More on friendship and Valentine's

Isn’t this the truth?  You can go weeks, months, or years and not see a good friend and you pick up right were you left off like it was yesterday.  You know they are there when you need them.

Ideas for the week:  Last week I talked about Valentine’s Day and friendship.   I believe all children should feel included at school so if you have students who don’t celebrate holidays, a focus on friendship only is the way to go.  I’ll include book ideas for both paths. 

I have the book ideas to share in photo form.  I have copies of the covers as you see below.

 

These are six titles that I love and have enjoyed with my children and my students for years.  Some titles are newer, and the Sealed with a Kiss is a new book on the scene.  I haven’t read it—YET, but it talks about making friends in new settings.  I selected these books because they each talk about friendship in different ways.  Chester can be stuck in “his way” and learns about new friends, George and Martha are so fun and introduce great vocabulary words, and The Day it Rained Hearts turns finding paper hearts that get turned cards.

I have a book on the way for me to understand Blogger better.  I hope you'll stick in here with me as I learn more about Blogger and make my blog what I want it to be.

Wishing you well,

Teacher Debbie

Focus on Friendship and Writing

Today's Quote--


Pooh and Piglet are the 
best of friends.  They go
adventuring hand in hand.
I realized we are a month
away from Valentine's Day.
I think it is a great time to focus
on friendship, writing, and
creativity. 

So today I want to write about children and friendship.  When young children are preschool age, they are learning to move from a focus on themselves to a focus that includes those around them.  Part of what we have to do as parents and educators is to help children move through this developmental process.  Adults need to remember that children are all individual and that they come from different family settings.

What can we do?  Talk about friendship.  Read about friendship.  Books can help us talk about situations children go through each day and in a fun and welcoming manner.  Of course, we will use the day to day life situations to give them words to express themselves and to help them learn to become aware of others and their feelings. We can even use songs about friendship.  Children learn best when we help them learn in playful situations as well as in "in the moment" situations. 

Talk about friends who write to each other or draw pictures for each other and buy or make a mailbox for the classroom/house.  I  make sure to have a set of name cards available with everyone's name written so that there is a model to help the children write.  Set up the writing center, housekeeping, and other centers for writing.  Find different sized, textured, and colored paper.  Add containers of pencils, markers, crayons, etc. for writing.  Open up your environment for drawing card, pictures, and other fun creations.  Offer painting on the different papers you have out for writing. OH, and don't forget to add sticker, rubber stamps and envelopes. These items all make for a interesting and inviting writing environment.

As you open your room to more writing for students, write more as a class and in general.  Some of you probably do this as a part of each day.  Pat yourselves on your back and Kiss your brains.  Modeling writing with preschoolers will help them see themselves as reader and writers.  For example:  Mark asks about snakes he saw in the desert (EEK), make a note with him to look for books to find out more about those snakes.  Write your school office or a neighbor a letter as a group.  You get this idea.  

Next week I'll include some friendship books and some Valentine's books you might want to locate, if you don't already have them or others that you like.  I'll also include an idea for a classroom or home book that will allow your little ones to read it on their own.

REMINDER:  Runny noses are everywhere stock up on soft tissues.  Also  find some Ziploc baggies to store those dirty tissues when you are away from a trash can.  WASH, wash your hands.  

Please comment and add ideas so that we all gain more tools for our teaching tool belts.  If you'd like subscribe to this blog Click on the posts and comments buttons under subscribe to Teacher Debbie's Spot!  Happy Friday!


Wishing you well,

🌟Teacher Debbie

Kevin Henkes has a new book!

 

Welcome to the first message on Teacher Debbie's Spot.

The second semester of the school year has begun.  I hope it is off to a good start.  I'll bet your kiddos have stories to share.  I'll bet they missed you and each other.  Don't forget to go over rules and procedures again to get things rolling along for everyone. 

Did you know that Kevin Henkes has out  a new book?  Winter is Here is the title and it came out the end of 2018.  The cover price in the US is  $17.99. Laura Dronzek is the illustrator. It has simple text and lovely illustrations.  If you have children who have been to snow, children who are wearing mittens, or jackets and hats, then it might be a good read for your class.

Since I live in Chandler, Arizona,  I'd suggest that those of you who live in an area that winter is different than depicted in book have discussion with your kiddos about what winder is like where you live.  I'd break out a white board or a large paper to write down what they say and then talk about what things are the same as in the book and what things are different.  Writing with children is so important.  It shows them that writing has a purpose, that we can write down the words they share, and that what they have to share is valuable. If you live where thing are the same, as in the book, you can talk about your clothing, what you see outside, what the trees look like.  You get the idea.  Visit Keven Henkes's website at https://kevinhenkes.com/.  Enjoy!

The dog in this book looks a bit like George in Bark George.  It might be a good next book for your class or for your child.

Wishing you well,
Teacher Deb

Happy Tuesday to all.  If you stop by please leave your name in the comments so I know that my links are working.

Teacher Deb

Welcome to my blog.  After retiring from many years in Early Childhood, it is my passion to continue to share good practice hints, book ideas, music ideas and more with educators who are busy, busy in the classroom.  Each week I'll plan to post ideas and encouragement so that you'll be ready and excited for the following week.  

Wishing You Well,
Teacher Deb