Teaching Peace Through Diversity

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Jennie

Teachable moments do not always happen when planned. Teachers work hard to implement a rich curriculum and include all styles of learning. Yet, sometimes the best opportunities occur at unexpected times. That is exactly what happened this week in the Aqua Room. We learned first-hand, in a very real way, about peace and diversity.

During chapter reading, Doctor Dolittle’s Journey, their ship landed on Spider Monkey Island. Doctor Dolittle and his animals were met by Indians. Although Doctor Dolittle communicated to them in sign language that he had come in peace, the Indians became angry and went away.

A child in the class said, “Indians are bad. They eat people.” We stopped our reading in order to talk about this, and try to figure out why the people on the island became angry. After some soulful discussions, I said, “Do you know we have an Indian in our class?” The children’s wide-eyed silence spoke volumes! I then opened up my arms wide, and with a big smiling face said, “Trisha, please stand up and come here.” Trisha jumped up and eagerly ran up to be hugged by the outstretched arms of her teacher. I explained that Trisha is an Indian, and then asked the class is she is friendly. “Yes”, everybody said. I looked at Trisha and asked her, “Do you eat people?” “No”, she laughed. “Are you a good friend?” “Yes”, she said.

As Trisha went back to her mat, and the children were thinking about what had just happened, I said, “Do you know we have a child in our class from China and Hawaii? Michele, please stand up!” Michele, like Trisha, came to her teacher for a big hug, and to be asked, “Michele, do you eat people?” “No”, she laughed. “Are you a good friend?” “Yes” she said.

By now the children were beginning to understand. I said, “We even have a child in our class from the Philippines.” At this point, the class instinctively responded with ooos and aaahs, clearly a far cry from their perplexity of Indians. “Rhein, please stand up!” As he came forward for his big hug, things would change again. When I asked, “Rhein, do you eat people?” the entire class joined him in answering, “No!” “Are you a good friend?” also brought a full chorus of “Yes.”

Everybody understood this small, yet very real step in truly learning about diversity and about peace. We have often reflected that this school year has been particularly strong in that regard. Your children have not only developed a deep bond with each other, but consistently reach out to one another. Perhaps that is why Peep, our guinea pig and ‘Gloria’, our beloved puppet, are such an important part of our class this year. Have you noticed? Home visits abound, and our day-to-day events generally include Peep and Gloria. Whether it is something little, such as making sure Gloria can see the book we are reading, or something big, such as insisting that Peep be the cow in our Jack and the Beanstalk play, they represent diversity and also peace. Perhaps our school-wide theme of Peace, and our related classroom activities, has played a part in Peep and Gloria’s role in our class. We will definitely continue on this theme!

Jennie

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Giving the Gift of Reading and Friendship

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Jennie

Never underestimate children.  The same goes for those who know what it takes to make a difference with children.  This week both statements came into clear focus when I drove from Massachusetts to West Virginia with a car full of over 500 books.  This journey was the final leg of Groton Community School’s dedicated contribution to Read Aloud West Virginia.  As we celebrated NAEYC’s “Week of the Young Child”, our school’s focus was collecting books for children in West Virginia, and delivering them to an organization that does far more than just give out books; they promote reading books to children in one of our country’s most under performing states for childhood literacy.  Big difference!

I witnessed firsthand that difference, which also cemented my statement, ‘never understatement children’.  I went to the Martin Luther King, Jr. school in South Charleston to read aloud to the Pre-K class.  I planned to read an engaging book, The Story of Little Babaji, but the Director of Read Aloud wasn’t sure that the children could ‘stay with the book’, as it is a bit long.  She suggested a Mo Willems book that was fairly simple, and after some discussion we compromised on a Mo Willems book that was not as simple, Knuffle Bunny.  If the children could stick with and enjoy that book, I could then try and read mine.  Yes, they loved Knuffle Bunny, especially Trixie’s sounds, and they adored The Story of Little Babaji, helping to say and repeat the key sentences in the book.  After reading, they asked for more.  Actually, they begged for more.  Children can absorb far more of what they hear than what they see.  Therefore, they can listen to a story that is beyond their years and comprehend more than we realize.  That’s why reading aloud works.  Chapter books are read everyday in my classroom.  I rest my case.

When I arrived at Read Aloud West Virginia, the first thing I heard as I opened the car door to greet and meet Director Mary Kay Bond and her staff, was the sound of a train, and my childhood swept over me like a warm blanket.  Funny how a sound or a smell can instantly bring memories to the surface.  We shook hands, chatted, and oogled over the nineteen beautiful school bags filled with 500 really good books with labels.  I felt like I was in Cynthia Rylant’s book, The Relatives Came.  The looking and touching carried on for quite a while until the newspaper arrived to take pictures and interview me.  We talked about my school and making this big donation our annual Week of the Young Child giving, and how the children responded and participated.  We talked about how I found Read Aloud West Virginia, through the obituary of my childhood friend.  We also talked about reading to children and why it’s important.  To my surprise, the Charleston Gazette published the article the next day, front page news (www.wvgazette.com).

The afternoon was twofold; reading at the local school and addressing the Board of Directors at their monthly meeting.  This group of at least a dozen professionals were deeply appreciative.  When the cart full of the bags of books was rolled into the meeting, it was a pleasure to just sit back and watch their faces light up.  Like eager children, the members wanted to touch and feel, as if their hands could always keep that moment alive.  They so enjoyed how the children at my school counted all the books by tens and tied each bundle.  Each person wanted to tell me “thank you”, and wanted to make sure I passed their thanks along to Groton Community School.  “With pleasure”, I told them all.

Life is full of twists and turns.  Who knew that the death of a friend (and unbeknownst to me shared my passion), and her wish to be remembered through Read Aloud West Virginia, would become the catalyst for such an important giving event?  The children and schools who will be the recipient of the books are really the ones who benefit.  Given the tools of books, they won’t be underestimated.  Neither will the organization that makes it all happen.

Jennie

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Sharing Literacy and Changing Learning

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Jennie

After thirty years of teaching, if someone pinned me down and asked, “Okay, Jennie, what is the most important thing you teach, and what makes the biggest difference?”, I would know the answer, hands-down.  Really.  It is literacy and reading to children.  It’s the tool that truly ‘does it all’.

When I read to children I am opening the world to them.  First, it is always exciting to hear a story!  Whatever I’m reading to them, I find something in the book to stop and talk about.  If it is a rhyming book, we make up our own rhymes.  If there is a different or new vocabulary word, we look it up in our classroom dictionary.  If something has happened in the story, I ask ‘why’ questions.  Literature naturally transitions from picture books to chapter books when children understand that they make the pictures in their head.  That shift is a springboard to reading readiness.  A book is more than a story; it is an open opportunity to learn.  The book itself is just a cover and printed words.  How those words are read to a child is the magic ingredient to make children think.  And, thinking means learning.  That’s all on top of the basic, hardfast statistic: the more words a child knows, the better s/he will do in school, in all subject areas.

I am committed to children and learning, and I know that reading is the number one key.  I will travel to West Virginia next week to share literacy and reading.  West Virginia has one of the lowest reading proficiencies in the country, with 73% of fourth graders reading below grade level.  My school, Groton Community School in Groton, Massachusetts, has spearheaded a major book drive for Read Aloud West Virginia, an organization that champions reading aloud to children.  We have collected over 500 top notch books to bring to schools and children, from best sellers to classics to picture books and chapter reading books.  I’m spreading the benefits of reading!

I’ll be away from posting on my blog for a week, so stay tuned.  So much to share!

Jennie

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My Classroom; It Keeps Getting Better

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Jennie

I’ll never forget the day that it hit me like a ton of bricks: my classroom, the physical space, was dysfunctional.  For decades I had prided myself in understanding children and relating to them in every way.  My fifteen children every day at school were all very different, yet I had a way with children.  I could be ‘that teacher’ with any one of them.  And, I loved being able to do that because all the tiny, subtle ways that I made a connection with a child mattered the most.  Just the way I smiled could be the open door to a child.

That day, when the reality of my classroom hit me head on, our staff had a workshop on classroom environments with an Early Childhood consultant, Marcia Hebert.  She spent time in every classroom and with every teacher.  When we met as a group to discuss her ideas, she first described a classroom with orange here and there… that was me!  My children’s jack-o-lanterns were all over the walls.  I could feel my cheeks burning.  How could this be?  I was such a good teacher.  This was pretty shocking.

I went back to my classroom and looked at all the jack-o-lantern art all over the walls.  I liked the art (it was good).  Then I looked at the walls.  They were filled with good things, but a lot of good things.  I kept looking at the walls, because I had never seen them quite the way that I was now seeing them.  I wasn’t so sure that ‘lots of good things’ was a good idea.  It was busy.  Then I looked at my curtains and covers for toys and blocks.  It was the cutest jungle print.  Now I’m feeling beyond ‘not sure’; I’m feeling “I don’t like this”.  It gets worse when I see my vegetable print curtain that covers the nap mats, and the clear bins that store all the toys (see-through is not a good thing).  Suddenly, I hate my classroom.  It’s all wrong.  

This was a few years ago, and the changes I have made have been remarkable.  First, let’s talk about the changes with the children.  Morning Meetings were better than ever, because children didn’t have added distractions.  They weren’t looking at ‘stuff’ all over the room.  Activities for the day were more appealing and exciting, because children could really ‘see’ what was there, and better understand what they could do.  They naturally focused on the activity, not the classroom.  It became clear that changing the environment changed the way children learned and behaved.

The changes to my classroom started with the walls, because that was something I could do immediately.  I designated one wall for art and labeled it, “Art Gallery”.  Every picture from every child does not have to hang on the wall.  I was surprised at how easy it was to select a sampling of work from children.  Actually, the children liked it much better, too, as one spot gave the art more prestige.  I made sure art was rotated so all children had a piece on display.

Next, I changed curtains and coverings to a neutral shade.  No more jungle and vegetable prints.  That summer, I replaced two old rugs with neutral ones.  The following year I worked on the clear bins that stored toys.  The stacks of multiple bins were filled with so much color.  Toys are colorful!  I found inexpensive baskets to hold the bins.  What a big change that made.  This year I added plants, both hanging and on our big shelf.  And, I simplified.  That meant removing things I really didn’t use all the time.  Was this easy?  Yes and no.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely!  Am I finished?  Certainly not. 

I have always been an advocate for young children.  Witnessing first hand how a classroom’s physical presence makes a big impact on children, I have now become a ‘classroom environment’ advocate as well.  Recently I visited a school with two preschool classrooms, and they couldn’t have been more different.  One seemed cluttered and colorful, too busy.  The other seemed calm and inviting, and immediately focused on what the children had done.  I now have these new eyes that see so much more, and that’s a good thing.  When I talk with another professional about environments, I invite them into mine.  Today, the Eastern Regional Manager  from Kaplan paid me a visit, as they are ‘on board’ with what really works for young children.

Children will always be my top priority.  I reach them and connect with them through reading, music, art and much more.  Now, my classroom can be an extension of all that I do, and support children as they engage in learning and playing.

Jennie

 

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Art Masterpieces, Inspired by All Types of Music, Created by Young Children

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Jennie

Preparing For the Aqua Room Art Show.  Who knew that music would be so inspirational?

Artist’s tools certainly work to help children feel inspired and create their own art. Whether it is squeezing thick watercolors from a tube directly onto a palette in order to work with different shades and colors, or adding water to a drop of the paint to make a translucent color, children are very engaged. They understand real tools, use them carefully, and they feel empowered. That’s a good thing! We embrace every opportunity to incorporate ‘real’ into our curriculum. It makes a difference, and the current artwork is proof of that.

When we planned for the art show, we felt that music could be a strong component to inspire art and creativity. Little did we know that music would take a big turn and become important on its own. We brought in a record player and albums, and that made the music ‘real’. Children cannot get enough of listening to music, played on a record player. They gather to watch and listen. Often they find magnifying glasses in the science area and use them to carefully watch the record player as they listen to the music.  They love it!  Perhaps I should add that this is science and technology, too.  When I bring a record player to school, I put it on the floor and say nothing.  Children are curious about the box, so I open it and they don’t know what to say.  “What is it?” someone finally asks.  I say, “Let’s find out.”  Slowly, I spin the turntable, turn it on, lift the arm, and then rub my finger on the needle to make a sound.  At this point, the children are captivated.  Then, I pull an album out of it’s jacket and ask what it is, looking as curious and confused as the children.  When I put the album onto the turntable and lower the needle, children are as euphoric as they are shocked.  Tommy blurted out, “That’s magic!”

We have listened to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, “Annie”, the “Temptations Greatest Hits”, Earl Scruggs, Handel’s “Water Music”, the Supremes, “The Sound of Music”, “Mary Poppins”, the Beatles, and much more. Each day we read the book, Can You Hear It? from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are twelve art masterpieces, each with an accompanying piece of music on a CD. We only get through two each day (we love this!), as we listen for certain instruments that depict different scenes or objects in the art. Your children have embraced both the art and the music!

Are you ready for this? Children ask for Vivaldi, and for Copeland and Rossini, especially when it is matched with art. Yes, they do! Four-year-old children asking to hear impressive pieces of music…well, that’s just wonderful. When we play Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, I ask, “Do you want to hear ‘Spring’, ‘Summer’, ‘Autumn’ or ‘Winter’?”  They know the difference.  Wow!  The favorite art and music match-up in Can You Hear It? is a Currier and Ives print titled “My Little White Kittens into Mischief” along with Rossini’s “Comic Duet for Two Cats.” We literally belly-laugh at every ‘meow’. So much fun!

So, what happens to art when children have been enveloped in music?  In my class, the children created thoughtful, detailed masterpieces.  Each piece was stunning.  They knew that important works of art had titles, and I told each child that their art deserved a title, as it was a masterpiece. I asked them to name their masterpiece.  Again, the children amazed me.  I expected they would be excited or flustered to pick a title.  No, not at all.  Each child seemed to instinctively know what to call their piece, and they told me the name with great pride and confidence. Never underestimate young children, and the power of art and music.

The slow presentation of tools to create art, and also the tools of music, will engage children to become excited to do art.  The process of allowing children to use the tools, and listen to the music over and over again, will empower them to exceptional creativity.

The Art Show will be on display at the Groton Post Office to kick-off NAEYC’s “Week of The Young Child” this week.  Each year this is a big community event.  Our Guest Book is always full of signatures and wonderful comments.

Jennie

 

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Language, Literacy and Reading Aloud… part 2

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Jennie

People often ask why I chapter read.  After all, many of the children in my classroom are are three-years-old.  When we chapter read, the children don’t have an image from a picture book.  They have to make the pictures in their head.  That requires language development.  The more they hear, the more they learn.  Even the youngest children benefit enormously.  For example, they may not ‘get’ the humor of the goose repeating everything three times in Charlotte’s Web, but they are still getting a huge dose of language.

I read picture books as well, at least twice a day.  That’s a given!  As in chapter books, we stop to ask questions.  That’s how we learn.  Remember the five W’s and the H?  Who, what, where, when, why and how?  Those are the most important questions, because they are the foundation for stimulating language.  We stop our reading all the time to ask these questions.  When I read Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky, it takes forty minutes to get through the book.  Really!  How did he get in and out of the garden?  How did Rapunzel get into the tower, where is the tower, and how was the tower built?  Questions prompt so much interest and dialogue.

Our conversations during chapter reading are often powerful.  When we read Doctor Dolittle’s Journey, a child asked, “Are Indians bad?”.  What an opportunity that question created to talk about acceptance and diversity.  The classroom conversation felt intimate.  Learning can happen unexpectedly, and reading aloud is often the catalyst.  Children don’t need to sit and listen to a book in silence.  Asking questions is a good thing!

Let me say it again: reading aloud is the gift of language, and language is the most important element in a child’s development and success in school.  Wow!  The number of words a child knows can be directly attributed to his or her success in school; not just in English, but in Math and Science as well.  Perhaps these are the most important words a parent can hear.  Reading aloud is a strong part of my classroom curriculum, and children love it!  The more you read aloud at home increases your child’s development!  The biggest bonus is bonding together.  Nothing beats snuggling with Mom or Dad, one-on-one, reading a book.  Life is good!

Jennie

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Language, Literacy and Reading Aloud… part 1

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Jennie

Chapter reading is one of our treasured moments of the day in the classroom. We bring to life the imagination, the world, and the past. The anticipation of ‘what happens next?’ stirs excitement every day. Children listen and think. They ask questions. Ask your child, “At chapter reading where do you make the pictures?” You will hear your child say, “In your head.”  Preschool children understand this transition from picture books.

When we finish a book and then start a new one, emotions run high and low. The end of a good book is so satisfying and pleasant, yet…it is over. That is the wonderful roller coaster of reading. And, with each chapter book we read, we ride that roller coaster over and over again.

We have started reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The story is based in the 1870’s, in the big woods of Wisconsin where ‘a man can ride a horse for a day or a week and still be in the woods.’ We’re learning about life when there were no grocery stores and no cars. Pa hunted in the woods for meat for the family (Laura loved bear meat!). Ma stored food in the attic and the cellar. Laura and Mary made toys and pretend play from pumpkins (chairs), leaves and acorns (play food), corncobs (dolls), and all the things in the woods around their little log house.

It has taken us weeks just to finish the first few chapters! It prompted so many questions and dialogue. “Why didn’t Ma just put the meat in the freezer?” “What is a fiddle?” “How do you cut trees to build a house?” Yes, these are the questions that children are asking. How wonderful!

The fundamental constant that gives children the tools to succeed in school is language. The more words that children hear, the better they will do in school. Reading aloud to children is far more than an enjoyable experience. It increases their language development! In Kindergarten through grade four, the primary source of instruction is oral. The more words that a child has heard, the better s/he will understand the instruction, and the better s/he will perform in school. Therefore, I will always campaign to read aloud.

Good books are meant to be read over and over again. You and your child may enjoy reading together the chapter books that I have read to my class so far, Charlotte’s Web, The Story of Dr. Dolittle, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and My Father’s Dragon.

Need more? You can turn on the close-captioned on your television! The continuous exposure to the printed word that your child hears on television will drastically increase reading readiness. Wow!

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease is the greatest source of information for why to read aloud, and for what books to read.  I found this bestseller back in the 80’s when my children were little.  Lucky me!  The 6th edition was published this year.  If you want facts and statistics, he has them.  If you want stories as to why, he has those too.  Frankly, they are captivating.  This book has it nailed.

Stayed tuned for ‘part two’ on this subject.  I have so much to tell you.

Jennie

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Art, Music and Technology

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Jennie

We’re learning about France in the classroom and also studying the art of the old masters, like Monet, Picasso and van Gogh.  Describing styles of art to young children with pictures and techniques is always exciting; using real watercolor paints from tubes squeezed onto a palette, painting at an easel, demonstrating brush strokes, and finding geometric shapes in abstract art.  As they begin to actually use real tools and techniques, they feel proud. We encourage children to come back to their piece of art, over and over again.  After all, a masterpiece is not created in a day.  Music is also art, and when the two come together, magic and creativity seem to explode.  That’s exactly what happened this week.

We used the book Can You Hear It? from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which matches a famous work of art with a classical piece of music.  Fabulous book!  The first pages, before the art and music, show different instruments.  The children were so interested that we had to slow down and really go through each instrument.  Of course!  How simple, and how perfect to begin the process of listening to music.  I was so eager to get to the ‘real part’, the pictures of art and the accompanying music, that I nearly overlooked the most important and fundamental part; the musical instruments.  if you don’t know the instruments and the sounds they produce, how can you listen to music, especially when it can identify with art?  For example, the violins in “Flight of the Bumblebee” matched with the art piece Chrysanthemums can’t be fully understood or appreciated if a child has not heard or seen a violin.

The cello captivated the children.  It looked big and interesting in the book.  Technology to the rescue.  My co-teacher had her iPad at school, and she found a cello solo for the children to watch and listen.  It was “Bach Cello Suite No.1 in G”, played by Mischa Maisky.  The sounds that flowed from his cello had thirteen preschool children listening to and loving every single note.  Everyone was breathless, including teachers.  The only words that were spoken were, “I love this music”, “Olivia isn’t here, she would love this”, and “That was awesome.”  The only movements were children trying to copy playing the cello.  The next day we continued with the book, and again used the iPad, this time with a classical guitar solo.  We played “Cannon in D” by Johann Pachelbel.  As you can imagine, children were equally captivated.  The only words spoken were by one child, “This sounds like bedtime music”.

We then combined listening to music and creating our own art.  So far, the results are astounding.  Really!  When young children are given the tools and encouragement, they have so much to give.  In this case, the tools were books, music and technology.  The results are the artwork that is shaping up to be well beyond the developmental skills of preschool children.  That’s just wonderful.

Jennie

 

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This Was a Great Day!

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Jennie

Romana, Geography, Milly, and ‘Blind Travel’

“The Story of Learning, and a Great Day in the Aqua Room”

The best learning often takes place at unexpected times.  As teachers, we have to recognize the moments when children are curious or excited, and turn those moments into a learning opportunity.  Today, those moments seemed to multiply.  It was wonderful.

It all started with Milly the quilter.  She was visiting today to finalize helping children select fabrics for our quilt.  Romana wanted to tell Milly that she was going to Romania, so we opened our big book atlas and found Romania.  This was an in-depth discussion with everyone.  We looked at how far Romania is from France (we studied France last year).  We didn’t know that Romania is on the Black Sea (did you know that?).

Of course we used the atlas to see where Massachusetts is, and how far it is from Romania.  Then, we found England and Brazil, because Doctor Dolittle (our current chapter reading book) is from England and is sailing to Spider Monkey Island, off the coast of Brazil.

Whoa!  Is your head spinning?  Yes, this is what happened, and this is how young children learn.  This was not in the plans, but we certainly embraced it.

It gets better!  Toward the end of rest time, children who are awake get a book or a nap toy.  Today teachers watched that full group of children use the big book atlas, together.  No child picked an individual book or a toy.  Collectively, they wanted to find Brazil, Romania, Massachusetts, and Spider Monkey Island.  When the lights were on, they wanted to play Doctor Dolittle’s “Blind Travel”.  That means closing your eyes, opening an atlas, circling a pencil three times, and then putting it down on a location.

We played “Blind Travel” for twenty minutes.  Your children traveled to Europe, South America, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.  Those were just the locations with a teacher.  Romana and Milly and Doctor Dolittle gave your children a powerful lesson in geography, yet all learning is interconnected.  Today, chapter reading, an atlas, Romana and Milly helped to inspire learning.

Jennie

(The Aqua Room is my classroom at Groton Community School)

P.S.  I will post a blog a week.  Today at school was so profound that I will post that in a few days.  I just can’t wait!

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Welcome to Jennie’s Blog.

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Jennie

Jennie's avatarA Teacher's Reflections

I am excited to share with all of you my insights into teaching young children.    There are so many good things that I have written about, from reading aloud to music, art, ‘traveling’ across the world, eating in our Chinese restaurant, quilting, play performances, and so on.  Each time something great happens in my classroom I write about it.  Often the most important things are the little things, as they become the foundation for learning.  It’s all those little things that are really the big things, and that’s what I write about.  Let me give you an example:  Music is a big part of my program, and a few years ago the children were particularly excited about singing “God Bless America”.  I’m not sure why, as we sing many types of songs at school.  I paid attention and realized they needed more.  They had begun to sing together on their…

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