Animal Habitats

 

There are some absolutely amazing sites out there for kids to

learn about animal habitats.

Here are a few of interest:

Switch Zoo

Build an Online Habitat is where students choose animals and

match them to the correct environment by changing weather,

vegetation, animal & biome.

Animal Homes is a great site for little ones to begin learning

about different animal habitats.

Draw that Habitat

A student chooses an animal, is given some information to read about

the animal, and then draws the habitat for it.

Once their drawing is completed they can save or print it.

National Geographic has a fun activity called Creature Feature.

Students select a wildlife or habitat category button and only

the animals that match what you have selected will be shown.

Plant and Animal Habitats from the BBC is another great habitat game

where students have to put aliens in their correct habitat after being given

clues about the creature and their habitat.

Wanted: New Home for Frog! is a great activity from EcoKids

where students can help a frog find a new habitat.

Every Living Thing Has a Home from e-Learning for Kids is

another good interactive for kids.

The Crittercam from National Geographic is a great way for students to explore

the deep sea habitat as they attempt to find nine different animals.

Students can design a habitat for a ferret in the

Design a Habitat site from ARKive.

In Who Lives Here students match cards to see which

animals and plants live around a specific kind of tree.

The Magic School Bus has a fun habitat matching game

called The Great Habitat Match.

Mr. Nussbaum has a Habitat Maker game that allows

students to take quizzes on animals and vegetation.

A Walk in the Forest is a great site to help kids learn

about the different layers of a habitat.

Summer

Summer is always an interesting time of year for teachers. The world at large thinks we are on a true vacation; lounging mindlessly at the pool, watching the surf roll in and be swept back out again, or even just relaxing with a good book.

Teachers realize that ‘time-off’ is never really a luxury we fully take advantage of; willingly. We are always thinking about our students, ways to make instruction better and more meaningful, and especially how are we ever going to set up our classroom!!! The books we read are about Guided Reading, Classroom Management, or Mathematics in today’s' classroom. This summer I have spent countless hours 'playing' on an ipad trying to weed my way through the plethora of apps available.

Don't get me wrong... not having to change out of my pajamas has been a definite bonus. (Realizing the waistband on my slacks are just a bit extra snug from not wearing my 'teacher uniform' for 8 weeks does take its toll.) Drinking coffee without little ones asking me 'can I see your coffee?', 'that smells funny', or pretending to sip it while I am on the opposite side of the room helps make that morning cup a bit more relaxing.

I do however miss my kids terribly. Their sweet little faces, high pitched giggles, wide eyes when I read a good story, oh the list goes on and on. Although I would like to full heartedly say I hope they are reading, writing and counting everyday. I have a confession. If I had to choose, I hope they are swimming, riding their bikes, catching fireflies past their bedtimes, and watching funny movies cuddled up on the couch with their families or better yet with some friends on the pullout couch!

I know their families can find time for the academics; they are very creative and will have some exciting ways that entice the kids to learn without realizing it! Childhood goes by so quickly and those innocent, precious moments are meant to be had, explored, loved fully and treasured! It will be my job to think about all those activities and how to help them feel them in their hearts all over again, connect them to new learning, and make them excited the next year to want to explore what is in that ocean, why do lightning bugs ‘light up’? And exactly how many feet, yards or even miles they can ride that bike, how fast and want to count their heartbeat.

Oh, summer is a wonderful time for all. Let me just kick back with my coffee and think about it, just a little bit more while it is still July!

New Beginnings

 

 

When I entered this room in August I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed. Not by the task ahead of me of the actual teaching Kindergarten but by the task of organizing and creating the ‘just right’ room. I wanted my room to be perfect, the place where all my kindergarten students wanted to come everyday, be filled with excitement and belonging and most of all happiness. This, however,  was what I saw. It just looked like a pile of ‘stuff’, not to mention the piles of ‘stuff’ I still had at home and in my car. I have to admit here that I still have  a pile at my house I am slowly working on bringing to school….

 

The room slowly came around to look like this and I slowly began to relax a bit and not be so worried about the ‘stuff’. After all, 19 years of teaching there is bound to be some extra boxes here and there. The colors, the brightness, the layout were all coming together. Now I had to think about the organizational pieces, lesson plans, labeling areas, all the bits and pieces I knew had to still be done. All of those touches never quite happened and honestly, still have not happened in their entirely 6 weeks into the school year.

 

What has happened is that I have a sweet little class and an expanded extended family. I do love teaching and every year when I get a class I seem to forget that I inherit a more ;kids’ that will forever be mine and parents that become like brothers and sisters to me as times goes on. Teaching in a resource position has been such a provalege and there have certainly been may elements of that over the years, especially as I have worled with some of the same families and kids for 5-6 years in many cases. They will be mine as well. I know I should probably more correct with the possessive terminology here but for lack of a better word… when one possesses a special place within your heart that space becomes a permanent shape and it is like those candy hearts with their names etched on them; hence ‘my hearts’.

 

The other week my Mom and daughter came to visit. The students and my family were all so sweet with each other; I was a peripheral person in the room and that is how I would imagine it to be when families become merged. My families merged into one and I saw once again one of the many reasons why I just love having a class of students; they become like my own children in many ways and I am trusted to teach them how to read, write, understand and do math, discover the world around them with scientific eyes and ears, explore and chart new paths, build teams and develop friendships, and so many other things that the list is only defined by a limited imagination. I am also entrusted to care for them, just like they were my own; keep them safe, protect them, cherish them for the precious little humans they are. I saw this; my daughter and student, listening to my Mom read a story, and my heart just melted.

 

I certainly do not do everything perfectly, as a parent nor as a teacher. My room is still not set up exactly ‘right’, everyday I come home with a to do list that does not get finished, I have one at home that is never ending as well. And yet, every morning I wake up so excited to start the day. I love my family and say goodbye and drive to work thinking about my day ahead. As I enter this room and I can only imagine what adventures await me. I love seeing my kids, love being their teacher and at the end of the day I love being a mother wife sister daughter and all those things that help me become a teacher again in the morning. Truth is I am all those things, all the time, as one cannot exist without being all of who we are simultaneously. It provides us with perspective, patience, understanding and most of all the capacity to love.

 

I will keep working from my lists and keep working on organizing all those areas but my heart… in the right place? Check! So glad to be back!

September 2012

Happiness and Smiles

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  ~Mother Teresa

This is so true. There are so many moments throughout the day to give someone a smile, an act of kindness, some gesture that you care and that they matter. Isn’t that what kids want more than anything else? And isn’t that what  teachers to do for our children (speaking as a parent here)? I send my kids off to school every morning knowing they will learn some wonderful things, have experiences and have many encounters. I want them to be happy, smile and enjoy their day. As a teacher, I think about what my families want from me. Yes, I have to teach them content and do that. Yes, I teach those critical thinking skills and problem solving. Yes, I am working to prepare them for learning in the 21^st Century. More importantly though I have to evaluate myself; am I making them smile, am I making them feel good about learning, and I am I making them learn how to find happiness I places they least expect it? Am I allowing for a bit of silliness along the way? To show support and appreciation for a job well done, sometimes we make different cheers for each other, air high fives, and even that needed round of applause for a job well done or achieving a milestone.  

Last blog I talked about making mistakes and learning form them and just how important that is. This week it is about not just learning but maintaining a positive attitude and finding happiness. Life can be challenging on any given day and finding joy on ‘hard days; even more so challenging but a life lesson we all need to learn. When I sit on the carpet with a group of kids, do they feel good about what might just happen in our little circle? Are they excited and ready to try something new and be happy with the task of ‘conquering’ the challenge?

Going into any computer lab is always a highlight for kids but actually navigating a system with a foreign computer language can present a challenge. Some times there are tears of frustration but do the students know it is all okay; nothing is permanent with what we do on our blogs and everything can be edited and changed? That takes a great load off their shoulders and the smiles appear while the excitement grows!

Laughter, smiles, cheers and sometimes just plain old appreciation for the effort makes students happy and isn’t that what we all strive for; happiness while learning and growing. I know every child matters and I work to make sure they know that; on good days, on days that they might not do so well on a test, and on days when they just don’t feel like being at school. Can I influence that ‘mood’ and make a positive impact? I certainly hope so as that is what I want for my own children. Funny how being a parent makes those emotional issues so much more meaningful because ‘best practices’ in education are most effective when there is a positive relationship between student and teacher. So as we continue this journey we need to remember that some days there might be frustration at content or task completion, but that is not transferable to the child; they are always loved and I hope they know they are what makes me smile! 

Always Learning

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new. Og Mandino (1923 - 1996)

I am always learning new things and am grateful to the precious little ones who are my little teachers. A few things I learned these last few weeks:

-Everyone deserves a second chance when they are really striving to learn or grow. I don’t always deliver every lesson the way I planned or remember everything I ‘should have’ done. When I am assessing students to know where they are with a concept, it is more important to be able to know where they are and work on building skills and confidence. Eventually they will have to demonstrate their knowledge but if we didn’t make mistakes how would we ever learn what we do not know? A mistake is an opportunity to grow and I need to celebrate that fact; that I am open to learn and grow and model that for my students so they become more comfortable with this process.

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.  George Bernard Shaw

-Take time to appreciate the arts. In math and in life art is all around us. We should never be too busy to forget that art is alive! Find examples of concepts in art and allow for opportunities for students to express themselves through various mediums. Drawing angles is wonderful; creating a piece of art with angles inspiring! The funny thing is I had to hold myself back from making my own picture because I was teaching others while they worked. Next time I will make it right along with them! Carl Jung summed it nicely: The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.

-A hug to say hello or goodbye brightens a day; whether it is from me or from one of my sweeties as they walk out the door. I should never be too busy to share that one moment of greeting/farewell because I know I sure did appreciate some this week when they were unexpected!  Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

-At the end of the day we all want to be appreciated, acknowledged and happy. But what brings that about many times is stepping out of myself and giving that to someone else. Final quote of the week: You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. Albert Schweitzer

It has been a whirlwind of activity and learning but always in my heart, I have such wonderful students; those in my class, those in the halls, and those in my memories!

A New Year

As I prepare for another year teaching; wiping down bookshelves, going through file cabinets, trying to get the ‘just right’ room arrangement with the furniture provided…  I cannot help but reflect. I think about my first year in Richmond and the deep desire to make a difference in young children’s lives and their families and make sure that remains true; check. Am I ready to be the student as well as the teacher; check. Am I happy being a teacher; check. I remember once at PGES we had this ‘spotlight’ on a teacher every week and had to complete a form. It asked ‘What would you be if you weren’t a teacher?” I remember my response: incomplete.

I have had the privilege of teaching and learning from so many sweet, bright and beautiful children and families. I know teaching is more than the content. I believe it is actually about the child, regardless of age or ability; it is always about each child. I think of those children as I wipe down desks and tables and remember them chewing on pencils, working so hard on tests, and my favorite memory is when we all put our feet up on the desks to read. When I move furniture around I think of times when we played games at centers and will my room welcome laughter? Will those sweet smiles come from my shy students as well as the loud roars of laughter from the more gregarious students? As I throw away old activities I think of the students who used them and wonder where they are now, what do they look like, what are they doing?

I inevitably come back to my last class of students; those I had all day long, everyday and even had for two years for a K-1 loop. That special group that inspired me to go further and do more… they are sopomores this year. I cannot believe all that time has gone by since that class!  I am so grateful to those children and families. They were my strength and hope on a deep level as I had personal struggles; they loved me and supported me and always knew I was a mom first. In that way they allowed me that special feeling of having 21 children, Bella and later Gideon included! I so love each of those children and continue to be so very proud of them as they grow, mature and excel.

This year there is another group that I am thinking about as I am going through all my math material; the group that enters middle school this year. I taught most them in some fashion since kindergarten and know them on many different levels; teacher, coach and even mother. I have seen them grow from little 5 year olds into young adults, watched them build friendships I hope will last a lifetime, and hope that I will keep in touch with them as well as they continue to grow and do remarkable feats. What a group of amazing children!

I know how fortunate I am with every wipe of the dust from those bookshelves, every bulletin board, and with every table I move and then move again, looking for that just right placement. I am so looking forward to this year and yes, another group of kids I will bid farewell to in the spring but until then…. I am ready to make a difference, teach and learn and most importantly, happily love each child!