glass pebbles give it an icy feel. 

This box is very heavy due to the amount of real river rocks. I added some ivy leaves and a variety of insects. This one doesn't get played with as often, but I wish parents wouldn't make their children scared of bugs!

My plan is to add more to my collection, some with wet and smelly substances, but I will need to check out the personalities in my class first! Some kids can handle messy stuff and some put everything in their mouth.

What a week!

     There is always so much to do to get ready for a new batch of chicklets! I convinced my co-teacher to fill out this simple all about me sheet and I created an eye-catching parent board outside our classroom. It turned out so nice, in fact, that everyone in the center will create one! It wouldn't look nearly as adorable if my friend wouldn't have let me borrow her cricut to make letters and flowers!

     When it comes to setting up a classroom for a new school year, first we have to put our room back together, unpack, and check labels/ re-label. We swapped a desk we didn't like for 2 flat tables that I have been wanting since last year. We also modified another old computer desk into a simple low table, just by taking off the shelf and side panels:) I finally was able to create my Very Hungry Caterpillar using Chinese paper lanterns too! (It doesn't look exactly like what I saw on Pinterest, but my sister agreed that it wasn't a Pinterest fail, lol!)

     There is still more to set up, but anything fancy we want to do for the year needs to be done before we get kids; as soon as kids start we will be too busy! One project I am over the moon about is our block area book. We got the idea during pre-service training, but as soon as I saw it I thought, "Why didn't I think of that!?" We built simple structures using all the blocks in block area, took pictures, and turned it into a clever idea book for children.

     I am excited about finishing up a few other projects that we are implementing into the classroom this year. However right now....I am looking forward to a 3 day holiday weekend! Happy Labor Day!

Pre-service Training

     This whole week we spent at the community college reviewing all our policies and procedures. We have a major push to incorporate more exercise, healthy eating, and promoting healthy living with our I'm Moving, I'm Learning initiative. We will be required to do a minimum of 1 movement activity per day and they are making more healthy improvements in the food we serve our students. On Thursday, we had a big surprise when Kathie Dolgin (aka High Voltage) made a quick guest appearance to discuss the dangers of excessive sugar consumption. She was a spark that really lightened the room! I was so impressed I bought her book from Amazon and am going to her lecture on Sunday!
     I was over-joyed when I was told my Smart Board was repaired and would be in perfect working order! I have so many high hopes for a great school year this year. Last year at this time, I was just meeting my co-teacher, Reneé, and all my new coworkers and trying to orient myself to my new classroom and supplies. This year, I'm focusing more on all the details! Throughout the year there were many things that Reneé and I said we wanted to implement in the future, so that time is now!
     Next week will be busy with room decorating, classroom labeling, and planning for parent orientation!

Last Day of Summer Vacation

     This has been, technically, my first summer off! Last summer I tutored a lot and previous summers I worked. When I was teaching in Utah, we had school year-round so I had 3 weeks off at a time, but it was spread out over the whole year (which I miss because that was awesome). With the new school year approaching, I feel comfortable knowing I have all the back to school supplies I need, although some of which are still in the mail from Amazon. I spent a large part of the summer on a job search that resulted in approximately 6 interviews, but no job offers. While disappointed initially, I am now excited to go back to preschool and step it up a notch from last year.
     My plan is to document in detail the learning journey, for myself and my students, on this blog. While classroom photos can be tricky because you can't show students' faces, I will get creative! I usually take about 400 or more pictures of my class per year. While I haven't been able to get into my class and start working on my room yet, I found this old picture of my first bulletin board from Rosamond Elementary and thought I'd share (this was before I added pics of everyone next to their name).