Category Archives: Peace

Remembering 9/11 and Teaching Goodness

How do we deal with 9/11?  How do we honor and respect those who risked their lives?  How do we face a tragedy, and find goodness and strength?  Most importantly, how do we do this with young children? The tragic … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Giving, Inspiration, Kindness, patriotism, Peace, Singing, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 64 Comments

Peace, The Real Peace

I talk about peace often in my classroom.  Well, that’s partially true.  When children talk about peace, I jump right in. They have a lot to say. We adults should listen more. Years ago, when I first had the the … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Inspiration, Kindness, Peace, Teaching young children | Tagged , , | 95 Comments

Making “The Star-Spangled Banner” Come Alive

Every year I make our country’s National Anthem ‘come alive’ for my preschoolers.  This is a hard song to sing, especially for children.  They know the tune, and thanks to baseball on television and sporting events, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Learning About the World, military, patriotism, Peace, picture books, reading, Singing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

The Big Day, Milly & The Quilt

I travelled with Milly, the master quilter, to the Massachusetts State House in Boston this week.  We presented my classroom’s Peace Quilt to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.  What a day!  This quilt has been two years in the making, … Continue reading

Posted in Diversity, Early Education, Imagination, Kindness, Peace, quilting, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , | 71 Comments

Our Memory Garden

As Memorial Day approaches, I think of our Memory Garden at school.  It is a place to host our Memorial Day Remembrance for children and families, and a place to celebrate the hero in all of us on Kindness Peace … Continue reading

Posted in patriotism, Peace, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 47 Comments

Happy Birthday, Milly

We wished Milly a Happy Birthday this week, as she turns 87-years-young.         Since 2009, Milly has been connecting generations with my preschoolers.  I get to stand back and watch love and happiness ignite into hugs and smiles, from both the children … Continue reading

Posted in Diversity, Early Education, Kindness, Peace, quilting | Tagged , , , , , | 38 Comments

Lightening Strikes Twice

The first bolt of lightening:       One year ago this week, I was recognized as one of seven Early Childhood Educators in Massachusetts.  It was an honor, and a celebratory event.  I stood among top educators and also the … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Imagination, Kindness, Peace, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 57 Comments

Children Giving To Their Sergeant Pen-Pal; A Life Lesson

Children are egocentric by nature.  Therefore, teaching the most important things in life, such as genuine thanks and caring, takes more than just words.  It takes doing. After writing letters and drawing pictures for Sergeant Curran, our pen-pal stationed in … Continue reading

Posted in Early Education, Giving, Kindness, Math, military, patriotism, Peace, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Milly and Our Peace Quilt

In the fall of 2015, the children in my classroom wrote a Peace Book; what they thought peace really was, through their eyes.  The book was genuine: my new baby sister, the ocean, reading a book, dinner with my family, and … Continue reading

Posted in art, Early Education, Imagination, Peace, quilting, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Maya Angelou

Did you know that Maya Angelou wrote a children’s book?  She did, back in 1994.  I have been reading her book to my preschoolers long before I really knew of her. I was always drawn to her quote in the … Continue reading

Posted in Diversity, Peace, picture books, reading aloud, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , | 35 Comments