Tag Archives: reading aloud

The Power of Books; You Have to Read It to ‘Get It’

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Jennie

The best part of my day as a teacher, and the most important part, is reading aloud to children.  I read picture books at least twice a day and a chapter book every day.  I always become moved and emotionally … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching young children, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Reading Aloud Makes a Big Difference. Here’s Proof.

Posted on November 23, 2014 by Jennie

I love a good story, especially one that involves reading aloud and the stunning difference it makes with children.  Here is a favorite story of mine, from the million-copy best selling book, The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease: “During his … Continue reading →

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

The Things Children Say

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Jennie

Children’s comments and questions range from curious to humorous.  Young children are unbridled, and anything involved with learning and exploring has a question; that’s why the things they say are quite wonderful.  As I sorted through oodles of paperwork this … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Camp Songs; Why We Love Them

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Jennie

It took me until adulthood to realize that my love for music stemmed from my childhood summers at camp.  I spent a month every summer at camp in the hills of Salt Rock, West Virginia.  A half a century has … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments