Loving kindergarten at Lovett

One of the highlights of recent weeks has been working with kindergartners at Lovett Elementary School in Houston. It’s one of the places where I’m studying math work stations. The other day we read my big book, One, Two Buckle My Shoe, from www.reallygoodstuff.com and then acted it out with retelling pieces. It will be at the big book station for children to reread and act out soon.

Reading One, Two Buckle My Shoe in whole group

Kids act out One, Two Buckle My Shoe

I also had so much fun working in kindergarten with Heather Gaines and Kathryn Kraitman. We’ve been studying geometry and the children are learning about 2-D and 3-D shapes. Here are a few pics of kids in action at their math stations. They LOVE stations time!

Partners read a shape big book made by the class

 

Kids work together to sort 3-D shapes

 

2-D paper shape sort at a math station

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Peace Partners – February 8, 2010

“I’m so stressed out!” This is not a good feeling. This is not a feeling of peace. And yet, how many times do we feel this way?

One thing that really stresses our children is “not knowing what comes next.” We can ease their feelings of uncertainty by providing a daily schedule in the classroom. One with pictures and times is most helpful for young children. They can look at it and see exactly what comes next. If the schedule is made with a pocket chart or Velcro or magnets, pieces can be manipulated to change schedules and let children know about those changes. This is why I use a pocket chart for management of work stations; it shows children exactly where they’ll be going.

Feelings of “not knowing what comes next” can stress us out as adults, too! Of course, there are some life events we have no control over. But we can focus on today and what our plans are for this day only. Try jotting on individual sticky notes the 2 or 3 top things you want to be sure you will do today, so you know what comes next. Put them in order to help you plan for your day.

Today my 3 post-its say, “doctor visit- 11 AM; rewrite place value chapter; exercise 30 min.” These are realistic important tasks that will help to guide my day. I feel more peaceful when I have a (flexible) plan for the day.

Peace be with you,
Debbie

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