Tag Archives: teaching young children

Two Final ‘Jennie Stories’ This Summer

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Jennie

The lazy days of summer will be ending soon, and I’ll be back to writing my reflections.  I feel like a farmer who is holding back his cows, but is still dishing out the ice cream they made.  I hope … Continue reading →

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A Thriller Jennie Story

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Jennie

The Tree Story “It happened like this… this is my house, and this is the Kruger’s house (I physically hold up my arm to show one and the other, side-by-side).  My house and the Kruger’s house.   In between the two … Continue reading →

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The Popular Jennie Story

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Jennie

The Bat Story “It happened like this… when I was a little girl I loved to ride my bike.  It was red, and I rode it everywhere.  I’d pack a bologna sandwich in a paper bag and head off to … Continue reading →

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More Jennie Stories

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Jennie

The Raccoon Story “It happened like this… many years ago when my children were little, we lived in an old stone farm house in Ivyland, Pennsylvania. In the summer it often got very hot and we had no air conditioning.  … Continue reading →

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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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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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