Brevity

So brevity.  This is new to me.  I have been checking to see if my posts can be subscribed to and received.  I signed up under another of my emails.  I received a few then none.  As I'm still learning and clicking away, my posts are too big.  Is there a way to keep count?

This is a test.  If I fixed the problem or the problem is me. 

 .

My father said this and it has stuck with me.  

So on Facebook, which I've decided I am quitting for a while....
I found this name quote generator a while back and saved it.

Rather interesting.  It is true about me.

Sometimes, children in our classes are extremely quiet.  We worry and concern ourselves over them after the loud ones have seemingly taken over.  
Private one-to-one time with each student is so important.  Those quieter ones really do have something to say!

So for the sake of brevity, I leave this to mull around in our heads.  

And will this post be delivered?

Hand-in-hand, we grow!

 

 

Five for Friday, July 29, 2016

 

Here is another Five for Friday.  Thank you Kasey at Doddle Bugs Teaching.  

 

 Patience, patience, patience.  I have enjoyed beginning this blog but there are times that I've lost all my entries despite SAVING often.  I have become just like the five year olds, in a hurry and want to click and type fast.  So lesson 1, PATIENCE.  

Despite beginning school 42 times, I must keep reminding myself of this virtue.  Really, what's the rush?  Yes, there a lot of indicators and standards that we need to teach but their brains can only take in so much.  

BRAIN BREAKS for patience and focus.  

REMEMBER: 

As one little girl said to us, "I'm only 5!"

 

My grandson, Mason loves books.  It is so much fun to see how this develops.  It appears that he is interested in finding out what he will be doing in his next growing stage.  Haha

So as we setup our classrooms, this is a reminder that we are responsible for setting the interest in our rooms.  IF we love reading, we should share this with our students.  IF we love painting, gardening, horses, baseball, etc...it is ok to share these connections with our children at school.  You never know who also shares our passions 

 or who may be inspired by us.  

During a workshop years ago, it was called "Blessing a Book" when we read a story and leave it out for the children to look at. 

 

So talking about patience and the gift of time, there is the issue of HOME SKILLS.  I will further expound on this in my blog but in a nutshell, the skills parents should be accountable for developing.  If they turn off the electronics and:
1.  Read to their child.Kindergarten: Hand-in-Hand We Grow
2.  Expect that they begin to learn how to dress themselves, put on their own coat, shoes, etc.
3.  Practice tying! 
4.  Love them but expect them to listen and obey the parent/adult. 
5.  Talk with their child.  (verses talking AT them and use words their young ears should hear)

6.  Have home rules.  
7.  Set a bedtime.
8.  Have age appropriate chores.  Five year olds can do a lot to help.
9.   Go outside and run, jump, hop, skip, swing, bounce a ball....Look at the clouds.
10.    They are NOT miniature adults.  They are children and need discipline, consequences and guidance.

 

 

 Check out the free Math QR codes from Carolyn Kisloski at Kindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together.

She has many of my favorite songs for math and some new ones I will use.  (She has many other fanatastic ideas and uses with technology.) 

 Songs help reinforce concepts through a hook of music and rhythm.  

I'm sure you are much more tech savvy than I am. 

I know children are exposed to so much more technology than ever before.  Be cautious of balancing with HANDS ON activities and personal oral language with us. I worry that these generations will be losing the social and emotional skills kindergarten used to provide.

Off my soapbox again. 

 I am looking forward to hearing from you on other ideas.

 

I just finished Book 5 of Chris Colfer's Land of Stories  An Author's Odessey.  The next book will be coming out October 2016.  I hope I will be able to squeeze some personal reading time for it.  Once school begins, I find it more difficult.  Maybe it will be a Thanksgiving or Christmas escape!

Five for Friday July 22, 2016

Here is another Five for Friday post with Doodle Bugs Teaching.  Thank you.

.

Wow, it has been hot this week.  If you're working with students, cabin fever also occurs during our hot spells.  If you need something to do to get outside, it MUST involve WATER.  Try to find a shady spot too.

Collect various sizes of supplies including but not limited to: buckets, cups, bottles, scoops,  sponges, squirt bottles, ping pong balls, measuring cups,

Sponges, buckets and soda pop bottles -
Fill buckets with water.  Let a sponge absorb as much water as you can.  Walk to a soda pop bottle and squeeze the sponge.  See how much you can fill the bottle with water squeezed from the sponge.  Squeezing the sponge helps strengthen those hand muscles.
If you have enough children for teams, you need two or more of everything.

Squirt bottles, cups and ping pong balls-

Use the squirt bottles to spray ping pong balls into a cup.  You can set up the cups in a 'course' format.

Painting with plain water

Need:  

a bucket of water and old paint brushes or paint rollers

Paint letters, shapes, numbers on the sidewalk with water. 

This uses large muscle movement.  Watch how it dries.

Wash the car
It sounds simple.  And it is and fun.  Who cares if you get wet?  
Remember the movie "Karate Kid"?  Controlled strokes, wax on and wax off, these are large muscle movements.  Washing and drying and getting a clean car in the end too!

.

Inside water activities.
Eye drop colors -
eye droppers, coffee filters, cups for water, paper towels, food coloring
Demonstrate how to use an eyedropper to drop one drop at a time.
Have children practice to release drops on a paper towel.
When ready have the children begin with one color at a time.  Watch what happens when one color drop touches another color drop on the coffee filter.  Let it dry. 

Look how cool the paper towel underneath looks!

Mixing colors
Kids love to learn about making new colors.
Fill 2-3 containers with water and add food coloring, one yellow, one blue and one red.
Now scoop (or use eye droppers)

the water from two colors and blend in another bowl/cup.  What color did you make?  
Yellow and blue make?   Blue and red make?
Red, blue and yellow make?
Why doesn't the yellow look yellow? 

.

CUTTING
 I love the ideas from Jamie on her blog, Hands On As We Grow.
Check out many of her ideas at
www.handsonaswegrow.com 
She suggested to begin with allowing small children to cut the grass. They will start just using the tips of the scissors.
Use old scissors to cut playdoh 'hot dogs'.  Again, they will mostly be using the tips of the scissors.

Thumb's on top and point out away from you.  Hold by your tummy.
Sometimes cutting paper is so difficult to manipulate using both hands.  One to hold and the other to cut.  Try to cut straws into pieces.  The straws are stiff enough and they won't tear. It takes some strength to cut through the straw.  Now to try to use the back part of the scissors for full cutting strokes.

Cut up old greeting cards.  The paper is heavier and not so slippery. 

When you're ready for paper, allow children time to just cut into pieces.  Try giving paper strips to cut, cut, cut.  Gradually introduce larger scraps.

. 

School will begin in a short few weeks but I am getting my school bag and supplies ready now.  I love my Zip-Top Organizing Utility Tote that my daughter gave me as a Christmas present.  I use the Fold N'File inside to keep my papers from falling down.  

If you need anything, check out my daughter's website at:

www.mythirtyone.com/1730077

She needs your orders before the end of July if you can! The Thermal Totes are on sale.  Don't you need a new lunch bag too?  July special is only $10 with your order.

 Thank you.

Patricia Cantrell

Remember the Girl Talk game?
 Kindergarten:Hand-in-Hand We Grow

. 

I am pathetic.  My big kids had to tape-up the tv remote.  I would accidentally touch the wrong buttons and they would be called to come 'fix-it'.  I put the hair bands on to help me feel and know where the bottom is.  ha ha

Five for Friday July 22, 2016

Here is another Five for Friday post with Doodle Bugs Teaching.  Thank you.

.

Wow, it has been hot this week.  If you're working with students, cabin fever also occurs during our hot spells.  If you need something to do to get outside, it MUST involve WATER.  Try to find a shady spot too.

Collect various sizes of supplies including but not limited to: buckets, cups, bottles, scoops,  sponges, squirt bottles, ping pong balls, measuring cups,

Sponges, buckets and soda pop bottles -
Fill buckets with water.  Let a sponge absorb as much water as you can.  Walk to a soda pop bottle and squeeze the sponge.  See how much you can fill the bottle with water squeezed from the sponge.  Squeezing the sponge helps strengthen those hand muscles.
If you have enough children for teams, you need two or more of everything.

Squirt bottles, cups and ping pong balls-

Use the squirt bottles to spray ping pong balls into a cup.  You can set up the cups in a 'course' format.

Painting with plain water

Need:  

a bucket of water and old paint brushes or paint rollers

Paint letters, shapes, numbers on the sidewalk with water. 

This uses large muscle movement.  Watch how it dries.

Wash the car
It sounds simple.  And it is and fun.  Who cares if you get wet?  
Remember the movie "Karate Kid"?  Controlled strokes, wax on and wax off, these are large muscle movements.  Washing and drying and getting a clean car in the end too!

.

Inside water activities.
Eye drop colors -
eye droppers, coffee filters, cups for water, paper towels, food coloring
Demonstrate how to use an eyedropper to drop one drop at a time.
Have children practice to release drops on a paper towel.
When ready have the children begin with one color at a time.  Watch what happens when one color drop touches another color drop on the coffee filter.  Let it dry. 

Look how cool the paper towel underneath looks!

Mixing colors
Kids love to learn about making new colors.
Fill 2-3 containers with water and add food coloring, one yellow, one blue and one red.
Now scoop (or use eye droppers)

the water from two colors and blend in another bowl/cup.  What color did you make?  
Yellow and blue make?   Blue and red make?
Red, blue and yellow make?
Why doesn't the yellow look yellow? 

.

CUTTINGI love the ideas from Jamie on her blog, Hands On As We Grow.
Check out many of her ideas at
www.handsonaswegrow.com 
She suggested to begin with allowing small children to cut the grass. They will start just using the tips of the scissors.
Use old scissors to cut playdoh 'hot dogs'.  Again, they will mostly be using the tips of the scissors.

Thumb's on top and point out away from you.  Hold by your tummy.
Sometimes cutting paper is so difficult to manipulate using both hands.  One to hold and the other to cut.  Try to cut straws into pieces.  The straws are stiff enough and they won't tear. It takes some strength to cut through the straw.  Now to try to use the back part of the scissors for full cutting strokes.

Cut up old greeting cards.  The paper is heavier and not so slippery. 

When you're ready for paper, allow children time to just cut into pieces.  Try giving paper strips to cut, cut, cut.  Gradually introduce larger scraps.

. 

School will begin in a short few weeks but I am getting my school bag and supplies ready now.  I love my Zip-Top Organizing Utility Tote that my daughter gave me as a Christmas present.  I use the Fold N'File inside to keep my papers from falling down.  

If you need anything, check out my daughter's website at:

www.mythirtyone.com/1730077

She needs your orders before the end of July if you can! The Thermal Totes are on sale.  Don't you need a new lunch bag too?  July special is only $10 with your order.

 Thank you.

Patricia Cantrell

Remember the Girl Talk game?
 Kindergarten:Hand-in-Hand We Grow

. 

I am pathetic.  My big kids had to tape-up the tv remote.  I would accidentally touch the wrong buttons and they would be called to come 'fix-it'.  I put the hair bands on to help me feel and know where the bottom is.  ha ha

Five for Friday July 22, 2016

Here is another Five for Friday post with Doodle Bugs Teaching.  Thank you.

.

Wow, it has been hot this week.  If you're working with students, cabin fever also occurs during our hot spells.  If you need something to do to get outside, it MUST involve WATER.  Try to find a shady spot too.

Collect various sizes of supplies including but not limited to: buckets, cups, bottles, scoops,  sponges, squirt bottles, ping pong balls, measuring cups,

Sponges, buckets and soda pop bottles -
Fill buckets with water.  Let a sponge absorb as much water as you can.  Walk to a soda pop bottle and squeeze the sponge.  See how much you can fill the bottle with water squeezed from the sponge.  Squeezing the sponge helps strengthen those hand muscles.
If you have enough children for teams, you need two or more of everything.

Squirt bottles, cups and ping pong balls-

Use the squirt bottles to spray ping pong balls into a cup.  You can set up the cups in a 'course' format.

Painting with plain water

Need:  

a bucket of water and old paint brushes or paint rollers

Paint letters, shapes, numbers on the sidewalk with water. 

This uses large muscle movement.  Watch how it dries.

Wash the car
It sounds simple.  And it is and fun.  Who cares if you get wet?  
Remember the movie "Karate Kid"?  Controlled strokes, wax on and wax off, these are large muscle movements.  Washing and drying and getting a clean car in the end too!

.

Inside water activities.
Eye drop colors -
eye droppers, coffee filters, cups for water, paper towels, food coloring
Demonstrate how to use an eyedropper to drop one drop at a time.
Have children practice to release drops on a paper towel.
When ready have the children begin with one color at a time.  Watch what happens when one color drop touches another color drop on the coffee filter.  Let it dry. 

Look how cool the paper towel underneath looks!

Mixing colors
Kids love to learn about making new colors.
Fill 2-3 containers with water and add food coloring, one yellow, one blue and one red.
Now scoop (or use eye droppers)

the water from two colors and blend in another bowl/cup.  What color did you make?  
Yellow and blue make?   Blue and red make?
Red, blue and yellow make?
Why doesn't the yellow look yellow? 

.

CUTTINGI love the ideas from Jamie on her blog, Hands On As We Grow.
Check out many of her ideas at
http://handsonaswegrow.com 
She suggested to begin with allowing small children to cut the grass. They will start just using the tips of the scissors.
Use old scissors to cut playdoh 'hot dogs'.  Again, they will mostly be using the tips of the scissors.

Thumb's on top and point out away from you.  Hold by your tummy.
Sometimes cutting paper is so difficult to manipulate using both hands.  One to hold and the other to cut.  Try to cut straws into pieces.  The straws are stiff enough and they won't tear. It takes some strength to cut through the straw.  Now to try to use the back part of the scissors for full cutting strokes.

Cut up old greeting cards.  The paper is heavier and not so slippery. 

When you're ready for paper, allow children time to just cut into pieces.  Try giving paper strips to cut, cut, cut.  Gradually introduce larger scraps.

. 

School will begin in a short few weeks but I am getting my school bag and supplies ready now.  I love my Zip-Top Organizing Utility Tote that my daughter gave me as a Christmas present.  I use the Fold N'File inside to keep my papers from falling down.  

If you need anything, check out my daughter's website at:

www.mythirtyone.com/1730077

She needs your orders before the end of July if you can! The Thermal Totes are on sale.  Don't you need a new lunch bag too?  July special is only $10 with your order.

 Thank you.

Patricia Cantrell

Remember the Girl Talk game?
 Kindergarten:Hand-in-Hand We Grow

. 

I am pathetic.  My big kids had to tape-up the tv remote.  I would accidentally touch the wrong buttons and they would be called to come 'fix-it'.  I put the hair bands on to help me feel and know where the bottom is.  ha ha