Category Archives: Teaching young children

Mindfulness

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Jennie

I brought my stack of magazines with me on a trip out west so I could ‘catch up’, read and toss.  I typically pick up a book to read so my pile of magazines was growing.  As I settled in … Continue reading →

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Peace Poetry with Preschoolers

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Jennie

Some years ago my class spent time under a Peace Portal we made on top of our classroom loft.  It was constructed with four columns of carpeting tubes painted in black and decorated in a way that children wanted.  The … Continue reading →

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Reading Aloud; A Source of Making Cuban Cigars

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Jennie

Reading aloud never gets old.  It weathers time and generations.  It makes a marked difference.  Children who are read aloud to are typically one grade year ahead of their peers.  They have ‘the right stuff’, because all those words they … Continue reading →

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What’s Important; Remember Robert Fulghum?

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Jennie

A few years after I got my feet wet teaching, I read Robert Fulghum’s book, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten“.  That had a profound influence on my career.  His opening essay seemed to take all … Continue reading →

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Linking the Generations at School

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Jennie

Milly is a master quilter who regularly visits my classroom.  Over the years she and the children have designed and made some quilts that are incredible works of art.  One hangs in the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia.  Another hangs … Continue reading →

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Growing Readers

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Jennie

The most important thing I do in teaching is reading aloud to children.  I love what I do.  It started my first day of teaching when Lindy, my Head Teacher, handed me the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni and asked … Continue reading →

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Teaching Patriotism to Young Children

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Jennie

Today was “Red, White, and Blue Day”.  The day before Veterans’ Day is a perfect time to teach patriotism.  How do you teach patriotism to young children?  The best place to start is with singing.  We sang “God Bless America”.  … Continue reading →

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A Halloween Story

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Jennie

It happened like this… When I was eight years old I went trick-or-treating with my little sister, Sarah.  Back then children went trick-or-treating alone.  There were no Moms or Dads.  And, we never went out until it was really dark.  … Continue reading →

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Death and Dying, and Chapter Reading

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Jennie

I finished reading our first chapter book of the school year, Charlotte’s Web.  Children were engrossed in this book because it is a story about the heart, and my most important job is educating the heart.  As such, they began … Continue reading →

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Singing a Peace Song

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Jennie

Singing and music with children is transforming.  It happens every time; as soon as I pull out the autoharp or ‘song jar’ I have a classroom of children who are craving the experience of music and singing.  I’m not a … Continue reading →

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