do not work on the /b/ sound with children while they are eating.
if you don't know why fill your mouth with food, chew, and then make the /b/ sound as hard as you can. see what happens.
Monday, February 4, 2008
my terms or your terms?
many of my kids put most of their energy into trying to control the situation around them. This may include refusing to move when asked to line up, refusing to pick up a book and come to guided reading, or doing exactly the opposite of what the teacher asks him to do. (And at times it comes in much more aggresive actions as well)
And I realize this is because there is very little, if anything, in their lives they have any control over. So it makes sense, but it can be ridiculously annoying/frustrating when you are trying to teach a classroom of kiddos.
today one of my buddies was working on type to learn in the computer lab. he kept getting bored with the program in front of him and would play around with the other options inside type to learn. (I had to sit beside him to make sure he didn't exit out of the program all together and play around on the internet.) The classmate seated beside him had found his way into some notebook program inside of type to learn and was playing around in it when the classroom teacher came over and re-directed him.
Well, my buddy was determined to show her. He started loudly stating, "I do it, I do it" and went into the exact same program his friend had been asked to leave. However, just to prove it was ok, he then went about typing the exact same key strokes as the program had been asking him to do (and that he had refused to do seconds earlier). fjf, frf, juj, ujuj.
ok, so do i stop him and force him to get out of the program he "wasn't allowed in" because of the rule, or do i ignore him and let him go on typing the lesson we expected him to do when he walked in the door that day.
i ignored it and let him type away, frf, fjf, juju... it might have been the wrong decision, but if we're not going to learn on my terms i might as well try to reach him on his terms...
And I realize this is because there is very little, if anything, in their lives they have any control over. So it makes sense, but it can be ridiculously annoying/frustrating when you are trying to teach a classroom of kiddos.
today one of my buddies was working on type to learn in the computer lab. he kept getting bored with the program in front of him and would play around with the other options inside type to learn. (I had to sit beside him to make sure he didn't exit out of the program all together and play around on the internet.) The classmate seated beside him had found his way into some notebook program inside of type to learn and was playing around in it when the classroom teacher came over and re-directed him.
Well, my buddy was determined to show her. He started loudly stating, "I do it, I do it" and went into the exact same program his friend had been asked to leave. However, just to prove it was ok, he then went about typing the exact same key strokes as the program had been asking him to do (and that he had refused to do seconds earlier). fjf, frf, juj, ujuj.
ok, so do i stop him and force him to get out of the program he "wasn't allowed in" because of the rule, or do i ignore him and let him go on typing the lesson we expected him to do when he walked in the door that day.
i ignored it and let him type away, frf, fjf, juju... it might have been the wrong decision, but if we're not going to learn on my terms i might as well try to reach him on his terms...
transition IEPs...
I just came from a meeting where kindergarten special ed teachers and preschool special ed teachers met to begin to get familiar with our future kids for next year. I'd been warned it would be crazy, and it certainly met all of my expectations. The preschool teachers were excited to talk about the kids they were sending on and we bombarded them with questions as we were excited/nervous to hear about the kids/parents/needs that would walk in our doors next August.
What I found refreshing though was making contact with the preschool teachers who obviously put their heart and souls into teaching their kiddos. They described problems with behavior with a truthfulness yet still showed they loved the special kid they were working with. Some had taught my previous kiddos in past years and were excited to hear updates and share stories of how my kindergartener's preschool years. It was great to know where my kids came from, and to know that my kids for next year will be coming from amazingly loving backgrounds. I hope when I talk about my kids my love for them comes through, even when I'm describing bathroom or behavioral issues.
Now I have a whole new set of kids to know, dates to memorize, paperwork to complete, and meetings to organize, but I'm excited about next August.
What I found refreshing though was making contact with the preschool teachers who obviously put their heart and souls into teaching their kiddos. They described problems with behavior with a truthfulness yet still showed they loved the special kid they were working with. Some had taught my previous kiddos in past years and were excited to hear updates and share stories of how my kindergartener's preschool years. It was great to know where my kids came from, and to know that my kids for next year will be coming from amazingly loving backgrounds. I hope when I talk about my kids my love for them comes through, even when I'm describing bathroom or behavioral issues.
Now I have a whole new set of kids to know, dates to memorize, paperwork to complete, and meetings to organize, but I'm excited about next August.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
memorization
I am taking a class on learning disabilities for grad school and I am currently trying to memorize the definition of a "specific learning disability" according to IDEA-2004. I understand why the professor wants us to memorize it, and why we have to understand the importance of each 'ands, ors, ;, buts, and a's', but really. something feels wrong about spending hours memorizing a long definition when it's for a class on learning disabilities. when we're learning that memorization is not the best teaching technique. when we're talking about best practice. and reading articles about great methods to use other than memorizing. perhaps the professor is actually trying to prove a point... maybe she is just reminding us how terrible memorizing information really is.
blah.
the term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. such term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. such term does not include a learning problem, that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disability; of mental retardation; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage."
that was almost from memory... i'm writing it every place i can.
blah.
the term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. such term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. such term does not include a learning problem, that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disability; of mental retardation; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage."
that was almost from memory... i'm writing it every place i can.
Friday, February 1, 2008
digital photography
A photographer came around today to take candid photos for our year book. After he snapped a few great ones at my lunch bunch my kiddos asked to see the picture. (Digital photography has not helped us with delayed gratification). As he showed them the picture one of my kiddos shouted, "Hey!! That's ME!! That boy is ME!! In my spiderman shirt!!"
to be a kindergartener.
to be a kindergartener.
smiles
At the end of the day today one of my jumpers came to find me. She talked for a little bit about our performance today and how excited she was about it went. I showed her some pictures of the performance and when she looked at them she said, "I only smile for you. You make me smile."
All of those hours after school with the jump rope team, the loud bus rides to other schools, listening to "We like to party" until my head explodes, its all worth it.
All of those hours after school with the jump rope team, the loud bus rides to other schools, listening to "We like to party" until my head explodes, its all worth it.
100th day!
There has never been a holilday celebrated like the 100th day of school is celebrated in kindergarten. Crowns were made, and glasses were created. Necklaces held 100 fruit loops, and Zero the Hero passed out 100 snacks to each class. Songs were sung and 10 dollar bills were glued to belts to make a money belt. My all-time favorite was the 100 Exercises event created by one of my fabulous co-teachers (and a first year teacher!) The kids did 10 reps of 10 different exercises. The excitment and pride on their faces made my day, and they were maticulously counting the chart to see how many exercises they had left. It was such a powerful learning activity for them as they bopped, air-punched, and squatted around the room.
Happy 100th day! (Only 80 or so to go)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)