Category Archives: Teaching young children

How Reading-Aloud Made Me the Teacher and Person I Am Today.

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Jennie

My very first day of teaching preschool in Massachusetts, thirty-two years ago, was both career and life altering.  Lindy, my co-teacher, asked me to read the picture books to children each day after our Morning Meeting.  Sure (gulp)!  I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Singing “God Bless America”

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Jennie

Children love to sing.  Over the years in my classroom a favorite song always emerges; “God Bless America”.  The tune is nice and the words are simple for children to sing.  I bring all types of music into my classroom.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mindfulness, Part II

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Jennie

I always write about the little moments, things that happen; things that I know deep down inside are gigantic in the world of ‘importance’ and ‘all knowing’.  Those moments can easily slip by if you’re not in the zone.  Yes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Music Brings Unexpected Learning

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Jennie

A child brought to school a CD with the “Star Wars” theme song.  Fortunately it was a recording of all the John Williams movie themes, and that means good music and a golden opportunity for learning.  We began with mindful … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Boy With the Red Hair

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Jennie

January is always a busy month at school, and tonight I was tired.  My husband and I had errands to do after school, so we had dinner at a small local restaurant.  Just when I thought I had nothing left, … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Reading Aloud. ‘Star Wars’, Move Over

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Jennie

Thursdays I read aloud at the library.  I chapter read, and that is far different than reading a story.  Each Thursday ends with and then?  For thirty minutes children are glued to every word, because those words are powerful and … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

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 →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

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 →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments