Forest Fours

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Jennie

Originally posted on Playful Directions:
Yesterday was our first official Forest Four Day.  Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten spent about two hours exploring our Northbound Trail.  The undergrowth sprouted up beyond our knees over the summer, leading to a lovely, wild excursion.…

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The Light in the Toothbrush

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Jennie

This week my Book Bears reading group at the public library had our first meeting of the year.  September is always ‘bring your favorite book that you read over the summer’.  It’s a great way to meet the kids – grades 2 & 3 – and see what everyone likes to read.  I host the discussion, and invite each child to read a page aloud from their book.  It’s a wonderful ice breaker.

I also get a feel for how they read, and how much they read.  My wonderful all-boy group likes dragons, book series like The Boxcar Children, American war history, and much more.  Book series are very popular.  The diversity of interest is exciting.

At this point, everyone had talked about their book, and more importantly talked about why they liked it.  Everyone was listening to each other.  It’s about more than just the book.  It’s about  getting to know each other.  I understand every child, from the ‘I don’t know anyone here’ and the ‘I don’t like to talk’, to the chatterbox.  Somehow, in 20 minutes, we have all become pals.  Me included.

And then something happened.  A boy said that he reads every night.  Another boy said he does, too.  And another, and another…

The conversation went something like this:

A child:  “I read 40 pages at night.”

Me:  “That’s terrific.”

A child:  “I read 100 pages a night.  Well, one time I read 100.”

Me:  “That’s hard to read so many pages.  When I go to bed and read, I don’t read 100 pages.  40 or 50 is what I read at bedtime.  Do you ever read in the dark?”

A child:  “Sometimes I read in the dark.”

A child:  “I do, too!”

Me:  “Do you have a night light?”

All the children:  “Yes!”

And this is where it gets interesting…

Me:  “Do you ever read in the dark with a flashlight, under the covers, after Mom and Dad say it’s lights out?”

A child:  “Yes!  Sometimes I can’t stop reading because there’s an important part.”

A child:  “I don’t have a flashlight.  But my toothbrush does.”

Me:  “Your toothbrush has a flashlight?”

The child:  “No, it doesn’t have a flashlight.  It just has a light inside.  When Mom and Dad turned off the lights and said it was time for bed, I waited.  Then I tip-toed into the bathroom and got my toothbrush so I could keep reading.”

Just wonderful!

Jennie

Posted in books, children's books, Early Education, Imagination, reading, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 72 Comments

9/11 – Kindness Peace and Love Day

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Jennie

9/11 at school is Kindness, Peace, and Love Day.  How do we help young children honor the brave people on 9/11?  By remembering and celebrating how people were united in brotherhood and came together to help each other.  We talk about heroes – firefighters, police officers, nurses, doctors, teachers…

Yes, heroes.  They are the ones who face a tragedy and find goodness and strength.  We can, too.  Children can be heroes.  There is a hero in us all.

Today we held the American flag.  I talked to a whole school of children filled with big eyes and wearing red, white, and blue.  I showed them how to stand and put their hand on their heart.  We sang “God Bless America.”  Then I asked, “Who is a hero?”  The shout-outs were terrific:

Firefighters!  Police officers!  Teachers!  Moms!

“You can be a hero, too.  Yes, you can.  You can help a friend.  You can spread kindness.  And when you see a firefighter or a police officer, please say ‘thank you’.  So who’s going to celebrate Kindness, Peace and Love Day today?”  Every hand went up.

We then sang one of our favorite songs about America, “Red, White and Blue” by Debbie Clement.  While the song is a book, based on quilting America, it is the children’s favorite.

We will never forget 9/11, and we will always celebrate Kindness, Peace, and Love Day.  Today was a wonderful day.

Jennie

Posted in American flag, books, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, Inspiration, Kindness, Love, Peace, preschool, Singing, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

The Best Words From a Child

Posted on September 9, 2018 by Jennie

A child said to me this week,

“Jennie, tell me all the books.”

Surely those are the best words a teacher can hear.

Jennie

Posted in books, Early Education, Imagination, Inspiration, reading, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , | 52 Comments

Looking For a Good Book?

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Jennie

To start the school year, I always pick a random selection of books for my classroom bookshelf.  Nothing theme-y, just good literature.  Poetry, rhyming, humor, old favorites and new award winners.  So take a look, go reading, and get lost in a good book.

I collected the books late in the afternoon, the day before children arrived.  Most teachers had left for the day, so I was alone in the library at school.  I felt like one of the children in the book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  The only difference was that I was in a library, not a museum.

When I placed the books on the shelf, I wondered which one the children would like most.  I thought Otis, or Dr. Seuss.  Yet, I never second guess or underestimate children, as their minds are always one step ahead.

And the children’s first favorite?  Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems.  As you can see, children are crammed together, because they desperately want to hear this story read aloud.  They can’t get enough:

As we read aloud over the next few weeks, every book on this bookshelf will become a favorite.  They are some of the best.  Each time we change and add books, the pattern and thrill will be repeated all year long – new books, new favorites.

“If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.”  -Roald Dhal-

Jennie

Posted in books, children's books, Early Education, Imagination, Inspiration, picture books, preschool, reading, reading aloud, Teaching young children, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 65 Comments

Interview with Teacher Jennie Fitzkee!

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Jennie

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by author Janice Spina on her wonderful blog!

JEMSBOOKS

INTERVIEW WITH TEACHER JENNIE FITZKEE!

Jennie Fitzkee

Please help me welcome teacher Jennie Fitzkee to Jemsbooks.blog Interview Segment. Jennie is the first teacher that I have had the pleasure to interview. Jennie is a lovely lady and an exceptional teacher of preschool. I happened upon her fabulous blog and have enjoyed reading about her classroom, students and what she has accomplished with these young children. She is utterly amazing.

Thanks so much, Janice.

My pleasure, Jennie. The stage is all yours.

1. What does a teacher need to do to be successful?
Pay attention to children.  The lesson being taught by you will only be meaningful if children are engaged and interested.  Does that mean the child is more important than the lesson?  Yes, it does.  Let me give you a few examples: A high school history teacher in upstate New York was beginning to teach about the…

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Amber Waves of Grain

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Jennie

My view every evening is this:

As the sun goes in and out, and the breeze flows across the open grass, I can only think of “amber waves of grain.”  I see “spacious skies” every evening.  And some evenings I see purple, too.  Beautiful!  And I hum the song, with gratitude.

Jennie

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, music, Nature, Singing | Tagged , , , , | 39 Comments

The Autoharp

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Jennie

I had just met the children.  The classroom was overflowing with eager parents and not-so-eager children.  New + big + different = scary. For fifteen minutes we looked at each other, me smiling and children with big worried eyes.  The classroom may have looked wonderful, but all that children could see were too many other people – and new teachers.

I knew just what to do.  I pulled out the autoharp.

It’s big.  Really big, with twenty-one strings.  I sat down and put it on my lap.  Suddenly there wasn’t a sound in the room.  Nobody said a word.  I looked at the autoharp and touched a string.

Me:  “The strings make sounds.  Like this.”

And then I plucked a few strings, from low to high, pausing between each sound.  At the last one I winced my face, readying for the tiniest string that would play a really, really high sound.  This was fascinating.

Me:  “Now, if I push a button and play all the strings, it makes music.  Not just sounds.  Music!“

My face is excited, and I… do it.  I push a button, strum the strings.  Then I do another button.  And another.  Still, no one has said a word.  Children are entranced.

Me:  “I know, let’s play music and sing a song.  Oh, there’s a song I think you know.  See if you can guess what it is.”

And, I play ‘The ABC Song’.  Children were eager to sing along, of course.  Oh, did they ever sing!  Now they were part of what was happening.  I was connecting with children.

Me:  “Wait!  There’s another song that has exactly the same tune.  It sounds just like ‘The ABC Song’.  See if you know what it is.”

I began to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’.  Children immediately sang.  Two children stood up to sing.  Actually, they belted out the song.  We all had the best time together.  I looked straight at every child.  I was smiling and singing.  They were, too.  It felt good.  It was a moment, a big one.  I know the school year will be just fine.

Jennie

Posted in behavior, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Family, Inspiration, joy, Kindness, music, preschool, Singing, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , , , , | 69 Comments

The Miracle of Reading

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Jennie

A perfect story of the miracle of reading, beautifully written by Diana Peach. Read on!

Myths of the Mirror

pixabay

I had another post prepared for today… but then a miracle happened…

I showed up at Tornado Boy’s house for two days of “Grammy Time.” Kindergarten doesn’t kick off until Tuesday and preschool ended early, leaving mom and dad in a lurch. When I walked in the door, I received my usual whirlwind of hugs, but the first question out of the tornado’s mouth was, “Do you want me to read a book to you?”

Not Legos, no request to build a spaceship or visit the park, no plea to use his old grammy as a jungle-gym. Nope.

“Do you want me to read a book to you?”

“Why, sure,” I replied, fully expecting a play by play narration through a picture book or a four-pager of his own creation.

I sat on the couch, and he climbed up beside me, tucked in tight, and opened Dr. Seuss’s Hop…

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School, Yesterday and Today

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Jennie

Yesterday:  The classroom is a disaster.  So much to do.  Overwhelming.  How will I ever be ready?

Today:

Lookin’ good!

Tomorrow:  Children!  I can’t wait. ❤️

Jennie

Posted in Early Education, Imagination, Inspiration, Teaching young children, wonder, young children | Tagged , , , , | 51 Comments