I love this photo. I found it deep, deep in the countless folders of countless photos from last school year.
30 July 2009
29 July 2009
one page zine
This might be a nice way to change up our book making next year. I usually start with pre-made books (two half-A4 sheets, folded in half together and stapled) and then the children use their own versions of paper + staples after that. This is the same amount of paper and pages as our standard book. I've always thought about showing children new ways, but I've been pretty lazy about it.
The sequencing involved in making this one is interesting, too. I have to do it! No more laziness!
from Bloesem Kids
The sequencing involved in making this one is interesting, too. I have to do it! No more laziness!
from Bloesem Kids
28 July 2009
23 July 2009
For a rainy day...
How To Make A Cardboard House ... looks like fun!via camilla engman
I think its time to take a trip to Sweden...
22 July 2009
Mudbrick Houses
A brilliant summer activity! I think we'll be using this in the fall...
This would really be a lovely project - plus, you already have everything around that you need. You can dry your bricks outside or in an oven on low heat. I can see this working with young children and older ones as well!
via imagine childhood
This would really be a lovely project - plus, you already have everything around that you need. You can dry your bricks outside or in an oven on low heat. I can see this working with young children and older ones as well!
via imagine childhood
21 July 2009
17 July 2009
Organization and Natural Materials
I perfer to use natural items in the classroom rather than than plastic - glass jars, thrifted baskets, wooden boxes - for storage and display of materials. Many people worry about using glass with children, but it is much more appealing to the eye, and children will learn that it is a delicate material and should be used with care. There are a few broken jars every year, but I imagine that happens at home as well.
I have been fantasizing about how I will change my classroom for this September. I think about how to makeng it more comforting, more homey, and more appealing to the children. The conclusions I come to usually end up being ideas that require a lot of my time and effort, but certain things are worth it.
I am always looking for baskets to put books in in different areas of the classroom, but I never come across suitable ones. I really love the idea of making these fabric boxes.
There is a lovely tutorial here. I had bookmarked it to make some for our apartment (which I hopefully will), but these will work really well for classroom organizing. It will take a few evenings to make a few boxes, but I think I'll be glad I made them.
I have been fantasizing about how I will change my classroom for this September. I think about how to makeng it more comforting, more homey, and more appealing to the children. The conclusions I come to usually end up being ideas that require a lot of my time and effort, but certain things are worth it.
I am always looking for baskets to put books in in different areas of the classroom, but I never come across suitable ones. I really love the idea of making these fabric boxes.
There is a lovely tutorial here. I had bookmarked it to make some for our apartment (which I hopefully will), but these will work really well for classroom organizing. It will take a few evenings to make a few boxes, but I think I'll be glad I made them.
16 July 2009
15 July 2009
Let's Dish.
Have any of you had a teaching job you just couldn't stand? You want to keep in it for the kids, but something doesn't fit -- curriculum, co-workers, community...
We had a visitor in May from another international school. She was coming to observe our classrooms, learn about our philosophies and curriculum, and ask questions. The preschool team had lunch with her, chatted about standards and benchmarks, how to teach literacy, and about oral language development. She was really interested in what we had to share, but after a bit, I noticed that she kept referring to her "colleague". And she did not sound very positive when she said the word.
She seemed frustrated with her job because of her colleague. She said that her colleague brought a complete Montessori curriculum in at the start of the year, but they are not a Montessori program. Her colleague is a tracing letters kind of person and she is more of a learn through experimentation person... and although the school is (like mine) for preschool through high school, not much attention is paid to the youngest students.
She got me thinking about my previous jobs. I know I have learned more from being with children that I did from university courses -- you learn to teach by teaching. I have not been thrilled with all of my jobs -- in fact, this is the first time I will be staying at a school for more than one year. I have had my differences from co-workers, but nothing communication couldn't get us through. I've struggled more with curriculums that are not child-centered. And I feel like I am at the right school for me, for right now.
Teaching is supposed to be all about the kids, but adults have their fair share of drama, don't they?
So, have you had a "bad" teaching experience?
We had a visitor in May from another international school. She was coming to observe our classrooms, learn about our philosophies and curriculum, and ask questions. The preschool team had lunch with her, chatted about standards and benchmarks, how to teach literacy, and about oral language development. She was really interested in what we had to share, but after a bit, I noticed that she kept referring to her "colleague". And she did not sound very positive when she said the word.
She seemed frustrated with her job because of her colleague. She said that her colleague brought a complete Montessori curriculum in at the start of the year, but they are not a Montessori program. Her colleague is a tracing letters kind of person and she is more of a learn through experimentation person... and although the school is (like mine) for preschool through high school, not much attention is paid to the youngest students.
She got me thinking about my previous jobs. I know I have learned more from being with children that I did from university courses -- you learn to teach by teaching. I have not been thrilled with all of my jobs -- in fact, this is the first time I will be staying at a school for more than one year. I have had my differences from co-workers, but nothing communication couldn't get us through. I've struggled more with curriculums that are not child-centered. And I feel like I am at the right school for me, for right now.
Teaching is supposed to be all about the kids, but adults have their fair share of drama, don't they?
So, have you had a "bad" teaching experience?
14 July 2009
13 July 2009
09 July 2009
Grizzly Bear + The Red Balloon
As is evident from yesterday, I love The Red Balloon, and I was so thrilled to come across this video at Uppercase Gallery a while back. It pairs one of my favorite songs of 2009 with footage from a beautiful, classic movie.
Grizzly Bear : Veckatimest
And if you're a music person, my brother writes about music over here -- its good reads!
Grizzly Bear : Veckatimest
And if you're a music person, my brother writes about music over here -- its good reads!
08 July 2009
The Red Balloon
It is summer in the Northern Hemishpere, so you should be outside. But perhaps later this evening, you want to open some windows and let the breeze flow in while you watch a good movie. Nothing too long...maybe something that you can watch and still have time to go get some fireflies in the yard later. I have just the thing.
The Red Balloon is an award winning film from 1956 written and directed by Albert Lamorisse, starring his son Pascal Lamorisse. I have loved this movie since I was young, and I was happy to share it with my class this past school year. They had wonderful things to say about it which are shared below.
Enjoy today, and come back tomorrow for some more (contemporary) sharing about the film.
Ma : I thought that the balloon ran out of air and the boy stamp it with his feet.
Am : I like the way that he took all of the balloons and flew away.
Pe : You know why all the balloons was flying away? Because the red balloon give all his magic to the other balloons.
Na : I like when it ended, when he flew into the air!
Ro : It was like Disneyland, it was magic, it was beautiful!
Jo : I liked the end
Al : How will he get down ?
Ca : I can answer that question. He will take one by one away until he gets down.
Ly : He can stay in the air for lots of days, and then he’ll come back down.
And a lovely interview with Pascal Lamorisse on the 2007 restoration of the film is here.
The Red Balloon is an award winning film from 1956 written and directed by Albert Lamorisse, starring his son Pascal Lamorisse. I have loved this movie since I was young, and I was happy to share it with my class this past school year. They had wonderful things to say about it which are shared below.
Enjoy today, and come back tomorrow for some more (contemporary) sharing about the film.
Ma : I thought that the balloon ran out of air and the boy stamp it with his feet.
Am : I like the way that he took all of the balloons and flew away.
Pe : You know why all the balloons was flying away? Because the red balloon give all his magic to the other balloons.
Na : I like when it ended, when he flew into the air!
Ro : It was like Disneyland, it was magic, it was beautiful!
Jo : I liked the end
Al : How will he get down ?
Ca : I can answer that question. He will take one by one away until he gets down.
Ly : He can stay in the air for lots of days, and then he’ll come back down.
And a lovely interview with Pascal Lamorisse on the 2007 restoration of the film is here.
07 July 2009
06 July 2009
LMNOP
I saw LMNOP mentioned at urban preschool ages ago, and then it popped up again at Playful Learning as part of their alphabet inspiration.
It is an online magazine, and like another one of my favorite online magazines, small, it has lovely photos and great contributors and great ideas for kids. It's another nice little source of inspiration from good people.
It is like a magazine in the sense that there are things to buy and a price tag is mentioned, but I find the artisans that they feature to be so great - they feature etsy sellers and small boutiques. And that's better than Toys R Us, right?
Happy browsing!
02 July 2009
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