Roots & Wings, and Big Thunderstorms

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Jennie

The thunder is booming, and the lightning is flashing so much that I jump as I type this post.  I love every minute of the excitement.  I’m on the porch; I wouldn’t be any place else.  So much about thunderstorms remind me of adventure and excitement – and bravery – as a child.  It’s what I give to my preschoolers.  Here is one of my favorite posts.  It really hits home.

image

Last evening I was outdoors with my husband and our adult daughter watching the big thunderstorm rumble into our yard.  We were all enjoying the anticipation as well as the storm itself.  I asked my daughter what memories popped into her head whenever she heard a big storm.  She replied, “Camp, of course!  We had nothing else; no TV, no computer, just the outdoors.  Thunderstorms were great!”  Funny thing.  This was the same experience with me as a child at camp.

We talked about exciting and adventurous experiences in our childhood, and about childhood itself.  We analyzed why children feel the way they do, and what is it that ‘makes a difference’ when they grow up.  One thing kept ringing loud and clear.  Children who are given experiences that challenge them, who are encouraged to take a chance and ‘do it’, and who have the firm love and support of their family, seem to grow up with a good, strong sense of self.

Roots and wings.

In my classroom I approach each learning experience and activity, planned or unplanned, as an exciting opportunity.  We are a family.  We help each other, support each other, and encourage each other.  We provide roots for each other with daily routine, tenderness, and a positive, fun attitude.  We give each other wings when we learn how to write our name, pump a swing, stand in front of a group to talk, or try something new.

Roots and wings.

Remember, it’s all the little experiences, over and over again, that we build upon.  It’s not the big things that make a difference.  Dancing with painted feet, coming to school at night and singing in the dark, shopping in a real Indian market, painting to classical music, setting up nap mats for other children, finding a new place on our big map with the magnifying glass, reading all the name cards without help… it is the culmination of all these activities, and many others, that make the difference.

I hope that in years to come, children and their families sit through a thunderstorm together, walk through the woods together, or sing in the dark together, and find it is an experience that is exciting.  I hope that my Aqua Room classroom, and all we have done together as a group, has helped to give children the experiences to feel a happy and confident sense of self.

Roots and wings.

Jennie

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Imagination, Inspiration, Mother Nature, Nature, self esteem, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , | 55 Comments

Three Wonderful Things

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Jennie

The school year has just ended.  I am exhausted and very happy.  It’s the little things that make the big difference, and here are three wonderful things that happened at the end of school:

Lissy’s self -portrait

Children draw a self portrait in September and in June.  This is included in their portfolio for parents – a collection of art, writing, photos, stories, and more, detailed over each month of school.  Just look at the huge difference in September and June, including name writing.  This made my day/month/year.

Adam and ‘the wedding’

Early in the school year I said to Adam, “When I grow up, will you marry me?”  He was thrilled and said a big “YES!”  As the year went on, we occasionally talked about getting married, but first I had to grow up.  Adam told his mom, and once in a while his mom and I would smile about ‘the wedding’.

Low and behold, the year-end thank you card from his mom ended with ‘P.S.  See you at the wedding’.  How wonderful!  This is why I teach and why I love children.

Gloria and Daisy

Gloria is home with me for a while.  Honestly, Hubby is as thrilled as I am.  We find ourselves stopping to say ‘hi’ and having a chat with Gloria when we walk by the couch.  She is taking care of Daisy, a very popular elephant in the new book, Small Things Mended, by Casey Robinson.  I highly recommend the book.  Children love it, and Daisy is as popular as the book.


Life is good.
May I always connect with children.
May I always read aloud the best books.
May I always have room in my heart for more.

Jennie

Posted in Book Review, children's books, Diversity, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, Gloria, Inspiration, literacy, picture books, preschool, self esteem, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , | 70 Comments

Life and Emergent Adventures

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Jennie

It is difficult to explain emergent curriculum to people.  For teachers it means paying attention to children, seizing the moment that ‘something happens’, and letting the moment be the guide for teaching.

Picture this: walking along a path in the woods with children, seeing a light ahead, and rushing over to discover the light is on a hatch doorway.  Should we open the door?  You bet!  It takes a lot of work to clear the dirt and weeds off the hatch and find the big brass ring to open the door.  What is on the other side?  We discover there’s a golden slide that goes down farther than we can see.  Should we slide down that slide?  You bet!  And what is at the bottom of the slide?

You get the picture.  This pretend story is how it goes and how it feels when teaching children and seizing the moment.  I can’t imagine following a scripted lesson that has no room for those moments when ‘something happens’.

Life is the same way.  It’s how we welcome what comes our way that makes all the difference.   Stephen Colbert says it best:

“If I thought I knew what was going to happen, it wouldn’t be worth doing.  The challenge is how joyfully, with what sense of fun and adventure and playfulness, we will greet it.  We don’t have to look for what the next thing will be.  If experience is any judge, it’ll come flowing toward us like a river.”

Those words ring true.  Yes, that’s Life-101.

Here is one of life’s emergent adventures:  Last week a child came to me and said, “Jennie, there’s a footprint on the bathroom mirror.”  Of course I had to see.  There was certainly something that looked like a soapy footprint.

“Jennie, do you think it was a leprechaun?  Do you think it was Lucky the leprechaun?”

This is where I seized the moment, because ‘something happened’.

“I don’t know.  Do you think it was Lucky?  It might be.  Let’s show everyone.”

I shouted, “Aqua Roomers!  There’s a footprint on the mirror in the bathroom.  Joe thinks Lucky was here.  Come take a look.”

Yes, there was a stampede into the bathroom.  We studied the footprint, and children wanted to know if it was from Lucky.  Did he really visit the Aqua Room again?

“I think we need to write Lucky a letter and ask him if he was here and left a footprint.”  We wrote a letter and taped it to the mirror.

At pick-up time, I told Joe’s mother what had happened, and how cool it was that he brought up Lucky.  She was thrilled.  That night before I left school I wrote a big green YES below the letter.

The next morning every child rushed into the bathroom to show Mom and Dad the footprint and letter, and of course to see if Lucky answered the letter.  What excitement!  Better yet, there was a letter for the Aqua Roomers on the table.  It was from Lucky!

Lucky me!  You found my footprints.  They can be tricky to spot, so you must be super smart!  The school year’s nearly over, and I couldn’t leave without wishing you a fantastic summer filled with sunshine, laughter, and maybe even adventures as grand as the ones we have in the Aqua Room!  Look what I left for you!  Red, white, and blue treats, just like the colors in in a rainbow.  Yum!  Leprechauns love rainbows, so I know you’ll love these too.  Enjoy!

Your friend, Lucky.

Thank you to Joe’s mom for understanding, and bringing Lucky full circle.

Thank you to Stephen Colbert for explaining your approach to life’s experiences.

Thank you to all the teachers who embrace every moment and run with it.

Jennie

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, Imagination, Inspiration, Quotes, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , | 68 Comments

Amanda in Scotland

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Jennie

Look what arrived today!
The newest Amanda book
by Darlene Foster.

I love every Amanda book.
Adventure, history, geography,
and all the complexities of sleuthing
with many different characters and personalities.

Let the summer reading begin!

Jennie

Posted in Book Review, books, geography, history, Learning About the World, literacy, reading | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

Teaching Patriotism – Where it Began

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Jennie

Planting flags in our Memory Garden at school.

It all started with our field trip to the Shriners Circus years ago.  This circus is a perfect event for preschoolers as it’s grand but not overwhelming.  My class was seated and ready.  The circus began with lowering a big American flag and singing our National Anthem.  I had no idea this would happen.  So, of course I stood, put my hand over my heart, and began to sing.

I looked at the children and they were playing.  I looked at the parents and they were chatting away.  I was horrified.  Immediately I began rushing to each child and showing them how to stand and placing their little hands over their hearts.  I must have looked like someone who was frantically putting out fires, because that’s exactly what I was doing.  I was desperately trying to stop the ambivalence.

I knew I had plenty of teaching to do ahead.  My first step was to teach the children about our flag, since that was what they remembered from the circus.  I had a parent who was retired from the Navy bring a flag to school and tell the children all about it.  It was wonderful!  Why had I not thought about doing this before?  Seeing, touching, and learning about the flag shouldn’t wait until elementary school.  I learned along with the children.  Do you know the nickname of our flag?  I do.

My next step was our National Anthem, and there is no better book than Peter Spier’s The Star-Spangled Banner to teach this to young children.  Each line in the song is a full color illustration, which ignites plenty of questions and conversation.

We poured through this book, and ended up getting a piece of American history.  We talked about how the rockets were the only source of light to see the flag.  Then we talked about battles, and flying the flag showed we were still in the fight.  One child looked at an illustration and said, “That must be a towering steep.”  She was right!  The book includes the second and third versus, all with full illustrations.  I was surprised that I could still sing those by heart, and the children were surprised, too.

Singing; that was the next part of teaching.  We needed to sing patriotic songs.  Singing is universal when it comes to expressing the heart and soul of how you feel.  The children loved singing “God Bless America”.  After we learned the song, they decided to sing it amongst themselves and then for other classes on the playground.  They couldn’t get enough, so I arranged for soldiers to visit on Veteran’s Day so we could sing for them.  It was a wonderful event, yet the children wanted more.  I could tell.  We made a “God Bless America” book where we wrote all the words and drew the pictures.  What a treasure!  The quilt that followed hangs at the Fisher House in Boston.

Patriotism continues to grow in the classroom, year after year.  I lead the way in a school-wide Memorial Day Remembrance.  A retired Air Force Master Sergeant tells children about Memorial Day, in a way they can understand.  The Aqua Room holds the American flag and leads the school in singing “God Bless America.”

Thank a member of our military every chance you get.  Never forget the sacrifice they make to preserve our freedom.

Jennie

Posted in America, American flag, Death and dying, military, patriotism, preschool, Singing, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 67 Comments

Every Story is Important – Especially Children’s Stories

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Jennie

I pay attention to children’s play, because play is their work.  By this time in the school year, children are more than settled; they work together like a team.  Today they built an incredible ‘scene’, something far more complex than a structure.  There was a story there… I knew there had to be.  So, I asked the children to tell me about what they had built.

I dashed to get pen and paper.

“How does your story start?”, I asked.

There was a loud chorus of “It happened like this.”

I wonder if they saw my smile that glowed.

This is what they built:

Their story is no surprise; it’s creative and truly thoughtful.  It tells the story of what they built and ‘what happened’.

Here is the story they told:

“It happened like this.

There was a traffic jam.

We couldn’t get home.

All the cars were stopping.

The wind was blowing and people were walking.

The bridge was crashing.

The pink people saved the day.

They have strong power.

They lifted up the bridge so the cars got through,
and the people got their cars.”

Here is what I wrote to families:

Dear Families,

Today your children built an incredible scene (far more than a structure) with cars, arches, people, and blocks.  Most everyone was involved.  When the teacher said, “Tell me about this”, it was clear there was a story that needed to be told.  A story can validate children’s hard work.  It can trigger the imagination.  Stories also give children the opportunity to express themselves and use their language.

Here is what they built:

Here is the story they told:

“It happened like this.
There was a traffic jam.
We couldn’t get home.
All the cars were stopping.
The wind was blowing and people were walking.
The bridge was crashing.
The pink people saved the day.
They have strong power.
They lifted up the bridge so the cars got through, and the people got their cars.”

Yes, the power of story.  May your children continue to build, work together, create, tell stories, and inspire us all.

Warmly,

Jennie

May all children learn to work together and create something important.  May all children tell their stories.  May all children inspire adults, because they are shining lights of the future.

Jennie

Posted in Uncategorized | 60 Comments

Giving Thanks – Teacher to Teacher, Blogger to Blogger, Friend to Friend

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Jennie

Let me tell you about my friend Pete Springer- fellow blogger, teacher, and dear friend.  He is a retired teacher with all the ‘right stuff’ when it comes to understanding children.  He visited my classroom a few years ago (which was absolutely wonderful), and that sparked a conversation among friends and teachers.

He’s coming to your classroom, and you’ve never met him?  How do you know this guy?

Bloggers are friends, family.  We’re a community who understand and support each other.  We share, laugh, and slowly become a family over time.  People just don’t understand.

They’ve never walked in our blogging shoes.

The opportunity to meet a fellow blogger and friend is rare and very special.  I was lucky to meet Pete.  It was as if we’d known each other forever.  Well, we had.  I don’t need to tell you how he immediately connected with the children.  Of course they loved him!

As time has gone on, Pete shares the best posts about his students, mentors, reading aloud, family, volunteering and more.  He is grounded in teaching, because 32 years gives you a full load of children and learning.  Thank goodness he shares his wisdom and stories.  I cherish his reflections.

When Pete learned this is my 40th year of teaching, he surprised me with two gifts:

‘Just hired, 40 years ago’.
I laughed my head off!

It’s My Workiversary.
40 years and counting.

Thank you, Pete.  The humor is THE best.  Everyone has laughed their heads off.  Laughing comes from the heart, and so does teaching.  You know that well.  More importantly, you stop to say ‘thank you’ not just with gifts, but with words.

Your words to me are beautiful.  Thank you!

Your words to fellow teachers are very powerful.  Many teachers have saved this video, tucked away for a rainy day, or a day to remember.  Every teacher in my school watched it and, well, swelled with emotion.

Pete, thank you for being you, for your giving, for your inspiration, and for your friendship.  Thank you for making me feel like a Superhero.

Pete’s blog can be found at petespringerauthor.wordpress.com

Jennie

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Family, Giving thanks, Inspiration, Kindness, teaching | Tagged , , , | 147 Comments

New Books, Authors, Art and Birds – at The Eric Carle Museum

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Jennie

A great day at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Two new picture books just came out, and they are terrific.  I had the pleasure of meeting and greeting both of the authors, as they read their books to a captivated audience at the Eric Carle Museum.  Both books are multigenerational – a child and and someone much older.  They speak to children, pierce the heart, and leave a message of kindness.

The endings are surprising in the best of ways.  Cheers to grandfathers, older folks, dogs, children, and also birds.

The artists presentation was followed by book signings.  I always learn something new and wonderful, or make a connection.  Who knew Heidi Stemple’s (author of Wren’s Nest) grandfather was from a small town in West Virginia close to my hometown?  No one was from West Virginia, only us.  And Casey Robinson (author of Small Things Mended) and I recalled discovering the Caldecott Award emblem – a galloping horse – at an earlier Carle Museum exhibit.

Birds!  The newest exhibit at the museum features Eric Carle’s birds.  He created so many bird illustrations for his books throughout his career; it was a feast for the eyes.


“Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see?  I see a red bird looking at me.”  Yes, I have read those word to children for decades.  At last I was face-to-face with the real red bird.  It was quite a moment for me to see this glorious illustration – the real deal.  I looked for a long time, as if I had discovered treasure.  Well, I had.

Bird after bird, all unique and made with tissue paper and vibrant paints.  No one at the exhibit ‘strolled along’.  The art of the birds was stunning, and patrons were ‘locked on’ to Carle’s art.  For those of us who knew the birds from his books, it was quite the moment.

Did you know when Eric Carle arrived in America, he worked as a graphic designer in New York?  This is an advertisement from the 1960’s for an anti-allergy medication.  The technique and art for the birds is much the same as he used in his children’s book illustrations.


I highly recommend this art exhibit.  If you’re an art lover, a bird lover, or a book lover, you will not be disappointed.

Jennie

Posted in art, Book Review, books, children's books, Eric Carle, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, museums, Nature, picture books, reading aloud, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , | 75 Comments

The Kandinsky Epilogue – From the Hood Museum of Art

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Jennie

My visit to the Hood Museum of Art was the start of a great journey.  It began back in February. https://jenniefitzkee.com/2024/02/17/a-kandinsky-painting-at-last/ when I visited the museum.  When I returned to school I was excited to show children the real Kandinsky painting I saw.

And now, children’s art from our Art Show is featured on the Hood Museum’s FaceBook page.  Really!  How did that happen?  Here’s what I wrote to parents:

Hi Families,

The Aqua Room Art Show will be the featured post on the Hood Museum’s FB website Monday afternoon.  Really!  The Hood Museum of Art is at Dartmouth College.  How did our Art Show masterpieces get there?  It’s a good story.  In the words of a Jennie story,

It Happened Like This…

In February I visited the Hood Museum with good friends.  And there it was…. a Kandinsky painting.  I have always wanted to see one, because of Eric Carle.  When Carle was a high school student in Nazi Germany, his art teacher showed him ‘forbidden art’, works of five abstract artists.  Kandinsky was one of the five.  The art changed Carle’s life.  When we prepare for our annual Art Show every year, I always show children this art.  They love it!

After my Hood Museum visit I wrote a letter (not an email) to the Deputy Director of the museum, telling him how ‘moved’ I was at seeing a Kandinsky painting.  I told him how important art is, and I told him my class was preparing for an annual Art Show.  I assured him I would show children the museum’s Kandinsky painting.  I told him I would follow through with pictures of the Art Show, and perhaps a child would want to recreate the museum’s art.

He was thrilled!  I had the nicest response, and I sent him photos of the Art Show.  While children did not choose to recreate the Hood Museum’s Kandinsky, they loved his art, and a couple of children picked a different one to recreate.  The museum was quite taken by your children’s art.  They asked to share this story on their FaceBook site.  It will be posted Monday afternoon.  I hope they share many art photos!  You can do a FaceBook search for Hood Museum of Art.

I am so proud of your children!  Picasso was right when he said, “Every child is an artist.”

Jennie

Their Hood Museum of Art FaceBook post is absolutely wonderful.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  It’s their story, my story, and the art children created.  I am deeply humbled and thankful.

Art is more than inspiring.  It gives meaning to what we feel and see.  It gives children open eyes.

Jennie

Posted in art, Eric Carle, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, museums, Teaching young children, The Arts | Tagged , , , | 65 Comments

Albert Einstein, and Jennie

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Jennie

When it comes to education
Albert Einstein and I share the same wisdom,
only he says it far better,
with clarity, humor, and a brilliant example

Einstein’s words:

Jennie’s words:

Assuming all children are the same
is putting a round peg into a square hole.
Testing is not a measure of a genius.
Believing in children creates a genius.

Jennie

Posted in Early Education, Einstein, Inspiration, Quotes, teaching, Teaching young children | Tagged , , | 81 Comments