Cutting Hair...

Today, we worked on fine motor skills by cutting with scissors.  In the past, I've found that most students do not have the skills to use scissors, and when we've worked on it the first few times, they have become very frustrated.  This year, I tried something new, and I was so excited with how it turned out!  It stared a few weeks ago when we completed our first science experiment.  The students planted grass seeds in a cup with their picture on the front.  I told them the grass was their hair.  (Tip: I had the students put the dirt on one side and the cup on the other.  This forced them to cross the mid-line, so we're wiring left and right hemispheres.)  The students watered their plants using a spray bottle (the same motion as using scissors).  Once the grass grew, I had the students "cut their hair."  I found this to be less stressful because they could see results, and they weren't frustrated with staying on a line.  

Folder Slipping (Wrong Position)

I can't say how many times in the past I 

Folder Correct  (Cutting Position)

have had students turn their hands while cutting so their thumb is on the bottom instead of the top.  I read on The OT Toolbox's Facebook once about shoulder stability.  They said this is part of the reason why student chicken wing their arm and turn their hands upside down.  The OT Toolbox suggested putting a piece of cardboard under their shoulder forcing them to keep their arm in the proper cutting position and building muscles in their shoulders, arms, and fingers!  IT WORKED! You can see it the picture below that the folder starts to slip, and her hand starts to turn.  BUT when we put the folder back under her arm, her hand returns to the proper cutting position.  This was stress free, and so much fun.  With one project, we were able to get so many learning opportunities!

      

 

"This Day Makes Me Feel Better"

Ever have one of those moments where you feel like a complete failure?  One of those days?  Weeks?  Years?  I've had a couple several moments where I wasn't at my best, and wish I could go back in time to change my response.  Here's an example, a few years ago, I was frustrated with a difficult behavior.  I clapped my hands and talked louder to make my point, and when I did, the child flinched.  I felt terrible.  I wish I had the skills then that I have now.  But even with new skills, I have to breathe and be aware of my own brain state before I can help a child.  Yesterday, was not a good day...for me or a particular student.  I wish I could go back and redo it, but all I can do is try again and keep working to improve. Today, I praised more of what I wanted to see (what you focus on is what you get) and I gave short, assertive commands.  It made me calmer and allowed me to ask, "Why is this behavior happening?"  It allowed me to realize that the child is missing a skill and it's not about me. IT IS NOT PERSONAL!  As we were walking up the hallway he said to me, "This day makes me feel better."  This simple comment brought tears to my eyes.  He expressed in words what we both felt.  It was a better day.  Today, I was a real teacher.  Today, I taught the social emotional skills he was missing.  Today, I was more present and intentional about making connections.  I know not everyday will be a good day.  I know that we will have more days that we struggle individually and together, but today, in many brief moments, we made progress.  I taught.  He learned.  Isn't that what we're here to do?  Life is so much more than "just" academics.  

Magic Play Dough?

I think for many (teachers, students, and parents alike) the first day of school is stressful, and I believe this is heightened the younger the child.  I teach Pre-K, and for so many of my babies, it is the first time they have been left by parents, especially for the whole day.  I have learned a few tricks through out the years, and I thought I'd share them with you.  

 Acknowledge it is difficult for the whole family. 

• USE TECHNOLOGY!  I have the Remind App, and I have parents sign up at open house before school starts.  This allows me to send individual pictures throughout the day and parents can check in on their children.

• HAVE A PLAN! In the past, I have had students color, decorate a name tag, and play with toys.  These have worked well.  This year, however, I decided to change it up.  I saw on Play To Learn where they had magic play dough the first day.  It's colored play dough wrapped in white play dough (so the kids think it's a white ball of play dough).  I told them I had magic play dough, and if it changes colors, it's going to be a great school year!  They bit the hook.  I didn't expect just how curious this would make them.  The all eagerly sat down to see what would happen.  They were happy, interested, engaged, and most importantly, calm.  This eased the parents and allowed them to leave feeling like their child was going to be okay.  I will forever use this for all ages.  

• STAY CALM! The first day can feel overwhelming.  Parents are dropping off supplies in your room, filling you in on things they
  
  forgot to tell you at open house, children are nervous to stay, and parents are nervous to leave.  There's a lot of people in the classroom all at one time along with a range of emotions.  In the background, I had slow ambient music playing and soft lamp lights glowing.  This calms me (find what calms you).  Remember to breathe.  Parents and students will feed off your emotions.  It doesn't have to be perfect or smooth, just be yourself.

What Kids Want!

Today, I spoke with my five year old niece about school.  I asked her what she wanted her new teacher to be like.  Her response didn't really surprise me, but I did think it was interesting, so I'm sharing it as a reminder.

1.  I want her to be like me.  I want her to have red hair just like me and to look like me and also pretty like mommy.

2.  I want her to love me.

3.  I want her to be nice.  (I followed up by asking what that looked like and she said, "I don't know what she'll look like.  I don't know who my teacher is yet.") After clarifying Della said, "She will hug me and help me.  When I make a mistake she'll say, 'It's okay Della, and then I can clean up my mess."

It's that simple: love, be kind, and have grace for the children and the families in your class.  Make time to build relationships with each of them by getting to know them and who they are.  My goal for this year is to slow down, accept the day for what it is, breathe a little, and just be fully present in the moment.

Consciousness

Last week, I was able to go to another Conscious Discipline training.  I'm not really sure how to describe what Conscious Discipline (CD) is, so I'll just quote them.  "Conscious Discipline integrates social-emotional learning, discipline, and self regulation so you spend less time on policing behaviors and more time teaching vital life skills."

I'm going to start sharing what I've learned by implementing CD in my classroom.  This is little by little because there's a lot to it.  One of my favorite things I changed last year was my shared writing.  I'd write a question on each large paper, and divide the class into groups and let them draw their answer.

I first started doing this because my class couldn't sit long enough for everyone to share their response.  They were rolling around, getting up, and just not able to handle it.  I found that this kept them busy longer, and I was able to talk with them a little bit deeper about their response because they were occupied.  That was the great AH-HA! moment that I loved.  What I was NOT prepared for was the whining!  "He's coloring on my side!  She won't give me the green crayon.  They said my picture was ugly!"  I was ready to pull my hair out!  At first, I added more crayon buckets and then I'd switch the group around, but nothing seemed to help.  I realized that I shied away from this conflict in the classroom.  What I should have been doing was teaching them how to work through it.  So, that's what I started doing.  Each group only got one cup of crayons, and I put the kids together who didn't get along during the day.  I watched to see if they could navigate their problems on their own, and when they needed help, I provided direction.  It was hard.  No one likes hearing the fussing, and if I'm honest, I couldn't do it every day.  There were times, I just knew I didn't have it in me.  It was never 100% perfect and they still argued, but it did get better.  

I learned that when I teach social emotional skills, I am teaching just that...a SKILL.  (As one teacher pointed out to me the other day, these are the same skills you'll need when driving!  Waiting your turn and a stop light, not getting angry and retaliating when someone cuts you off or takes your parking spot, etc).  I don't expect children to know how to read just because I say they should read.  I don't expect them to be able to add because I said so.  But I was expecting this with social emotional.  It's not a quick fix.  As a teacher, a parent, a person who interacts in general with children, we need to be conscious of what we are teaching.  Are we encouraging tattling and whining by solving every little problem, or are we slowing down enough to realize they need to be taught a different way?  Are we being conscious and intentional about WHAT we teach ~ social skills included?

Sharpen The Ax

There have been so many times in my life (right now included) that I have felt empty.  That I have thought, "I have NOTHING left to give.  I need a break!  I'm gonna call in sick tomorrow."  Then, somehow, I get up and do it all over again.  Teachers and parents a like are the energizer bunnies - we keep going and going and going.  Somehow, we are strong like that.  

We are strong even when it's hard...REALLY, REALLY hard.  Just to put things into perspective, I had 16 kindergartners my first year here and FIVE had a parent or step parent pass away while they were in my class or just before school started.  It was a tough year with lots of emotions.  I've always taught in  a Title I school, but not quite like this.  My first week, I asked a student to make sure his parents signed a paper that we were waiting on and he replied, "Did you forget my mom died?"  I had an unaccompanied minor in my class, a student who told me his dad was so sad his mom passed away, that he couldn't work and he didn't have a lot of food at home.  I hate sharing this and I'm a bit self conscious about it.  I don't really know why... I remember one day a couple years ago, when I had a particularly hard week.  There was so much going on with my students, and I came home and lost it.  I hung my keys and bag up in the kitchen, and then I started crying.  I literally could not make myself stop.  I laid in the kitchen floor trying to quit and trying to breathe, and I just couldn't.  Finally, my husband, not knowing what else to do, brought me a Tylenol PM and simply said, "It'll be better in the morning."  I fell asleep drained and exhausted.  He was right though.  It was better in the morning after some much needed rest.

I saw this quote from the blog It's A Mother Thing.




I haven't read much of her blog yet, but this caught my eye.  It's in a post titled "Self Care is Not Selfish."  What I've realized is that sometimes, when we continuously keep going, we don't give the best of us.  It's like a logger who doesn't take the time to sharpen his ax.  His blade is dull, and the work is longer and harder.  If he'd invest a little time, he would be so much more productive. (Teachers you know the feeling when you cut with dull scissor blades).  That's part of the reason I started this blog, so I can spend time writing about what I love to do!  Helping children is challenging, uncomfortable, and frustrating sometimes, but I refuse to let these kids only get what is left (so many students get the leftovers at home).  So, I write, I go to Combat class (like Zumba, but with kicking and punching instead of Salsa moves), I craft, and I listen to music.  I even go to bed early when I can.  This week, I'll go to Conscious Discipline training to sharpen my ax and skills.  I do the things I'm excited about because I want my students to get and remember the best of me everyday.

Co-Teaching

There's a million things I SHOULD be doing right now, but I've had so much swimming around in my head that I figured I'd just write instead.

This summer I'm doing a camp at our school.  There is play based learning for all grades and enrichment activities (like swimming, art, STEM, etc.), and all day field trips on Friday.  This past week was tough as kids are getting to know us more, and sharing more information...and acting out more.  It felt like I was running around and putting out a bunch of fires.  

It was this week though, that I'm reminded of the verse in Proverbs that says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."  It's so true - for every encounter we have with others: student to student, teacher to student, parent to child, parent to parent, and teacher to teacher...the list goes on and on.  I was encouraged to see the team of people I work with work so hard at understanding our students and to love them through their frustrations (both teachers and students).  

It's been reinforced to me how much we can choose to make a difference.  Not just in the lives of children, but in the lives of other adults.  What have you done to show a "grown-up" you care?  When's the last time you wrote a handwritten note to someone saying you appreciate them?  These relationships are ESSENTIAL for children because you are modeling how to treat others; you are modeling empathy.  Take time to get to know your co-teacher, your colleagues, your parents.  Take time to compliment them, and above all, to respect them.  Everyone is different, and some adults are easier to get along with than others, but a little encouragement goes a long way.  Everyone has their own story.  Take time to listen and get to know them.  In the end, I've discovered that we all have the same goal - to help others and love kids.  The path we take to get there just looks different.  

This week, I'm going to be conscious of all the relationships in my life.  I'm going to slow down and listen more; I'll take time to encourage and love those around me, ESPECIALLY the adults.

Biting The Bullet

I've stewed on this for months.  I love writing, and I find it therapeutic, but what do I really have to say that someone really hasn't already heard?  That thought has held me back for months, and this week, I've been encouraged by so many to just write.  So...here it goes.  I'm going to write as if this were my personal journal: the good, the bad, and the ugly!  This is where I can be honest and raw and share tears and laughs.  

As I was talking to my principal about maybe starting a blog, she mentioned she recently has been blogging.  She started with why she wanted to become a teacher.  As I thought about this, I thought it would be a good place for me to start as well because this experience and person shaped my beliefs as a teacher.  As a sophomore in high school, I was an average C student.  I coasted through, but mostly enjoyed school.  I did band, drama, and worked as a shift manager at a local pizza restaurant.  It was at band practice when my parents pulled up early.  My father got out of the car, and my stomach dropped.  I knew something was wrong. He told me my grandma passed away.  Ma lived with us, and we were extremely close.  I went to school the next day, and was telling my English teacher that I did not have a project because I had procrastinated, and was unable to do it the night before due to Ma's death.  As I was sharing this with her, someone came in and told us to turn on the T.V.  We watched the second plane hit the World Trade Centers live.  It felt like chaos.  I tried calling to see if I could just go home, but my parents were at the funeral home, so they didn't answer.  I felt stuck.  The next day, my uncle was robbed at gun point.  Everything that week swirled by, and it's hard to remember all the details.  What I DO remember is that Martha Sides, my tenth grade English teacher took the time to come to Ma's visitation.  She was the only teacher who came.  I realized that she cared about me outside of school, and it changed my life.  I was able to learn so much from her that year, and it's because of her, that I KNOW I can also make a difference in others lives.  

It's because of Mrs. Sides, that I care about my students and what happens to them outside of school.  It's because of her, that I know academics are not the most important thing...that loving people is what really matters...especially in a classroom.  If I can show my students that I care and that I love them, then they will be able to soar.