Friday, October 24, 2014

The "Territorial" Spirit

 

Territorial
(Triolet)
Now tell me is this really just your space
So can you please help me to understand
That territorial need your own place
Now tell me is this really just your space
Are we not all partakers of this race
Believe me friend this is not your land
Now tell me is this really just your space
So can you please help me to understand

©Mary Ann Duhart

     While watching watching a group of students line up, the principle was approached by another teacher and she stated, "you know some people are so territorial", as she was trying to explain to the new principle how she felt the children should be lined up. I thought to myself "oh please, are we really that bad"?  
     When you walk into your workroom do you feel that you own the place? If so how much did you pay for it? I thought we were a team. Is there an "i" in team? Aren't we suppose to be there for one common goal? 
     My ears are opened so please help me to understand!!
 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Knowledge Shared is Knowledge Gained!!


The knowledge I found through these websites enlightened me so much that it is my pleasure to share it with others. 
Heidi Butkus is a credentialed Reading Specialist with over 25 years’ experience in the Primary classroom. After years of developing her own curriculum, her peers urged her to present the material at the California Kindergarten Conference, which generated an overwhelming response for her to publish her program. This program has grown  and is now the basic curriculum for the ‘HeidiSongs’ product line and website, which now includes both music and videos, plus presentations and keynotes nationwide.  
     According to Heidi “if you are trying to teach a child a new word, the child should ideally see it, say it, hear it, and do it - all at the same time (heidisongs.com/blog)”.  Therefore Heidi’s website http://www.heidisongs.com/index.php was created to do just that. Through multi-sensory teaching Heidi is able to instruct her students with music and dance to help create an environment that enables the children to learn from a different perspective. These products also meets the Common Core State Standards and Heidi shares this with teachers and parents. “Heidisong’s” help the children to learn in a fun and motivational way.

Karen Cox truly blesses the educators with loads of ideas from her website http://www.prekinders.com/. She is a Pre-k teacher in Georgia.   This website gives valuable information to every area in the teaching domain for both new and pioneer teachers. From basic math to classroom management Karen has something to share.
     Every learning area is featured with activities and printable materials. Themes are presented with many outstanding activities to keep the children engaged to their fullest. Teaching tips are shared along with many classroom management ideas. Her activities shared on Pinterest/PreKinders will keep you engaged for hours. Activities are shared to enhance the critical thinking of every student and teacher. I was truly amazed with the abundance of information that Karen shares with other educators and parents.

 Another interesting website I was drawn to in my search was http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/. The creator of this blog shares with her teachers and parent’s ways to keep the classroom clutter free. We know how quick we can create clutter, from the teachers to the students this site is a plus.
       Jodi the author of The Clutter-Free Classroom Blog and creator of the downloaded resources found here.  She is a National Board Certified Teacher (Early Childhood Generalist) currently teaching 3rd grade. She has also taught pre-K, kindergarten, first, and second...and loved each for different reasons.  
Jodi prepares us from the first day of school with tips on how to organize, work with games and puzzles, loads of teaching ideas and classroom management soundtracks.  If you feel you need to detox your environment this will be the place to start. Let Jodi guide you and help you to make the classroom manageable from the front to the back.

Last but not least I was drawn to http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/. This webpage was created by Angela Watson (formally Powell). She created this website in 2003 from Brooklyn New York.  She is an Educational Consultant, author, and an Instructional Technology Coach.
The Cornerstone is a website that you will find yourself visiting over and over again.  Ideas from “word joiners” to the tattle monster can be found here. Management ideas consisted of the behavior code, warm fussy jar, reminder posters, four part apology and so much more.  Angela’s ideas also on Pinterest. Press events listed and so much more.