Tag Archives: preschool

How Art Shapes Our World

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Jennie

Growing up, I spent every Sunday afternoon with my grandmother, Nan.  She was the fun one, the grandparent who let us dress up in her clothes, always read to us, told us stories of her childhood, and drove us to … Continue reading →

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The Essay That Didn’t Win…It Should Have.

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Jennie

The essay contest was titled, “When did you first know the meaning of love?”.  I knew the answer in a heartbeat; I had to enter and tell the world, because it was important.  It was the ‘light bulb’ moment in … Continue reading →

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Singing Poetry, Books, and Anything in Print

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Jennie

At our monthly staff meeting last week a teacher shared a wonderful frog poem written on chart paper.  The rhyming words were highlighted in a different color.  She showed us how to use the poem with props; a stick to … Continue reading →

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“It Happened Like This…”

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Jennie

This is the classic line to begin a great story, and a true story.  I say this often in the classroom, as language and stories are strong building blocks.  The children are very familiar with this phrase, as I tell … Continue reading →

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Roots and Wings…and Thunderstorms

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Jennie

Some years ago I was on my porch with my adult daughter watching the big thunderstorm rumble into our yard. We were both enjoying the anticipation as well as the storm itself. I asked my daughter what memories popped into … Continue reading →

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A Memorial Day in My Classroom

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Jennie

Our school wide Memorial Day remembrance some years ago with General Zukauskas and Cadet Crampton was stirring and moving, to say the least.  I think holding the American flag and singing patriotic songs, particularly “The Star Spangled Banner”, were quite … Continue reading →

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Music and Singing; The Little Things Become the Big Things, Especially With Patriotic Songs.

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Jennie

It all started with Jackson.  He’s a music lover in the classroom, and remembers what he hears.  Songs that are meaningful to him are not forgotten and often requested for us to sing.  Yesterday was the culmination of a slow … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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