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.