Follow Your Bliss

Performance Tasks

2012-01-29T15:09:00.002-05:00

As the Common Core State Standards continue to roll out in NYC, teachers have begun to assess student progress through a series of performance tasks.

In first grade we created a performance task for a unit on narrative writing centered on our recent trip to the FDNY Fire Zone. We reasoned that writing about a shared experience would "level the playing field" allowing us to compare/contrast student work fairly.

At the Fire Zone students learned about fire safety, played in a real fire truck, dressed as firemen and practiced what to do in case of a fire. This educational trip was exciting and a bit frighting at times for the students. It was also something they all wanted to write about which provided excellent motivation to complete the performance task.

The task, as told to our students, was to "write about our trip to the FDNY Fire Safety Learning Center and include some details about what happened at the beginning, middle and end of our trip. I expect you to go through the writing process to revise, edit and publish your work".

We set a flexible timeline allowing for students to work at their own pace. The first four stages of the writing process (pre-write, write, revise & edit) were done independently with only minimal support but we intervened at the publishing stage to ensure that the finished piece was generally free of grammatical errors.

Once a published piece was completed we asked our students to fill out a self-assessment rubric on the writing they just finished.

Although performance tasks are new to me, I did enjoy the process (this is the third performance task in writing this year, others included persuasive writing and opinion writing pieces).

Below is a sample of one student's work including pre-writing, writing, revising, editing and reflection.

PRE-WRITING

WRITING, REVISING & EDITING

PUBLISHING

REFLECTION

At this stage, we evaluate their performance using a rubric based on our expectations. A score of 3 in any domain indicates the student is meeting expectations while a score of 4 is exceeding expectations. Scores of 2 and 1 indicate a student is approaching expectations or is far below grade level expectations respectively.

Our rubric is below...

Call out to teachers - How do you utilize performance tasks in your classrooms?

Making Connections

2012-01-21T10:51:00.002-05:00

The report of the National Reading Panel (2000) identified five areas of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and text comprehension). Each section of the report "defines the skill, reviews the evidence from research, suggests implications for classroom instruction, describes proven strategies for teaching reading skills and addresses frequently raised questions".

The area of text comprehension is discussed in terms of skills children must develop in order to become competent readers. These include visualizing, summarizing/synthesizing, inferring, questioning and making connections.

Making connections consists of establishing self-to-text, self-to-world and text-to-text associations. It is the latter component I silently applauded when my students made connections between two Greek myths this week.

I was reading the story of Icarus and Daedalus from The McElderry Book of Greek Myths that one student brought from home. This story leads right into the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur but after reading for about 20 minutes I was going to stop before I began this next chapter.

However, the children were so disappointed that I was stopping and their persistence for me to continue was so strong that I kept on reading.

When I got to the part in the story where King Minos sends a fleet of ships to pursue Theseus after he defeats the Minotaur and escapes the labyrinth with Ariadne's help, they shouted out that this was just like when "King Menelaus sent Odysseus and all the ships to go after Paris and Helen".

It seems like a small thing I suppose, but I was floored by this connection because it was so perfectly spot-on. It IS like that!

And I began to think how cool it is for first grade students to not only know the story of the Iliad and the Odyssey, but to make connections that are this brilliant?

Next week we tackle the story of Jason, the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece. When I told them this one child made another connection..."Oh, I know Jason. He is that guy who goes around in the mask and kills people".

Oh, boy! Not the literate connection I would have hoped but who could argue? The kid has a point.

Deaf-Friendly School Trips

2012-01-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

Planning a school trip is a very involved process that requires finely-tuned organizational skills.

In addition to coordinating dates, times and subject matter with each specific venue there are forms for parental permission, a "statement of purpose" to be submitted to the principal for his or her approval, paperwork for transportation (school bus or subway), lunch forms (are we eating there or when we return?) and arrangements for payment (collecting money from parents or submitting a request for payment to the school's office manager).

At our school, we must also consider the scheduling of Sign Language Interpreters. This process involves calling the Office of Sign Language Interpreting Services to check availability, followed by yet more paperwork.

However, there are some organizations that make this process a bit easier because they regularly offer interpreters as part of their standard operating practices.

One of these is the outstanding New Victory Theater. Every one of their amazing productions has a sign language interpreted performance built into the schedule. I simply request that date through their education department and we're off.

This past week I took my first grade class to see their production of Miss Ophelia (a play based on Ophelias Schattentheater by Michael Ende) and was blown away! They consistently offer high-quality, dynamic and engaging shows and their equal access policy pushes them even further ahead of any other theater for young audiences in New York City.

Another deaf-friendly institution that I frequently visit with my students is The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Met offers educational talks and tours of its galleries and provides sign language interpreters upon request.

Finally, I must also applaud the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Our school visits to the Whitney have been particularly enjoyable because there we had no need of an interpreter. For our last several visits our guide has been a deaf woman who communicated directly with our students via American Sign Language.

Thanks to the New Vic, the Met and the Whitney for making my job a bit easier and for providing outstanding services to support the education of all children.

Illuminations of Childhood

2012-01-04T20:57:00.003-05:00

Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer wrote,

...the experiences and illuminations of childhood and early youth become in later life the types, standards and patterns of all subsequent knowledge and experience, or as it were, the categories according to which all later things are classified -- not always consciously, however.

And so it is that in our childhood years the foundation is laid of our later view of the world, and there with as well of its superficiality or depth: it will be in later years unfolded and fulfilled, not essentially changed.

I came across this quote as I was reading The Mythic Dimension: Comparative Mythology by Joseph Campbell and it made me think about the influence teachers (and parents) have in shaping the future thoughts of the children in our care.

On the same day I finished this book I also finished rereading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In it Scrooge is discussing the influence his former employer had over his workers stating,

"He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count 'em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune"

Combined, the two quotes underscore the nature of teaching.

In my classroom I strive, every day and every moment, to make learning a joyful experience. That doesn't mean there are not challenges, but challenges should be met with a smile and an "I can do this!" attitude.

I am honored to support the academic, social and emotional development of my students. I may not always live up to my highest expectations but I can honestly say that I do my best to have them wake up in the morning and look forward to coming to school.

For me, "the happiness they give, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune".

A Visit from David Gordon

2012-01-03T20:54:00.001-05:00

"Little rig, little rig, let me come in!"
"Not by the chrome on my chinny chin chin."
"Then I'll crash and I'll bash and I'll smash your house in."

Just before the holiday hub-bub set in, our first grade class was lucky enough to score a last minute invitation to visiting children's book author and illustrator David Gordon's presentation at our school.

I didn't know his books before this but my students did. They were excited to meet the man behind The Three Little Rigs, a book several of them really love. And I was excited because, well, he is a children's book author!

We entered the library eager to hear his stories but I felt a little unprepared. I hadn't read his books. I didn't discuss his visit with the children beforehand. We hadn't created a list of questions. We went in cold.

So it was a delight for me when he introduced himself and started to read from his charming "lint free love story" Smitten. It is a love story between a sock and a mitten...Smitten. I was hooked.

Next, he read The Three Little Rigs. It is his motorized take on one of my favorite fairy tales. The illustrations in this book are vibrant and happy but my favorite is the pig-faced wrecking ball.

It is always a treat to meet the author. David happily answered our questions and even drew a few pictures before we bade him farewell. Of course I had to get autographed copies of both books and ask him to pose for a picture with me.

Thanks to our inimitable librarian Sara for arranging another stellar author visit. It is an embarrassment of riches at PS347!

11 in '11

2011-12-31T17:39:00.003-05:00

It is time to usher out 2011 and welcome in baby new year 2012!

Ahhh...

In the spirit of reflection I am joining the 11 in '11 Linky Party I encountered at Ms. M's blog. Here are 11 things I enjoyed in 2011.

FAVORITE MOVIE

This would have to be the last one I watched which was My Week With Marilyn. I'm not really sure if it was indeed my favorite but I liked it. I really liked it.

FAVORITE TV SERIES

Doctor Who

FAVORITE RESTAURANT

Anton's at the Swan

FAVORITE NEW THING YOU TRIED

um...

Pass

FAVORITE GIFT YOU GOT

A Kindle! All the free Dickens downloads you want. Tons of free books. In fact, I was able to download almost the entire reading list from Joseph Campbell's comparative mythology course!

FAVORITE THING YOU PINNED

...What now?

FAVORITE BLOG POST

My own? It would be the one that was published by Teaching Tolerance. Hopefully the first of many now that I have been accepted into their corps.

BEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Becoming a Doctoral Candidate!

FAVORITE PICTURE

There have been some wonderful pictures taken in 2011 but the first one that comes to mind is of my dog Nellie out in the snow.

This was taken a few months before she died of bone cancer and broke my heart. She loved the snow. Although she was limping at this point and struggling with pain she seemed happy out there.

I miss her terribly.

FAVORITE MEMORY

Spending time with the people (and animals) I love.

It is more than one memory but wow, I am blessed!

GOAL FOR 2012

My goal for 2012 is the same as my goal for every other year.

To be happy.

That covers a lot of ground.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Real or Fake?

2011-12-25T14:07:00.000-05:00

I am walking to class with my students on Friday morning when this conversation takes place...

Child: Is Medusa real?

Me: No.

Child: Is the Cyclops real?

Me: No, the Cyclops is not real. These are all myths, stories that people made up a long time ago. None of it is real.

Child: Are reindeer real?

Me: No.

Child: WHAT?!

Me: What did you just ask?

Child: There are no reindeer?... So, is Santa Claus real?

Me: Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Yes, reindeer are real.

Child: (visibly relieved) Okay. Is Santa real?

Me: What do you think?

Child: I think he is real.

Me: Well, okay then. Go hang up your backpack.

That was a close one. The subject did not come up again - Thank goodness!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2011-12-24T23:08:00.000-05:00

With little tin horns and little toy drums,

Rooty toot toots and Rummy tum tums;

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Coordinated Mythology

2011-12-22T20:48:00.001-05:00

The Fall of Icarus

The brilliant Joseph Campbell taught Comparative Mythology at Sarah Lawrence College for nearly 40 years.

I have created my own kiddie version of this which plays out more like coordinated mythology. Whereas Joe discovered the underlying themes in religion and mythology across cultures and time, I am discovering ways to support my students learning experience with the Greek myths across the curriculum.

While I could never come close to Joe's genius, I do share his passion.

It helps to surround yourself with folks willing to share your vision. I have that.

I coordinated my study of Perseus and Medusa with Donna, our artist in residence, who planned an art project (currently underway) built around making gruesome Medusa masks. Donna borrowed some of our favorite books on the subject to help plan these little bits of fright and I can't wait to see how they turn out.

I am also working with Sara, our librarian, to plan which stories she will tell and which ones I get to unleash. I am currently deep into The Odyssey with my first grade students. Everyday they arrive in class and ask me if I am going to tell them another part of the story. So far we have discussed - and acted out - the story of Odysseus, King Menelaus, Paris, Helen, Penelope, Telemachus, The Trojan War, Circe, Calypso, the Cyclops Polyphemus, Scylla and Charybdis and Tiresias and the Underworld. They don't yet know how the story ends and I am milking every last drop from this enthralling tale.

Sara shared the story of Persephone, Demeter and Hades two weeks ago.

Today she told them about Icarus and Daedalus. I love when she sits in her rocking chair and mesmerises the children with these stories. Sara's stories are always interactive (for example, bringing in pomegranate seeds for the students to taste as they listened to the story of Persephone) and she encourages them to visualize.

After telling a story she invites the children to draw some part of the it that jumped out at them and caught their imagination. Today she brought in feathers and wax to attach to their artwork. The kids loved it!

Next up...Theseus and the Minotaur!

Gingerbread Girl!

2011-12-21T14:03:00.004-05:00

Another happy hair clip!

Community

2011-12-20T09:13:00.002-05:00

Community is a big focus in elementary school. We ask, "What is a community?", "How do people in a community support one another?", "How have communities changed over time?", "Why are communities important?"

There are many ways to link communities with our basic human desire to have our needs and wants met. Communities exist and develop to make life easier, more efficient and therefore, more enjoyable.

We all belong to more than one community and new communities are springing up all the time. The blogging community is a relatively new development but the questions above can certainly be applied to it.

So it was nice to have received a show of support from the blogging community, specifically Xpressive Handz and Eh? What? Huh?, with the Liebster Award. Liebster is a German word that means dearest, beloved or favorite. This award is bestowed on blogs that have less than 200 followers but deserve a bit more attention. It is a way to get the word out I suppose.

This award comes with some rules.

Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
Give your top 5 picks for the award.
Inform your top 5 by leaving a comment on their blog.
Post the award on your blog.

And the Liebster Award goes to...

Happy Holidays!

Who Would Win?

2011-12-17T20:35:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of the Who Would Win? books that have my first graders entranced as of late, I decided to apply this question to a mythological battle between the unfortunate snake-coiffed Medusa and the one-eyed man-child Polyphemus (a.k.a. Odysseus' impetuous Cyclops).

The children wrote their responses to include a brief supporting statement as to why one or the other would prove victorious.

As I put this question to them I thought, "First grade rocks!" Discussions can go deeper, students actually say things like "I want to add-on to what she just said" and we can tackle the Greek myths!

The outcome in our Who Would Win battle?

Drum roll...

According to my students Medusa would take Polyphemus down with one look! Although one clever girl based her answer on the fact that if Odysseus had already blinded the Cyclops (see The Odyssey) then Medusa's "turning to stone" thing wouldn't work and he could simply step on her.

Take a look at some of their responses below.

Medusa would win because she will turn him to stone.

I think the Cyclops will win because when Medusa is slithering the Cyclops will maybe get poked and go a little crazy and step on her.

Medusa will win because Medusa will look at the Cyclops and turn him into stone. Then the Cyclops will break.

If the Cyclops was blinded then Medusa can not turn the Cyclops to stone because he is blind and he could step on Medusa.

Fly Sweet Birdy

2011-11-25T18:14:00.000-05:00

This week we bid a bittersweet farewell to a very pregnant Lauren who, after 9 years as my "work wife", is venturing off into a blissful world of her own in anticipation of the birth of her son.

Everyone is asking me, "How are you doing?" And I reply that I feel as though I have gone through a break-up that I saw coming and therefore have prepared myself.

The sadness and drama have passed and I have met the reality of the situation with a clear head. Of course, there is a bit of avoidance in really thinking too deeply about what this means. I am sure that on Monday morning I will feel the lack of her presence immensely and my heart will ache a bit.

But knowing that she is embarking on a brilliant stage in her life trumps the sadness and brings me joy.

Tell your baby hello.

Our first graders made her cards to say goodbye and wish her family well. Their drawings of a pregnant Lauren with the "baby inside" are too precious.

I will finish the school year alone. I am sure I will be fine but I will certainly miss being part of a fabulous team. And with that, I will end this post. Emotions are springing up to the surface and I'd prefer to heed the advice of Scarlett O'Hara and think about it tomorrow.

Lauren, I love you! You will be missed. xo

The Art of Todd Parr

2011-11-12T21:43:00.002-05:00

Children's book author Todd Parr is an incredible artist. He is also incredibly humble.

Todd often tells children that they too can create art that is just as good as his, all they have to do is try.

So, when it came time to collaborate with our artist in residence (Margaret Phelan from The Children's Museum of the Arts) on an upcoming art project, I suggested we do something based on the art of Todd Parr.

I shared a few of Todd's children's books with Margaret, who was immediately smitten, and before our meeting was over she had decided that it would be fun to make masks with the children based on Todd's book It's Okay to be Different.

How cool is that?

Margaret began by having the students examine his art with a focus on color, shape and detail. Todd uses bright, happy colors and he uses a thick black outline in his work. Children asked, "Where are the noses?" and commented on the "funny hair".

And then as Todd suggests, they gave it a try!

Some children created a mask to represent themselves or a family member, while others wanted to design an alien or a cat like Todd's Cool Kitty. I even gave it a go and created a baby version of myself (not what I intended but I went with it - art is not my forte).

After several weeks we completed our project and mounted a bright, happy and gorgeous display.

Thanks Todd for being an inspiration to our students!

Below is a brief slide show of our process. Enjoy...

"Be imaginative! Be kind! Feel good about yourself!" - Todd Parr

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

A Visit From Dan Yaccarino

2011-10-22T14:01:00.002-04:00

Our school is becoming quite the mecca for talented children's book authors and illustrators willing to share their stories with an eager young audience.

The most recent visit occurred last week when we gleefully welcomed inspired artist and writer Dan Yaccario to our school. Over the years Dan's books have been student favorites when selecting their Top Ten books of the school year. And I have a feeling that The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau, Every Friday, Lawn to Lawn and All the Way to America will be represented in the Top Ten this year.

In anticipation for his visit we created a Dan Yaccarino book bin loaded with his books and studied in-depth the life of Jacques Costeau. Lauren (my co-teacher) and I were thrilled to note that Dan has written kid-friendly nonfiction books as the current push in education (with the Common Core State Standards or CCSS) is a focus on nonfiction texts. One student commented that The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau is a nonfiction book that looks like fiction. This insightful comment springs from the fact that we originally categorized nonfiction texts as containing photographs and fiction, illustrations. This comment represented her growing understanding of the nuances to be found across genres. I mentioned her comment to Dan and he replied that this was his intention. He is well aware of the CCSS.

Dan's visit carried the overall message of deconstructing the journey of going from a child who enjoys drawing to an adult with a plethora of published books. Dan instilled in the children the notion that they can do anything they want to do in life, the choices are endless but underneath it all is the passion for doing what you love. This is a message that connects with the theme of this blog and Joseph Campbell's offering - Follow Your Bliss.

At the end of his presentation Dan answered questions from our first and second grade students. Here are some of their questions and his answers (which are not exact quotes - I can't write that fast!).

Why do you write books?

It makes me happy. There are stories I have inside me that I want to tell and things that interest me, like Jacques Costeau and I get to share them through my books.

How do you make books?

It starts with an idea. First I create small drawings then expand on them with bigger drawings and paintings and then the text. It takes almost one year to do one book sometimes.

Where do your ideas come from?

Where do you get your ideas? From up here (pointing to his head) same as you.

Dan shared that he has drawn everyday since when he was even younger than them and encouraged the children to create their own superheros (because they wanted to know how to draw Superman and Spiderman). Overall, this was a super-duper experience for all of us.

Below one student shares her opinion about why people should read Dan Yaccarino's books. Notice in her drawing she shows him thinking about pictures and that the Jacques Costeau book rests on the table.

Should people read Dan Y. books? Yes! Because 1. he had beautiful colors. 2. Writes good books. 3. He thinks of pictures.

Thank you Dan Yaccarino for taking the time to visit us!

A Visit With Molly Shannon

2011-10-11T00:31:00.023-04:00

Deliciously kooky actress, comedienne and writer Molly Shannon has added another designation to her already impressive list of credentials, that of children's book author.

Like Molly, her first children's book entitled Tilly the Trickster has a wee bit of mischief running through it.

Tilly is a young girl who enjoys making others laugh. The problem is, the target(s) of her pranks don't always share Tilly's jolly sense of amusement.

It's a slippery slope young Tilly finds herself on when she tricks her music teacher Mrs. Mooney ( I love that name. Could it be Mr. Mooney's wife from Here's Lucy?) and tastes the bitter fruit of her shenanigans.

Of course, it all works out in the end. Well, at least...until tomorrow.

I am an unabashed fan of children's books so it comes as no surprise that I would be singing the praises of one on this blog, but I also am an old classmate of Molly's from our college days at New York University. Therefore, my endorsement comes with an added level of pride and support.

It has been over 20 years since I last saw Molly but when I spotted her at a book reading/signing at Barnes & Noble it truly felt like I was stepping easily back into the past.

It was nice to reconnect and I took the opportunity to invite her to visit my class to do a reading for my first grade students. What children's book author doesn't enjoy getting feedback on their efforts in the form of laughter, giggles, questions and applause?

The visit hasn't happened (yet) but I remain confident that when time allows Molly will WOW the kids with Tilly the Trickster!

Click here and here to learn more about Molly and Tilly.

Tips From My Mom #14

2011-10-10T09:14:00.085-04:00

In the mid 60s, when my parents were a young couple living in the newly developed outer reaches of Long Island, times were sometimes tough.

My mom was a housewife taking care of three young boys (an active 2-year-old and adorable newborn twins ;) and often struggling to manage the finances.

Juggling bills became an art.

Sometimes all the bills were tossed in the air and the ones that landed face-down would be paid, while other months saw the bills that were current put aside so those that were late could be paid.

Yet, every month the bills relentlessly arrived in the mail.

It became a source of great worry and stress for my parents. So, one day my dad told my mom to throw all of the bills into the fireplace. She did. And to her surprise...she felt better.

Over the years my mom has shared this story with us whenever something feels like it is becoming too much, when things feel out of control and cause nothing but distress.

It has become a parable for letting go of those worries because in the end "the bills" will come back next month. All we can do is control our attitude towards unpleasant things.

Like my mom, I have been surprised time and time again at the relief that comes with letting go of worry. Disposing of the physical manifestations (such as bills) is the easy part, the trick is letting go of the worry that is less tangible.

Still, it's a start. And as I currently have some worries to toss into the fireplace I am grateful to mom once again for this valuable tip.

Let 'em burn!

A Place For Young Artists

2011-10-09T23:27:00.001-04:00

This past week we had an opportunity to visit the recently opened (as of October 1st) new home of The Children's Museum of the Arts.

And oh, what a merry string of adventures awaited us!

The inventive design includes a clay bar (it literally looks like a bar you might visit at Happy Hour but instead of sipping cocktails you'd be creating something scrumptious with your hands!), a Star Trekian-esque quiet room, a sound booth and media lab, several well-stocked, child-friendly art studios, a ball pond to frolic while inspiration and artistic ideas grow, art labs and a large, inviting gallery.

We loved it!

Our visit began with an examination of an architectural model created by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The children were invited to share their observations of this building ("it looks like a palace", "is it a castle?", "it's a tree house", "there is a shiny, gold top!") and introduced to Hunderwasser's belief that our homes should have a connection with the environment while being fun, interesting places to live.

This attitude was carried over into the planning stages as our students gathered around a large sheet of white paper to draw their vision of a building based on what they learned from this artist.

Their plans included a rooftop playground built on a curved apartment house with tunnels to bring you to an ice cream room, buildings that were connected by a large ladder that also had trees growing off the sides, curvy spectacular structures with large, wavy windows and the Twin Towers with flowers and a man walking on a tight rope between the buildings saying "yay".

By the time they entered the art studio they were well prepared to erect their constructions using Styrofoam, pipe cleaners, tape, wire, cardboard, Popsicle sticks and aluminum foil.

It was wonderful to realize, once again, how blessed we are to have such opportunities at our fingertips. Going to public school in New York City means the whole city is your classroom. This year we already have trips scheduled to the Whitney Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Jewish Museum, Lincoln Center and The New Victory Theater.

Viva La Art!

One Man's Treasure...

2011-09-27T21:36:00.002-04:00

An enthusiastic child excitedly explains his writing to another student during writing workshop...

S: I had a dream I was going to Saturn.

R: That's not a dream. That's a nightmare!

This probably shouldn't have cracked me up as it did but the tone in the second child's voice definitely had a tinge of "what are you, CRAZY?!"

I went to sleep. I went to bed and I did "zzzzzzzzz". I dreamed about I was going to Saturn. I was playing on Saturn.

kidwatching

2011-09-24T11:17:00.002-04:00

I have been rereading the book Kidwatching: Documenting Children's Literacy Development by Gretchen Owocki and Yetta Goodman in preparation for the Master's class I am teaching at Fordham University and am once again stuck by the message in the preface.

I am sharing it here for all of those passionate teachers out there and encourage you to give this book a read.

I am the teacher who is committed to discovering what each of my students knows, cares about, and can do.

I am the teacher who wants to understand each of my student's ways of constructing and expressing knowledge.

I am the teacher who helps my students connect what they are learning to what they already know.

I am the teacher who respects the language and culture my students learn at home, and who supports the expansion of this knowledge at school.

I am the teacher who knows that there are multiple paths to literacy, and who teaches along each child's path.

I am the teacher who is committed to social justice and to understanding literacy as a sociocultural practice.

I am the teacher who believes that each child can teach me about teaching, language and learning.

I am the teacher who believes in the interconnectedness of language, learning and life.

I am the teacher who supports children in writing I can! on their wings.

I am a kidwatcher.

Hopes for First Grade

2011-09-18T20:14:00.002-04:00

At the start of this school year (just last week) we asked our students what they hoped to learn in first grade. We gave them a sheet of lined paper and sent them happily off to write.

The stories they created will serve as our baseline writing pieces - to be analyzed in conjunction with a writing rubric - so we can determine the next steps in writing development for each child. The baseline writing will also aid us in providing differentiated instruction for the children in our class.

I have discussed the writing process in the past (click here to read more) so I won't do that in this post, but it is evident from the selected compositions below that our students represent a wide spectrum on the writing continuum.

I will share them in order of development.

"I want to learn how to read books."

"I want to learn about monkeys."

"I want to learn about planets. I want to learn about the planets temperature."

"Flowers pop out! I want to do for first grade is to learn how a flower pop out I want it to be yellow and brown sunflower and I want it to be big and I want it beautiful and bigger the best flower in the world and I can ..."

"Science - I want to make an experiment. And I want to make flowers and I want to make a clay dog and I want to make a potion."

We have a fun road ahead of us as we delve into capital letters, spacing between words, punctuation, grammar, syntax, spelling, content and handwriting (among other things) and I can't wait!

I wonder how I would have answered this question in first grade.

Monkeys perhaps?

Do I Want to Remember 9/11?

2011-09-10T19:29:00.006-04:00

The cover of New York magazine reads "9/11 One Day, Ten Years" superimposed over an image of smoke from the World Trade Center after the Towers were struck.

The ladies of The View trotted out former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani to thank him for his leadership in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Almost every magazine cover and newscast is asking us to remember.

The NYC Department of Education has developed a series of lesson plans for K-12 students to learn what took place that day and teachers are strongly encouraged (if not required) to delve into the events surrounding 9/11.

All of this media bombardment and emphasis placed on the tenth anniversary is difficult to ignore. But, do I want to remember 9/11?

To remember is to relive. To remember is to feel the shock, fear and pain all over again. For those of us who live and/or work in New York City remembering is quite a different thing than it is for those who were not directly impacted by the events of the day. It is not part of history, it is our lives. It is our personal loss.

To remember means thinking back to when I first heard that a plane hit the World Trade Center. I was teaching preschool and a parent ran in with tears in her eyes stating that city was under attack. She had heard that the Empire State Building was also hit. Remembering is seeing the smoke rise from outside our classroom window and wondering what was going on. Do I need to contact the parents? Should I go on with the day as planned? What to do?

To remember is to feel that unsettling chill of calling my friend Adriana ("A.D.") who worked at Two World Trade Center on the 96th Floor, after I finally made it home to New Jersey late that evening, and having her young niece tell me "A.D. is still at work" in a little voice whose innocence was especially cutting against the horror of the day.

To remember that day, a day of death and loss, is too painful.

I would rather remember the life of my friend A.D. and not be forced to relive the circumstances of her death.

I want to remember how she would tease me for kicking up my leg when I had an especially dramatic moment, how she danced with me in her sister Jeanette's apartment, how she sang "Proud Mary" at my Halloween party dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, how she posed near the Christmas tree opening presents with her "boyfriend" Ed, how she loved her family and laughed easily.

The last time I was on the phone with her I didn't even speak - I sang. Her sister Maria handed me the phone to sing the chorus of Madonna's "Don't Tell Me". I did and gave the phone back to Maria.

If I can't remember these happy, silly things then I certainly don't want to remember 9/11. But how can I forget? How can any of us forget? Do we really need to be told to remember?

Thanks!

2011-09-07T22:33:00.003-04:00

There has been quite a bit of love coming at FYB lately and I want to say thanks to several bloggers who have been especially kind.

Today Ms. M included Follow Your Bliss in her Top Ten list of teacher blogs writing "he has the most inspiring stories". How wonderful is that? I have been wondering how to get more involved in the teacher blog craze but always seem to be missing out somehow. I am hoping that her mention will bring other educators to this site so we can share stories and learn from one another.

Hilary at The Smitten Image has selected two of my posts On the Playground and "I'm Britney?" as Posts of the Week. She has a very popular, eye-pleasing blog and I am grateful for the support. Thanks!

And (e at Eh?What?Huh? gave me an unexpected nod of support with this post. (e writes about "education, deaf and hard of hearing issues, and life with a hearing loss".

Their blogs together represent my passion as an educator involved with children who are deaf, hard of hearing and hearing and the aim of this blog which is to share a bit of my journey through stories and reflections about teaching.

So, thanks Hilary, Ms. M and (e and thanks to the incredibly supportive blog kin who keep coming back to walk with me.

Heigh-Ho

2011-09-04T20:59:00.001-04:00

It's off to work I go!

And I am prepared.

My little checklist is now complete as I have...

Updated our class page on the school's web site.
Sent off a "Welcome Back!" letter to our students and parents - we are looping with our kindergarten students so we have them all again for first grade and I can't wait to see them.
Completed my class schedule, well a tentative one anyway.
Set up a Discovering the World of Art tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Scheduled performances for The New Victory Theater's upcoming season.
Purchased some new children's books including First Grade, Here I Come by Nancy Carlson, several titles by Dan Yaccarino (who will visit us on October 13th!) and Classic Myths to Read Aloud: The Great Stories of Greek & Roman Mythology (specially arranged for children 5 and up) by William F. Russell.
Brushed up on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) which are rolling out the second year plan for NY schools. More on that in future posts.
Written lessons and did curriculum planning for the coming school year.

On Tuesday and Wednesday we set up the classroom and engage in professional development so we are ready when the students arrive on Thursday.

I am also teaching a Beginning Reading and Writing course at Fordham University this semester and continuing my doctoral journey with Dissertation Seminar. After two months off (two months!) I am ready to plunge back into hectic pace that is my life the rest of the year.

All the best to the many educators out there who are doing the same!

"I'm Britney?"

2011-08-25T15:58:00.002-04:00

From 2000 - 2002 I taught preschool to a diverse group of energetic children. Every morning one boy would enter the classroom, throw down his stuff and run over to the dress-up corner to slip into a wedding gown.

His enthusiasm for the loveliness of this dress was unabashed. Wearing it made him happy. He wore it when building in the block center, playing with make-believe guns ("no guns in school"), reading books and eating breakfast.

Sometimes he would roll around on the table singing Britney Spears songs. I once said to him "Okay Britney, time to get off the table" to which he ecstatically replied, "I'm Britney?"

None of the other children in the class had a problem with his wardrobe choice. It was a non-issue. The teachers in the room didn't make a big deal out of it either.

For Christmas that year Toys "R" Us offered to donate a gift to every child in our class. Each student read through the catalog and chose an item. This little boy circled a Barbie doll. It was all he wanted. He had asked his parents for one but they said no.

What to do?

We decided that we would put his order in exactly as he wanted it. The day the Barbie arrived in school he was grinning from ear to ear. He spent the rest of the day holding it, playing with it and loving it.

The next day when he came to school he did not run in to get the wedding dress. He was not smiling his normally infectious smile. He was sad.

"Mommy threw my Barbie in the garbage" he replied when we asked him why he was so upset.

He even wrote a song about it that went something like this...

"I got Barbie. I love Barbie. Mommy threw Barbie away."

Eleven years have passed since this incident but it is something that sticks with me, especially in light of some recent posts that touch on similar issues (you can read them here and here.) I'd like to think that a boy can play with a Barbie and wear a wedding dress nowadays without his parents flipping out.

Granted, it is probably a lot to swallow but isn't acceptance better than teaching shame?

Teacher of the Deaf

2011-08-25T02:50:00.002-04:00

I am a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing.

I am not a sign language interpreter.

Over the years I have encountered those who are confused about the difference between the two professions.

This has happened in both my professional and personal life. For folks unfamiliar with issues related to deaf culture or deaf education using the terms interchangeably is certainly understandable. Yet, the two call for distinct qualifications, demands and experience. They do not have to be mutually exclusive but the path towards certification in each is not the same.

My role as a teacher is similar to that of any other educator, only I use American Sign Language (ASL). I am also not a speech teacher - I am interested in putting forth ideas and concepts, in expanding how my students see the world, in developing positive attitudes, in fostering questioning, in supporting academic and emotional growth and independence and in helping each child reach the next level of development. I do this through lessons, conferences, hands-on experimentation, assessment, etc., the same as any teacher with hearing students. The mode of communication is the only difference.

Interpreters on the other hand are there to facilitate communication between people who do not share a common language. American Sign Language interpreters facilitate conversation between a hearing person and a deaf person.

Using the services of an ASL interpreter can take some getting used to if you are not familiar with it but these tips should help ease you into it.

None of this confusion really causes any damage. Adults figure out how to work with one another to get past barriers. However, damage is caused when deaf or hard of hearing children are placed in mainstream classrooms without access to the language.

I have spoken with teachers who simply do not know what to do when a deaf child is placed in their class. It takes time to figure it out and some simply don't have the time or the motivation for it, which brings me to my main point.

ASL interpreters in the classroom are not responsible for teaching. Their job is to interpret. The deaf child placed in a mainstream classroom with an interpreter has the right to the same education as all the other children in that class.

While I do not feel this is the least restrictive environment for the deaf child I know that it happens. It is my hope that those teachers will do their homework and educate themselves about effective practices. The following guidelines can serve as a starting point.

Driving Bilingual Education

2011-08-21T16:38:00.001-04:00

I am a good driver - but you would never know it given the theatrics of "backseat drivers" whose sudden gasps and quick grasps for the dashboard denote a lack of confidence in my skills.

This drama is alternately amusing, annoying and unnecessary. I'm proud to say that, for the most part, my motto of "when in doubt, step on the gas" has never let me down.

The same adage can also be used to describe the path of bilingual education in America.

English language learners (ELLs) have been thrown into English speaking classrooms with a goal of acquiring this dominant language as fast as possible. If accommodation is made by providing supportive programs in bilingual education it often ignores the research which states it takes 2-3 years before children develop Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and 5-7 years before Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) allows the language of learning to become fully realized.

Negative views surrounding the bilingual education debate have influenced policy and practice. In California, Proposition 227 essentially outlawed bilingual education. This history is full of struggles with conflicting input from "experts" holding various perspectives.

It reminds me of the influences and history of deaf education in America. The push towards assimilation has been forceful and unyielding.

So it is with a great deal of pride that I find myself teaching at the only public dual language (American Sign Language and English) school in America with students who are deaf, hard of hearing and hearing. Here the struggles in bilingual and deaf education come together allowing us to lift up on the gas to give our students an education based on the scientific research espoused by No Child Left Behind (but NCLB is another can of worms isn't it).

We may not have all the answers but we are constantly questioning and learning. Our little school is adding to the history of both bilingual and deaf education. I look forward to seeing where it leads us.

Beating Bliss

2011-08-15T20:16:00.001-04:00

I love the title of this post because it is so ambiguous.

Anyway...

Teaching is a gift that fills me with immense gratitude but there are aspects of it that make me want to scream. And as my summer days drift away I've realized how long it takes to heal from those occasional beatings.

The 2010-2011 school year was probably the toughest in my 15 years because the pressures of teaching to the test instead of teaching to learn have seeped into even our school, formally a bastion of authentic exploration and child centered learning.

We are all feeling the pressure of the American educational system which creates an environment wherein passing standardized tests is considered the Holy Grail. We are stepping away from trusting that teachers are capable, experienced and knowledgeable enough to tailor lessons to meet the individual needs of each child. Instead scripted text books and programs are becoming de rigueur.

Stripping educators of the right to be creative artists and forcing us to become homogenized, one size fits all automatons devoid of intelligence is insulting and infuriating. All the while the test makers, who also create the text books needed to pass said tests, are happily counting their money. It's all about making a buck - not education.

And the situation does not seem as though it is going to improve any time soon. Our students thrived academically this past year. They really did. But I mourn the fact that we did not have time to engage in deeper explorations as we have in the past with our investigations into the hot dog stand, the library, the bakery, hotels or teeth.

In the 2011-2012 school year I am committed to find a better balance between the hearts and minds of our students. It is not an easy challenge but I am determined to fight for the rights of children who are paying the price of losing their childhoods stressing over achievement instead of taking in the small wonders all around them.

Teaching Tolerance

2011-07-30T20:38:00.002-04:00

Teaching Tolerance (a project of the southern poverty law center) is "a place to find thought-provoking news, conversation and support for those who care about diversity, equal opportunity and respect for differences in schools".

They provide free educational materials such as books, documentaries, DVDs, the Teaching Tolerance magazine and other items to promote social justice in our schools. They also have a blog for educators to share their insights, experiences and day-to-day struggles with anti-bias education issues.

A few months ago my principal sent an email notifying me that Teaching Tolerance was looking for writers. As a frequent reader of this blog and supporter of the work I do in the classroom he suggested I get in touch with them.

I did.

I was asked to write a try-out piece which I entitled On the Playground. It took quite a while for them to get back to me and thinking they were not interested I posted it on my own blog (recently Hilary at The Smitten Image kindly selected it as a Post of the Week.)

However, Teaching Tolerance was interested! They asked for a simple revision and yesterday I got notification that my post was "live". How exciting is that? I am submitting a second try-out post this weekend and after that may or may not be offered a contract. The brilliant thing about all this (other than being paid to write) is having the opportunity to share my journey with a broader audience and forge connections with other educators who are passionate about the same issues.

I am grateful for this opportunity and hopeful that they will like my second try-out post. I'll keep you posted. In the meanwhile you can find my post here.

Deaf Culture

2011-07-27T15:13:00.005-04:00

The feedback on my Reading and Deafness post led to a bit of Internet hopping to sites focusing on issues in deaf education. Once again I was struck by opposing perspectives that influence and shape how deaf children are taught.

Delpit describes literacy as being part of a larger political entity and this is certainly true in the field of deaf education. Literacy encompasses not only reading and writing but reflects how it is situated within a larger context. Educational policies and curricula for deaf children closely reveal larger societal views towards deafness. These are represented in the two divergent approaches in teaching methodologies and modalities, namely the oralist and manualist approaches that influence how deaf children are educated in the United States.

Simply put, the oralist perspective is based on a medical view which sees deafness as a deficit. From this standpoint deafness is something that needs to be corrected, fixed or cured. According to King and Quigley, the dominant hearing culture has historically held the belief that "deaf people were intellectually inferior to hearing people and showed definite deficits in various aspects of cognitive functioning". This is in line with an oralist stance.

This deficiency model is challenged by deaf individuals and linguists who promote a cultural perspective incorporating art, American Sign Language, shared experiences, lessons and myths. The shift from "can't" to "capable" has a huge impact on the education of deaf children. It became apparent from my reading that these passionate debates continue to rage on.

As I jumped around the Internet I also read statements voicing the opinion that deaf individuals who use American Sign Language and immerse themselves in Deaf culture refuse to join a hearing world and are therefore choosing to remain isolated and separate from society. This is a bit like saying that my German grandparents who belonged to a German club and spoke German were Nazis. They weren't. And deaf individuals who celebrate Deaf culture are not anti-hearing or shunning mainstream society.

America celebrates and recognizes many cultures, why should this be any different?

Note: Click here for an interesting related article in

"Adding a Limb to the Family Tree"

2011-07-12T21:41:00.005-04:00

Lauren is pregnant!

We have been partners for the past 8 years, working together, side by side, day in and day out for longer than our students have been alive. Team teaching with Lauren has been a truly edifying experience.

Of course the news brings about changes for us - perhaps. Once she holds that baby in her arms I fear I will have lost her but oh, what a joyous reason for a hiatus from teaching. We'll see how it plays out. At any rate, I'm sure that all she has expereinced the past 8 years in the classroom will only make her a more insightful mommy.

As the school year came to a close we knew we had to share the news with our students. Since we are moving to first grade with this class in the fall she didn't want them coming back to a big surprise (she is due in December). But how would we tell them?

I thought for a moment of pulling a Lucy and having them sing until the message became clear but Lauren decided to read them The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola. This story centers on the birth of Tomie's little sister and his feelings about being a big brother. When we finished reading a little girl, as if on cue, asked "why did you read us that book?"

This opened up the perfect segue for breaking the news (don't you love when that happens?). The children were very excited. Some didn't really seem too surprised. I suspect their parents may have let the cat out of the bag because a few had already commented on the changes occuring to Lauren's body.

This is an exciting time. A new chapter in the life of a young family. I love it!

Reading and Deafness

2011-07-10T15:26:00.002-04:00

I remember the first time I heard that the average 18-to-19 year old deaf student reads at the level of an average 8-to-9 year old hearing student and that most deaf students graduate high school reading at a fourth grade level.

This was shocking news. I could not wrap my mind around why this should be true. My instructor wisely told me to remember that feeling of disbelief because as I continued on with my studies two things would happen.

The first being that my "passionate wonder" would influence the direction of my future research. Slowly, I would come to understand the reasons behind such statistics and explore ways to ameliorate the outcome.

The second reason is that as I journeyed on and shared this information with others, who would inevitably experience the same reaction, I could hearken back to my initial response to deconstruct the woof and warp behind the numbers with greater clarity.

The truth is, there are many contributing factors. It is beyond the scope of this post to delve into the miasma surrounding the political influences shaping the history of deaf education in America but there are a couple of basic truths I will address.

Reading English is based on the alphabetic principle which basically consists of mapping sounds onto letters in a systematic fashion. This is obviously a challenge for a child who has limited access to the phonological aspect of language.
Ninety percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents. This generally results in children who are delayed in developing a first language. The process a hearing parent goes through when they find out they have a deaf child has been likened to the seven stages of grief. As the parents journey towards acceptance the child lingers and precious time is lost. For deaf children with deaf parents developing a strong first language with American Sign Language reading does not present the challenges deaf children with hearing parents experience.

So what can you do? Read to your children. Discuss the pictures. Interact in loving, caring ways around books. Provide opportunities in everyday experiences for playing with print such as writing shopping lists or following simple recipes.

And most of all, do not be afraid of doing it wrong. If you have a loving heart, you can do no wrong.

On the Playground

2011-07-08T17:19:00.003-04:00

A familiar statement expressed by adults as they watch children frolic on the playground centers around the observation that their interactions appear effortless. There seem to be no barriers, no ego or self-doubt; if you want to play with someone you simply ask him or her.

It looks so uncomplicated. If a child is willing and able to partake in the fun then there are bad guys to vanquish, princesses to be rescued and treasures to be found. A child's imagination is the only thing placing limits on the exploration.

However, we also notice that this ease does not come without occasional bumps; those little expected tiffs that cause small faces to redden, bodies to stand rigid and angry word to escape the lips.

As adults we think we understand the dynamics. But on the playground there exists a whole world outside the dichotomous phrases "Do you want to play?" and "I'm not your friend!" For children who are faced with developmental or physical challenges such as blindness, deafness, learning delays or limited mobility, the playground can be a lonely place.

In schools we adhere to the belief that these children will benefit socially and developmentally from interacting with their typically developing peers. We believe that all children have the right to participate in and have equal access to the same activities.

Many of us also trust that these interactions engender typically developing children towards greater acceptance, compassion and knowledge about diversity. All we need to do is provide the setting and our hopes will play out as expected. Right? Perhaps it is time to take a deeper look and question our assumptions.

Researchers have taken a deeper look by exploring the play interactions of young children with and without disabilities in inclusive classrooms. They discovered that simply putting groups of diverse children in the same environment did not lead to resounding choruses of "Do you want to be my friend?" Instead children with disabilities engaged in more solitary play while the cooperative play was mainly reserved for typically developing children.

The separation was not a result of internal bias on the part of the children. It was about ease of communication and interaction. It was about whether one was not just willing but able to partake in the fun. Participation for those who had difficulty "keeping up" slowly dissipated and playing alone became the norm.

The good news is that with a little forethought, structures can be implemented to encourage play opportunities for all children. The presence of a teacher can greatly increase the frequency and duration of inclusive play interactions. Allowing for children of varying ages to come together has also been deemed successful in promoting fruitful engagement.

Understanding diversity takes time. When we talk with our students and children about learning and physical differences they begin to make accommodations based on this knowledge.

And a little knowledge can open up the door to other worlds, worlds where a pirate treasure is waiting to be found.

Was ist Kindergarten?

2011-07-06T22:24:00.002-04:00

It has become increasingly clear to me over the past several months that there exists a baffling misconception about what takes place in a kindergarten classroom.

So, to help clarify false impressions perhaps it is necessary to answer the question "What is Kindergarten?"

Kindergarten (literally translated from German as "children's garden" which I like because it conjures the image of lovingly cultivating growth in children) is the first time many children are exposed to formal schooling.

Across America kindergarten programs vary in structure and philosophy. In some states kindergarten is mandatory while in others it is not. In some classrooms children are taught to read while in others they are taught readiness skills. However, in all kindergarten classrooms children are learning to interact with others in a social environment without the presence of a parent. It is a time of burgeoning independence and surmountable challenges.

Kindergarten today is a far cry from the one we remember from our collective childhoods. Gone are the cozy blankets at nap-time, the four-hour days, the endless play. These are replaced by rigorous curricula in reading, writing, word study, science, mathematics and social studies as well as classes in art, music, physical education and in our school American Sign Language.

Student progress is documented to show growth in all areas through anecdotal records, observations, formal assessments and portfolio collections. Conferences are held with each child, in each academic domain at least once a week.

Of course, there is time for exploration, imagination, enjoyment and that ever important element: play. There is an expression we have adopted at our school based on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. It is "nothing without joy".

Kindergarten may be more challenging for the "kinder" than I remember as a child but this quote keeps things in perspective and in balance. If a child wakes up looking forward to school each day, I have done something right.

Top Ten 2010-2011

2011-07-03T01:51:00.000-04:00

At the end of each school year I like to invite the children to think back on the books we read together and share their absolute favorites. We create a long list and then vote on each one to come up with the top ten for the school year.

I enjoy this experience because the selections really represent the unique makeup of the class and tell the story of our time together. The number one choice this year was Skeleton Meets the Mummy by Steve Metzger. The story has just the right mix of humor and fright that the children craved at Halloween. The fact that it was brought up for voting (and won!) 8 months after we read it is a pretty strong testament to how much they enjoyed it.

Humor and fright continued to be a winning combination with our kindergarten children. One would be hard-pressed to find a sillier, more amusing book than the number two choice, There's a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems. This Elephant and Piggie book, like all the others in the series, is a riot of laughs, double takes and pure fun. If you enjoy the "I just flew in from Chicago and boy are my arms tired" style of humor (and let's face it, who doesn't?) then this one's for you.

The number three pick, Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales by Lucy Cousins ranked high due to the illustrations. Sweet Lucy Cousins is not shy about showing the wolf getting his head chopped off by the woodsman in Little Red Riding Hood or playing with the size and placement of her childlike, colorful artwork. The ingenious thread that runs throughout the book is the fact that at some point something in each of these stories is Yummy. It may be the porridge in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the robbers meal in The Musicians of Bremen or even Little Red herself.

Another Perfect Day by Ross MacDonald slid into the number four position. This is the story of an adventurer successfully battling all sorts of obstacles told through golden illustrations reminiscent of days long past. The superhero quality of the lead character appealed to both the boys and the girls who stood up and cheered throughout our reading. It turns out that the perfect day lives in the mind of a small boy with a clever imagination who is a bit of a superhero himself.

Alphabet books, a staple in kindergarten, ranked twice in the top ten. Alphabet Adventure by Bruce and Audrey Wood was number five while Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault came in at number eight. Both books depict the alphabet as a group of feisty letters getting into mischief. In Alphabet Adventure the dot on the lowercase i causes some trouble before coming to his senses while all the lowercase letters in Chicka Chicka Boom Boom need some looking after by the uppercase letters. There are many alphabet books that I recommend and you can read more about them here.

One student single-handedly elevated The Rainbow Goblins by Ul Di Rico to number six. This is a book that I had never heard of until she brought it in one day declaring that is was her favorite book and that she wanted to read it to the class. It's a bizarre little tale but also very captivating. I love when children introduce me to new books that they love. What a pleasure.

Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail sailed in at number seven. I wrote a post dedicated to this book which you can read here.

Some old favorites and past Top Ten honorees made the final cut this year. In my eyes, no top ten would be complete without Curious George by H. A. Rey. Although he hasn't always made the list, this year he charted at number nine.

And rounding out the top ten is It's Okay to be Different by Todd Parr. Todd is certainly my favorite living children's book author and illustrator because his work carries a deeper message of acceptance, diversity and love while wrapped around bright, colorful illustrations. His latest, The I'm Not Scared Book comes out in August and I wouldn't be surprised to see it on the Top Ten next year.

Stay tuned...

Jack and the Beanstalk

2011-06-16T22:15:00.000-04:00

Jack and the Beanstalk is my favorite fairy tale. Although I am a huge fan of Porky and should gravitate towards The Three Little Pigs, Jack holds a special place in me wee heart.

Our kindergarten children have been studying fairy tales (elements such as Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After), good and bad characters (Is Jack really good? Is the giant so bad? Arguments can be made for and against both perspectives), and the conflict/resolution dynamic.

Fairy tales capture our collective imaginations. The rich, diverse takes on these timeless stories only enhance our involvement. Children's book illustrators such as Steven Kellogg, James Marshall and Paul O. Zelinsky have entertained our wide-eyed, excitable students time and time again.

We are also blessed with a handful of wonderful storytellers at our school who all said "yes" when we asked them to come and tell our students their favorite fairytale in American Sign Language. Last year I posted Whitney's retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. Now I would like to share Doug's retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. The video is without sound but since the story is probably very familiar I invite you to view it and see if you can follow the story. You might even learn a few signs.

Welcoming the Hummingbirds

2011-06-11T16:59:00.002-04:00

Three summers ago I broke down crying, while sitting in my car at the end of the driveway, talking to my mom on the phone. After weeks of "being strong" the emotions would no longer remain contained.

My father had just come out of surgery but I couldn't be with my family because someone I love at home was also in the hospital with a heart infection. The pain of not being with my parents and the worry of losing someone close overtook me.

As I blubbered to my dear mom, who was still holding it together, I looked out my car window and saw a hummingbird.

In that moment everything seemed to change.

I felt calmer. I felt hopeful. I felt that everything would work out and I would know peace again. I grabbed my camera out of my messenger bag and took the photograph posted above. (If you click on it to make it bigger you can see the hummingbird more clearly.)

Since that day I have been watching for hummingbirds every summer. And they appear with regularity.

Today I saw my first hummingbird of the summer. According to my extensive research (I googled it) Hummingbirds are "considered to be symbols of peace, love and happiness. They teach about self-discovery and healing. Hummingbirds also serve as a symbol for accomplishing that which seems impossible and will teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances".

How cool is that?

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2011-06-06T19:40:00.015-04:00

The school year is winding down (our last day is June 28th) and with that comes the call of the great outdoors. Blue skies and sunshine beckon our restless students to play tag between the trees, search for flowers, sit in the grass and blissfully enjoy being young.

To indulge them in this pursuit and to strike a balance between work and play (although to borrow from cognitive psychologist Jean Piaget, "play is a child's work") the end of the school year usually includes some fun excursions.

This year Lauren was offered tickets to take the class to see the Mets play at Citi Field - which replaced Shea Stadium in 2009 - and we couldn't resist. Taking a group of kindergarten children to a crowded ball park does not come without stress. But, we were able to invite several parents to accompany us which alleviated some of the worry.

We all boarded the subway to Flushing and arrived early enough to eat our lunch outside before finding our seats. And what amazing seats they were!

At one point I was busy counting heads when the crowd suddenly let out a thunderous roar. Turning to the student on my left, I asked "what happened?" She excitedly informed me that "the guy on second tried to steal third but they got him out. Lucky for the guy on first that he stayed put". Color me impressed. That is when I sent a text to her mother stating that her daughter sure knew a lot about baseball.

Our stay was brief. We could only watch about an hour of the game before we had to gather ourselves for the trip back to school. When we left it was the New York Mets 0, the Pittsburgh Pirates 6. Had we hung around a bit longer we would have seen the third inning play that allowed the Mets to win the game 9-8.

On the way back we had a pleasant surprise from a clown who was riding the subway with us. He got off at our stop and made balloon animals, swords and wands for all of the kids. We finished the day with a read aloud of Horray for Snail! by John Stadler.

I kept thinking that this may have been the first time - and the only time - some of these children have been to a ball game. As the year comes to a close I wonder what they will take away from their time with me, what will they remember. Maybe eating an ice cream cone while watching the Mets will be one of those memories. Whatever their recollections, I just hope they leave with the feeling that learning is fun and continue to score home runs throughout their lives.

Tips From My Mom #13

2011-05-30T15:15:00.000-04:00

There existed quite a bit of hullabaloo recently concerning the oft-predicted, highly anticipated, non-materializing Rapture.

Outrageously annoying on every front - from the sad crazies spewing fear and nonsense, whose disillusions include the insulting claim that they alone have a direct line to a higher power (of their creation) to the inconvenience of the ensuing media bombardment.

Because this pronouncement was utterly pervasive, and because I have a tendency to ponder hypothetical realities, I "couldn't help but wonder" what the criteria was for ascending or being left behind.

And I decided that it all centered on forgiveness. Jesus, may have said that the greatest commandment was to love one another but offering forgiveness and asking for it seem of paramount importance. It's right there in The Lord's Prayer.

In the realm of forgiveness, my mom is an expert. Throughout her life I have seen her ripped off, taken advantage of, hurt, disappointed and treated with less respect than this saintly woman deserves. But she has always been quick to forgive. Her "live and learn" mentality (or credo) remains intact. No bubbling anger, seething emotions or clenched teeth for her. She can let it go.

It seems as though I have inherited this ability. Like my mom, I am quick to forgive. I have come to believe that everyone is simply doing the best they can, the best they know how given their background and experiences. Once you can take on another persons perspective it is easier to forgive.

This does not mean that everyone operates nobly at all times, but it does mean that we are each capable of letting go of the anger and pain associated with holding on to whatever wrong was done to us (real or imagined).

As with most of the Tips From My Mom it is her actions and example that stays with me. Forgiveness isn't easy for everyone - I understand this. However, it can begin by simply saying the words "I forgive you". The power behind those words is freeing.

Give it a try.

And next time a group of attention seekers espouses the rapture, forgive them - for they know not what they do.

Fruit Pops!

2011-05-14T20:09:00.001-04:00

We had another Kindergarten Café winner this week with Fruit Pops!

This simple, healthy recipe from Disney's Magic Kitchen Cookbook had our students skewering strawberries, blueberries, bananas, blackberries and grapes, although any fruit can be used - the cookbook suggests kiwi and we recommend a bit of pineapple.

Two main points hit home with this...

1. Healthy snacks inspire as much excitement as those involving chocolate, butter and candy. As the kids passed trays of fruit they remarked that this was the best K-Cafe ever! Go figure.

2. There are wonderful lessons about cooperation to be learned in the smallest of activities. It was a pleasure to watch as they helped one another or politely asked for a strawberry.

We look forward to trying some of the other recipes in this cookbook. A big thank you to Ian and Barby for bringing it to our attention.

The 3 R's

2011-04-29T21:53:00.001-04:00

Our Kindergarten children offer a few helpful hints and encourage you to...

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

You can recycle plastic bags.

You can use a paper if you make a mistake you can use again and flip it over.

I gave a book to my friend.

I take a short shower.

You can reduce paper towels. You can reuse paper towels because it's easy to pick up.

Science Fair

2011-04-26T20:23:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to our young scientists. Our submission, entitled What is Biodegradable?, to the PS347 Science Fair resulted in a Best of Show ribbon!

The Best of Show title encompassed three criteria; student presentation, poster exhibition and use of scientific methodology.

Although we thought the kids did a fantastic job both Lauren and I were a bit shocked when the winner was announced. We didn't expect that children this young would take best of show when entries ranged from kindergarten to 6th grade.

What we did...

1. We chose pieces from our lunch.

2. We each had 2 cups and filled it halfway with soil.

3. Then we buried the food item in one cup, a non-food item in the other cup and labeled both cups.

4. We filled the rest of the cup with more soil.

5. We watered the soil and let it sit by the window for three weeks, watering it occasionally.

6. On the third week, we put on gloves to protect our hands and covered tables with newspaper.

7. Next we dumped the contents from each cup and looked at what happened.

Some observations about the food items...

"The apple broke up."
"My cracker melted."
"It became part of the dirt."
"Broccoli is biodegradable!"
"I have nothing."
"My pizza became little. This is disgusting."

The children recorded their observations in words and/or drawings. We also had the food and non-food items available for others to view during the science fair.

A trophy will be awarded on May 6th as part of the GO GREEN! Spirit Day celebration. Thank you judges! You made a bunch of children very happy.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T12:43:00.001-04:00

Every Sunday morning I have the pleasure of interpreting the children's sermon into ASL for a deaf boy in our congregation. This Easter our pastor chose to read a children's book about the resurrection of Jesus, naturally. The children also covered a large cross in flowers - a beautiful tradition at our church.

And to top off this glorious day, the sun is shining and a warm breeze is taking off the rainy day chill of yesterday. Perfect timing!

I Think I Can!

2011-04-20T10:55:00.008-04:00

As a doctoral student I sometimes feel like the tenacious Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.

We both go chugging along believing we can get over the mountain but it isn't always easy.

My cheering section may not be "the funniest little toy clown you ever saw" or a "doll with blue eyes and yellow curls" or "even a baby elephant" but support systems are in place.

And according to the book Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation: Invisible Rules For Success by Rita S. Brause, this is an important element that can separate those who complete the process and those who forever remain ABD (all but dissertation).

Her book has been a real page-turner. I have been reading it for the past 2 days and simply cannot put it down. I am as addicted to it as I was to reading Harry Potter. The school boy geek in me is working overtime.

In the book Dr. Brause puts forth, and rightly so, that doctoral students are often unclear about the procedures, requirements and demands placed upon them to complete a Ph.D. She wrote this book to demystify the process.

I have learned...

I am now a doctoral candidate rather than merely a doctoral student! This is due to the fact that I have completed all of my coursework and passed my comprehensive examinations.

I have entered the final phase in the doctoral process - Phase IV: The Dissertation Phase!

There are 8 academic stages in the doctoral process. I am currently in Stage 5: Select Dissertation Topic, Chair and Committee. I have selected my topic, Chair and 2 committee members (3 are needed).

Next up...Drafting the dissertation proposal.

This is an exciting time because from now on I can focus on research that is important to me instead of completing course assignments that I am less passionate about.

I have at least another 2 years to go on this journey but I am really looking forward to it.

I am!

"Green" Stamps

2011-04-19T14:47:00.000-04:00

The United States Postal Service has issued a series of 16 Go Green stamps to raise awareness of some simple things we can do to make a positive impact on the environment.

How timely!

It's as if they have been watching our kindergarten class and decided to support our investigations.

Sweet.

The Go Green Forever stamps suggest we reuse bags, share rides, compost, recycle, plant trees, compost and turn off lights when not in use. All of this will help reduce our environmental footprint.

I suppose it is greener to send an email than to mail a letter but the USPS does not have a stamp for that. Besides, there is really no substitute for a handwritten letter. And when you do sent one, you may as well Go Green (stamp-wise anyway)!

Stop Bullying!

2011-04-11T12:02:00.002-04:00

Bullying is a big problem in schools all across America.

I suppose it always has been. The difference is that nowadays adults are taking an active role in educating children about this topic. We are teaching victims how to get back the power, self confidence and safety that is being stripped from them every time a bully taunts and terrorizes. Children are learning ways to deal with this unfortunate situation and not feel ashamed. Bullying is no longer an issue to be swept away or laughed at or downplayed. Bullying is serious stuff.

And it's not just kids stuff anymore.

Bullying has lead to a rash of teen suicides. Recently the It Gets Better Project published a book to provide hope to LGBT youth who are struggling to find a way out of the injustices thrust upon them from a less than tolerant society.

Our school has taken on the crusade to stop bullying. The fifth grade students researched the topic and presented their findings to the school. They created a poster (see above) and invited everyone to commit to Stop Bullying by signing their name.

School counselors and social workers visit our classrooms for "What's Up?" meetings to discuss issues surrounding bullying. The book Stop Picking on Me by Pat Thomas is a terrific resource to get the conversation started.

And just this week I read a poem written by Shaili Patel and Myisha A. Bryan, two deaf high school students attending Passaic County Technical Institute. It seems fitting to include it here.

Silent Hands

Some talk by mouth, I talk by hands

Never once hearing your continuous demands

When woken, no alarm clock sounds

Only vibrations are felt all around

Once you're aware, you mock and jeer

Thinking its okay just because I can't hear

But I feel your scoffs and I feel your taunts

Always in my nightmares, you never cease to haunt

Never once do you attempt to understand my ways

Of my abilities, one day you'll be amazed

I understand more than you know

I feel more than I'll ever show

Days come and go, with your unchanging style

Making me wish I was worthwhile

Never once did you share a smile

Did you think I was a useless scrap pile?

You don't get it; your words are like bombs

I have a voice; it just rests in my palms

My reverence toward you has begun to decline

I respect your voice, can you respect mine?

Edward and the Pirates

2011-04-09T23:30:00.007-04:00

As a little boy, curled up in my bed, I would read with such concentration that nothing else could penetrate the world I had entered.

I was like Max in Where the Wild Things Are. My bedroom would morph into whatever I was reading about. Sometimes I was in a far off kingdom with knights (who used big words I didn't understand) fighting dragons or on the prairie with the Ingalls family or swashbuckling on a pirate ship . The books transported me like that song Sailin' On with the lyrics "The ship was my bed and the waves were my pillow and the dark sky breathed and the sheets used to billow as I'd go sailin' on."

I couldn't imagine why anyone would say that reading was boring or uninteresting.

I still can't.

Lauren and I read Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail to our students this week and the magical, transformative quality of books came sweeping back. We may have been sitting in our classroom but our minds were in Edward's world surrounded by pirates and possibility.

The children were transfixed.

This book reminded me of all those long ago nights getting lost in reading. When I first discovered that reading carried such power. When I first fell in love with sitting alone but not really being alone because on the page all of these amazing things were taking place.

So thank you to David McPhail for capturing this with your beautiful book. And thanks to the authors who have transported me time and time again into those stunning worlds created by words.

ASL Workshop

2011-04-04T00:04:00.001-04:00

Riddle me this...

Who has blue eyes, red lips, black eyebrows and a blonde "Rachel" style haircut? Choose your answer from the selection of possibilities provided below.

If you guessed #9 you would be correct!

Now, voices off. ASL workshop has begun. Choose a portrait and describe him/her in great detail using only American Sign Language.

This activity builds receptive and expressive language in our students while promoting eye contact and attention. Our ASL instructor introduced this game through modeling and thinking aloud about his process for describing an illustration. Although his narration included specific details about the hairstyle (wavy, flowing, pulled back, etc.), clothing, jewelry and general tone of the picture when the children went off to give it a go on their own their commentary was not nearly as specific.

To deepen their noticings he instructed them to include color (which he presented in a splendid PowerPoint) and off they went again. As before each group of students sat with a teacher but this time we recorded the whole thing with Lauren's new, handy-dandy iPad 2 (an incredible tool for the classroom).

We watched and realized, once again, some areas that needed to be targeted for follow-up lessons. These support structures we provide will help expand student language and ensure that while it is done they are having a good time. One numbered template contains pictures of the students in the class. If that is not motivating I don't know what is.

The Heritage Project

2011-04-02T00:05:00.003-04:00

Our wise and wonderful art teacher, Margaret (whose services are made possible through an educational partnership with The Children's Museum of the Arts) contributed to our kindergarten study of self with the Heritage Project.

Margaret asked the families of each child in our class to provide a detailed list of ancestral origins. A diverse number of countries were represented including Wales, Australia, Cuba, Israel, Netherlands, Morocco, Romania, Hungry, Syria, Dominican Republic, Spain, Puerto Rico, Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, Sweden, Mexico, Russia, Germany, Ireland, Ukraine, Belgium, France, United States, England, Korea and Texas. Yes, one mischievous mom tried to slip in that last one, arguing her case with a sweet southern charm.

Flags of each country were colored by the students (using cray-pas and covered with a light gloss to prevent smudging) which served as a background to individual self portraits.

Each one was then placed on a puzzle piece that fit into a large jigsaw puzzle. Taken together this project highlighted the fact that although we all come from divergent backgrounds, we are all part of a global community.

As we strive to instill a sense of responsibility in our students so they become active citizens caring for our world, this feeling of brotherhood and unity and oneness cannot be overemphasized.

Isn't it "one nation under God with liberty and justice for all"?

A Visit from Adam Gidwitz

2011-03-30T00:07:00.002-04:00

Years ago I wrote a blog post entitled Fear in which I touched upon Struwwelpeter, the deliciously creepy series of German cautionary tales for children. These fearful (pretty) stories with vile (funny) pictures meant to instruct good little folks are fairly freaky.

I blame my German heritage for the fact that I also find them entrancing. No matter how hard I push against my intrigue with darker subject matter I continue to peek through my fingers for a glimpse.

The latest glimpse comes courtesy of author Adam Gidwitz who weaves his tale of Hansel and Gretel into the original fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm. The brother-sister team of Hansel and Gretel do more than defend themselves from witches in tasty houses. They outsmart and outwit crafty warlocks, well-meaning parents, frightful dragons and even the devil himself!

It is hard to stay away from tales this delicious so you can imagine that when Adam visited our school I found my way to the reading. I was early so had an opportunity to speak with Adam before the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students arrived. He signed my book ("To Gary, A Grimm fan and a great guy - awesome to meet you!"), posed for a picture and answered all of my exuberant questions with a friendly charm.

As classes began to arrive I took a seat on the floor and settled in to listen to a excerpt from Faithful Johannes. Adam is a storyteller. It became immediately evident that his years as a teacher (he still teaches - bravo!) have prepared him well for stepping before an audience of children and holding their attention.

He also described the origins of the stories and how he came to write this book. Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the question/answer session following the reading but everyone told me afterwards how "interesting", "funny", "great" and "entertaining" he was.

The same adjectives can be used to describe the book. It looks like the golden apple didn't fall far from the tree.

Multimoldal Reflective Practice

2011-03-29T00:02:00.009-04:00

I recently attended a lecture by Dr. Sara Kadjer entitled Multimodal Reflective Practice in Teacher Education at Fordham University.

This talk was part of the research colloquium for students in the Language, Literacy and Learning doctoral program and our attendance was strongly encouraged.

The bulk of the presentation centered on blogs/vlogs as a tool for student teachers to reflect upon and share their learning. Once upon a time (when I was a student teacher) all of our reflections were written by hand and it was up to our advisers alone to read our ponderous questions, usual gripes, ongoing struggles and intermittent successes.

This model was perhaps enlightening for the student - at least it was for me - but I am sure it was less so for the beleaguered instructor who had to schlep these tomes home every weekend to read and provide succinct comments.

New technologies have spurned a wave of innovative choices to tackle these same tasks. Today advisers like Dr. Kadjer are inviting students to blog or vlog to achieve the objectives once only possible with a pen and paper. The result has been tremendously positive and motivating for both students and teachers. Now instead of feedback from an instructor alone, students also can comment on one another's posts.

Many years ago my friend Caye - who will become Dr. Cayne in May! - thought it would be interesting to conduct research on teacher blogs. There exists a wide range of them out there.

In my original description I wrote that Follow Your Bliss was "the journey of one man who is doing what he loves". I share my journey first and foremost from a place of gratitude. The focus of other educational blogs vary. Some focus on sharing reproducibles or links to pre-made lesson plans while others adhere strictly to what is happening in the classroom. I even found one that served as a bitch session for a teacher who stated she basically hated being around children and complained about the things each child did.

Technology is developing at such a rapid pace that by the time we discover the 'latest' it is already passé. This may be frustrating but it is never dull.

Onwards and upwards!

Fundamental Principle

2011-03-27T10:19:00.003-04:00

Joseph Campbell was a brilliant, self-directed and disciplined scholar who, throughout his life, continued to uncover the mysteries of himself and our world.

He painstakingly outlined procedures for accomplishing his goals which are evident in one of his early journal entries in which he wrote his plan to keep "a careful dairy of my reactions, plans, etc., as an attempt to crystallize, more or less, my essential point of view - or at least discover what that point of view may be".

His journey was epitomized by self- reflection and reevaluation that continually altered the path he followed. It is Joe who coined the phrase "Follow Your Bliss" that so many others have embraced (including me - obviously).

Following your bliss means remaining true to yourself, living an authentic life that feels right deep in the essence of who you are. If you listen to that voice you will know your path but attuning yourself to hearing can often prove mystifying.

Joe wrote of the intensity of life. The passion. The pull of wanting to experience it all ensures a dizzying roller coaster ride of unfocused adventure that leaves one seizing the moment but ultimately unsatisfied. He posited that perhaps it is "best to carefully discriminate, and find what phases contribute most to poise, sympathy, sensitivity and organic growth - the whole thing being goverened and selected from within rather than by chance. Then live intensely what you have intelligently decided you want to live".

This is akin to Dolly Parton's statement "Find out who you are and do it on purpose".

Good advice that isn't always so easy to unravel but I, like so many others, am committed to doing it on purpose. And I am basking in the thrill of my purposeful journey.

Math Games

2011-03-22T23:16:00.001-04:00

Kindergarten math is predicated on the belief that children require lots of hands-on practice to understand the concepts underpinning mathematical reasoning. For this reason, many early elementary classrooms are equipped with a wide assortment of manipulatives and games. Manipulatives provide tactile, concrete items for the hands-on ingredient while games serve the practice component (as well as motivation).

Every day we strive to ensure that our students have an opportunity to engage in math games. New games are generally introduced during whole class lessons and then placed in a math center for independent/partner/or small group practice. Depending on the games chosen we will usually set-up about 3-5 different activities. At times children are assigned to a specific center (to build a particular skill) or they can decide for themselves where they would like to go.

This week we have been playing some old favorites and some new. One of the new games is Egg Carton Math. This game has three levels of difficulty, each one building on the prior. At the beginning level students use an egg carton that has dots in each depression that resemble those found on dice. Two tokens are placed in the carton, the lid is closed and given a good shake. When it is reopened the student must count (add) the number of dots under each token. We also have our students write number sentences for each (see picture).

The second level (shown in the top photo) moves away from the all-dot scenario and mixes in numerals. This encourages children to count on - meaning, for instance, if one token fell on the numeral 10 and the other on 6 dots the child would say "10" and count on using the dots as support. However, it is possible that both tokens would land in only dots (providing reinforcement of prior learning) or only numerals ( a more challenging task).

The third level in Egg Carton Math is to place only numerals in the egg carton.

Our AUSSIE math coach, Chris, introduced us to another popular favorite called "Racing to 100". In this game children use a spinner (click on picture to see details) to become the first to fill up their cards. Each card has a space for 100 cubes. When one row of 10 cubes is full the 10 cubes are exchanged for a stick of 10 (called a "long") and once the card has 10 longs that is exchanged for a "flat".

The description may seem confusing but the game is pretty straightforward. It promotes counting by 10, 1 to 1 matching of number and object and concepts of number among other things.

As our students play we are free to provide guided math instruction with small groups (such as writing numbers) and observe/document student understanding. It is a win-win situation for all involved.

Next stop...Vegas!

Parent Teacher Conferences

2011-03-16T21:26:00.000-04:00

Twice a year parents and teachers come together to discuss the academic and social development of our children.

Parent-Teacher conferences provide a formal opportunity for us to share our collective insights into each child. They also strengthen the link between the home and school environments in a way that written notes and phone calls cannot.

I love parent teacher conferences.

This causes a bit of a problem because time is limited and I love to talk with parents about their children. Likewise, most parents love to talk about their children so the meetings tend to run long.

Yesterday Lauren and I were on a very tight schedule with 14 parents to see in 3 hours. I felt the pressure.

The children in our class are all growing in beautiful ways. Most students are performing at or above grade level but we have a few who are approaching this goal. The key is that they are all making progress. We keep detailed binders on each child containing reading assessments, alphabet and letter sound knowledge, writing samples (collected each month), handwriting development, math assessments, ASL rubrics, science growth, conference notes, guided reading/writing records and observations of social/emotional interactions.

We use this information to plan our instruction and it paints a clear picture to the parents of how their child is doing in school. One parent stated that we didn't need to say a word because it was all there. She could see it for herself and thanked us! How lovely is that?

I'm always grateful to the parents for the gift of their children.

It is such a privilege to teach.

A Tale Dark & Grimm

2011-03-06T19:13:00.001-05:00

Adam Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark & Grimm is visiting our school next week.

Our school librarian writes "he weaves Grimm stories into a wild - and at times extremely frightening - adventure for brother and sister team Hansel and Gretel. The world seems pitted against them...will they survive when they are up against warlocks, the Devil and dragons that look nice one day and not the next?! "

This is not your Disney fairy tale (although I am a big fan of Mickey and his brood). This looks dark and terribly exciting. The only sad part is that it is recommended for grades 3 - 6 so my kindergarten class will have to miss out. Although you can be sure I will try to get away to watch him read in person.

The Very Hungry Squirrel

2011-02-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

Our inventive school librarian had another brilliant idea when she began immersing our students in the works of children's book author and illustrator Denise Fleming.

During this author study one book entitled Lunch caught the fancy of our students. In this book a hungry mouse eats his way through lots of delicious foods.

Using this book as a model the children decided to write their own story in the style of Denise Fleming. The result is a book about a squirrel who eats his way through lots of delicious foods (sound familiar?) They titled the story The Very Hungry Squirrel.

When the writing was complete we took this project to our artist in residence from The Children's Museum of the Arts. Together the children created drawings to accompany their story using different materials and requiring skills 5-and-6-year-old children need practice with - like cutting.

On Monday we went back to the library where Sara (the aforementioned librarian) introduced us to VoiceThread. Using VoiceThread we were able to record the children reading their book in both voice and sign.

Great job kids!

Trash Talk

2011-02-07T19:56:00.001-05:00

Lauren and I have started talking trash with our kindergarten children.

This is due to the fact that we are beginning an exploration of our local environment with an eye towards fostering a sense of responsibility in our students. A realization that Mother Earth (Gaia) is a beautiful, wondrous place and we all make choices that maintain her beauty or accelerate her destruction.

Our investigation began by asking the students two leading questions;

"What is trash?"

and

"Where does trash go?"

Their answers to the first question involved a lot of references to food. The list included banana peels, apple cores, orange peels and old food. The answer to the second question allowed us insight into the environmentally conscious little girl who stated that we didn't need to throw away everything because some things can be made into different stuff. However, most of the children didn't mention recycling but chose to answer the question in a more direct fashion informing us that trash was put in the garbage can "so the man can take it away to the dump".

Following our discussion we all bundled up to take a walk around our block to see where some of the trash really goes.

New York City is a mess at the moment due to the heavy snowfall of late. It does not make for a beautiful landscape but it did provide us with excellent fodder for our trash walk talk.

We spotted a feather boa and coffee cup in the newspaper stand, bottles, gum wrappers, Christmas trees, cigarette butts, a pair of shoes, hubcaps, napkins, brown paper bags, plastic gloves and a couch all strewn about the streets. This in addition to the mounds of large plastic bags of trash.

We also noted the garbage cans and large trash compactors brimming with debris. At one garbage can a woman was pulling clothing out and holding it up as if she were shopping. Sadly, perhaps she was. This is recycling of a different nature.

When we returned to the class all of the students were invited to write and draw about what they saw and share it with one another in a lively discussion.

This is just the beginning of our investigation into trash. It is our hope that by the end of this unit the children will have a more developed sense of what it means to care for our planet and a deeper understanding of what happens to "trash" once it is thrown away.

What's Cookin' Mom?

2011-02-06T21:42:00.001-05:00

Every Friday afternoon our young chefs happily gather around a large table to mix, measure, roll, dip, stir, sprinkle, mash, poke, pour, pound, whisk, spoon, shake and taste. The occasion is Kindergarten Cafe - our weekly excursion into "fun with food".

This can manifest with such simple delights as hot chocolate on a wintry day or popcorn made in the hot air popper (a truly exciting experience for the under six set!). Or it can entail more complex fare such as Oreo turkeys (at Thanksgiving). Whatever the outcome, it seems to be the process that keeps 'em wanting more. Learning how to peel a banana or squirt whipped cream out of a can is sometimes enough to satisfy our energetic tykes.

Two brave moms offered to lead the Kindergarten Cafe cooking class recently with hands-on recipes designed to maximize student interest.

Barby taught the kids how to make Vanilla Snowballs with a recipe by Anne Coleman. These are easy no bake treats that require little preparation.

Vanilla Snowballs

Ingredients

1 12-ounce package white chocolate chips
4 cups popped popcorn
2 cups fruit flavored O's cereal (Fruit Loops)

Directions

1. Microwave the chocolate chips in a bowl for a minute or two.
2. Put popcorn and cereal in a large bowl and mix together
3. Pour melted chocolate over cereal and popcorn and stir until coated well.
4. Drop by 1/3 cup into cupcake liners.
5. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes until hardened.

This was a roll up your sleeves and dig in activity. It was also very sticky due to the fact that we had to substitute the white chocolate chips with marshmallows because of a child with a severe nut allergy (Note: be sure to read all labels carefully. Although some products do not contain nuts they are manufactured on equipment that also processes nuts and can cause an allergic reaction).

By the end of the lesson we were calling Barby our very own Rachael Ray due to her easy go-with-the-flow style and quick wit.

Several weeks later Dana volunteered to teach the children how to make Cake Pops also known as Lollipop Cakes, Cake on a Stick or simply Cake Balls. It is evidently the latest sensation and quite fabulous.

Cake Pops

Ingredients

1 box cake
1 container of frosting
Confectioners sugar
Water
Sprinkles
Lollipop Sticks

Directions

1. Bake a cake, cool and crumble.
2. Add in frosting and mush it all together.
3. Roll the mixture into little cake balls.
4. Place a lollipop stick into each ball.
4. Dip the balls into the confectioners sugar and water mixture.

5. Decorate.

This recipe required some in-advance preparation, Dana had to bake the cake beforehand, but everything else was done with the class. Each student had a specific task to complete which seemed to include lots of jumping up and down with excitement and anticipation.

Dana provided a few options for decoration but these culinary masterpieces didn't last long enough for much adoration. How many bites does it take to reach the center of a cake pop? Evidently only one!

We send out a huge thank you to our fun, patient and generous moms for sharing your time and talents with us. You make kindergarten even more fun!

The Family

2011-01-17T07:08:00.002-05:00

Most children love to talk about themselves. I'd venture to state that this is true for the majority of grown-ups as well.

In kindergarten children have the opportunity to engage in lots of conversation about their feelings and interests. They are learning the rules of successful social interactions such as Be nice to each other and Share.

For young children who are still learning to take on the perspective of another, knowing and following these rules are often mutually exclusive. Still, learning more about the self is a highly motivating endeavor.

And part of learning about yourself is exploring your place in a family. We are helping our students do that as well as exposing them to the fact that families come in many different varieties. Children's book author and illustrator Todd Parr's books are fantastic for introducing this topic and keeping it moving.

In addition to The Family Book he has written The Daddy Book, The Mommy Book, The Grandpa Book and The Grandma Book. There is even a book focusing on adoption entitled We Belong Together.

As we journey with our students we remain sensitive to the diversity of each family. This may include children who live with both a mom and dad, children whose parents are divorced and share custody of the child, children who live with a single parent and rarely, if ever, have contact with his or her mom or dad, children who are being raised by a grandparent and children who have two moms or dads.

Introducing the topic of having two moms or dads, not because of divorce but because mom or dad loves someone of the same sex can be a touchy subject in schools. There are children's books that approach the topic beautifully. One book is And Tango Makes Three (also referred to sometimes as "that gay penguin book").

The important thing to remember is that the discussion in schools is about The Family. In 2011 the family is no longer the Ozzie and Harriet version it was in the 50s. Maybe it wasn't even that in the 50s. The times they are a-changin' and it is time to embrace diversity and promote acceptance and love.

Super Gary!

2011-01-10T18:45:00.001-05:00

Most of my energy these days has been directed toward completing my doctoral comps (just about finished). If ever there was a time to realize I am not super, this is it.

However, it is gratifying to know that my students still see me that way.

Below is a short book by Skye entitled Super Gary.

Super Gary!

Super Gary is strong.

Super Gary is smart.

Super Gary is nice.

Thanks Super Skye!

The Moments

2010-12-31T16:41:00.000-05:00

There are moments when the pressure lifts and it becomes possible to simply listen.

To be.

These moments are rare for teachers because we are responsible. Responsible for educating, for assessing, for safety. Our minds are constantly one step ahead. Always thinking, monitoring, watching, planning.

We don't drop our guard because no matter how much we may enjoy what we are doing, teaching is a responsibility that we take seriously. Good teaching does not happen by chance. And so the mind races.

But on the last day of school before the winter break I had a perfect moment with some of the students in my class. In this moment they were not my students. In this moment they were simply children. Children who had stories to share. Stories that moved me.

I sat on the rug with a small group of five-year-olds and we talked about what they wanted for the holidays. Some had written to Santa. Others had not. Some were very specific while others couldn't think of anything they wanted, although they said they wanted something. One boy said he wanted a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree with velcro letters like the one we have in the classroom. That was all.

And they asked what I wanted.

They really listened to one another. It was brilliant. For a moment there was no pressure. Nothing to do next. Just happy children full of anticipation and quiet excitement. It was an experience that I knew would stay with me. A little oasis in the busyness of life. A moment I didn't even realize I needed. But, one that I was given. Thanks kids!

Happy New Year!

A Visit From Olympic Diver Scott Donie

2010-12-20T15:45:00.002-05:00

"What are some things you can do in the water?"

This is how Scott Donie welcomed our kindergarten children into a conversation about his journey to the Olympics. In 1992, Scott earned an Olympic Silver Medal in Barcelona for 10-meter platform diving. Only 23 at the time, he was the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic diving team.

He returned to the Olympics in 1996 to compete in Atlanta and there earned Forth-Place honors for his skill on the 3-meter springboard.

These are impressive accomplishments indeed!

Scott listened as the children shared stories of swimming the in the pool or at the beach and stressed that "everyone should take swimming lessons to be safe around the beach and around the pool".

He began diving when he was an 8-year-old boy and practiced every day until he was 28. Throughout the early years his dream of being part of the biggest sporting event in the world THE OLYMPICS provided motivation.

He showed us pictures of himself on the 10-meter platform (that's as tall as a 3-story building), played a video of his 1992 dive and even passed around his Silver Medal! This was my favorite. How many times do you have an opportunity to hold an Olympic Medal?

The children asked him questions like "Do you get afraid of being up that high?" (his answer was "Yes") and "Do you still dive?" (Scott coaches the diving team at NYU).

He stated that if you combine gymnastics and going off a diving board it's a sport called diving.

We learned a lot about this sport from Scott but one thing we knew already was that it is amazing to watch. We asked to see his diving video more than once to take it all in.

Truly fantastic!

And what a great treat that he took the time to share his story with all of us. Thank you Scott!

PAH!

2010-12-12T14:39:00.004-05:00

In American Sign Language Pah! means "finally" or "success at last!"

Well, after 15 years and much badgering my friend Maria finally came to visit my classroom.

Over the years many of my friends have come in to teach lessons (thanks Ed, Jason, Ashley, Gregg, Sydney & Denise), accompany us on trips (gratitude to Joy & Kimy) or read a book.

I am definitely of the opinion that it takes a village. Bringing in experts to share their knowledge always seemed like a good idea to me and it adds excitement to the routine school day.

Especially if the visitor brings delicious cupcakes!

Maria came in the afternoon and joined us for our math lesson before beginning her read aloud of Who Will Help Santa this Year? by Jerry Pallotta.

An unexpected outcome of her visit was that she now says she would love to become a teacher. I don't think she will actually pursue it but the fact that the thought even entered her mind speaks to how impressed she was with our students.

I remember when I was working with Maria many years ago I went to visit Lexington School for the Deaf and left there more than ever determined to spend my days teaching. It was a dream that came true for me. Once again I feel how blessed I am to wake up every day to do something that speaks to my heart and soul. What a gift! And what a gift I have in her friendship. Thanks Maria!

1,000 Words to Sign

2010-12-05T00:40:00.002-05:00

My co-teacher, Lauren (that's her on the cover!), is featured in the new American Sign Language book 1,000 Words to Sign by Geoffrey S. Poor.

It is a pictorial dictionary that also includes an instructional DVD showing the signs in motion.

The DVD contains letters, numbers and words that appear in the book both with subtitles (as a learning aid) and without (as a testing aid).

The author includes a touch of linguistic information at the start of the book including a brief history of ASL in addition to grammar. His explanations are clear and helpful.

For those of you interested in learning American Sign Language this book is a great way to kick off your journey and motivate interest. And for those of you who already know some sign, it will serve as a useful resource.

Congratulations Lauren, and my fellow co-worker Darren, for your work on this project.

Princesses vs. Pirates

2010-11-30T19:51:00.007-05:00

It is the versus in the title that most interests me.

Why can't it read Princesses and Pirates?

But, I am getting ahead of myself...

In our classroom we have a varied assortment of book bins arranged according to favorite authors (Todd Parr, Ezra Jack Keats, James Marshall, Dr. Seuss, Anthony Browne, Denise Fleming, Nancy Carlson, Mo Willems), favorite characters (Curious George, Clifford, Froggy, Rotten Ralph) and genre (fairy tales, counting books, ABC books, color books, holidays, how-to books, seasons, etc.).

Our latest additions, based on student interest, are princess books and pirate books.

I began to wonder if the popularity of these books would be divided along gender lines. So, I asked the children privately which books they liked better. Sure enough all of the little girls said "princess books" and the little boys all said "pirate books".

My follow-up question brought more compelling answers. I asked the girls if they also liked reading pirate books and all but one said "yes", but not one boy said he liked reading princess books. Not one! And the facial expression accompanying the answer clearly let me know that this was a ridiculous question to be asking in the first place.

Are societal expectations regarding gender roles at play here or is it that boys inherently find pirates more interesting than princesses?

Is it because it is simply easier for little girls to imagine themselves as a princess rather than a pirate?

I must admit that I find pirate books more interesting but have certainly become enchanted by a princess story or two in my time.

And so have these little boys. They are just not willing to admit it or haven't realized that they do.

How about you? Which do you prefer? Why?

Self Portraits

2010-11-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

Our school is in partnership with the Children's Museum of the Arts which provides art education in classrooms across New York City.

Our artist in residence, Margaret, taught our students the fundamentals of color (primary, secondary, color mixing, tints, tones, shades, etc.) and line while engaging in motivating hands-on art projects.

Several weeks ago Margaret introduced us to self portraits through the work of artist David Hockney. She invited the children to create their own self portraits influenced by David Hockney's style. This includes a strong, single colored, solid background behind the central figure of a face to include perhaps some of the neck and shoulder area.

We were guided through the process with Margaret modeling for the students as she created her own self portrait.

Each student was given a small mirror to look at themselves as they drew their portrait in pencil on large sheets of paper. Margaret had prepared each sheet by outlining the edges with masking tape so that when the tape was removed (after painting) it would create a clean line to frame the art.

She instructed them in mixing paints to create their skin tone, how to paint eyes and to add finishing touches such as outlining the pencil marks in black marker to make it pop.

The finished pieces blew me away. I could easily see them used as illustrations in children's books.

Totally brilliant!

I was very pleased to see some of the parents reactions to the self portraits.

As they stated, these are indeed worthy of framing.

This experience is just another instance of children surprising me with their talent and insight.

What a gift for Thanksgiving!

Autumnal Bliss

2010-11-20T16:53:00.001-05:00

Autumnal wonders never cease to amaze.

The colors, the crisp air, leaf piles, changes taking place that are seen and unseen, known and unknown.

I enjoy the anticipation of coming home to sit with a hot mug of mulled cider, warm pajamas, a comforting fire.

This is a time to slow down because nature demands we stop and pay attention.

Our students feel this as well. On Monday we ventured out for a leaf walk to Madison Square Park. The task was to collect leaves of different shapes, sizes and colors. It is wonderful that such a simple task can bring such happiness and excitement.

Especially pleasing was a particular assortment of leaves that had collected in one area just asking to be thrown in the air to gleeful giggles. Leaves found their way into hoods, coats and Lauren's hair faster than a blink.

By the time we left, their little Ziploc bags were full of specimens to sort, graph and examine.

We have read some spectacular books to build knowledge about trees, leaves and the fall season (check out Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace for its information
and Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert for its creativity).

Our classroom is beginning to look a lot like autumn - wreaths made of leaves decorate the walls and clementines covered with cloves hang from ribbons on our twinkle light wrapped palm tree. It is a feast for the senses.

Who could ask for anything more?

What Do You Know? - Trippin'

2010-11-13T22:22:00.018-05:00

My life is full of blessings.

They include teaching, friendship, children, love, family and laughter.

There are many more. And as we state in church "it is right to give thanks and praise".

On this journey through life I am happy to have my best friend Joy walking by my side to share the good & bad and to continuously broaden my perspective.

She makes me laugh.

In our latest podcast entitled Trippin': Class Trips and Children's Books we discuss...you guessed it! Class trips and children's books.

You can listen by clicking here. As always we invite your comments and feedback.

That's what we know!

The Land of Many Colors

2010-11-11T13:28:00.002-05:00

"Learning is first and foremost a process - a continuous making and remaking of meanings in the lifelong enterprise of constructing a progressively more and more effective mental model of the world in which one lives. Learning is never complete" from The Meaning Makers by Gorden Wells.

Education is a process. We are all teachers and we are all students.

Recently I was asked if I would support the growth of a postgraduate student, Jane, from the education department at Fordham University by providing a setting in which she could conduct research. Her first assignment was to prepare, conduct and reflect on a read aloud in an elementary classroom.

Lauren and I agreed to work with Jane for several reasons including the fact that we always enjoy seeing things through a new perspective. A fresh view helps us to grow and reflect on our own practices.

Jane was required to write a paper on her experience and was kind enough to share it with me. I was so impressed with it that I asked her if I could post a portion of it on my blog. Happily, she agreed.

When Gary and I initially spoke on the phone, we discussed his class’s dynamic, personality, and current lesson themes. Going along with the present unit on Social Justice Education, Gary mentioned a favorite book of his, The Land of Many Colors by the Klamath County YMCA Pre-school.

The Land of Many Colors is suitable for preschool- kindergarten aged students. In the story each colored group of people think that their color is best- the Blue people like blue food, the Purple people have purple pets, and the Green people think that green is best. They eventually run out of various resources and go to war. After the fighting is over, everyone must work together to rebuild their communities. They all learn that in fact it is working together and respecting the diversity of one another that is best.

On the day of the read-aloud, Gary introduced me to his class, and after joining in on their morning routine he explained to the children that today, I would be reading them a story.

As I read each page, the children had a lot to say about what was happening. Although I did not elicit individual picture vocabulary, the class often commented on what they saw or thought, saying, "Look a dog!" or "I think blue is the best."

When people in the story began fighting, the children became very excited and exclaimed things like, “Oh no!” and, “That’s Scary!” They also added sadly, “War is bad!”

After the fighting stopped, I paused to ask the class a prediction question:

Nearly all their hands shot up excitedly and as I called on them they spoke and signed,
“The houses are ruined.”
"They are going to make food together!”
“They need food!”
“They are going to learn how to share!”

Many of them appeared anxious, and one child shouted,” Turn the page!”

Next in the story, a child whose color is obscured by dust and appears brown encourages everyone to stop and consider what has happened, and whether it would not be better to work together and respect one another. The many colored people then begin cooperating to build houses, care for pets and plant seeds. The children then had a pressing question, “Where did the brown person go?”

I explained that the person had been covered in dust, which made him look brown but now he was not dirty anymore. The children soon begin hypothesizing which person could possibly be the brown one. One child thought, “Maybe it's the blue one!” Another guessed, “I think it's the purple one!”

At the end of the story everyone lived happily and peacefully ever after. I felt relieved and happy to unanimously receive their approval. Several children shouted, “That was a good story!”

After the story, I asked everyone to think about what the many colored people had learned.

“They learned how to share."
“They learned how to work together.”
“No color is the best!”
“Not to punch.”

Before joining Gary and Lauren's class I was not sure if the students would be able to understand and discuss the story. However, many of these students knew how to read and discuss ideas, and understood very well the concepts of respect, working together and sharing. They also considered details, like where the brown dust covered person had gone to, and ideas such as, if it was a land of many colors, why are there only people of three colors?

Jane also wrote about extension activities and remarked that reading articles about children and actually interacting with children are two very different things.

Indeed!

The strongest sentiment for me in her reflection is to never underestimate the brilliance of children. They will amaze you every time!

Saint Bernards are "Just Right"

2010-11-06T22:01:00.001-04:00

I love my "puppy" so much that, like a Wild Thing, I could just eat her up.

In kindergarten we have begun having our students read "just right" books.

"Just Right" books are books that children can read either independently or with a little support from an adult or more knowledgeable peer. The books contain predictable text, usually with patterns (I see the dog, I see the boat, etc.), strong picture support and some easy sight words (I, my, the, etc.)

Based on current assessments most students could use some assistance tracking print with his/her finger (one to one matching) to establish word boundaries and use of initial letters to figure out unknown words and deepening comprehension of a text.

The latter can be done by questioning him/her during and after the reading about specific text items or extending the ideas in the book to his/her own experiences.

One of my favorite "Just Right" book series is about a Saint Bernard named Winnie. The illustrator, William Benedict, must have certainly spent quite a bit of time around Saints. He captures their charm, tenacity and brilliance in each picture. I love them!

If you are searching for these types of books for your emergent reader take a look at Brand New Readers. Not only do their books feature Saint Bernards but there are also MONKEYS!

Just another reason for me to love my work!

Land Ho!

2010-10-27T17:22:00.001-04:00

Ahoy me maties!

Shiver me timbers, after nearly two years without a playground Lauren and I can finally play pirate!

It required a sizable chunk of buried treasure (almost $250,000) to bring this dream to fruition but through unmitigated perseverance our new playground avoided the fate of Davy Jones' locker.

Structural setbacks caused unexpected delays and had the contractors walking the plank time and time again. But on Monday, October 25, we cut the proverbial ribbon and invited our enthusiastic students to explore.

The new playground is not just for pyrates, oh no, it also brings smiles to landlubbers as well. There is a wee "tree house" for the littlest revelers (too small a space for me, although I did try to enter) and lots of slides, ramps, ropes and poles. It even has a climbing wall! And monkeys!

Blimey!

We'll be enjoying this for many years to come.

At least that's the plan.

Share Curiosity

2010-10-20T23:27:00.003-04:00

The Library of Congress (bless them!) has chosen to encourage parents to read with their children in a new series of public service announcements featuring Curious George!

How I missed this fact until today is beyond me. Thankfully my friend Cindy was kind enough to bring it to my attention. The ads are wonderful (both print and video) and bring me endless joy but the information on their website is golden.

Many middle class families assume that sharing a bedtime story with a child is a given but the fact is that there are many, many families out there who do not engage in these literacy practices.

The reasons can range from lack of interest, lack of resources or from a feeling that they are not doing it right. Shirley Brice Heath's seminal study provides a stunning example of the nuisances at play here.

The point is to read! The Matthew effect kicks in because the more you read the better you become as a reader and the better reader you are the more you want to read.

I applaud the Library of Congress for their clear message and for choosing Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat to help spread the word.

Share Curiosity. Read Together.

Parallel Play

2010-10-10T20:27:00.003-04:00

Parallel play is a developmental stage in social activity wherein a child plays beside rather than with another child.

Both children may engage with the same toys (blocks, dolls, trucks, etc.) but they never quite acknowledge one another or join together in cooperative experiences.

It is what cognitive psychologists like Jean Piaget might define as an early stage of egocentrism, or a preoccupation with one's own views.

Teachers are often guilty of this. We sequester ourselves inside our classrooms, behind closed doors, neglecting to share our ideas or successes.

Educational blogs are one way to combat this phenomenon. They provide an outlet for us to open our doors and invite others into our "play". Visiting one another's classrooms is another way.

At the end of the last school year Lauren and I ventured out to Long Island to do just that. My friend Denise arranged for us to visit her kindergarten classroom (and we, in turn, reciprocated). This year we have incorporated some of her ideas into our practice.

Most notably the way she conducted her morning meeting. Morning meeting is a time where the "administrative business" of the day usually occurs. Attendance is taken, we count off the number of days we have been in school, chart the weather, write a message together and develop calendar skills. In the past we conducted this on the rug with all of the children seated.

Denise however did this while incorporating movement and exercise. Her motto is "everything must have a dual purpose" and it is inspiring to see how effective this is.

Now, we begin each day on the rug for our greetings. This is a time for American Sign Language (ASL) development without voice. This is followed by hopping to one corner of the room to track the school days on our number line while counting forward and backwards. Next we jump over to another area to chart attendance (again incorporating math skills and one to one matching). Once this is completed the group hops over to the calendar and weather chart to focus on language associated with these concepts.

We conclude with some more exercise as Denise does in her classroom (counting jumping jacks, clapping hands with a partner, etc.) and by the time we begin our group word study lesson the children are ready to focus because they have "shaked the sillies out".

We gathered a plethora of ideas on our visit and I encourage other educators to open your doors and make your teaching visible. As John Dewey wrote in The School and Society in 1899, "Helping others, instead of being a form of charity which impoverishes the recipient, is simply an aid in setting free the powers and furthering the impulse of the one helped. A spirit of free communication, of interchange of ideas, suggestions, results, both successes and failures of previous experiences, becomes the dominating note of the recitation".

What Do You Know? - Podcast

2010-10-07T21:41:00.004-04:00

My best friend Joy has introduced me to many things over the years; the writings of Mr. Follow Your Bliss himself - Joseph Campbell, the musical styling of feisty songbird Keely Smith and the wonderful world of blogging. So, when she suggested we make a podcast I was on board.

I saw it as a way for us to document our friendship, if only for ourselves. The easy give and take, the deep knowledge of one another that comes from 29 years of laughs, tears and drama encapsulated in digestible snippets of banter. For me it is a win-win situation. I show up at her apartment with a 4-pack of Guinness, get to chat with someone I adore and go to sleep.

Joy is the one who does all the work editing and posting. God bless her! She is getting to be quite the technical whiz.

We decide on a topic (volunteering, how we met, religion, etc.) and off we go. I hadn't planned to blog about our little recordings until we decided to talk about suicide.

The impetus of Joy's blog was to share with others her battle with suicide. She describes her blog by writing;

"This is pretty much just me rambling about how happy I am not to be suicidal any more. Which is pretty big doings for me. It's also an attempt to share my experiences in hopes that it might somehow help someone else who is where I was... and is having trouble believing that you can change your world. Some posts are just silly, some are more deep, but hopefully they all prove the point that life can be, and is, a wonderful thing and no matter how hard things are at the moment: they will get better. You just need to hang on."

Sadly, after we recorded our podcast teenage suicide began making headlines. And as fitting the theme of my blog, which is education, I felt it worthwhile to add our message of support to what others have been providing. Sometimes you don't know what will speak to a person in need.

You can find our podcast here.

ABC Books

2010-10-03T23:44:00.007-04:00

The beginning of kindergarten is a swell time to dive into the alphabet. And what better way than ABC books?

Learning the alphabet can be tricky for young children because language is a system of arbitrary symbols. As Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet "that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet".

We assign meaning to letters which are simply random squiggles to young children. Understanding these squiggles is part of our developmental process in both reading and writing.

ABC books approach the task of ameliorating children's mastery in different ways. Some, like the fabulous Museum ABC from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, serve as list books.

In this book A is for Apple, B is for Boat, C is for Cat and so on. The exquisite selling point here though is that each letter is accompanied by a detail (small portion) from a selection of art work by Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Stuart, Lichtenstein, etc. It is beautifully done and helps children begin to connect letters and sounds.

Other ABC books take a more interactive approach. They challenge the reader look closely at the illustrations to find the letters hidden there.

Pigs From A-Z by Arthur Geisert is one of my favorite examples of this (How could it miss? There are adorable pigs everywhere!). This is akin to the I Spy books that keep children and adults searching. This book reinforces letter knowledge and helps solidify letter identification.

A step further along the ABC continuum are the storybooks. It is in this realm that many authors/illustrators have found a wide audience. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault with illustrations by Lois Ehlert is catchy and popular. I like it because it connects upper and lowercase letters with a simple rhythmic beat.

Another winner is Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood. The lowercase letters are having a fun filled jaunt on their way to school when the dot from the letter i decides to play an annoying little game of hide-and-seek. The other letters conspire to find other symbols to replace her (like a star, a heart) but the mischievous dot reappears to claim her rightful place. The letters arrive in alphabetical order in time for school. Also of interest are Alphabet Rescue and Alphabet Mystery.

Finally, given that I have a soft spot in me wee little heart for a certain monkey I must mention Curious George Learns the Alphabet by H.A. Rey. This book is unique in that it helps children learn letters by focusing on the shapes themselves. The letter F becomes a fireman, L becomes a Lion and K a kangaroo. Research seems to support the merits of such an approach.

The text is designed to promote phonological awareness and sensitivity to initial letter sounds through alliteration.

Sample text; The small h is a horse. He is happy because he has heaps of hay. George had his own horse - a hobby horse.

The first "h" in words like happy and heaps are highlighted in color to reinforce the commonality of sound. Letters and text are provided for both upper and lowercase letters.

So there you have the ABC's of ABC books!

For a cyber spin on ABC click here.

s'all good

2010-10-02T21:51:00.003-04:00

That's me!

I am either very small or that is one giant flower.

I love the beginning of kindergarten. It is a time when children are bursting with creativity in their drawings, art and writing. They unabashedly express themselves as they make sense of the world around them.

In the morning a smiling child extends an arm saying"Here I made this for you". In her hand are torn bits of paper containing images of you. Or her family. Or some design that caught her fancy.

During the day we are handed more slips of paper.

"That's you!"

I look for my expression and think "Good, I'm smiling".

And I am.

So is Lauren. Here we are holding hands surrounded by butterflies and flowers.

We are 16 days into the school year and I couldn't be happier. The children are brilliant. Sensitive, caring, energetic, smiling, sometimes cranky, tenacious, giving, kind and eager to learn. Their parents are likewise brilliant.

We had an open school night on September 22 where we (parents and teachers) all met one another. We shared our hopes and dreams for the children and mapped out our plan to support one another in this journey.

S'all good indeed!

Tips From My Mom #12

2010-09-26T16:32:00.003-04:00

This year my mom turned 70!

She is absolutely beautiful but when she looks in the mirror she asks herself, "Who is this old woman looking back at me?"

The physical self does not match the image in her head. But, as Linda Ronstadt stated back in 1995;

"I'm 48 years old. I don't look like I did when I was 38; I don't look like I did when I was 28. It's got to be O.K. somehow. You've got to look in the mirror and go, 'This is reality, and it's all right.' I don't want to hide from that."

There is something to be said for aging gracefully.

My mom does not lie about her age because to do so would be a rejection of some part of herself. Which year(s) are worthy of elimination? Each experience has brought her to where she is at this moment. They have made her the incredible woman she is today and are building the even more amazing woman she will become tomorrow. Each day is important.

The energetic, playful child stays alive in each of us. It is that essence that makes my mom want to dance when she hears the music of the 50s and 60s. Elvis brings her to her feet and suddenly all those memories from her teenage years leap forward bridging the past and the present. Music is a great equalizer.

I am 46 years old and to realize that it has been 21 years since my 25th birthday is shocking. Now it is my turn to ask "What happened?" How is that possible? I still feel young even if I don't look it. But with another birthday approaching I deeply realize it is an occasion to celebrate. A time to cherish my past, recognize it, embrace it and be thankful for another year, especially in light of recent losses.

When I asked my mom for an ending quote for this post she said "I'm not going out without a fight".

Thank goodness!

Books of Wonder

2010-09-19T13:09:00.011-04:00

Have you seen those illustrated posters with a reclining child peering into an open book and springing forth from the pages are fierce dragons, brave knights, waterfalls, pirates and all manner of magical creatures?

When I was a boy I used to love those images and the captions that read something like "Reading makes all things possible" or "Reading opens a world of imagination".

I felt like the child in that poster. I knew well the fascinating journey that reading engendered. The adventures stayed with me when I put the book down too.

My bed became a boat with billowed sail, like Max in Where the Wild Things Are, only if I stepped off my boat I would suddenly become engulfed in hot lava. My poor stuffed turtle, Myrtle (pictured), was sometimes made to test the temperature of the lava by selfishly sacrificing herself for the good of the crew. I usually let her live.

Or I could be a wizard of great power transporting myself to any place in the world with the simple blink of an eye.

I once tried to build a log cabin based on the description by Laura Ingalls Wilder in one of the Little House books. I learned about frontier life from Young Pioneers and times long gone by from Betsy and Billy .

I loved books, still do. The smell of them. The weight. The journey. I loved sitting in the back of my living room surrounded by my family who were watching television and talking while I turned page after page. Or going to the park with my grandpa, sitting under a tree with a book while he flew his homemade kites with my brothers.

All of this was running thorough my mind as I walked to Books of Wonder in NYC this past week. I heard about this popular children's book store but had never ventured over there. It was about time I did!

The store houses an impressive collection of old and rare books, classic picture books, modern picture books, sale items (50% off!) and original artwork (pictured blue horse & red bird from Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Eric Carle).

They host children's book authors and illustrators for readings and many of the books are signed by the author/illustrator.

I became lost in the familiar titles and then lost again as I explored the newest releases. When I was approached by the staff for assistance "Can I help you find anything?", my smile and wide eyes let her know immediately that I had found my little patch of heaven (either that or she thought I was some nut who wandered in off the street).

I walked out wishing that I had allowed myself more time for this visit and with a list of books to recommend to our school librarian. If you find yourself in NYC do yourself a favor and stop by Books of Wonder - they also have a cupcake cafe connected to the store providing an extra enticement.

Back to School

2010-09-11T15:22:00.007-04:00

That gleeful anticipation of going back to school took a hit with the cloud of my friend James' sudden passing but the shiny, happy faces of little children offered a soothing balm.

And what shiny, happy faces!

With the arrival of each new student the commotion, joy and anticipation grew. We had a very busy morning of greeting parents and welcoming children into their new home away from home.

Each child brought his or her unique, vivid personality. There was the shy, nervous, cautious little girl who never ventured far from her mother while at the same time took in her new surroundings and eventually settled in quite comfortably.

There was the dynamic, energetic, musical and confident little boy eager to share stories of his summer, his skills, interests and family.

There was the equally confident little girl who immediately felt right at home and helped other students feel comfortable. She knew the answers to all the questions and was not at all shy about sharing what she knew.

There was the little girl who kept taking off her shoes.

There were the best friends who boosted each others comfort level as they gently glided around the room holding hands.

There was the boy who looked like he was on the verge of tears at any moment but never gave in to them.

There was the boy who wet himself and the little girl who threw up (poor thing).

And many others who helped complete our dynamic group of kindergartners.

They all made me smile and I am really looking forward to working with them this school year. Each year we count the number of school days with the children and as we march on toward the 180th day I grow sad that our time together is ending.

This was only day one and our journey has only just begun. Lucky me!

Loss

2010-09-04T01:38:00.010-04:00

When I was a student at The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute I had a horrible acting teacher who screamed at me because I had never lost anyone I loved. It seemed unacceptable to him that at 20 I had never experienced death.

Wouldn't he be pleased now?

I just found out that a good friend of mine has died unexpectedly. I am not even sure if I believe it yet. I called his number but he does not answer. And I feel stupid for not picking up the phone before this to say hello, sing a song or laugh about something only we would think was THAT funny.

I want to write more about James but feel exhausted. Better to drift off into slumber where this isn't true.

Bimodal Bilingualism

2010-09-03T18:08:00.003-04:00

This morning I "crashed" (thank you Connie!) the Fairview Learning Network's training at the Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf in New Jersey.

It was certainly strange to be a fly on the wall and not an active participant in the discussions because, as always, I had a few things I wanted to ask/contribute.

However, it allowed me to really listen to the conversation and what struck me was the fact that all of us in the field of Deaf education are asking the same questions. And the academic geek in me became exhilarated to once again grapple with issues of language acquisition, bilingualism, reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing development and teaching methods.

A seemingly new phrase floating around out there is bimodal bilingualism (as opposed to "unimodal"). But this has only added to the confusion between language vs mode. Some use it to emphasize the fact that Deaf individuals communicate in a visual modality (American Sign Language - ASL) and read/write in English, also visual. Although there are others who would not agree with such labels.

There is no doubt that individuals who are Deaf are bilingual but there is debate in the area of codeswitching. Various researchers conceptualize codeswitching (CS) between ASL and English quite differently. There are even different names given to it depending on if the participants are hearing or Deaf.

Code switching with hearing signers (like Children of Deaf Adults or CODA's) happens when the participants stop talking and switch to signing ASL or vice verca. This accounts for a small percentage (5-6%) in bilingual pairings.
Code-blending which occurs when ASL signs are produced simultaneously with English words. For bimodal bilinguals this is common, accounting for about 95-96% of signs produced.
Code-Mixing is a strategy many Deaf individuals use to adapt linguistic resources to communication needs. Communication is the goal so any method that serves that purpose is utilized.

When pondering all of this along with the demands placed upon emergent readers and writers it is no wonder that there are struggles. The idea Fairview promotes is to develop understanding across languages through a clear knowledge of both. Once that happens teachers can explicitly teach techniques like bridging and chunking when there is not a word-for-word equivalent between ASL and English.

This is good stuff and I was happy I had the opportunity to pop in to join the conversation.

Encountering Angels

2010-09-01T21:45:00.005-04:00

It has been a month since I returned from my European holiday and still I am unable to capture in words the impact of the experience. I grasp the fullness of the blessing only to have it flit away as I begin to mold it towards some lucid, fully formed understanding.

There are elements of angels mixed with what Joseph Campbell describes as the hero's journey. An adventure that we all are invited to undertake, to become the hero of our own lives, if only we listen to and accept our calling without allowing our ego to interfere. We are prepared for and ready for the journey. If we were not, it would not present itself. All we have to do is commit.

Many people do not. There is fear, doubt and often seemingly valid reasoning to stay put, to linger close to home (not only in the physical sense), to comfort, to what is known. It takes some sacrifice to follow "the music of the spheres, the music we dance to even when we cannot name the tune" but though it we find bliss.

Those who do, shine.

To me, there are angel-like figures here on Earth providing examples of possibility, love and kindness. And when these 'angels' take you under their wing, share their experiences and struggles and shine that white light of love in your direction it changes you.

There are angels all around.

In Zurich, Switzerland I had the privilege to spend time with two brilliant angels; Cherie and Milud. The words of Joseph Campbell seem to be living within them as they understand and embody this statement "You may have success in life, but then just think of it - what kind of life was it? What good was it if you've never done the things you wanted to do in all your life?" When you follow your bliss, you come to bliss!

Cherie and Milud? They are bliss.

They examine and question. They cherish, love and care for one another. They have life in perspective. And it seems to me that with a strong foundation you can begin to share this love and gratitude with others. And, once again in my life, I feel blessed, humbled and grateful. I thank them.

Also, can you think of a better combination than spending time with angels who celebrate cocktail hour with you at 6:00?

Getting to Know You

2010-08-17T13:35:00.003-04:00

I'm driving in my car, I turn on the radio and I hear the opening lines to Getting to Know You from The King and I.

It's a very ancient saying,

But a true and honest thought,

That if you become a teacher,

By your pupils you'll be taught.

How is it possible that I never realized that this song was about a teacher getting to know his/her students?

This is how I envision my first day of school in September - a spectacular musical number with adorable children singing and dancing in an easy, friendly manner.

And while you watch ask yourself, "can these kids be any cuter?"

Kinder Buch Laden

2010-08-13T00:32:00.005-04:00

The title is German for children's book shop.

Children's books fascinate me. They make me happy. So, when I travel it is probably no great surprise that I like to stop in children's book stores to check out my favorite titles written in languages other than English.

But sometimes my proclivities can cause my traveling companions some embarrassment.

For instance this exchange in a book store in Rome.

Gary: Parlate inglese?

Guy at Counter: A little.

Gary: Do you have Curious George?

Guy at Counter: (stares blankly, clearly confused)

Gary: (attempting to clarify) The monkey.

Guy at Counter: Mon-key?

Gary: (deciding that I will give sign language a go as the sign for monkey must be universal especially if I add in some sound effects, which I do).

Guy at Counter: (steps back in fright as I scratch under my arms and jump around noisily. He is clearly appalled and closes the shop shortly thereafter).

I never found Curious George in Italian.

I had better luck in Switzerland.

German speaking Zurich is very kinder-friendly! At every turn there are postings for some kinder related activity. The drum playing teddy bear directed us to the Kinder Musik Laden (children's music shop) and we stumbled upon an outdoor performance by Kinderzirkus Robinson (children's circus with Robinson the clown!).

At the Zurich bookstore I was shown the Curious George books without my theatrics. Although in German he is called Coco, as in Coco Fahrt Rad (which seems to literally translate to Coco drive wheel but better known here as Curious George Rides a Bike).

They had many of my favorite titles;

Der Kleine Prinz - The Little Prince
Wo Die Wilden Kerle Wohnen - Where the Wild Things Are (or directly translated as Where the Wild Guys Living).
Wo Ist Walter Jetzt? - Where is Walter (Waldo) Now?

This last one is especially meaningful (and funny) because my dad's name is Walter and he is 100% German.

I purchased Coco Der Neugierige Affe (Coco the Curious Monkey) and have attempted to read it but I think my German comes across as too angry and intense for children. Some things are best enjoyed privately I suppose.

Lazy

2010-08-11T14:02:00.006-04:00

I had envisioned spending the month of August recreating the dreamy landscape that was Ernest Hemingway in Key West mode. This entails waking early to spend the morning writing, researching and crafting my doctoral comps and the afternoons drinking at Sloppy Joe's Bar, or some equivalent leisure time activity.

But this ambitious plan has yet to take hold. Instead I have simply been thinking about comps while lounging about with a book (current read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle), napping, exercising or socializing.

My desire for anything too involved (like doctoral comps or even blogging) has taken a back seat to doing a whole lot of nothing much.

I am not quite sure if I should go with it, light a fire under me bum or take the advice of Scarlett and think about it tomorrow.

Hmmmmm......?

Festival Italiani

2010-08-04T21:20:00.008-04:00

Italy abounds with meticulously themed festivals during the summer months and each one invites gleeful participation. The La Marche region, being outside popular tourist meccas like Rome and Venice, offers a plethora of possibilities to delight locals and travelers alike.

It is quite imaginable to spend an evening in July hopping from one festival to another. Outdoor celebrations, music, dancing, history, chariot racing, delectable food, fire throwing, drink, performance art, color, re-enactments, glass blowing, juggling, flag tossing, period costumes, beautiful men, exuberant women and life call from every corner.

I attended three festivals in Italy. While I was certainly welcomed at each, it was clear that the celebrations were not designed with me, the English-speaking American, in mind. There were challenges in even the smallest tasks, such as ordering food.

At the Palio del Somaro festival (donkey races) in Mercatello Sul Metauro I bravely ordered a porchetta sandwich (delicious!) but had an awkward moment at the counter because I kept saying "sì" to an either/or question. That little dance went on way too long before I was rescued by clever hand gestures and lots of pointing.

There was certainly a friendly spirit throughout the opening ceremonies (of which I understood only a few words but contented myself with people watching) and the excitement peaked as the donkeys were mounted for their race around town.

Donkey races are slow! The donkeys seemed totally uninterested in winning or even competing at all. The good humored frustration of the riders was encouraged by the large crowd who appeared to realize that this was part of the fun. In the end I was unsure who actually won but there was no mistaking who came in last. I think the loser must have taken a detour back home before deciding to cross the finish line.

At the Fano Dei Cesari festival 5,000 men, women and children paraded in costume. There were peasant girls and slave boys, fire throwers, charioteers, servants, revelers and lots of whoops and wails. Families mingled with wild party boys, police good-naturedly accepted being pelted with ice from drunken merry makers and despite the oppressive heat and sweaty bodies everyone was touchy feely. This is a country unafraid to show affection. Everyone hugs and kisses. I loved it.

The grand attraction here were the chariot races. Unlike the donkeys, these things flew around the track. In my mind I was telling them to slow it down - what's the hurry? Somebody is going to get hurt! - but the ever-swelling horde of spectators felt otherwise. Well, it's not every day you see a chariot race.

On our last night in Italy we attended the Palio Dei Conti Oliva festival which is an homage to medieval times. Strolling musicians wandered the streets past glass blowers, merchants, jugglers, knife throwers, craftsmen and spinners.

I watched a family perform acrobatics and banter with the audience. Again, I didn't know exactly what was being said but I had a pretty good idea.

The finale was an extensive flag tossing ceremony with men in multi-colored tights performing perfectly choreographed routines. By then it was getting late and we had to get back "home" to pack because more adventures were awaiting.

* Pictures taken either by myself or Mike Thomas.

Avventuretta

2010-07-11T00:04:00.003-04:00

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go!

It feels a tad decadent to be venturing off to Italy again this summer but the promise of Saint Bernard puppies at La Tavola Marche proved too much of a draw.

Alas, to my great disappointment the Saint Bernard puppies were put on hold until the fall but the trip is still on.

Delicious, fresh food, breathtaking beauty and good friends await.

After a two week stay in Italy we travel to Zurich, Switzerland to spend time with a couple of friends who give love a good name.

All the while I will have nothing more pressing than writing in my journal and reading the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson.

AH, VACATION!

All I Really Need To Know...

2010-07-07T13:32:00.007-04:00

I spent the 4th of July holiday in Ocean City, NJ with some good friends to enjoy the sun, water, food and conversation. As the evening ebbed away Marian, who is a spunky 84-year-old, ran to get two poems to share. As I was the only one present who could read the small print I began my cold reading.

"All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten"

Here I stopped reading and stated excitedly that this is great because I just finished teaching kindergarten. To this Marian gave me "the look" and said "if you are going to read it, read it right!"

So, with the pressure on I continued my dramatic reading of this familiar poem by Robert Fulghum.

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
I am already looking forward to next school year!

Am I Blue?

2010-07-01T00:00:00.004-04:00

Am I Blue?

Well, the answer to that is "Yes" and "No".

The end of a school year brings with it a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that this moment in time, this exact cohort of children, will never exist again.

It is also very difficult to say good-bye. I realize that I will see most of these children again but the day to day interactions will never be the same and I will never quite feel that same sense of responsibility for them.

And there are some children I will not see again. They will move away or transfer to different schools. This is especially difficult because on the last day of school I know they won't be back.

I feel the weight of finality, of letting go, trusting that life will be happy for them and some other teacher will hopefully fully embrace this child.

On the last day of school they write me letters stating they'll miss me.

Or that I am funny.

Or that I am nice.

The little girl who wrote me this note (pictured right) is not coming back. This perpetually grinning, beaming child became sadder as the last day came to a close. She hugged me good-bye at dismissal with quiet acceptance laced with extreme melancholy.

I totally appreciated her sense of drama.

I will miss her terribly. I will miss all of them.

But on the other hand, it is brilliant to have the summer to refresh, rejuvenate and recharge. Each year I brood over saying good-bye to my class but in September I fall in love all over again with renewed energy, ideas and passion.

I have been teaching long enough to know that these children never really drop out of my life. I am in touch with many former students through the relationships I have established with their families. We keep in touch. I watch them grow. I celebrate their success and help guide, advise or simply listen when they struggle.

So, why be blue?

This is a Theme Thursday post.

Rumpelstiltskin

2010-06-30T18:50:00.005-04:00

As stated in the last post, fairy tales were very popular with my kindergarten students this year. I give a great deal of credit to our skilled ASL storytellers who were kind enough to contribute 7 different fairy tales for our enjoyment (interesting to note that the number 7, along with the number 3, is itself connected with fairy tales).

The most popular was Whitney's dramatic reenactment of Rumpelstiltskin - both the overall story and her portrayal of the little guy himself.

Our investigation of fairy tales focused not only on "Once Upon a Time" and "Happily Ever After" but those necessary elements that take place between those words. Things like characters (good/bad, which is ultimately subjective as was noticed by the kids when they stated that Goldilocks was wrong or when they began to see things from the point of view of the wolf in The Three Little Pigs), conflict/resolution and perspective.

The video below is shown without sound, captions or voice interpreting. This is a conscious choice based on the belief that they would distract from the rich interpretation and impact of Whitney's performance. This is also a pretty well known story so these elements may prove unnecessary. I would be interested in feedback as to whether or not this is the case.

Thank you Whitney and all of our fantastic storytellers!

Please note that in order for this video to upload to fit the 10 minute limit imposed by YouTube it was necessary to edit 6 minutes from the story.

Top Ten for 2009 - 2010

2010-06-27T12:29:00.024-04:00

Drum roll please,

My kindergarten children voted and their Top Ten favorite books for the past school year are...

Coming out on top - at Number One! - is Otto Goes To The Beach by Todd Parr! This book also made the Top Ten three years ago and I am happy to see it included once again. Otto was an overall favorite character this year. We read Otto Has a Birthday at every birthday celebration but I think what pushed this book to the top is Otto's bathing suit mishap. Poor Otto!

Todd Parr was also represented in the Number Five position with The Peace Book. This book continues the generous message found in all of Todd's work which is that of acceptance, love and celebrating differences.

His illustrations are colorful, welcoming and irresistible. This past week my students created a literacy center based on his artwork. Each student wanted to draw like Todd Parr using thick black dry erase markers on white boards.

They did a pretty fantastic job too.

Fairy Tales were also well represented. I give credit for this to the stupendous ASL storytellers who visited our classroom to retell the classic fairy tales in American Sign Language.

These were all recorded so the students could watch them over and over again. It improved not only their sense of story but their signing as well.

The hands-down favorite - and Number Two on our list - was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. Our storyteller, Whitney, based her character on the illustrations found in Paul O. Zelinsky's book. In his hands (and subsequently hers) Rumpelstiltskin is all bug-eyed, small, INTENSE and hilarious.

Other fairy tales on the Top Ten included The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt (Number Four) and Little Red Riding Hood by James Marshall (Number Nine).

I would love to post some of the ASL fairy tales here but need to get permission from our storytellers. Stay tuned...

Of course, no Top Ten list would be complete (at least in my eyes) without that mischievous little monkey Curious George. This book was voted Number Eight.

Here is the complete list of Top Ten Children's Books according to my kindergarten class for 2009-2010.

Otto Goes to the Beach by Todd Parr
Rumpelstiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky
Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino
The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt
The Peace Book by Todd Parr
Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
Good Night, Mr. Night by Dan Yaccarino
Curious George by H.A. Rey
Little Red Riding Hood by James Marshall
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

It is only because this post is getting rather long that I neglected to properly sing the praises of author/illustrator Dan Yaccarino.

He has two books in the Top Ten. His books are sensational so look for an upcoming post dedicated to them this summer.

Happy Reading!!

All The Colors We Are

2010-06-19T22:08:00.016-04:00

The well-oiled machinery of social injustice and smoldering hegemony underpin our everyday lives in America whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. It is so subtle that we have willingly accepted it, mainly without question, as simply the way of things.

Those in power keep the power through the well-established order of things. The mentality of 'this is the way we have always done things' coupled with the overwhelming prospect of how would we change the rules even if we wanted to keeps us chugging along in the status quo.

This is evident in our school systems as well. The best education is doled out to those children whose parents have experienced success while those from less wealthy or privileged backgrounds are not afforded equal opportunities.

One component of stratification is based on skin color. Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote in South Pacific that hatred and prejudice towards those who look/act differently from us must be "carefully taught" and I agree.

And yet, children notice that they look different from one another. I have had conversations with other teachers about this and we have debated how to approach it; openly discuss it or ignore it. One view is to let children be children, but more and more we find that it seems we are doing the students a disservice if we sweep their noticings and questions under the rug.

They sometimes say hurtful things to one another because they don't realize the power of their words. These innocent statements have sometimes caused worry for a child and their parents.

Therefore we thought it best to at least touch upon the fact that we have many shades of skin color in our classroom and to celebrate those differences.

We began in art class with each student creating a self portrait (see above). We also read two books, All The Colors We Are by Katie Kissinger and Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney.

Together these books provide an explanation as to how we get our skin color (family ancestry, amount of melanin, exposure to the sun) and celebrate the differences.

A suggested extension activity is to have each student try to match their skin color by mixing paint and then naming it (pancake syrup, mocha, etc.). With the help of Margaret, our art teacher, we gave it a go. (Margaret's tip: When creating skin tones, which is a challenge, it is best to start by making orange and then adding either black or white as necessary.)

Each child made three swatches - one for themselves and one for each person to their left and right - and these were tied together to make a beautiful "Colors of Us" quilt.

For more about how children view skin color click here.

Hotel Kindergarten

2010-06-01T20:05:00.012-04:00

Joseph Campbell coined the phrase Follow Your Bliss stating that "when you do doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors".

I guess my kids were on to something when they voted to learn about hotels. Once the word was out we were invited to tour the Marcel at Gramercy due to our high ranking connections (Thank you Cindy and Lou!).

We arranged a visit with the Hotel Manager Mark Houston with a focus on answering the big question our students wanted to know "where do the people sleep?". Mark guided us to two rooms; one with two double beds and another with a king-sized bed. Both rooms had fantastic views of the NYC skyline, including the Empire State Building.

They were able to use the room key card to enter each room and once that door opened it was a bit of every man for himself! Thank goodness Mark was patient and seemingly unfazed by the bing-bing-bing blur of movement their excitement engendered. At least they refrained from bouncing on the bed(s).

This was the first time many of them had been in a hotel room and they were fascinated and full of questions regarding the safe, ironing board, toilet paper (with the fancy "M" seal), large mirrors, amenities and the LG flat screen television set.

Mark also took us up to the rooftop lounge area where the kids 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed over the view before settling into their lounge chairs as if they did this everyday after school.

Before we left Mark gave each student their own room key (to play with in our classroom Hotel Kindergarten) and more information about NYC hotels.

When we got back to class each child wrote about the experience. It was amazing to see the learning through their writing and detailed pictures.

It goes to show ya that kids are paying close attention even when they appear not to be. As Martha would say "It's a good thing".

Another Visit from Laura Ljungkvist

2010-05-26T20:29:00.016-04:00

Children's book author and illustrator Laura Ljunkgkvist shared her latest publication Pepi Signs a New Song with our preschool and kindergarten students recently.

Laura has visited our school in the past so I was really looking forward to seeing her again and learning first-hand what she has been up to since our last meeting in 2008.

This Swedish charmer, whose successful Follow The Line books brought her much deserved attention, has created Pepi to expand children's vocabulary in an entertaining way.

I am not sure if she knows it or not but one of the hot topics in education at the moment is vocabulary instruction. And Pepi knows quite a few words to go with the places he visits. My students were thrilled to see Pepi visit a bakery and name all of the things he saw there.

But the real magic, for me at least, are the illustrations. I love her bright, colorful, clean, retro-ish drawings.

On this visit Laura showed us her very first children's book. It was a beat-up 'dummy' book she put together long before she was ever published. That book contains impressive illustrations already showcasing her unique style right from the start.

Although that book was never picked up by a publisher it does have the distinction of introducing Pepi as a character. Pepi's path from supporting player to star of his own book reminded me of how Curious George got his modest start in Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys. You never know where the seeds of inspiration may lead. The key is to keep creating.

Laura read several of her books and then answered questions from our children. At one point I showed her the books our students wrote based on her Follow the Line series. She was very touched as they came up with Follow the Line through Central Park and Follow the Line through Outer Space, etc. She knew how precious they were and I can imagine it to be quite flattering. Below is one of my kindergarten students book entitled Follow the Line through the Bronx Zoo.

Thank you Laura for coming back to visit us. We hope to see you again soon!

Comic Books and Second Language Learners

2010-05-16T18:01:00.014-04:00

I was toying of the idea of calling this post "Oh, happiness the very pith" due to the sweet fact that I have completed another semester at Fordham University, but thought that might be a tad too esoteric, hence, a more straightforward approach.

After an truly intense three weeks with my head in the books, the onslaught has subsided. And although the work was relentless, it was also quite interesting.

The first of three major projects was a poster presentation for a class entitled Second Language Proficiency. I chose to present on how comic books can be used to promote interest and development in reading with second language learners.

As I read the main article I thought "how brilliant if I could get George O'Connor to draw some pictures on this for me".

George O'Connor is a New York Times best selling children's book author whose books Kapow! and Ker-Splash! were inspired by his love of comic books. The main character is a boy with an active imagination who becomes the superhero American Eagle when a crisis arises.

I envisioned that American Eagle, in my poster, could signify the power of comic books as well as highlight the main point in the research which is the appealing fact that comic books present material in both words and pictures (the significance of this is supported by the Dual Coding Theory). A speech bubble (words) and a thought bubble (pictures) over American Eagle's head would provide a nice visual from which to begin my presentation.

I asked George and he was willing to help me out with whatever I wanted. Brilliant!

So, in addition to the American Eagle centerpiece I also asked him if he could draw the hand of Zeus holding a lightening bolt to signify the spark of interest that ignited this exploration in the first place.

"No problem" says George.

This would also tie in nicely with my presentation because I wanted to provide some examples of excellent graphic novels teachers could use in their classrooms.

George's Olympians Series is a perfect fit. The first two books in the series Zeus: King of the Gods and Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess are already available and they are AMAZING!

We chatted the whole time he worked on the poster about our shared love of Greek Mythology, about his art (which is perfected only after hundreds and hundreds of drawings have been created for each character) and about many other things.

Before long he was done and I had a the beginnings of a poster I was very excited about.

Lauren was kind enough to color it for me (thanks) so all I had to do was organize the research (overview, methodology, findings, implications) on the poster and prepare hand-outs.

Now that the presentation is finished I think we are going to frame the centerpiece of this poster and hang it in the classroom.

Thank you George!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T20:41:00.008-04:00

I simply love the Mother's Day card/gift each child made for his or her mom this year. It is a little bit of love coming at you in 3D.

What mother could resist the image of her child offering a handmade flower?

With love...

Best Hair Clip Ever!

2010-05-04T20:35:00.004-04:00