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jeanne/ece/tx - 'evening, all!
off track - Hello Jeanne and Paulie
off track - jeanne-what part of Texas?
jeanne/ece/tx - I'm in Arlington!
Paulie - hi jeanne u want to be called jeanne from now on?
Paulie - hi off track does that mean u aren't teaching this quarter?
jeanne/ece/tx - Paulie -- jeanne or meeha is fine -- I don't know what to call myself when I log in anymore! LOL
jeanne/ece/tx - OffTrack -- are you inTX?\
Paulie - so used to calling u meeha thought maybe for new year u decided to be jeanne
off track - Paulie...yes...i teach 60 days on and then I have 20 days off
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi KKids! Have we met?
Paulie - y new Year everyone!
off track - Jeanne-no California
Paulie - what gr off track
jeanne/ece/tx - year-round on your campus, OffTrack?
off track - Paulie- I teach half day K in the PM and RR in the AM
jeanne/ece/tx - It is nice to meet you, OT ... I work with preschoolers who have special needs. Can't imagine doing anything else!
Paulie - oic when I was in CA I taught two sessions of half day K I sure prefer all day K tho did that one year too
off track - We have really bad winds today in So Cal...I'm surprised the puter is working...winds always make my computer act strange
Paulie - you must be in so CA
off track - Paulie- is tonight an open chat or is theor a focus?
jeanne/ece/tx - I just "crunched the numbers" today ... looks like next year I'll have something like 15 spaces available in my classes! Could prove to be a challenging year ... but good for me ... I'll get to return to a primarily 3-year old class (and I LOVE that!)
Paulie - r why they scheduled a Kindergarten chat for Thursday
kkids - Hello . No jeanne I don't believe we've ever met.
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi KKids and Lucy -- welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
jeanne/ece/tx - kk, In a "past life" I was "meeha/ece/tx" ... I've been flipping between the two names lately. Nice to meet you!
Paulie - no topic tonight here
jeanne/ece/tx - tonite is open chat. off track -- do you have a topic you would like to discuss?
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi Darcy, welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
jeanne/ece/tx - 'evening, Barbie! welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Paulie - hi Darcy and Barbie
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi, Dusty -- welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Barbie/K/WI - thanks, don't know how long I'll be here; baby is fussing in her crib
jeanne/ece/tx - Does anyone have something in-particular they would like to talk about tonite?
Paulie - It is ok for babies to fuss long as they are safe
jeanne/ece/tx - mily! Hi! and welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Grace/IL - Hi all
Barbie/K/WI - she's ok, just doesn't like to go to sleep!
off track - jeanne- I am open but I love balanced literacy
milymo - Hi everyone!
Paulie - Barbie if u leave her (if u see she is safe) then she will learn to go to sleep by herself
off track - anyone doing science fair projects ?
milymo - How old Barbie?
jeanne/ece/tx - What kinds of themes are you all using this month? We are talking about winter for two weeks, then 'penguins and polar bears'.
Paulie - in K we always did ONE science fair project as a class but one yr in K I did have kdis doing their own things -- we did moostly in class so they did not get a lot of parent help at home -- wanted it their work
jeanne/ece/tx - I know it sounds kind of standard early childhood, but we've not really ever done so much time on cold environs ... it will be 60 - 70 degrees here in two days!
Barbie/K/WI - too late, she is in my lap now, I'll be laying down with her in a few minutes, the only way lately she will fall asleep
jeanne/ece/tx - we're not having a science fair this year, ot
Darcy/PK - hi all
Barbie/K/WI - almost 18 months
Grace/IL - I'm wondering how one ties themes into the standards teachers are now expected to follow.
jeanne/ece/tx - brb ...
Darcy/PK - I am doing winter, transportation and dinosaurs this month.
Paulie - Grace u look at a standard u need to do in your gr level then think of ways your THEMES can fit into it
off track - jeanne- does your school alternate with author's fair
Barbie/K/WI - I'm doing my mitten theme this week (all centers revolving around the story)
Paulie - arbie she has you in her . . . now she will enver sleep alone and you will always have to lie down with ehr lol
dustyFL - ANYONE from Florida???
off track - Darcy- are you teaching pre K?
dustyFL - Please let me know.
Grace/IL - Paulie, give some examples please.
Barbie/K/WI - so many good ideas were shared on the chatboard
kkids - I am also doing winter, penguins and polar bears but the kids said they wanted to learn about other types of bears and we haven't done any yet. We will also read Brett's The Mitten and The Hat this month.
Barbie/K/WI - Paulie, she is hard headed like her Mama!
milymo - Barbie - did you get the mitten and animal patterns off of Jan Brett's web site to use? They are so cute!
jeanne/ece/tx - OT -- no, they took last year off and haven't re-started yet. I am pretty sure the young authors event will continue.
Darcy/PK - I start with the themes and then work my standards into them. I have two different groups of standards, plus the state standards. It's easier to start wit hthe themes.
off track - gotta go...bye
Barbie/K/WI - yes, they are beautiful!
milymo - Paulie - 2 1/2 year old mily babe stills sleeps with mom!
Barbie/K/WI - why 2 different groups of standards?
jeanne/ece/tx - I need to get Mitten and Hat patterns ... they will be cute with the winter unit!
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy -- are you TX?
Paulie - I dont have any standards in fromt of me to say example think of teachign the kids color words. Since you are doing The Mitten for winter theme you can devise soemthing to do with learning about white and then go on to other colors too by makeing a little book with repeating phrase: I ahve two wwhite mittens. I have two red mittens I have two green mittens I have two purple mittlns etc
Paulie - nilymo u spoiled that baby too
Darcy/PK - oh, I just saw some them somewhere, jeanne. Trying to remember where.
milymo - Yep!
Darcy/PK - No, I am in PA
Paulie - Grace give me a theme and a standard and I can tell u more
jeanne/ece/tx - darcy, i'll get them at her website .... http://www.janbrett.com
kkids - What centers do you use with your winter themes?
Darcy/PK - thanks, jeanne
Darcy/PK - let me go open my lesson plans for the month and I'll tell u, kkids.
milymo - Hi Dave!
Dave MontrealCan - Good evening all just dropping in to say hi
jeanne/ece/tx - the theme more determines the books, nursery rhymes, art/craft projects we do, and the music I choose than other aspects of my classroom activity.
Paulie - hi Dave welcome had to sign on thru IE again why do I bother to have aol?
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi Dave -- welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Paulie - kkids that is really broad can u narrow it down
Grace/IL - Ok, Mittens is the theme. I like your incorporating color words into this -- and the number two. I'm thinking in terms of first grade. One of the standards would include writing. This seems as though it would fit well together.
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy, are you going to let your kiddos "ice skate" with plastic grocery bags tied on their feet?
Dave MontrealCan - Hello Paulie and Jeanne
Paulie - How long does blocking aol customers happen Dave?
Barbie/K/WI - I have listening center (listen to the story and make a page to go into the classroom book), art center (make a large mitten with the animals colored and glued on it) math center, patterning, counting mittens, writing center (complete a book about the mitten and the animals that crawled inside)
Darcy/PK - Ok, here are several ideas for winter centers - shaving cream snow, Put on boots and gloves and pretend you are snowman
Dave MontrealCan - Paulie untill the banned numbers are lifted which i think will be done tonight
Darcy/PK - oh G-d forbid, jeanne. lol
Paulie - Grace then they could write a beginning, middle and ending sentence about building a snowman How to . . .
Paulie - I hoep so Dave as it makes me feel so strange
Darcy/PK - Grace, it's easier to incorporate the number "3". into mittens because you can read and do activites with the story "The 3 Little Mittens"
Dave MontrealCan - hang on gotta do somethign in room one bbk
Paulie - bye Dave
Paulie - I never heard of three little mittens
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy ... how 'bout ... 1 little, 2 little, 3 little mittens, 4 little, 5 little, 6 little mittens, ...
Paulie - a first gr story?
Grace/IL - Ok, we're talking about 2 and 4 -- but two pairs are 4. One can incorporate counting by twos.
jeanne/ece/tx - take care, Dave ... thanks for stopping by!
Darcy/PK - I do 10 Little Snowmen
Barbie/K/WI - ok, I gotta go the "spoiled one" is demanding all my attention! lol have a good chat, wish I could stay longer!
kkids - ok do you have any centers involving ice/water/science areas?
Grace/IL - The three little kittens have lost their mittens. Oops, that's three pair -- six mittens. Good!
jeanne/ece/tx - take care, Barbie ... they're only small once!
Paulie - Grace just keep looking at your standards and check off when u have touched on one
Paulie - u have specific standard to find somethign for, let us know and we can surelyc ome up with something
Darcy/PK - If you must do the number 2, you can cut out pairs of mittens and write 3 on one and the word three on the other. You can do this for all the #'s. Or, as I do, draw the same pattern on both mittens and have the kids make matches
Grace/IL - I don't have standards in front of me. I'm retired and all of this standards stuff came about later.
jeanne/ece/tx - kk ... Bev Bos once did an interesting activity at a workshop ... block ice ... rock salt ... food coloring ... as the salt is added to the ice and the colors dripped on -- watch how the colors infiltrate the ice ... differences where the salt is and isn't
Paulie - o u meant Three little kittens
Paulie - You are retired? are u subbing?
Paulie - meeha that sounds liek fun
Grace/IL - I just think it's important that one tries to tie everything together. I wanted to do that as a teacher but never found time to work it all out.
jeanne/ece/tx - OR ... ice sculptures ... I once got parents to freeze paper cups and butter tubs or water ... the kiddos were able to "stick them together" by getting one wet and placing the other one on the wet part ... interesting products!
Grace/IL - No, no subbing! I just hang around the chatboards still trying to learn how to tie everything together. I do presentations.
Darcy/PK - That's the way I was taught, jeanne, so I wouldn't know how to teach any other way.
Paulie - I cut mittens shapes from wallpaper samples -- all were white but patterned different Kid had to find matches of design in one center, and to check if they were right I ahd days of the week typed and taped onto the opposite sides They could check wehn all selected
Grace/IL - On ice and water -- let that snowman get a bit wet and he'll either turn to ice or melt into water.
Paulie - jeanne and I hope you ahd ice cubes also so yu had smaller things to stick on
Paulie - oic Grace well thanks for coming and continue to come because we learn from u too
jeanne/ece/tx - Paulie ... by getting different parents to do the freezing we had LOTS of different sizes and shapes of ice that came in ... and of course ... I brought in a lot of different shapes/sizes as well.
Paulie - I have shaped ice cube trays that would work nicely for that too
jeanne/ece/tx - 'evening, Mauce ... welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Mauce - Hi, everyone It's "Just Me/MI" trying a new name
jeanne/ece/tx - HOw's the weather up your way, M?
Grace/IL - An interesting experiment -- a couple of years ago we went to Florida in the winter. Hubby packed up a couple of snowballs and insulated the package extremely well. He wanted to share snowballs with the grandsons. They were quite icy when we got there but the kids had lots of fun with them.
Mauce - Cold as the ice you are talking about!
jeanne/ece/tx - any snow?
Grace/IL - One could have the children pack snowballs to see whose would last the longest.
Darcy/PK - I made a snowman position word mural. A basic snow scene where the snowman has to hide in front of, beside, on top of, etc. things in the picture. The kids place the pictures where they should go.
Paulie - oh no why mauce?
jeanne/ece/tx - any one do a winter picnic?
Grace/IL - Mauce, where are you?
Mauce - Enough so I can wear my new boots but not enough to build a snowman.
Paulie - Darcy that is nifty
Grace/IL - Great, Darcy!
Darcy/PK - It has been snowing here everyday since Sunday. About 1 inch a day. It's more of a nuisance then anything.
Paulie - what is a winter picnic?
jeanne/ece/tx - Okay .. not so much as upstate New York and Mass!
Mauce - I'm in the bottom of the thumb of Michigan, Grace.
jeanne/ece/tx - Paulie -- kiddos all dress warm, you go outside, sit on blankets, eat sandwiches and drink hot cocoa!
Darcy/PK - And you can do it with any theme really. I wrote a caption that says something like "the snowman is trying to hide from the sun so he doesn't melt. where is he?"
Paulie - mauce do u live by Patricia Pollaco?
Dave MontrealCan - sorry all I am back
Paulie - I am soooooooo jealous of all you guys and your snow
Paulie - wb Dave
jeanne/ece/tx - why sorry, Dave? Glad you're here!
Mauce - Grace, your comment about taking a snowball to FL reminds me of a favorite book - Sadie and the Snowman. Do you know it?
Dave MontrealCan - Jeanne I meant sorry I had to leave for a few
Paulie - Darcy I did soemthing like that with my PIG unit but I had realia pigs not flat pictures
Darcy/PK - Try driving on black ice, Paulie and you won't be envious anymore! lol
jeanne/ece/tx - brb ... gonna refill my tea -- anyone want anything?
Paulie - hi iosdp
Grace/IL - Bay City area, huh? I bet you get a lot of wind off the lake. No, I don't know about Sadie & Snowman.
Paulie - meeha that soudns like fun!
jeanne/ece/tx - 'evening iosdp ... welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Dave MontrealCan - Does anyone have a visually impaired or blind child in their class this year?
Mauce - Not sure, Paulie, where does Patricia live?
jeanne/ece/tx - Dave, not this year.
Darcy/PK - no Dave
Paulie - Union City MI
kkids - No Dave.
Paulie - Darcy I don't drive so no problem there
Dave MontrealCan - If any of you ever do and need some assistance you can always email me at melanson@teachers.net
Lucy - Dave there is a blind child in the class next door to me this year and I think I am going to have him next year
Paulie - thank for asking jeanne got my own cup of hot tea
jeanne/ece/tx - back again, back again
Mauce - I'm about an hour's drive north of Detroit, on the St. Clair River.
Darcy/PK - Does anyone have any ideas to get a 4 yo boy to share?
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy I am always here ot help give advice about visually impaired and blind children I am sight impaired myself and went through the regular school system from Kinder through University
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy -- a child in your class?
Lucy - Thanks Dave I will keep that in mind for next year!
milymo - How about using a timer Darcy? When the timer goes off, his turn is up.
Darcy/PK - Yes. He is extremelly affectionate with me and my assistant, but treats the other kids like they are his enemies. Tears the books and starts fights when he can't get materials other children had first.
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy also you cna consult my articles in the teachers net Gazette most are archived
Paulie - gosh my suggestion did not appear I had written How about puting him in charge of what is being shared and he has to see that each person gets a turn
Darcy/PK - when he has something, there's no problem, but if he will grab materials away from the kids every few minutes.
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy, have you had kiddos do a "plan-do" before moving into work areas? Has he been learning to ask "May I use ___ when you are finished with it, please?"
milymo - You could also time the other kids, so that he know it goes both ways. Then he knows he will get what he wants... after the other children have had their turn.
Paulie - so give him responsibility and he will not have to do that
Paulie - lol that is what I said . . . but I put HIM in charge
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy are you teaching Kinder?
jeanne/ece/tx - One strategy I would try would be to start playing "board games" with him ... where each person gets a turn and then waits. Start with one adult and one other child, expand slowly.
Paulie - Meeha that is great idea
Darcy/PK - We've been trying to teach him. I read the Bearstain Bear book "Got the Gimmee's" to him. I now remind him that he has the galloping gimmees when he acts like that.
Lucy - No, preschool sp. needs 5 year old preparing for regular K
Paulie - those Berenstain bear books are great
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy also I have written a resource mannual "Integration A Rewarding Experience" for the classroom teacher
Darcy/PK - sounds good jeanne. You all know how hard it is to work one on one within the classroom. Kids see me doing this and they want to play too.
Paulie - Darcy then u can have game day for certain kids on different days
jeanne/ece/tx - You might do some (several) pre-teach sessions 1:1 with him. Let him know that when the "galloping gimmees" hit he will be asked to sit and work at a specific place -- set this location in your room with him -- and let him know WHAT he will be able to use (and a time period) -- you might also make a walk-man type music machine available there. Maybe by giving him some activities in a "safe place" where he can calm down he'll be able to think-through and improve his behavior.
Paulie - brb got to get my baked potao out of oven
Darcy/PK - My class is intergrated. I've got one ODD and one who has an undiagnosed neurological problem as well as the garden variety ADHD kids.
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy, the 1:1 might happen when the other children are in large group activity ... you or your assistant can do group, other gets to play the game (might go to hallway or library)
Darcy/PK - great idea Jeanne
kkids - I have a center where I rotate different games after i have explained how to play. The kids love it. I usually tell them that they have to 'work it out' themselves before they involve me.
Darcy/PK - The old "Ask 3 before you ask me" is always great
jeanne/ece/tx - Is he an only child, Darcy? Or does he have similar-age siblings at home ... where he has to fight for every toy he gets to use?
Paulie - This chat is scheduled at my dinner time so I always eat at computer
kkids - i have purchased many games involving colors, counting, and basic turn taking from Discovery Toys.
Darcy/PK - we just did a home visit. He has many cousins his age.
jeanne/ece/tx - I have a closet full of games ... sometimes the kids really get into them, other years they might as well not be there.
jeanne/ece/tx - Frog Stree Press has some cute 2-player games, as well. They would be good for teaching turn-taking with a peer (after he knows how to do it with an adult!)
Mauce - Does he have toys of his own at home? Does he have to share them with others?
kkids - Does anyone have a good way to store center activities ?
jeanne/ece/tx - Is he with the cousins a lot? Is there a lot of competition?
jeanne/ece/tx - like what, kk?
Paulie - depends on if 3 dimensional or flat If flat put in file folder and staple eldges or laminate it closed and only open top
Darcy/PK - Being raised by grandmom because mom is involved in not good stuff. That's a good question. I do not know if he has toys at home.
jeanne/ece/tx - I have used PIZZA boxes (get them donated) ... rubbermaid tubs/bins ... zipper bags of all sizes ... a variety of paper envelopes (laminated) ...
Darcy/PK - I will ask him tomorrow discretely.
kkids - games for letter recognition, clothespin matching games, mostly 3-d. If you use a file folder system is it coded or just labeled for the skill.
jeanne/ece/tx - Darcy, maybe ... how about "doing a toy unit" ... send home a letter for parents to answer questions and return ... what are your child's favorite toys for active play ... for quiet play ... at bedtime .....
Mauce - I store folder games in hanging file crates. Three dimensional things are in plastic shoe boxes on shelves or in the few cubbyholes I have. in my room.
jeanne/ece/tx - 'evening, Msdtchr -- welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Paulie - You can get those fat file folders that have more room for adding baggies of things too
Msdtchr - sorry, wrong chat.
Darcy/PK - I actually asked that in the parent interview before there child is admitted. I'll have to look at his paper.
Mauce - My folders are coded - red=reading, blue=math, yellow=science to match the crate they go in.
kkids - Mauce- Do you find that the kids do the folder games too quickly or are they required to do a certain # of activities in a center?
milymo - Haven't had much to say tonight... just taking it all in.
Darcy/PK - I keep my thematic units in large tubs. I collect so many props for each of them, that's the only way I can keep things straight.
jeanne/ece/tx - mm -- I'd forgotten you're here!
Paulie - Milymo that is ok to do
Mauce - Because there are so many little pieces to my folder games I only use them with the 5th grade buddies. They work together for 1/2 hour once a week.
Lucy - Darcy where do you store all of them? I have large tubs for each month, but am running out of room!
jeanne/ece/tx - My assistants are getting quite organized ... and are organizing me! They are putting my patterns, plans, games, songs, etc. into a fililng cabinet as we complete the units now!
milymo - Need to get hubby off to work and mily babe to bed. I'll probably stop back at 11:00 (if I don't fall asleep).
jeanne/ece/tx - hi mac! welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
Paulie - hi mac
Darcy/PK - I have three words for you, Lucy, My Mom's Basement. lol
Paulie - come back later milymo
Darcy/PK - bye milymo
jeanne/ece/tx - Mauce -- how many pieces? your kiddos are little like mine, right?
milymo - Bye for now!
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy if you ever need any assistance with this student please do not hesitate to email me at melanson@teachers.net
kkids - This year I am organizing all my themes etc. into large tubs and I wanted to keep my books and books on tape with them but I am finding that they are filling up too quickly.
jeanne/ece/tx - see you soon, mm!
Mauce - I store monthly and holiday/seasonal items in old Xerox boxes.
Lucy - I have stored things I don't need for preschool (used to teach K-3 sp. ed.) in my mom's attic, but the stuff I use I have at my house.
Darcy/PK - What size tubs are you using?
Lucy - Thanks DAve
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy did you get the info on my resource mannual as well?
Mauce - see you later mm!
jeanne/ece/tx - kk -- I like to keep my books/library collection together on book shelves. I just go through the shelves as we enter new units to get the books I want to use.
Paulie - I have big tubs from targe that have wheels and stack for the realis stuff I use for themes
Lucy - Depending on the month 45 or 60 gallon rubbermaid tubs
Paulie - I keep books separate too
Lucy - Yes
Darcy/PK - I find 22 gallon tubs to small for themes, kkids. I buy the ones that are the next size up. My bigger themes fill them up fine.
Darcy/PK - Wow!
Mauce - Jeanne, most of my file folder games are from Carson Delosa - most have 10 pieces to each game - some alphabet and number games may have 26 pieces or more.
Darcy/PK - I went from having a large classroom with a walk-in closet and seperate cubby room with shelves to a classroom 1/3 of the size with no storage. I end up toting the boxes in and out at the beginning and end of my units.
Darcy/PK - brb
jeanne/ece/tx - Mauce -- are the pieces coded to the games? Are the game folders marked with numbers or shapes and each piece to the game marked in the same fashion?
Lucy - Same here Darcy
Dave MontrealCan - Here in Quebec we do not have any "Teacher Stores" like they do in other canadian provinces and in the Us that is one thign that we are lacking here
jeanne/ece/tx - (((I do the same thing with puzzles that come into my room!)))
jeanne/ece/tx - Dave, I didn't realize that!
jeanne/ece/tx - hi, soccermom -- welcome to tonite's early childhood/primary chat!
soccermom - thanks, jeanne
Darcy/PK - My assistant just called from the emergency room. her son has a high fever. ugh.
Dave MontrealCan - Jeanne it is really too bad most teachers here order by catalogue through scolastic
jeanne/ece/tx - '--H0 3I-%H
soccermom - at least yours calls--we find out 5 mins. before school starts
Lucy - I would have a lot more money if I lived where you are
Darcy/PK - but you miss the joys of having half your salary spent by everything that catches your eyes at the teacher store.
Mauce - I used differnet colored poster paper to mount game pieces. Inside each folder I have a brown paper envelope that has an extra game piece on it to show them what the pieces look like. Before they can get out a new game they must check to make sure there are no pieces left on the table or floor.
Dave MontrealCan - Lucy you mean if you lived in Quebec lol
Lucy - I guess that is why we have run out of space Darcy
soccermom - anyone interested in discussing methods of success with ssr?
Darcy/PK -
Dave MontrealCan - I do know that teacher stores can be somewhat overpriced quite often
Darcy/PK - I used it when I taught kindergarten, but it doesn't work very well with pre-k's.
Lucy - The one I go to does not seem to be any more expensive than catalogs I just spend too much
Dave MontrealCan - Ok gotta go here
soccermom - bye-me too
Lucy - Thanks Dave
Darcy/PK - Which is everyones favorite catalog?
Mauce - I have parents of my students make things for my room. They know I'm always looking for useable "junk"
Pecos - I like School Specialty best. Free shipping and 25% discount
Darcy/PK - My favorite teacher catalog is Lakeshore/
Mauce - I like to go to garage sales for books, toys, etc.
Lucy - Gotta go, bedtime
Darcy/PK - Q: What was the best ever item you found at a garage sale/trash??
Pecos - Is there a topic for tonight? I've never been to an Elementary Discussion on Tnet.
Darcy/PK - nite lucy
Mauce - What I can't make or get from someone else I try to get with the small budget the district gives me. If all else fails or I just "have to have it" I buy it.
Pecos - night
Mauce - Best garage sale item - a suitcase full of Legos for $35.00! Best trash item storage cabinet from a neighbor. Craziest "find" - storage rack from the dumpster behind JC Penny's at the local mall when I was shopping with a fellow KDg teacher!
Darcy/PK - night all
cabana - what ages do you teach??
cabana - teach preschool in New York
Mauce - We're glad you came, Cabana. I am in AM and PM 1/2 day kdg.
jeanne/ece/tx - Hi Cabana -- I work with preschoolers (special needs) in the Arlington, TX area.
cabana - I teach am and pm also in a parent/child learning center
jeanne/ece/tx - My keyboard/computer switched to THAI font ... I couldn't get it back to English ... had to log off ... restart twice, almost didn't get back on-line!
cabana - parents take parenting courses while children are in nurser school setting.
jeanne/ece/tx - cool, cabana!
Paulie - cabana wow good support then
Mauce - I'm in a K-5 building.
jeanne/ece/tx - Mauce, any leaning in MI toward moving to full day Kinder yet?
cabana - In the town where I live, we have had full day kinder. for 22 years.
cabana - my three children all went full day
jeanne/ece/tx - cabana, that is a forward-looking area!
cabana - It was pioneering in those days
cabana - and the children did well...it was all in good scheduling of their day
Mauce - There are rumblings about full day. We are required to do so much that it would make sense but they would have to hire a lot more staff and add more rooms everywhere. We have a new governor. Horray! I hope things are better then the past few years!
jeanne/ece/tx - We've finally gone full-day (at least in K) here ... now if we could just get the school board and community to buy into year-round school!
cabana - jeanne, do you think there is a chance for year round school?
cabana - it would help alot of children
jeanne/ece/tx - cabana, it will be a l-o-n-g way down the road ... I really think it would be SOOO much better for the kiddos!
cabana - I agree
Mauce - Hurray! not Horray! She's our 1st female gov.
jeanne/ece/tx - Our district "tried" year-round education a few years ago ... it was "school within school" plan (year-round and traditional school year) schedules on one campus ... only jr. hi and elem. campuses had same schedule ... no h.s. did year-round ... seemed kind of doomed to fail from the get-go!
jeanne/ece/tx - Mauce, going to full-day K here was a MAJOR undertaking! New wings/out-buildings had to be build on almost every elem. campus in our town (something like 52 campuses!) ... then DOUBLE -- plus one Kinder teachers, add teaching aides ... WOW!!!!!
milymo - So, when do you put up your environmental print walls?
Paulie - I use environmental print early in the school year and by now I use names too -- first names
Mauce - I'm behind this year. I haven't had time to get it up. I hope to work on it tomorrow.
Mauce - I've got names, etc, ready to go just haven't had time to reorganize the area I want it to be.
milymo - Oh, I put the names up first and was going to start adding environ. print soon.
milymo - I would enjoy a Masters in Library Science. I LOVE the library... so does my daughter!
Paulie - well I figure the kdis know Cheerios and McDonalds even before they can read their name so I use that first
milymo - That's true! Maybe the enviromental print wall will help some of my kids struggling to learn some of the letters.
Mauce - We've been using names and other words in pocket chart all year but I want it all up on the word wall area and just haven't had time to do it.
Paulie - yes I used names when doing phonemes
milymo - I am going to take one of my bulletin boards down and expand my word wall.
milymo - Maybe I will do that sometime... I'll wait until my kids are a bit older though. Of course, I said that about my Masters too and look what I'm doing!
milymo - Goodnight!
Paulie - nite milymo
Mauce - Bye milymo - see you soon!
