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.

6 comments:

  1. Mary, I'm so proud to see you blogging and getting those thoughts out. Your new book 'Undercurrents from the Soul' will undoubtedly prove to to be your best ever. You have a way of sharing, with love, so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Daveda for stopping by. I pray that "Undercurrents from the Soul" be a blessing and uplift to all that read it. All I can say is "to God be the Glory" for it is through Him that I move and breath and have my being. My friend once told me "If He brought me to it, He will take me through it..even through the undercurrents I know that I am more than a conqueror through Him that love me.

      Delete
  2. Mary, I enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for providing songs that can engaged children in the classroom. I also like the clutter free because it helps teachers to have less confusion. You provided great sites that other teachers can connect to for their classroom management. These ideas was very insightful and hope you continue to share many more ideas from your fifteen years of experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Dionne Hinds it is a pleasure to share this blog with you and others. I know that we can learn valuable lessons from one another and I tell you "My heart is open to receive".

      Delete
  3. Mary, I love the Heidisongs blog. Music is such an important tool that can be used in the classroom. I love Heidi's ideas for teaching shapes and the accompanying worksheets that coincide with the music. Did you go to her workshop? I think it would be fun. Thanks for the info. Debbie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Debbie thank you for stopping by. No I did not attend any of her workshops. I found her blog and followed up on it and enjoyed the way she incorporated the music into all other areas of learning. So often we feel it should only be done at music time but she really expanded it to greater lengths and I enjoyed that.

      Delete