Empty Shelf Challenge

Recently Jon Acuff issued a challenge. Clean a shelf in your home; as you complete books from now through the end of 2014, put them on the shelf. I've decided to be a part of the Empty Shelf Challenge.

I read e-books, library books, and purchased books. So I decided to create an online empty shelf. I'll add each book I read to this shelf. My goal for this time next year? 52 books read.

I've read more than that in a year in the past. But in recent years, I've slowed down and read about half that amount. My new teaching adventure and my university classes have cut into my reading time. But I want to crank it up this year.

Every book I complete will go on my online shelf. Books about teaching and education. Science fiction and mystery fiction. Probably even some YA fiction. I won't include picture books that I read with my class but I will include chapter books we read over time.

I think this will be a fun challenge - and having a goal will help me read more than I have in 2013.

And this will be a part of my focus for the year - I will enjoy reading more this year.

Wow, What a Week

My old classroom, packing up

 This has been quite a week. Packing up all my stuff at one school. Unpacking my stuff at another school and setting up a classroom. Meeting a group of second graders for the first time. Helping kids from two previous classrooms merge into one new classroom. Figuring out the schedule - where we need to be when - and sometimes just finding my way around. And the week has been full...and good.

For #kinderblog13 this summer, the prompts have been one word. I participated in some of the suggestions. But when "fear" was the prompt, I opted out. I had already alluded to my fear in the post about change. I mulled that my new principal may not ask me to stay next year. Well, that fear was realized quickly when I was displaced, not next year but this year...now.

My new classroom before set-up

As I settle into my new school and my new role as a second grade teacher, I'm beginning to see some possible reasons that I have moved. First, in my new school there are about 60 second graders. They were in two classes and now they are in three classes. My move should help the kids and teachers have a more productive learning year, i.e., smaller class size could allow more attention to individual learning. How could I balk at helping with that?

But I've also seen some personal reasons. I already see that I will need to grow and learn as a teacher in developing lesson plans. The team at my other school was wonderful; they were helpful and we worked together at planning. (Well, I took more than I gave.) My new team is wonderful. We talked about the plans for next week. But I'm going to need to do more work reviewing expectations and meeting the requirements...on my own. That's a great thing (even if more work). And, since it's a completely new grade level, I'm working harder to know what to teach and how to teach it.

Just a short time but I'm already seeing why this change may have happened. What I feared happened (and much quicker than I even feared) and it's okay.

What My Class Needs

This new adventure that I've had this year has been a little rough. I've been working to be the best new first grade teacher I can, but let's face it - I'm still a newbie. I am inexperienced at this. I'm learning so many new things. And - no matter how prepared I thought I was - the reality is always different.

Today I read this blog post by Jon Acuff. (I love Jon Acuff and his message. I read Quitter and loved it. In fact, it's part of the process I went through to get to this new adventure.) Jon's post really hit me - well, as I was driving to school after reading it, I kept reflecting on it and then it slowly dawned on me.

I need to remember those two words - More You. That's what I bring to the table as a first grade teacher - me and my own unique blend of experiences, knowledge, and "talent." That's what my classroom needs - more me. I have thought about this before (see this post), but I still struggle with what I "should do." So I entered the classroom today with the thought - bring more of me - in the back of my head.

I don't remember consciously thinking of this again during the day. But I did a few things in a different way. I went with what felt right at the moment instead of relying so much on my notes for the class activities. I took a deep breath and plowed on through. The quiet powder resurfaced for our trips in the hallway. Things felt "right."

At the end of the day, as I was walking to my car, I realized that I didn't feel as exhausted as usual. Oh, I'm tired, of course. But not as mentally exhausted and not as anxious. (Maybe getting some report card stuff done helped contribute to that feeling.) As I was driving home, the post and "more you" popped back into my head. And I thought that maybe today I was more me and less "should be."

So tomorrow - more me.

(See, I'm listening!)

Getting What You Wish For

2012 has been a year of changes for me. For a few years, I have been thinking about a change. I've been thinking about being in a classroom full-time, teaching young children and working to make a difference.

Well, in July, I got a call and an offer. Things had to be done and done quickly. But in the span of a couple of weeks, I radically changed jobs - and daily began learning in a classroom with 20 6-year-olds.

It's been challenging...and downright hard at times. More than once I've wondered if I was a little crazy. But I've never doubted that I'm in the place I should be.

You get what you wish for...but it's always different that you thought it would be. I know this is something I should have already known. And I did know it. But I'm a dreamer; I guess that's part of my reflective nature. I've learned a few things as I've lived this out in the past four months.

1. The real classroom is messier and grittier than the "ideal." I had a picture of what the classroom would be like and what I would be like as a first grade teacher. But things didn't pan out like I imagined. Kids didn't gather at my feet to read books and play quietly together. Kids push limits. Kids don't want to do the "right thing" all the time. Kids talk when you're talking and do things other than their work. Things don't always run smoothly. And you have fire drills 30 minutes before dismissal. And the educational consultant or principal walks into your classroom when everyone is hyped up from that last moving math activity you just did. Real kids are unpredictable and human.

2. It's harder than I expected but more rewarding than I expected, too. Kids tell me that I'm a great teacher at least once a week, even when I know I'm not. I get hugs daily, sometimes from the kid I never expected would hug me. I wanted to throw a party when one kid grasped that adding 0 gave you the same number you started with. Listening to kids read makes my heart soar every time. Reading that funky first grade writing makes me want to write even more.

3. No matter what you do, some things you are beyond your control. One girl came to my classroom and pushed every button she could. I discerned quickly that she wanted attention...and negative attention was as acceptable as positive attention. We worked through some difficult times and I was beginning to see signs that I was gaining her trust. Her behavior had changed, less acting out to get attention and more focus on learning. And then she moved to another school. I worried about what would happen but knew that I had done all I could while she was in my class. I must release whatever I cannot control.

4. I must keep remembering that I'm new at teaching first graders. I am reflective and I think that makes me a good teacher. But constantly picking apart what I'm doing and obsessing over what I don't know or didn't do isn't helpful. I need to learn and grow but also remember that I've only been a first grade teacher for four months - and my colleagues have been teaching for lots of years. I'll be so much better next year because of my experiences this year.

5. Go with your gut. Maybe not the best phrasing, but I've learned that I know a lot about teaching kids. And that the "right way" may not be the best way for my kids at this moment. Moving and freezing can be a great way to add. Punching while spelling words can help kids remember. Being noisy and messy are okay - as long as it doesn't become chaos. I need to trust my instincts more and the teacher's book less.

John Spencer's post Ten Ways to Deal with a Hard Year is an eloquent expression of lessons I've also learned this year so far. I'm learning so much - and hope the first graders are, too.

"Love Is Ultimately the Only Answer"

"I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems. And I'm going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn't popular to talk about it in some circles today. I'm not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love, I'm talking about a strong, demanding love."   ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I read this quote today in Teacher Tom's blog post. It's not a quote I remember reading or hearing before. It's a quote that has stayed with me throughout the day. 

Strong, demanding love. Love that sees beyond barriers or differences. 

I want to live that kind of love...but I must admit that sometimes it's hard. Maybe I don't struggle with loving someone of a different race or color. But what about someone of a different political opinion. Or someone who makes much less or much more than I do. Or someone younger or older. Or someone who is just irritating.

Strong, demanding love. Love that sees beyond attitudes and circumstances.

As someone who interacts regularly with young kids, I also run into instances that may challenge that love. The child who won't sit still or stop talking. The child who won't talk or who wants to just watch. The child whose brain works differently and acts differently. The child who does "it" one more time. 

Strong, demanding love. May God help me live that love with the children and the adults I encounter every day.

Still Learning

I enjoy blogging. I enjoy sharing my thoughts and reflecting on my ideas about teaching. I especially enjoy connecting with others throughout the world - and learning so much from others. As I sat here thinking about posting today...wondering exactly what I should ponder on...I decided to look back through the blog archive, back toward the beginning of my blogging journey.

In a post from May 2009, I found this statement--
"I cannot just depend on the familiar. When I do that, my teaching becomes rote and stale. I need to seek challenges and different ways to communicate Bible truths. And choose new ways to involve and engage boys and girls in learning."

I think this sums up my hopes and philosophy for this blog and for my teaching. I don't want to become stale and rote. I want to learn more about myself and about teaching. I want the foundation (brick by brick) to become strong and secure. And now I'm not talking about kids' foundations but my own. I realize that I'm still forming my ideas and concepts. Some things that I felt were very important have become less so. Some ideas that I would have never thought of in the past are now becoming more and more a part of my practice. 

Being open to something new is what I encourage in my kids. It's also something I want to encourage in myself. That way I know that I'm still learning, still growing, still adding bricks to my teaching foundation. 

And I've learned to allow different perspectives to have room in my broader teaching vision. I have teaching friends that would never paint at the easel every week or offer a glue gun to a 5-year-old. That's fine. They are discovering their own teaching journeys. I know some teachers that pile on the glitter. It's great if they want to use it; I just choose other ways to make messes. I read or talk with teachers who have differing opinions on using food in the classroom or making crafts (more product-oriented art experiences). I certainly have my own opinions about these matters (especially glitter). But I keep my mind open to learning from others. Even if I don't do things in the same way, I can still learn from the overall process. After all, I can grow as a teacher even if I don't do the exact same things. 

My one word this year is choose...and this is a place to do that. So I choose to approach teaching like I encourage my kids to approach learning. Open to new experiences. Trying out ideas. Experimenting as I go. And looking to others for inspiration. 

Thanks for hearing/reading my ramble. I welcome your thoughts (or links to your thoughts) below. I promise to hear/read your words. After all, how can I keep learning if I don't choose to listen?

One Word: Choose

The new year always brings about a time of reflection. I reflect throughout the year, but when January rolls around, I have to take stock. Of course, I have resolutions or intentions or whatever to make some changes in my life...changes that need to be made and the new year is a time to jump in and change them. (You can read my anti-resolutions in yesterday's post.)

I read Christie's post about one word for the year (on Childhood 101 blog). Then on the Handwritten blog, I followed a link to One Word 365. I began to think about what my one word could be for 2012. What word could sum up what I'd like to accomplish and how I'd like to live? So I decided to select a word to remember and "guide" me this year.

My one word: CHOOSE

All the things that I want to change involve making a conscious choice - choosing moving over sitting still; choosing healthier food over junky stuff; choosing enriching activities over TV; and so forth. Being intentional and not just doing things by default. In the Bible, Joshua 24:15 states: "Choose whom you will serve." I will intentionally choose this year.

I've even discovered over the last month that I choose my attitude. I can be angry or frustrated or not. I can be sad or not. Now, sometimes those feelings are right and appropriate. But I don't need to camp there. I can acknowledge the anger or frustration or sadness and then choose to put it in perspective. And if I need time to be angry or sad for a while, I can choose that, too. (I just should not choose to project that onto others and cause problems.)

Choose is such an important word for my classroom, too. I can choose how to react to those circumstances. I can choose to be thankful for what I have and not wistful (or worse) for what I don't. I can choose to learn from things and not yell about them. Choose is a powerful word.

Choose is a powerful word for my kids, too. Included in my one word is my commitment to allow my kids to choose. They can explore and experiment. They can choose to use what I have supplied or not. They can choose to create or not. They can choose.

This is the year of CHOOSE for me.

Do you have one word for this year?

Evaluating or Obsessing

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be a part of the TBC Weekday Early Education Conference. It was a great event. I always enjoy mixing and mingling with other early childhood leaders. It was fun.

I lead two conferences. One was about using technology (computers, digital cameras, etc.) to create teaching resources and to connect with parents and other teachers. We had a good exchange of ideas. The other conference as about teaching boys--characteristics, needs, how to engage them, how their brains are different from girls, etc. I think it went okay.

But then I began to reflect and think about things. This was the first time I had led the boys conference. And I thought about the things I should have said; the things that probably should be skipped or minimized when I lead it again; the things that should be done in a different way. And I thought about it and thought about it. Saturday night...all day Sunday...even this morning. How I wished the conference had flowed a little differently so we could spend more time on the practical aspects of teaching boys.

Now I think that evaluating is very important. I want to learn from every experience I have and everything I do - the good and the bad. But I decided that this had become more obsessing instead of evaluating - and more about judgment instead of learning. I scrutinized and magnified all those details. I had made some mistakes and identified some improvements. But I had also had some successes and some good comments from the attenders.

I thought about my kids. Do they go home and think: I wish I had not placed those last two blocks on my structure. Or I should have made three more strokes of blue paint on my painting. Or Why didn't I tell them about my swimming pool.

No, kids jump into the moment, live in it, and move on to the next one. And that's what I want to do when I lead conferences or when I teach. I want to think about and evaluate - I am a reflective person after all. Jot down (mentally or physically) anything that needs adjusting. And then release it.

What I've Been Reading This Week

Through Twitter, Facebook, and Google Reader, I read and discover so much. Here are some things I've read and tweeted this week.

A new blog and a cool idea. I love to repurpose and recycle stuff. This week Pam from How Long Is This Hall? connected me to a new blog: Dollar Store Mom. And on that blog, I was introduced to the Foamerator! I can't wait for a messy day to do this.

A good foundation. I'm always telling parents and teachers that the foundation we build in the early years is key to a child's future. Amanda at Not Just Cute put my thinking into a great blog post. I'm not sure how she did that. But I agree so much with her thoughts on this post.

A reminder about tall painting. We've still not done tall paintings. Several blog friends have experimented with this. I was inspired again by a post by Go Beyond the Classroom. And I loved seeing an extension with their town in part 2. We are going to do this! I promise.

A repurpose idea. Vanessa at Pre-K Pages gives some great ideas for puzzle storage. Both of these ideas are new to me - and you know I love to repurpose stuff. I'll be using these soon.

A recycle idea. Anytime I can use something that would have been tossed is a winning idea. Putti Prapancha has a terrific idea - making mosaics using dried play dough. My blog friends surprise me as much as the kids in my class. I think this is great!

A continuing journey. Of course, I'm continuing to follow the Literacy Beginnings book study blog party. Matt at Look at My Happy Rainbow is blogging about chapter 11 today. He also did a great job with chapter 10.

There's so much to read and keep up with. These are just a few things I've encountered in the past week. What are some great finds you made recently? (I'd love to read about them.)

Teacher Reading: Theories of Childhood

Book cover photo
from Amazon.com

I love to read and I love to learn things. I try to regularly read books about education and early childhood. (However, lately I've not been able to spend much time reading anything - except all those great blogs, of course!)

I recently finally finished Theories of Childhood by Carol Garhart Mooney. It's an overview of several educational theorists--John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky. In addition to giving a brief history and synopsis of each theory, Mooney also gives some practical connections and practices that grow from each theory. I was familiar with most of these theories and got some great reminders about them. I was most unfamiliar with Vygotsky. I found myself identifying with lots of what was communicated about each theory.

What was my takeaway from this book: Each of the theories discussed focused (in some aspect) on children learning through experiences and hands-on work. Play is a key component in most of the theories. Kids need real work to do and real tools to use to do it. Teachers play an important role in providing a suitable environment and helping kids expand their thinking. Teachers can help provide vocabulary and other tools to aid learning, but the real work of learning is made up of the child's experiences. (Note: This isn't any one theory or a consensus among the people featured. It's just my gleaning from all of the theories.)

I'd recommend reading this book. If you're looking for in-depth study of any of these theories, this book does not do that. However, to get a glimpse of these theories (and to find resources for further reading), this book is a good place to start. If nothing else, it will stimulate your thinking about kids, learning, and the environment.

(I'd be glad to send my copy to someone if you are interested in reading it. First person who asks for it in the comments can have it.)

Sir Ken Robinson

A few days ago I posted some of my favorite tech tools. The Internet is a great place to learn and expand your thinking. Blogs are great for that. So are online videos. The videos from TED are great - you can get ideas about all kinds of things from these speeches and presentations.

Two of my favorites are from Sir Ken Robinson. In his first TED appearance, he said that schools kill creativity. My favorite quote from this one is: "My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status." But lots of what he says is great. Here, watch for yourself.

His second appearance at TED is entitled "Bring on the Revolution." This one had several memorable moments for me. The highlight for me, though, is this quote: "I came across a policy statement, very well-intentioned, which said, 'College begins in kindergarten.' No, it doesn't.... Kindergarten begins in kindergarten." Here's that presentation, full of great lines.

I think Sir Ken Robinson is one of my new heroes. I discovered some of his books, so those are probably leaping to the top of my list.

Check out other stuff on TED. You can get inspired by lots of different people.

Some Basic Tech Tools

I love the Internet and all the help that it has given me as a teacher and a learner. By far the biggest "gain" for me has been connecting with other teachers/bloggers. I've learned so many new things, discovered new ways to do things, and "met" some of the greatest people.

I've also discovered that connecting and interacting with others online is like drinking from a fire hose - lots of stuff coming at you in an overwhelming fashion. Along the way I've found a few tools that have helped me keep some of that under control. Here are a few of my favorites.

1-2. Facebook and Twitter. I would have to put these two at the top, of course. These have helped me keep track of my new friends and to find all kinds of information. I had to list these first.

3. Google Reader. At first, I tried to keep up with reading blogs by bookmarking them and making the rounds regularly. That quickly grew to be a problem. I love Google Reader, feeding all my blogs to one place. And if I don't get to it each day (or a few days), then the new posts are all still waiting for me. I can keep track, even if things are too busy. Or I can just hit "mark as read" and those posts are gone. I also like that Google Reader will suggest other blogs similar to what I already follow.

4. Evernote. I find so many great ideas and so many things I want to remember. I tried to take notes or print out ideas to keep and use. But then I discovered Evernote. I can "clip" blog posts for later review...and even file them away in categories. And I can go back to the original link if I want. And I can access it from whatever computer or place I am. And I can create notes to myself of other things - like those ideas that may hit at an inopportune time. It's a great tool.

5. Hoot Suite. This one is a relatively new one for me. It keeps track of Twitter and Facebook in one place. (And can keep track of other things, too. I'm just learning.) Also, I can tell it to track a certain list or subject and it will create a "stream" of just those tweets. It's a great tool to keep track of various interests in addition to my general feed. I look forward to finding out more about it.

These are some of the tools that help me online. And I still find things falling through the cracks sometimes. But I wouldn't trade the info overload for anything. I'm having fun learning so much new stuff.

What tech tools have you found helpful?

Talking About Art

I know better. I walked over to where "H" was drawing on the white board. I saw him drawing and said the fateful words, "H, I wonder if I could guess what you are drawing."

I looked at the image on the board as he continued to draw. "Is it a target?" I asked. "No."

I looked and watched his work further. "Is it a whirlpool?" "No."

He glanced at me and said, "It is a bunch of circles."

In a recent Teacher Tom post, Tom blogged about praise and talking with kids about what they are doing. I know how to do this. I often make comments only about what I see ("You are drawing around and around. You are making lots of circles. You are using the blue marker to draw.") Or I ask the child to tell me about his process or his thinking. ("I see you are drawing on the easel. Tell me about what you are doing.") I could have said any number of things to "H" but I sought to label his drawing. I didn't even ask my stand-by question: "Are you drawing something or making a design?" (It's okay just to draw a design without anything particular in mind, Mr. Scott!)

"H" helped me remember how to talk about what the kids are doing - not just art but blocks or dramatic play or working puzzles. Be specific in what I observe and allow the child to tell me more. Ask and listen rather than talk and label. Lesson learned, H. Well...at least until I forget again.

Memorable 2010 Posts from the Blogosphere

I was thinking about this past year...and all the ideas I've read from my blog friends. As I thought back, here are some of the posts that have stuck in my mind (in no particular order).

Intention Deficit Disorder - Amanda at Not Just Cute addresses just doing activities as opposed to having intention and purpose behind whatever you do with kids.

Photo from Not Just Cute

DIY Stamps - Sherry and Donna at Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning create stamps from lots of found objects and other stuff...and the kids get into the act, too.

Photo from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

White Glue Vs. Hot Glue Guns - Teacher Tom compares the results from using white glue and hot glue guns for construction. This is one of the several posts about hot glue guns from Tom that led me to give glue guns to my kindergartners.

Photo from Teacher Tom

Stunning "Glass" Sculpture - Valerie at Frugal Family Fun shows how to create a beautiful sculpture from tissue paper and clear contact plastic.

Photo from Frugal Family Fun

Repurposing Duplo Blocks - Lindsey at Filth Wizardry tells how to reuse Duplo blocks to spell words or create sentences.

Photo from Filth Wizardry

Pre-K Play: Our Performance and Pre-K Play: Epilogue - I enjoyed reading all about the process of Teacher Tom's Pre-K play. And the performance was spectacular.

Photo from Teacher Tom

Easy Fishing Game - Valerie on Frugal Family Fun creates a quick-and-easy fishing game. (I'm still slapping my head about using pipe cleaners/chenille stems as fish.)

Photo from Frugal Family Fun

Toddler Friendly Sewing Basket - Christine on Childhood 101 shows how to pull together a sewing activity for kids.

Photo from Childhood 101

Modern Wall Art - Use tape and circle stickers to create simple but cool art. Valerie on Frugal Family Fun shows you how.

Photo from Frugal Family Fun

Super Sized Marble Painting - Jenny on Let the Children Play led her kids to create a super-sized marble painting. This post was one of the inspirations for our canvas marble painting.

Photo from Let the Children Play

Q is for Q-Tip Art - Kristin of Preschool Daze provides paper, tape, and Q-tips and the kids produce some great art. Using tape is a new wrinkle for me.

Photo from Preschool Daze

Thank you, blog friends, for inspiring and challenging me. I could included many more posts because there are so many great bloggers and teachers out there. Here's to more memories, inspiration, and challenge in 2011!

Did I Fail?

Teacher Tom's recent post about his snap painting failure made me recall (again) my teaching resolutions for 2010. Especially this one: "I want to fail spectacularly in one activity I offer. I want to try something a little crazy and learn from it." As I think back (and look back through the blog), I discover that I don't think I had a spectacular failure.

I did have a few activities that "failed" in that no one really participated in them. Usually that's because they were engaged elsewhere in the room. But is it really a failure if kids get so engaged in what they are doing that they just don't get around to an activity?

I did have some activities that "failed" when kids took the materials and did something completely different from what I planned. For example, this counting activity became a fortress with jewels that were protected by traps. But is it really a failure if kids explore resources and create something that I never would have imagined myself?

I thought this was a failure when J began using a straw to spread out blobs of paint on the community marble and ball painting. But now this "failure" is beautiful, hanging on the wall of my office.

I did try a couple of "risky" activities that could have become failures but were rousing successes instead. Our large group marble painting seemed on the verge of chaos occasionally but proved to be a wonderful example of teamwork. (Well, someone did get paint on a dress; is that a failure?)

My 5-year-olds used glue guns to make picture frames. What some may see as a risky move became a powerful tool to create wonderful wonky frames. (Well, someone did burn a finger; is that a failure?)

All in all, I guess I failed to fail this year. But we took some "risks" and tried some new things. As I review those resolutions I made for 2010, they seem like good ones. I think I'll keep them for another year. Who knows? Maybe 2011 will be the year of the spectacular failure. And that will be just fine. As Teacher Tom says: "That's how we learn."

Break Out the Tools

I'm always encouraging my kids to experiment and try things, to use materials or tools that they haven't or to try using them in new ways. Now it's time to take that advice myself. Teacher Tom's recent post just reaffirmed my thinking about launching into building and see what happens. (Maybe my spectacular failure will happen outside the classroom instead of inside.)

I've also encountered some projects that are just begging me to break out the tools and try some new things. 

Play kitchen (via Kindergarten's 3 Rs)

Michaele posted about repurposing an old entertainment center into a play kitchen. She posted several links of these wonderful transformations. Sutton Grace has some specific how-tos on doing this. Here's a picture from that blog.

from Sutton Grace

Others can be seen at Kelly and Her Kiddie Kalliope and Giggleberry Creations. This is a terrific idea and certainly caused my building genes to kick in. I want to try this for sure!

Tree Construction Set (from Teacher Tom)

from Teacher Tom

Tom must be the most creative preschool teacher I've run across in a while. He is always building and constructing and experimenting. This looks like a great idea. I've seen similar "tree builders" in catalogs but his seems much more cool. I have some branches in the back that are just begging for this treatment.

Cookie Tree (Teacher Tom again!)

from Teacher Tom

Again, my branches are calling for this kind of treatment. And I'm sure my kids would enjoy experimenting with the "cookies," rearranging them on this tree. 

I am so glad for the inspiration of my blog friends. I'm dragging out the tools I can find, and buying some new ones if needed, so I can create. Expect pictures. Even of the failures!

Fantasy Play

I love learning what other people have to say about teaching preschoolers and kindergartners. I have read a couple of books by Vivian Gussin Paley. She has dedicated herself to learning about the fantasy play of children and how that impacts their learning and growth. 


Recently I completed reading A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play. Paley again features scenarios and quotes from children's play. I am so fascinated by her experiences and her conclusions. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this book.

"The mind that has been freely associating with playful imagery is primed to tackle new ideas. Fantasy play, rather than being a distraction, helps children achieve the goal of having an open mind, whether in the service of further storytelling or in formal lessons."

"Anyone who spends time with young children quickly recognizes their passionate attachment to fantasy and their need to alter time and place in rapid scene changes. Put any group of children together and they will make up stories that run alongside our own."

"Play is the model for the life-long practice of trying out new ideas. Pretending is the most open-ended of all activities, providing the opportunity to escape the limitations of established rituals. Pretending enables us to ask 'What if?'"

"In dramatic play, language becomes more vivid and spontaneous, enabling young children to connect, with greater fluency and curiosity, the words and phrases they know to new ideas."

"Though fantasy propels the child to heights over and above his ordinary level and was considered the original pathway to literacy, it is now perceived by some as an obstacle to learning. We are allowed to nourish play only so long as it initiates reading, writing, and computing."

"Play may be the work of children, but we, the teachers sometimes lost patience with what happens when the characters become too 'heroic.' In theory such play is fine, but the dramas that erupt can be loud and messy."

"We removed the element--time--that enabled play to be effective, then blamed the children when their play skills did not meet our expectations."


"We continue to call play the work of young children while reducing its appearance to brief interludes."

I agree that in many classrooms, the spontaneous "work" of the child is being diminished and supplanted with "academics." Paley says that the culprit is not the addition of academic elements but the reduction of time in fantasy and pretend play. 


If nothing else, Paley continues to reinforce that offering this type of play helps children become competent learners. I want to continue to offer these types of learning experiences as much as possible. It's fun, develops social skills, and lays foundations for future learning. Let's pretend!

More Places for Thought and Inspiration

I think I'm becoming a blog junkie. I love to read what teachers are doing in their classrooms...and what moms and dads are doing with their kids. I love reading about innovations or new ideas or musings about what could become innovations or new ideas.

The blogs listed in the right column are my old favorites, the blogs that I return to again and again for inspiration. But lately I've found myself following a few other blogs. These four blogs have become regular places to visit.

Spencer's Scratch Pad - John is a middle school teacher who muses on a variety of education topics. And he draws pictures, too. He stimulates my thinking and challenges my assumptions, as a citizen, a supporter of public education, and an educator. His post about the Most Dangerous Show on TV made me think. (I am reading John's book, Teaching Unmasked, right now. I haven't been able to devote a lot of time to it, but it has also stimulated my thinking. I'm sure you'll see a post or two in the future about this book.)

Made by Joel - Joel is a dad who makes great stuff for his kids. Some use repurposed or recycled items. Many are doable, even for someone like me who can be dangerous with power tools! The marble run and the aquarium were the two things that caused me to begin to read Joel's blog regularly. But I love all of his stuff.

No Time for Flash Cards - Allison (with her contributors) posts fun, easy, engaging ideas for kids to do; her activities related to a variety of topics. I'm always interested to see what her household is doing each day - and the lists of books, videos of songs, and other extras keep me coming back. I especially enjoyed the Fine Art Activities that ran recently.

Frugal Family Fun - Valerie shares her family's adventures in arts and crafts, cooking, traveling, playing, and living. Her Solar-Powered Lunch was almost magical to me. She is the queen of repurposing and recycling materials for art or just fun.

I'm always interested in reading and learning more. What blogs have you discovered lately?


Photo from Flickr.com
Photographer: John Biehler

Heart of the Child Conference

I had a great time at the Heart of the Child Conference in Broken Arrow, OK. Since I taught at each conference time, I didn't get to attend any of the other wonderful conferences. The one I really wanted to attend was called "Help! My Team Is Crazy!" That could have been helpful!

I did learn some things on my trip:

• I still dislike flying. Well, not the flying part but everything that goes with it. I'd rather drive than fly anytime.
• My teaching style is a little too random for PowerPoint. I did have to skip a couple of slides as I taught. (I don't use PowerPoint much, but needed to show lots of pictures in my art conference.)
• Preschool and children's leaders are the best people. I enjoyed interacting with all the ones I met.
• Oklahoma is a very windy place...at least the Tulsa area was windy this weekend.
• Talking about art with preschool teachers is just plain fun! Everyone is looking for new ideas - or at least some fun adaptations to familiar ideas.
• What I think is an old idea may be new to someone else. Every time I talk about art, I'm surprised at what people react to. Sometimes I've been doing something for a while and they have never heard of it.
• It is possible to teach about art without bringing paint and markers to use. Although bringing art supplies is a much more fun and engaging way to do it. (Next time, when I drive!)

I told them about my blog friends and hopefully some will visit your blogs in the next few weeks. (Teacher Tom, they were certainly intrigued by your flyswatter painting.)

Now I'm looking for a conference where I can go and absorb rather than teach. But I'll still get to interact with some of the best people on the planet - those who help boys and girls learn.

Compassion

It happened again this week; a child asked about my neck. A couple of months ago I had a spot removed from my neck that left a long, raised scar that is slowly healing and flattening. Several kids have asked about it - kids from my class, kids at the school where I volunteer, kids in the choir where I assist. They each want to know what happened. After I tell them that the doctor had to check something on my neck, they will wince or ask if it hurts.

My reflective self started thinking about this. And I realized that I can learn something from young kids. When they see something that seems wrong or different, they ask about it. Often I'll notice something different about someone--a bandage or a wince or even a sad countenance--and I choose to not ask. For privacy or some other "noble" reason. But I don't ask. My kids never just ignore something. They always ask, even if it seems improper. They ask because they care. Does my not asking convey that I don't care for the other person?

I need the fearlessness of my kids - to ask and to risk showing care for someone else. If nothing else, I've made a connection with someone.

Photo by R. Scott Wiley