Changing up the Environment

After summer enrichment was finished I realized my shelves were a little full to say the least! I am a student of the creative curriculum that says shelves shouldn't be too cluttered, I just wasn't abiding by it! So in an effort to shake up some things and keep the classroom interesting I decided to take out the majority of materials I'd placed on the shelves and commit to refreshing regularly. I am ashamed to say the shelves to still have quite a few things on them even after this!

Here are a few shots before and after.

I cannot believe that there is still lots of other stuff in my garage even with the shelves this full!

I also felt like the kids were having a hard time putting everything back in its place.

Sorry the before photos aren't as clear,

but you get the idea!

Almost finished reorganizing this one!

I think this is much more organized.

 

The kids are able to put the blocks and toys back on the shelf much easier now.

Sensory Boxes

I decided I wanted to add a bit of more variety in our sensory activity so I found quite a few rice recipes and after reading a few reviews settled on Kool-Aid and food coloring to color the rice. I did not take photos of the the process I figured there are tons of them on the web. But this is what we ended up with:

2 sensory boxes for under $7! You can't beat that with a stick! Uninterrupted moments of play, priceless!

My New Blackboards!

It started when I visited our local cupcake shop! I fell in love with their blackboard menus and decided this was impact I wanted for my info boards. I also realized I had never used the chalkboard paint I bought from when we first moved into our house three years ago. I initially bought the blackboard paint to use in the kitchen but never did anything with it. So after telling my hubby what I wanted to do off we go to Home Depot for supplies. I knew he wouldn't want the paint directly on the walls and I wasn't too wild at the thought either. So we ended up purchasing plywood that I had divided into three large boards and turn into three large chalkboards.

 

We also decided to buy magnetic primer and an additional can of chalkboard paint just in case the paint we had was too old, which I believe it was or would have taken an enormous amount of stirring and shaking to combine it again. Three primer coats later this is what we had. 

Since the clerk in Home Depot told us that the paint would crack if it was disturbed and need to be in its final resting place before being applied, we attached all three boards to wall and applied three coats of chalk board paint. I have to say that even after one coat of chalkboard paint we could not get a strong enough hold with the magnetic primer so I don't think I would purchase it again without doing a bit more research first.  

After lots of waiting, (three days after the final coat and conditioning I finally have my chalkboards! I love it!)

What in the World???

It has been a while since I've blogged. So many things have happened in two months. We've just begun our fall enrichment class and transistioned into a full fledged enrichment center! Our facility is now known as Planet Preschool as we've taken on more than just kindergarten readiness. Our children can now attend classes in sign language, cooking and beginning with the winter semester, art! I'm so excited about being able to offer more classes! We have also added Preschool Playdate which allows children to reserve space and join us on Wednesdays for open play activities.

Give'em Something to Count About!

I absolutely love finding reasons to count, and we can get really crazy about making countdown calendars but I always forget to capture them. Also since most associate them with the holidays I had a tough time finding the right image until I remembered that I had actually taken photos of the one we did when my favorite and former co-teacher Mr. Jey went home on vacation to Puerto Rico. At the time I was really worried about his departure because Jey's vacation was six, yes 6 weeks long so I wondered how I could make the children aware of where Mr. Jey was and more importantly when he would be coming back! It isn't often that we have the privilege of having males in the early childhood classroom and when we do their absence is truly noticed. So I definitely wanted them to have a tangible piece of evidence that they could see just how long it would be before Jey returned whenever they would start to miss his presence in our class. I have to thank Mr. Jey because he actually did the all artwork for this poster seeing as how I can't draw a straight line! (Thanks Jey!) 

Every day during our morning meeting we would include a "Where in the World is Mr. Jey?" (report). The children really enjoyed counting the days we had left and how many days it had been since Mr. Jey had left for his trip. I have to admit it really made a big difference in the classroom climate. Anytime I would have a child ask me where Mr. Jey was or when he was coming back we would go over our countdown calendar. I do admit I only counted the school days because I didn't want to make it so difficult that they would lose interest or hope that Jey would ever return! The children got so good with it that they would begin to lead the lesson which was a real treat! The only thing I would have done differently would be to add the numbers to build on number recognition. So don't wait for the holidays to roll around, seize the activities you've got coming up right now for some real meaningful learning moments!

Updates, Updates, Updates!

Wanted to give a few updates on how we're doing over here. First I want to say to anyone who has recently contacted me through our website and never received a reply, I apologize for the delay. There has been a glitch in our email system that is now fixed and I am getting responses out to everyone today!


Summer enrichment came to a close on Friday and we really had a blast! I'm excited about the fall already! I don't know about anybody else but back-to-school is my favorite time of year. I love new school supplies almost as much as I love good birthday gifts! My summer break is here and we are kicking up quite a bit of dust over here in the classroom. Our entire first floor is being replaced and the demolition started yesterday. Here is a glimpse of where we are so far. Stay tuned for more updates!

Day 1 (Classroom)

Day 2 (Kitchen)

How to Have Messy Play Without Losing Your Mind

Did you know that messy play is an important part of your child's early development? WHAT?!?! Yes, there really is something to be said for getting a little messy! J  I know sometimes it can feel quite intimidating to let little Susie use those scissors, glue and markers but what really happens when she does is SO beneficial!

Here are a few things messy play can help to develop:

Language & Creativity

Messy play screams creative because you get to make and do whatever you want with it. Talk to your child about what materials you're working with, what colors they are, how do they feel, also compare them with other materials to build language and vocabulary.

Sensory & Fine Motor Skills

Young children love tactile learning and using different textures is always interesting to a curious mind. Improved fine motor skills is another plus to be gained from grasping writing tools, cutting paper, kneading play dough etc. not to mention better hand-eye coordination.

Math & Reasoning Skills
This is the perfect activity to learn counting, sorting, patterns and more because it’s hands on fun! Kids love picking out all the seeds or buttons or whatever to find all those that match and look similar. What better time to explore how some things are the same and how they are different.

Confidence & Self Regulation

Messy play can also be a very relaxing activity for children which can help with self regulation. It can also be a confidence booster with children. Some activities can be very product driven. The great thing about messy play is you don’t have to create anything for it to be perfect as opposed to an activity where there is a beginning and an end.

This list is not exhaustive but you get the idea!

Overcoming Fears of Messy Play!

Now this may come easier for some than others with OCD tendencies but please don't let it stop you from allowing your child to participate in messy play.

Prepare for messy play! Use washable paints, glue, markers etc. Dress your child for play rather than in their Diva wear and GQ gear. If you like you can also use a smock to protect clothing or your retired oversized t-shirts. Also prep the area you will be using. If you know you are doing water or sand play indoors have towels or a broom handy. I’ve found with glue especially for younger children if you pour it out into a small container (preferably with a lid for later use) and let them use a q-tip or a craft stick it’s much easier for them to work with it.

Take it outdoors! This allows you to get comfortable with messy play without worrying about your furniture and floors. Take that shaving cream outside, use an old baking sheet and let your kids go to town! You can also use food coloring for some added interest and a quick science lesson on color mixing! This is where messy play started for me as a parent. I felt much more relaxed because I didn’t have to worry about spills etc.

Containing play indoors, literally! We have messy play indoors too, but it’s in containers. I have a special box with nothing but various color and kinds of scrap paper and a pair of scissors inside. The kids can cut until their heart’s content, inside the box! This keeps the floor from being a complete mess while still allowing the activity to carry on. This technique can also be used with water play (think dish pan basin) or even sand play just make sure the container has a tight lid. Trays or cookie sheets are also excellent tools for messy play and another way to contain the mess. We do everything from glue, to play dough to painting all on trays.

Now, if the inevitable spill happens just remain calm, this is a prime opportunity for your child to learn how to clean up their mess if they don’t know already. I always help but guide and teach along the way! If you should find yourself still on the verge of getting upset remember that they are still learning (you are still the teacher) and it can’t be as bad as the mess you’ve seen in some diapers, right?

Here are some messy play ideas to help get you started:

·        Markers, crayons, pens, pencils

·        Finger and face paints

·        Play dough, clay, goop

·        Cutting and pasting (Tip: I always recommend letting them do all of their cutting first in order to keep the scissors clean.) J

·        Sand, rice etc. and toys for scooping

·        Spray bottle painting

 This is a great link for messy play recipes!.

Have a very MESSY day!

Your Kindergarten Teacher's Pet Peeve!

Oh say it ain't so! I'm afraid it is true and I have to admit (although some experts might argue that at the Pre-K level it isn't all that important) it's one of mine too. Think you know what it might be, well it's not tattling! At least not for the purpose of this post anyway! :D  One of the biggest pet peeves of  many Kindergarten teachers especially at the very beginning of the school year is... children who, WRITE IN ALL CAPS! Yes, and there it is, in black and white or whatever color you may be viewing this is in. ;D I know parents can be very excited (and rightfully so) that little Johnny can write his name, mom's name and lots of other words but Johnny's teacher is not too thrilled that he writes as if he's shouting at her in an angry text message.

Now before you panic there is something you can do about it and it's really simple. After teaching little Johnny how to write in all caps (because they are much easier learn first) show him to also write his name using only one uppercase letter and the rest in lowercase letters since that is the way he'll be writing it for the rest of his life. It is also how we read and write unless it just happens to be the occasional Facebook post gone wrong! Believe me your child's teacher will thank you even if she never says it, she or he really does appreciate it!

FAQs: The Difference Between Preschool & Pre-K

Here is one of our frequently asked questions.  Sherina asks, "What is the difference between your preschool   
and pre-k programs?"
Excellent question! Our preschool enrichment classes are geared for younger children who are not quite ready to begin kindergarten. The pre-k enrichment program is a more advanced class for older children who are getting ready to attend kindergarten the following year. 

We do basically the same things in both programs but the preschool program is modified to accommodate younger learners. A great example of that would be the morning meet and greet or circle time. The younger children have a much shorter group time while the older children will focus more on learning how to sit and participate in large group instruction, in addition to more advanced learning like beginning reading with our morning message, calendar math and simple math operations whereas the younger preschoolers would focus more on names, numbers, shapes, colors and letter recognition etc.

Breaking News for the Future of Hawaii's Junior Kindergarten

It's amazing how I woke up this morning with the junior kindergarten program on my mind and this article had just been published only a few hours prior. I'm copying it in it's entirety from Hawaii 24/7 news site but the link I shared it with is also listed. 
Law Addresses Early Childhood Development 


MEDIA RELEASE A bill establishing the Executive Office of Early Learning (EOEL) was enacted Thursday by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. 


The measure, Senate Bill 2545, creates the EOEL with an appointed cabinet-level director who the governor named at the bill signing ceremony. Terry Lock, the current State Early Childhood Coordinator, will head the EOEL. 


“One of the goals of my administration was to ensure that there was a collaborative effort to see to it that every young child in Hawaii has access to high quality preschool,” Abercrombie said. “Investing in the next generation is the wisest decision that we can make as a people, and this measure makes such an investment.”


SB 2545 does the following: 
* Establishes the Executive Office on Early Learning 
* Establishes the Early Learning Advisory Board (ELAB) to replace the Early Learning Council 
* Repeals junior kindergarten programs at the end of the 2013-2014 school year 
* Requires that students, in order to enter kindergarten, be at least five years of age on July 31 of the same year (beginning with the 2014-2015 school year) 


With the signing of this bill, Hawaii joins the rest of the nation, where students start kindergarten at age 5. The bill also states that the EOEL will be responsible for developing an implementation plan for an early learning program, targeting late born five year olds and 4 year olds. 


The plan is due to the Legislature 20 days prior to the start of the 2013 legislative session. The vision is to have a universal network of child care and preschool support for every 4 year old in the state.


“The governor and the Legislature clearly recognizes that high quality early learning programs that are affordable and accessible for all children are critically important for ensuring the success of Hawaii’s keiki,” Lock said. “I look forward to continuing on the path that Governor Abercrombie has put forward in the expansion of a public-private comprehensive early childhood system for children.” 


One of the goals of EOEL is to ensure that government services among Departments of Health, Human Services, Education, Judiciary and other agencies are coordinated, well implemented, continuously improved, and consistently meeting needs. 


The ELAB, with five more members than the original 14-member Council, will advise the Office on how best to meet the educational and developmental needs of young children, prenatal to age 5, and how to improve the quality, availability, and coordination of early childhood programs. 


The successful passage of SB 2545 was largely due to the collaborative efforts between Senate Education Chair Jill Tokuda, House Education Chair Roy Takumi, the Governor’s Office, the Early Learning Council and many advocates. 


The governor used SB 2545 as the vehicle to request start-up funding of $300,000 for this new EOEL. 


For the past year, Lock was the State Early Childhood Coordinator in the Office of the Governor. With more than 36 years of experience in field of early childhood education, she has taught in and managed early childhood programs serving prenatal to 8 years old; initiated parent support groups; taught courses at the university and community college levels; coordinated family literacy services for parents and their preschoolers; and has been an advocate for early childhood education at the county, state and national levels.


Lock served as the Maui County Early Childhood Resource Coordinator, a National Head Start Fellow, and as the Director of the Kamehameha Schools Community-Based Early Childhood Education Division. 


She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a master’s degree in Human Development with specialization in Parent/Community Work and Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, Calif.

Yikes, What is This???

We're getting a little messy today. I am at least! I know you may be wondering what exactly is this? Doesn't look too appetizing does it? Well, it's not really unless you are into excess salt. It's.....

Play dough!  I am making it for our next class! Sea salt play dough to be exact. Before you ask, no I did not set out to make sea salt play dough. ;D  It was an accident, well not completely. I wanted to make the play dough but did not want to use all of my table or kosher salt to do so. I also had an enormous amount of Hawaiian sea salt that I have not used in months except to make kalua pork, so I figured it couldn't be any harder than kosher salt to blend in right? Wrong! After I finished cooking the dough, I noticed that it had a rock salt texture to it. While I don't particularly like it I thought the kids might really enjoy it during their fine motor activities!    

Interested in the recipe?

I got my play dough recipe from www.playdoughrecipe.org  Here is something else I did; I added a packet of invisible watermelon and kiwi kool-aid to the mixture to make it scented. Enjoy! I know we will!

Our Day with The Coach!

Ever wondered what happens in our sessions? Well, here is a sneak peek at just a few of the skills and concepts we work on throughout our day with The Kindergarten Coach.


We begin our day with a short meet and greet followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, Hawai'i Pono'ī, calendar math activities, the weather and an introduction of the day's activities.

Most days there is a topic we focus on. This one is introducing turkeys!

After our topic is introduced and we move on to our activities for the day. We divide them up into three main areas: Language and Literacy:

We work on both uppercase

and lowercase letters!

We also ask lots of probing questions like:

and:

Math and Science 

There is always lots of counting! Here we are also measuring.

We learn about geometric shapes and how we can use them to build really cool things.

We love to experiment and make predictions. Do you know what color it will be after we mix them?

Sometimes we just observe ongoing projects and record them in our science journal.

Art and Fine Motor

We love to paint.  A real work of art!

Sometimes we make art with our names. This skill also helped with fine motor and math since we had to tear the paper and count the letters in our names!

Our art knows no bounds and here we were able to work on patterns with our rainbow fish.

By the end of the day we have a review of what we've learned and before you know it, it's time to go!

See you next time!

3 Ways to Help Your Child Learn the Alphabet!

Reading begins early and is not only reserved for storybooks. Many children who do not even recognize their own names know McDonald's golden arches and other forms of environmental print when they see it. As a parent I'm guessing you might be thinking, "Well that would be great if my kid were named McDonald's, but how do I get them to know other letters and words?" So here are a few simple tips that you can use to help your child with letter recognition.

Writing Names
Simply writing their name for them. Remember all of those nice pictures you have on your refrigerator etc.?  Well until your little artist can sign his or her own name offer to write it for them on everything they create. As you do say each letter and have them repeat it with you. Once they've mastered their own name move on to middle and last names, and the names of family members and friends.

Right in line with signing their artwork is picture dictation. Talk to your children about the pictures they've drawn. Most times if they're ready to draw pictures they have some idea of what they've drawn. Writing out their description and again spelling out letters together. 

Alphabet Books
Alphabet books is one of my favorite and most meaningful way to share letters with children! In my day my mom drew my pictures which made my book fun for more reasons than one! You can choose to draw your own, cut pictures out of magazines or take photos of your child's object of choice to go along with each letter. I think one of the funniest pictures my mom drew back then was an elephant for the letter "E".  We still laugh about that today!

Pointing out environmental print.
The next time you are at a stop sign ask your child what do they think it says and help them spell it out. This can be done with other street signs, cereal boxes and various logos etc.

Learning letters should be fun not frustrating. Kids love and learn from lots of repetition. So don't wait to start pointing out those letters!