today is fabulous friend's fifth birthday.
it's really, REALLY hard to sit quietly on the rug on your 5th birthday.
it's really hard to not call out to help the teacher on your 5th birthday.
it's going to be a long day for all of us.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
whatever happened to 'the angels are bowling?'
loud claps of thunder announced that the skies were about to open up yesterday during our independent reading time in my first grade classroom. i was settling in to have a reading conference with one of the little ones i've worked with for three years now. he has both learning and emotional disabilities, but we've made a lot of progress in the last two years. the last burst of thunder made him whisper,
"rain is 'cause god wants to water the flowers"
"i like that" i said, "that makes me like the thunderstorm and not be scared"
"my mommy told me that"
"she's a smart woman"
the little girl sitting beside us looked up from her book. she sat with perfect posture, her braided pigtails slowly swayed on either side of her head, her hands were crossed in front of the henry and mudge book she had been engrossed in. she looked like a model first grader.
"thunder is from the devil" she explained, matter-of-factly.
"the devil use to be an angel but he wanted god's power. so he took god's bad powers and went to hell. when jesus comes again we don't know if we will go with jesus, or with the devil. i think the devil gave us thunder to scare us."
my little one with learning disabilities looked at her with wide-eyes.
"god wanted to water the flowers?" "he said again, this time filled with doubt.
how did a thunderstorm become a theological discussion within the span of 3 minutes?
"rain is 'cause god wants to water the flowers"
"i like that" i said, "that makes me like the thunderstorm and not be scared"
"my mommy told me that"
"she's a smart woman"
the little girl sitting beside us looked up from her book. she sat with perfect posture, her braided pigtails slowly swayed on either side of her head, her hands were crossed in front of the henry and mudge book she had been engrossed in. she looked like a model first grader.
"thunder is from the devil" she explained, matter-of-factly.
"the devil use to be an angel but he wanted god's power. so he took god's bad powers and went to hell. when jesus comes again we don't know if we will go with jesus, or with the devil. i think the devil gave us thunder to scare us."
my little one with learning disabilities looked at her with wide-eyes.
"god wanted to water the flowers?" "he said again, this time filled with doubt.
how did a thunderstorm become a theological discussion within the span of 3 minutes?
Friday, August 28, 2009
saying goodbye to good books & an old friend
this makes me so sad.
so sad that i can't even put into words everything that is wrong with why they are ending reading rainbow.
anyone in education knows the magic word these days is balanced literacy.
sure phonics is important, but why bothering learning the phonics? because reading brings us meaning! trust me- against a world of nintendo games, tv, movies, and anything you want at your finger tips on the internet- us kindergarten and first grade teachers don't stand a prayer unless we convince our little ones that they'll actually love reading once they can do it.
the article states:
Research has directed programming toward phonics and reading fundamentals as the front line of the literacy fight. Reading Rainbow occupied a more luxurious space — the show operated on the assumption that kids already had basic reading skills and instead focused on fostering a love of books.
i was a struggling reader. if i hadn't realized how much i would love books i don't think i ever would have learned to read. i didn't have those basic phonics and reading fundamental skills-but i was determined to be able to read- and part of that is from reading rainbow. i have such distinct memories of watching books open up worlds for me during the show (and being bitterly jealous of the kids who got to book talk their favorite books on tv).
grant it, my parents lied to us and told us we only got pbs and the news on the tv in our house (and we had no remote to prove them otherwise), so i watched more pbs than the average child.
i'd argue that a love of books is the first important reading skill before we can even begin to teach phonics. how else will children understand that print contains meaning, that we read books left to read, that print reads left to right, and that all those letters put together make up words, and those letters put together with spaces in between them make up sentences?
this morning at my friday morning book club i sat with three fourth graders who adore reading. they gasped with excitement at the idea of re-reading because of winn dixie. that excitement of the book itself is what reading rainbow brought us. i would understand cancelling the show because of a drop in ratings- but to drop it because of the idea it teaches a love of stories instead of phonics- i feel physical pain.
i'm in mourning.
in the show's memory i'm off to read a book for pleasure.
so sad that i can't even put into words everything that is wrong with why they are ending reading rainbow.
anyone in education knows the magic word these days is balanced literacy.
sure phonics is important, but why bothering learning the phonics? because reading brings us meaning! trust me- against a world of nintendo games, tv, movies, and anything you want at your finger tips on the internet- us kindergarten and first grade teachers don't stand a prayer unless we convince our little ones that they'll actually love reading once they can do it.
the article states:
Research has directed programming toward phonics and reading fundamentals as the front line of the literacy fight. Reading Rainbow occupied a more luxurious space — the show operated on the assumption that kids already had basic reading skills and instead focused on fostering a love of books.
i was a struggling reader. if i hadn't realized how much i would love books i don't think i ever would have learned to read. i didn't have those basic phonics and reading fundamental skills-but i was determined to be able to read- and part of that is from reading rainbow. i have such distinct memories of watching books open up worlds for me during the show (and being bitterly jealous of the kids who got to book talk their favorite books on tv).
grant it, my parents lied to us and told us we only got pbs and the news on the tv in our house (and we had no remote to prove them otherwise), so i watched more pbs than the average child.
i'd argue that a love of books is the first important reading skill before we can even begin to teach phonics. how else will children understand that print contains meaning, that we read books left to read, that print reads left to right, and that all those letters put together make up words, and those letters put together with spaces in between them make up sentences?
this morning at my friday morning book club i sat with three fourth graders who adore reading. they gasped with excitement at the idea of re-reading because of winn dixie. that excitement of the book itself is what reading rainbow brought us. i would understand cancelling the show because of a drop in ratings- but to drop it because of the idea it teaches a love of stories instead of phonics- i feel physical pain.
i'm in mourning.
in the show's memory i'm off to read a book for pleasure.
b is for books, and...
on wednesday i treated myself to a new pair of jeans, because after 3 1/2 weeks of school i felt i deserved a treat. this morning when i put my new jeans on i realized i'd been a little ambitious about the size of the jeans and denim's ability to stretch out. but they were new, and i really wanted to wear them. they may be a tad lower than i'd normally wear to school but i wore my 'think' tshirt and figured i would be ok.
at the end of the day a little boy with a slight speech impediment called me over.
"i can see your b" he whispered. i immediately tugged my shirt.
"when i saw on the carpet, i can see your b. you have a LOT of bs"
i was mortified.
then i listened to him again.
"lots of books hiding by your desk!"
yes, i do have lots of books hiding at my desk.
deep breath.
i'm glad it's friday.
at the end of the day a little boy with a slight speech impediment called me over.
"i can see your b" he whispered. i immediately tugged my shirt.
"when i saw on the carpet, i can see your b. you have a LOT of bs"
i was mortified.
then i listened to him again.
"lots of books hiding by your desk!"
yes, i do have lots of books hiding at my desk.
deep breath.
i'm glad it's friday.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
itchy itchy
as i walked one of my kindergartners down the hallway she happily skipped along telling me a charming story in a singsong voice.
"i have eggs in my head! eggs in my head! and they are going to break and when they break- here come the bugs! and when the bugs come they will jump on your head! and your head! and your head!" she sang, pointing at everyone in our group.
ew.
"lovely. maybe you can write about that in writing workshop" i suggested, trying to keep my hands from creeping up to scratch my own head that had instantly started to itch.
ew.
we spent the day looking at the tops of their heads during read alouds and sending them to the clinic "just to check". the very lovely clinic aid tried not to give me a look of death every time i brought in another group of little girls with eggs. to be fair we only brought up one little one who did not turn out to have lice- but still- we looked a little pathetic with our constant parade of paranoia. it was the poor woman's first day. i hope she comes back tomorrow. or that i can get to know her outside of pointing to a child's head and saying, "i swear, i saw a nit. it was right there. there! see! no! that's not dandruff- i promise" as she placates me by looking again, just to be sure. "nope. just dandruff".
did you know that lice have grown immune to the medical shampoo?
they've evolved.
they are winning the war.
frankly, i just want to win the battle. the one being fought in our kindergarten room.
mr. lipstick and i were driving home from our last softball game of the season. it was a lovely evening- we'd won our game as the sun set behind the washington monument. we were in such good spirits that i thought he'd find the adventures of my day amusing, so i told him this story- and waited for the snicker about the first lice victim's song.
there was silence.
and then
"i'm pulling into the harris teeter parking lot and will wait in the car while you go buy lice shampoo. "
i laughed.
he didn't.
he pulled into the harris teeter, parked the car and i forced myself to make the long walk into the store. i put aside my pride and even asked where the lice shampoo was kept. i explained that i didn't actually have lice, and that i was just exposed to lice, but the pharmacist looked skeptical as she backed away from me, waving a finger in the general direction of the shampoo.
i now own lice shampoo. this in itself makes me itchy. as though i can catch lice just from holding the box. i had others check my head many times and so far i'm all clear- but i'm ready. i just hope if i get lice i get the weak non-evolved type that will still die when under attack from nix.
perhaps tomorrow should be 'wear your hair net to school' day in our kindergarten class.
"i have eggs in my head! eggs in my head! and they are going to break and when they break- here come the bugs! and when the bugs come they will jump on your head! and your head! and your head!" she sang, pointing at everyone in our group.
ew.
"lovely. maybe you can write about that in writing workshop" i suggested, trying to keep my hands from creeping up to scratch my own head that had instantly started to itch.
ew.
we spent the day looking at the tops of their heads during read alouds and sending them to the clinic "just to check". the very lovely clinic aid tried not to give me a look of death every time i brought in another group of little girls with eggs. to be fair we only brought up one little one who did not turn out to have lice- but still- we looked a little pathetic with our constant parade of paranoia. it was the poor woman's first day. i hope she comes back tomorrow. or that i can get to know her outside of pointing to a child's head and saying, "i swear, i saw a nit. it was right there. there! see! no! that's not dandruff- i promise" as she placates me by looking again, just to be sure. "nope. just dandruff".
did you know that lice have grown immune to the medical shampoo?
they've evolved.
they are winning the war.
frankly, i just want to win the battle. the one being fought in our kindergarten room.
mr. lipstick and i were driving home from our last softball game of the season. it was a lovely evening- we'd won our game as the sun set behind the washington monument. we were in such good spirits that i thought he'd find the adventures of my day amusing, so i told him this story- and waited for the snicker about the first lice victim's song.
there was silence.
and then
"i'm pulling into the harris teeter parking lot and will wait in the car while you go buy lice shampoo. "
i laughed.
he didn't.
he pulled into the harris teeter, parked the car and i forced myself to make the long walk into the store. i put aside my pride and even asked where the lice shampoo was kept. i explained that i didn't actually have lice, and that i was just exposed to lice, but the pharmacist looked skeptical as she backed away from me, waving a finger in the general direction of the shampoo.
i now own lice shampoo. this in itself makes me itchy. as though i can catch lice just from holding the box. i had others check my head many times and so far i'm all clear- but i'm ready. i just hope if i get lice i get the weak non-evolved type that will still die when under attack from nix.
perhaps tomorrow should be 'wear your hair net to school' day in our kindergarten class.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
finding a hook
i wont lie- the wii changed my life. before the wii i use to play nintendo games to be social, but i was absolutely horrid at them. all of them. i blame my parents who, when all my friends were getting the original nintendo system, dug out the old atari and tried to tell us that it was the same thing. for those of you who are wondering- it wasn't. when we finally did get a nintendo system my twin brothers monopolized it, never giving me those hours and hours of practice everyone else my age experienced.
so until the wii i was embarrassingly awful at all of these games. but once the wii came out a new world opened up. the wii is the equivalent to differentiated instruction in the world of nintendo. suddenly i actually enjoyed playing the games once i could move the controller and that moved my person (i'm not so good with the buttons) and i no longer had to pretend i was having fun while others worked out their thumbs.
this also meant i recently was introduced to the cast of characters from mario brothers. as a new convert to this world i'm still learning, but i'm also trying to catch up for lost time. i have my husband explain the ends and outs of each character and try to follow along with which character is from which game. and then i quickly forget what he said and i choose whoever is cutest.
this is all to say that last week i was working one on one with one of my little ones. this is my second year with her and we've been working on hearing initial sounds in words since may. we're making slow but steady progress.
on thursday afternoon i was wracking my brain to think of items that started with the letter m when i blurted out "mushroom". this clearly triggered something in her brain because she exploded into a long monologue of mushrooms in mariocart as well as all the other characters in the game. i tried to follow as much as i could, and silently thanked my husband for exposing me to these characters, and the makers of nintendo wii for making it possible for even me to enjoy playing the games.
as she chatted on and on about her favorite characters a thought began to form- why am i trying so hard to make her listen to the beginning sounds in random words that mean nothing to her? so, after listening to her undying love for princess peach i asked what letter princess peach started with. her eyes lit up as she worked hard at listening to the sound. "P" she exclaimed as she jumped into the air. so i tried more, "mario, lugi, toad," and she took a turn, saying their names and asking me to help her determine their initial sound.
what had three minutes before been a painstaking process was slowly turning into the most animated lesson i've had with her.
that afternoon i spent time on google images finding pictures of each of these characters and printing them out onto cards for us to use in our lessons. when she saw this she just about died of happiness.
today, still on her mario-love streak she asked me to work with her in writing workshop. until today she spent writing workshop writing strings of letters with occasional high frequency words thrown in. she didn't seem to have the concept that what we put on paper has meaning and that the letter sounds are important for making meaning. any attempts to teach her or guide her toward these concepts were painstaking. i'd been working away at it, but it was going slowly.
until today.
she filled three pages writing about mario- mario getting married, dancing with peach, giving her a ring and a kiss, having a baby toad, going to bed, then waking up and going to work. if class hadn't ended i'm not sure how long she would have gone on. for the first time i watched her work at listening to the sounds in her words and slowly she began to understand that writers don't just write down any letter that looks good- they write down letters that have meaning.
as i watched this light bulb turn on she became more confident and more independent with her work in one day. a lesson i've tried to teach since the beginning of last year was learned quickly because she'd truly chosen a topic that she cared about writing perfectly.
who knew mario was so inspiring? i'm so glad i listened to her chat away about her love of mario- so glad i ran with it- and even happier that my wasted hours of playing the wii have paid off professionally.
so until the wii i was embarrassingly awful at all of these games. but once the wii came out a new world opened up. the wii is the equivalent to differentiated instruction in the world of nintendo. suddenly i actually enjoyed playing the games once i could move the controller and that moved my person (i'm not so good with the buttons) and i no longer had to pretend i was having fun while others worked out their thumbs.
this also meant i recently was introduced to the cast of characters from mario brothers. as a new convert to this world i'm still learning, but i'm also trying to catch up for lost time. i have my husband explain the ends and outs of each character and try to follow along with which character is from which game. and then i quickly forget what he said and i choose whoever is cutest.
this is all to say that last week i was working one on one with one of my little ones. this is my second year with her and we've been working on hearing initial sounds in words since may. we're making slow but steady progress.
on thursday afternoon i was wracking my brain to think of items that started with the letter m when i blurted out "mushroom". this clearly triggered something in her brain because she exploded into a long monologue of mushrooms in mariocart as well as all the other characters in the game. i tried to follow as much as i could, and silently thanked my husband for exposing me to these characters, and the makers of nintendo wii for making it possible for even me to enjoy playing the games.
as she chatted on and on about her favorite characters a thought began to form- why am i trying so hard to make her listen to the beginning sounds in random words that mean nothing to her? so, after listening to her undying love for princess peach i asked what letter princess peach started with. her eyes lit up as she worked hard at listening to the sound. "P" she exclaimed as she jumped into the air. so i tried more, "mario, lugi, toad," and she took a turn, saying their names and asking me to help her determine their initial sound.
what had three minutes before been a painstaking process was slowly turning into the most animated lesson i've had with her.
that afternoon i spent time on google images finding pictures of each of these characters and printing them out onto cards for us to use in our lessons. when she saw this she just about died of happiness.
today, still on her mario-love streak she asked me to work with her in writing workshop. until today she spent writing workshop writing strings of letters with occasional high frequency words thrown in. she didn't seem to have the concept that what we put on paper has meaning and that the letter sounds are important for making meaning. any attempts to teach her or guide her toward these concepts were painstaking. i'd been working away at it, but it was going slowly.
until today.
she filled three pages writing about mario- mario getting married, dancing with peach, giving her a ring and a kiss, having a baby toad, going to bed, then waking up and going to work. if class hadn't ended i'm not sure how long she would have gone on. for the first time i watched her work at listening to the sounds in her words and slowly she began to understand that writers don't just write down any letter that looks good- they write down letters that have meaning.
as i watched this light bulb turn on she became more confident and more independent with her work in one day. a lesson i've tried to teach since the beginning of last year was learned quickly because she'd truly chosen a topic that she cared about writing perfectly.
who knew mario was so inspiring? i'm so glad i listened to her chat away about her love of mario- so glad i ran with it- and even happier that my wasted hours of playing the wii have paid off professionally.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
because my job isn't hard enough
dear book bag producers,
i know that you are enjoying making the super trendy high school musical book bags, or sparkly hannah montana totes. i don't heart them, but it's ok whatever gives my little ones the desire to bring their homework to and from school is worth it. but now you are beginning to make new fancy bookbags that do not actually do what they say they will do. this is hard to do, with a book bag, since the requirements of a book bag include:
1) open
2) hold stuff
3) close
4) be easily carried- either on the back or on the side of a child
not difficult. you have been making these for years.
but now, something has gone terribly wrong. your new bags appear to be regular size bookbags, but you smartly put a zipper down the side in a new "wow, isn't this cool" style. every kid this year, it seems, HAS to have a bookbag with a trendy fake zipper.
a zipper whose angle actually makes it impossible to insert anything close to the size of say, oh, a homework folder. so that every piece of paper sent home is required to be smashed into a ball and shoved into the bookbag as though one is stuffing a scarecrow with newspaper.
if these bags are really such a money maker for you i ask you to come and show me how you'd like me to help 5 year olds (who are being taught to be independent) to pack up at the end of the day and stuff their lunch box, homework folder, and jacket through the small hole you provide.
i am beginning to suspect you are in cahoots with the testing companies. if our children's homework is too crumpled to actually be completed then maybe they wont do it, so they wont learn, keeping test scores low, and forcing us to take more tests. ok, maybe i'm stretching it a bit, but seriously- what could possibly be the reason for making a product that does not do what people are buying it for?
thank you,
mrs. lipstick
i know that you are enjoying making the super trendy high school musical book bags, or sparkly hannah montana totes. i don't heart them, but it's ok whatever gives my little ones the desire to bring their homework to and from school is worth it. but now you are beginning to make new fancy bookbags that do not actually do what they say they will do. this is hard to do, with a book bag, since the requirements of a book bag include:
1) open
2) hold stuff
3) close
4) be easily carried- either on the back or on the side of a child
not difficult. you have been making these for years.
but now, something has gone terribly wrong. your new bags appear to be regular size bookbags, but you smartly put a zipper down the side in a new "wow, isn't this cool" style. every kid this year, it seems, HAS to have a bookbag with a trendy fake zipper.
a zipper whose angle actually makes it impossible to insert anything close to the size of say, oh, a homework folder. so that every piece of paper sent home is required to be smashed into a ball and shoved into the bookbag as though one is stuffing a scarecrow with newspaper.
if these bags are really such a money maker for you i ask you to come and show me how you'd like me to help 5 year olds (who are being taught to be independent) to pack up at the end of the day and stuff their lunch box, homework folder, and jacket through the small hole you provide.
i am beginning to suspect you are in cahoots with the testing companies. if our children's homework is too crumpled to actually be completed then maybe they wont do it, so they wont learn, keeping test scores low, and forcing us to take more tests. ok, maybe i'm stretching it a bit, but seriously- what could possibly be the reason for making a product that does not do what people are buying it for?
thank you,
mrs. lipstick
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